Tag: iceland

Wednesday Window – pt 37

Another playful exploration of the architectural aspects of the magnificent Harpa Concert Hall of Reykjavik

After last week’s lighthearted window reflection selfie, I’m continuing the study of the amazing Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik. It might feel a bit indulgent to enjoy the magnificence of the architecture, but I just can’t help myself. The striking design of the Harpa, with its geometric shapes and dynamic interplay of light, never ceases to captivate me.

There are many photography opportunities throughout the entire building, beckoning both amateur and professional photographers alike. Although I might not do them justice the way my good friend, George Fellner, does, I’ll share another one here. George has an incredible eye for the architecture through his compositions, and his ability to capture the essence of a structure is truly inspiring.

The ceiling is definitely my favorite subject in the overall Harpa oeuvre. It allows for lots of playful exploration of angles, surfaces, reflections, colors, and lights. Each time I look up, I see something new – the way light dances across the textured panels, creating a kaleidoscope of hues that shifts with each passing moment. It’s a remarkable experience that invites contemplation and creativity, making every visit feel fresh and exciting. I find myself continually drawn back, eager to discover new perspectives to share, and to further appreciate the exquisite craftsmanship that makes Harpa a standout gem in Reykjavik’s architectural landscape.

Escalation

This particular angle, and interplay of lights, dark, mirror, and captured reflections gives me a sense of an old-time video game, where the protagonist hops from one block to the next avoiding hazards and gathering points. The vivid contrast between the warm glows and deep shadows creates a nostalgic atmosphere, reminiscent of pixelated graphics and simplistic yet engaging gameplay mechanics. Each jump across the precarious platforms feels like a thrilling challenge, as the main character cleverly dodges enemies and navigates through intricate levels filled with secrets and surprises. This representation not only evokes fond memories of childhood gaming but also invites me to reminisce about the excitement of discovering hidden treasures, all while competing for the highest score in a vibrant, digital landscape.

This is my mid-week contribution to the Monday Window thread, a creation of Ludwig Keck. To read more about Ludwig, check this page.

Wednesday Window – pt 36

Today, we go for a lighthearted offering of a joyful selfie taken during a photography tour in Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik.

After just over a week of the return engagement on my blog, I’m beginning to hit my stride and having some fun with the posts thus far. The process has been both invigorating and enlightening as I’ve revisited my work and sought new angles to explore. I’m working my way ahead a little bit for the Wednesday Window series; after looking through a good amount of my shots from the 2022 photography trip to Iceland, there lurks a series of images of Harpa Concert Hall to be featured over time. Each photograph captures the stunning architectural design and the vibrant interplay of light that the building is known for, presenting an exciting opportunity to share not just visuals, but also the stories and experiences behind them. I look forward to weaving narratives that complement these images, drawing readers into the atmosphere of Reykjavik and the striking presence of this cultural landmark.

For today’s featured image, I present you with something lighthearted and rare in my collection: a selfie that captures a moment of pure joy and spontaneity…

A Harpa Selfie!

Walking around this magnificent architectural structure, if one pays close attention to the reflection in the south-facing facade, a spot can be found that mirrors the viewer in one of the lower windows. Of course, this is a lot easier to find in the presence of an experienced photography tour guide, such as Loren Fisher! Our little group huddled together, enabling me to capture this particular moment. As you can tell from the facial expressions, we enjoyed the contrast of this instance of levity to our ‘serious’ photography (maybe not so serious). It’s great to have fun in everything that we do!

This is my mid-week contribution to the Monday Window thread, a creation of Ludwig Keck. To read more about Ludwig, check this page.

Travel Tuesday

The nature of travel filled with the joy of discovery and connection. Iceland captivates me with its stunning landscapes and resilient culture. The post highlights the unique Icelandic horse.

We all travel for a variety of reasons, and none of them are without their merit. For me, the act of visiting a location away from home is a blend of discovery, connection, and a general sense of curiosity that I have. Over the years, my reasons have evolved from checking off a list of sights that I can say I have seen; nowadays, I like to slow down my travel pace so that I can enjoy the people, the place, and the overall mood that envelops me.

