The day after we visited the waterfalls in yesterday’s post (Iceland’s Waterfalls – part 1), we had another spectacular day! After spending some quality time on a black sand beach in Vik (a post to come), we visited the Mighty Geysir – Strokkur and then came upon Gullfoss!
The Golden Falls – Gullfoss
Gullfoss, the ‘Golden Falls’ is located in southwest Iceland and easily accessible during a day trip from Reykjavik. The waterfall is part of the Hvitá river, as it flows through a three-step staircase into a canyon; the steps are 11 m and 21 m, before a final step of 31 m into a crevice. The average amount of water flowing through the falls is 141 cubic meters (5000 cu-ft) per second, which made it very tempting for hydroelectric exploitation.
There were attempts to create a hydroelectric power plant here during various times in the 20th century, but each failed due to the prohibitive costs to potential investors. In the end, the rights to the waterfall were sold to the state of Iceland, and it is now protected.
Here’s a quick video of these immense waterfalls in my YouTube channel:
The Golden Falls
The images in this post are taken with a Canon EOS EOS R5 using a Canon RF24-105mm F4 L IS USM lens. First level processing of the images was done using Skylum’s Luminar AI software; touch up processing was done in Photoshop. Video was captured with an iPhone 13 Pro Max and processed with iMovie.
A Fresh Perspective
Photography is more than just a vehicle for capturing the world around me; it provides me with a palette and a set of brushes, with which I paint not only what I see, but also look to express the emotions that are evoked by the scene in front of me in that moment.
Growing up in the Netherlands exposed me to a wide cross-section of visual arts that laid the foundation of my photographic view of all that surrounds me. Early influences were the Dutch Masters of the 17th century, to whom I was introduced by my grandfather during museum explorations; favorites among them are the scenes of quotidian life depicted by Jan Steen and Frans Hals and the vivid landscapes of Jacob van Ruisdael.
My classical high school education was supplemented by the Boijmans Van Beuningen museum, where I spent many a lunch hour exploring its great collection. Here I was introduced to surrealism with a particular love for the approach taken by Salvador Dali; Dali also rekindled my appreciation for the work of Hieronymus Bosch, who often showed the folly of us mortals.
Universal Connections
My approach to any photographic subject is to look for understanding first; in this I look to establish either a connection between the viewer and the subject or capture the connection of the subject with its surroundings. The captured image then aims to portray this connection from a perspective that is part of my personal interpretation.
This interpretation is often a form of externalized introspection, which may alternately display the connection of isolated beings and items with their environment or highlight the whimsy of the profound world, in which we find ourselves. The universe is full of connections, many of which are waiting to be discovered; part of my journey as a photographer is to document these connections.
Any assignment, be it an event, a product shoot or a portrait session is always approached through communication with the client; this is where the first connection is established. Ideas are exchanged and a collaborative plan of action forms, ultimately resulting in a set of images that aim to exceed the expectations of each client.
And, lest we forget, it is important to have fun while practicing the serious business of photography!
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Dutch goes the Photo! 
They are quite stunning Frank.
Thank you kindly!