One of the countries that I have come back to a number of times is Iceland. I’m drawn to its rugged landscape, its flora and fauna, and its wonderful people who embody a spirit of resilience and warmth. The uniqueness of this country’s geographic features, from its towering glaciers to its bubbling geothermal hot springs, fascinates me endlessly. Each visit feels like stepping into an entirely new world, where the elements shape the environment in ways that are both striking and serene.

Of course, one cannot mention Iceland without alluding to the many stunning waterfalls that dot its landscape, each cascading down rocky cliffs in a breathtaking display of nature’s power. From the magnificent Gullfoss to the delicate Seljalandsfoss, there are countless opportunities for photographers and nature lovers alike to capture the magic these sites hold. Today, I’m sharing part of Iceland’s fauna, highlighting an animal that thrives in this harsh yet beautiful environment…

Icelandic Horse

The Icelandic horse is a truly unique breed, having evolved from the ponies brought by the island’s Norse settlers during the 9th and 10th centuries. Adapted to the harsh Icelandic environment, these horses exhibit remarkable resilience and strength, allowing them to thrive despite the island’s challenging climate. The breed has a unique characteristic in its gaits; in addition to the walk, trot, and canter/gallop, it has two additional gaits: a lateral ambling gait (tölt) and flying pace (flugskeið). The tölt is a natural gait for the Icelandic horse that is present from birth, providing a smooth and comfortable ride, which has endeared these horses to riders of all skill levels. The flying pace, on the other hand, is a specialized gait that is taught and used in races; not all the horses will learn this pace, as it requires specific training and talent. This diverse range of gaits not only showcases the physical capabilities of the Icelandic horse but also highlights the deep bond between rider and horse, as they navigate the stunning landscapes and rugged terrains of Iceland together.

This particular photo came about during a photography group trip under the guidance of Loren Fisher. Some of the participants had asked to get the opportunity to capture some shots of Icelandic horses, which led to our stopping by the side of the road next to this meadow filled with vibrant wildflowers and lush green grass. Trying to attract the horses’ attention with clumps of grass didn’t work, so I switched to simply talking to them in a soft, reassuring tone, which eventually brought them closer to the fence. As I spoke to them, I observed their curious nature and gentle demeanor, and it was heartwarming to see their large, expressive eyes focus on me. This gorgeous animal was definitely my favorite of the bunch, with its sleek mane flowing in the wind and a curious spark in its gaze. It seemed to sense the moment, and after a few moments of hesitation, he obliged with this amazing pose, making the photograph truly special and capturing the spirit of the wild Icelandic horses beautifully.

Travel Tuesday

This week we highlight a photo from Jokulsarlon Lagoon taken during a rainy August 2022 visit.

In the most recent Travel Tuesday post, we visited the wonderful city of Brno. As I was working on (finally) putting together my photography web-site, I started with a test gallery page for Iceland. Thus far I’ve put 13 of my images from the various trips to this great country with many more to come!

That gave me the idea to post this one…

Jokulsarlon Lagoon

This is from an August 2022 trip, and as you can probably tell, it was raining pretty steadily during our visit to Jokulsarlon. Given the tricky conditions (and the amount of people at the site, I decided to also take a couple of iPhone shots. This is one of those photos, which I kind of like. There are definite coloration artifacts, which are a little too early for blue hour (especially in August).

Just as a heads up, if you visit the web-site, it’s still doing some unpredictable things, plus there are some pages from the demo site that I’m using as a starting point. Plus many links will become active when I add many more galleries, as well as some shop pages. Lots to come!

iPhone Friday

Yes, I love travel and scenic locations, particularly Iceland, which remains my top choice for landscapes. And there’s no ignoring Skogafoss!

It seems like this series of posts has been well-traveled over the past number of months (use tag to travel). There are just so many great places and people to visit on this planet of ours! For pure landscape, I’ll admit that Iceland is still tops on my list!

Here’s another magnificent moment in Iceland…

Skogafoss Rainbow

Skogafoss is a stunning waterfall in this land of many great waterfalls. It’s also visited quite a bit, as its location is close to the ring road and not too far from Reykjavik. Every time that I come here, the waterfall presents itself in a unique way for that day, varying based on time of year, rainfall, melt-off, and many other factors.

Wednesday Window – pt 23

With this Wednesday Window we’re back at the Harpa Concert and Convention Centre in Reykjavik, Iceland.

After last week’s Wednesday Window taking a look into a lovely holiday tableau, I thought it would be interesting to take a view to the outside. Now, I didn’t want to take a rather obvious approach of looking out through a window. Rather, I was thinking about a bit of indirection.

Here’s this week’s view…

Harpa Loft

We’re looking at the ceiling interior of the Harpa Concert and Convention Centre in Reykjavik, Iceland. They very cleverly made the ceiling an art installation through the pattern, which reminds me a bit of the Q*bert game from the 1980’s. The windows in this image are reflected by the ceiling, allowing us to look outside on a rather overcast day.

Harpa is an astonishing work of architecture, which is filled with interesting bits to photograph. Hope you enjoy this one!

This is my mid-week contribution to the Monday Window thread, a creation of Ludwig Keck. To read more about Ludwig, check this page.

Alien Landscapes

Iceland’s diverse and otherworldly landscapes, shaped by volcanic activity and erosion, offer a paradise for landscape photography.

The landscapes found on Iceland are amazing in their variety and sense of otherworldliness. Volcanoes continue to create new landscapes; the erosion due to ice, water, and wind sculpts intriguing shapes. This is paradise for landscape photography!

This week another one of these strange, imaginative formations…

Mars Rover Playground

This area near the fumaroles of Hverir is a bit of a climb up the hill. With this climb one is rewarded with a rather alien landscape. I would not be surprised to find out that the Mars rover went for a test-drive here!

Seeing this landscape wants me to return to this area to explore it even further and work out the kinks of my photography from ten years ago!

Winding Road into the Clouds

In Iceland, the beauty of the scenery often encourages moments of pause and reflection. Here we find ourselves at such a vantage point.

Sometimes we just need to stop and take in the scenery. It’s good to take a deep breath and let it all soak in. In Iceland, I find that occurs pretty frequently to me. During my first trip to this amazing country in 2015, I found myself experiencing that sense of having to take it all in quite often. It was the middle of June, so it didn’t really get dark at night. This enabled me to take extended drives through the countryside and explore.

Here’s one of those explorations…

Winding Road into the Clouds

I was struck by the multiple layers of cloud decks in this view. Low clouds hanging above the fjord and higher formations behind the mountains. Together with the winding road, it speaks of mystery, as expressed by Nature.

Wednesday Window – pt 13

The Harpa Concert Hall features a unique glass facade with ten different types of glass, including three dichroic varieties that reflect vibrant colors during the day.

After last week’s reception of the Harpa Concert Hall and Convention Centre, I’ll reprise this amazing structure with a bit of a detail view. One of the unique features of the glass facade is that it provides bits of color. Yes, there are a large number of same sized panes of glass. No, that doesn’t mean there is no variation.

Here’s a more detailed look…

Harpa Details

There are 10 different types of glass used across the building’s facades, including three dichroic glasses. These dichroic glasses are yellow, green and orange, so that they reflect blue, red and purple. These create a nice touch during daylight hours, as you can see in the image.

Next week, I’ll focus on the night time view, which is thanks to the efforts of artist Olafur Eliasson.

This is my mid-week contribution to the Monday Window thread, a creation of Ludwig Keck. To read more about Ludwig, check this page.

Strokkur Geysir

Today we visit the Strokkur geyser. Observe the blue bubble indicating impending eruptions and catch the right moment!

I’m confident that many of you are by now expecting that we travel to Iceland for Tuesdays. I’m planning to keep this theme going for a good while until you either have seen enough Iceland photos or I run out of them. The latter is just an excuse to go back for more photography! This week we’re visiting one of the iconic geysers of Iceland: Strokkur.

Here’s an eruption sequence for you to enjoy…

During the August 2022 trip, we got to spend about an hour at Strokkur, which gave me enough time to get a sense of its rhythm. The eruptions occur about every 8-10 minutes, but not every eruption reaches the same height.

I figured out that the important aspect is to keep an eye on the blue bubble. You can almost feel the geyser breathe through the expansion and contraction of the bubble. After several smaller eruptions, I had a sense that this might be the one!

I was definitely not disappointed. As a matter of fact the height was even more than I anticipated! This sequence of 7 images was shot over about 2 seconds. It may have been a gray, rainy day, but the spectacle was worth it nonetheless!