Tag: photography

Iceland’s Waterfalls – part 1

The Icelandic landscape is graced with so many waterfalls that it often feels as if you can photograph one from just about any location on this wonderful island. At one point during our trip I did a count and saw 19 waterfalls from a single vantage point.

In this first waterfall post, I have images from some of the falls along the southern part of the ring road, which we encountered on the day that we traveled from the Snæfellsnes peninsula toward our next stop in the town of Vik.

Seljalandsfoss

Our first stop was the amazing Seljalandsfoss waterfall; the 60m drop of the water provides an impressive spectacle. One of the features that really makes this waterfall a great place to visit is that there is a cavern behind the falls that can be walked up to for a view of the landscape through the curtain of water. Seljalandsfoss waterfall is part of the river Seljalandsá, which has its origins underneath the Eyjafjallajökull glacier.

Skógafoss

Our next stop on this day had us visit the mighty Skógafoss waterfall, which is about 25m wide and has a drop of 60m. Photographing this waterfall was an awe inspiring experience, as the shallow side of the Skógá river is a perfect spot from which to capture it. As the weather really cooperated, there were moments of double rainbows across the river in front of the waterfall. As the land in front of the falls is very flat, visitors can walk up close to the actual waterfall.

Kvernufoss

The Kvernufoss waterfall is a less often visited neighbor of Skógafoss, possibly because it’s a bit more of a hike, and it’s not as powerful; the falls are a mere 30m, half the height of the other two powerhouses of the day. The walk up to Kvernufoss is stunning, as it meanders up by the river Kverna toward the falls; the hike is about 20 minutes and mostly across a path that is well maintained. This waterfall is another one where it is possible to catch a view from behind the falls.

One note about our visit to Kvernufoss: as we were shooting, we caught sight of a marriage proposal that was taking place; we made sure to capture this, which was a stroke of luck for the photographer on assignment to shoot the proposal, as she had a bit of equipment trouble and we were able to provide her with the images of the event. Sometimes, luck is there and it’s nice to be able to help!

More waterfalls later in the week!

There be Dragons! (creative approach – part 2)

There be dragons!

In last week’s post on My Creative Approach – part 1, I talked a bit about the impact of the inner vision in shaping the image; steering the edit of an image definitely is one way for me to get to what I’m trying to express. In this post, let’s take a look at another way to find that expression.

Last week during the walk on the beach at Meigs Point, one of the pieces of driftwood caught my attention…

Driftwood on the Beach

This beach always provides some interesting subjects for photography, and when I saw the shape of this jetsam, my mind’s eye started putting together a concept that might be possible. Using the available light and shifting my perspective, I opened up my imagination and let the shape speak to me.

At these times, it is important to use one’s feet and view your subject from multiple angles; as part of this process don’t forget to vary the height of the camera…

Vikings’ Dragon

Using height and composition to my advantage, the head starts to articulate above the landscape and one can almost feel there is something waiting to arise from this ancient head; could it be steam or fire? Letting our imagination do its duly appointed work, I can almost see the ancient Viking longships coming to the coast of the New World with their dragon-shaped figureheads; as the settlers left their beached ships behind, weather chipped away at the details over the centuries, leaving behind just enough to remind us of the way they once graced the oceans’ waters.

Part of the creative process here was in the selection of composition and using the camera’s aperture to set the subject apart from a more dreamy backdrop. Allowing the viewer’s eye to travel across the image helps establish a connection to their imagination from yours!

This image was captured with a Canon EOS R5 and Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens. Aperture was set at f/5.0, at 400 ISO and 1/1250s exposure. Minor touch ups and a bit of contrast was provided in post-processing.

Fumaroles of Hverir

A teaser of the Hverir geothermal area.

There are some locations that you want to visit more than once; whether it is the beauty of the colors, the raw power of the water, or the otherworldliness, there is just something that pulls you back in. For me, the Myvatn region in northern Iceland has that hold over me. I have been there twice thus far and want to go back to explore much, much more!

One of the key attractions is the Hverir geothermal area, which is located just off the Ring Road…

Fumarole in Action

There is a definite sense of being on an alien planet, when you get up close to these fumaroles and take in the influence that sulfur has had on this landscape. Between the sounds, the sights and the smell, I could think of what makes people think of locales, such as Hell; one can imagine that demon’s breath is being spewed forth from the very ground upon which we walk!

I’ll leave you with this teaser, as I’ll do several posts about some of the views that were available in this region! More to come!

The Icelandic Horse

Have a chat with a horse!

During the photo trip, one of my main goals was to capture the stunning natural beauty that is Iceland; after all, the country is filled with amazing sights, well-known for its glaciers, waterfalls, volcanoes, geysers, and lagoons. Although puffins were listed among our tour stops, the fauna of Iceland was not my main interest.

So, when we made a road-side stop to photograph some horses in a field, I did not expect to come away with a profound impression of how the Icelandic horse connects to this rugged land and its people.

Soulful and Rugged

As I helped several of the other photographers in our group to get some good shots by drawing the attention of several of the horses, I came to feel that there is a strong connection between this land and its horses. It’s as if the horse is a reflection of the country: not large, yet sturdy, able to withstand whatever nature throws at them, and filled with a strong character.

Built for the Weather

A coat that is able to grow for the tough Winter months, compact size and sure-footedness are some of the key characteristics of the Iceland horse.

The horse was brought to Iceland by the Norse settlers who arrived in the 9th and 10th centuries. From these horses, over the centuries selective breeding, as well as natural selection, developed the breed into its current form. The breed was almost wiped out due to the massive eruption of the volcano at Laki in 1783; the months of spewing of sulfuric aerosols from this event had a profound impact on the climate and landscape, reaching well beyond Iceland.

Eyeing the Human!

As these horses stand an average of 13 to 14 hands, many will consider them pony size, despite the fact that breed registries refer to the Icelandics as horses. They are also known for a spirited temperament and large personality, and have another unique characteristic: their gait.

The Icelandic is a five-gaited breed, as they have two additional gaits beyond walk, trot and canter/gallop. The fourth gate is a four-beat lateral ambling gait know as the tölt; this gait stands out due to its explosive acceleration and speed, while still being comfortable. The fifth gait is called a skeið or flugskeið (flying pace); this racing gait is fast and smooth, enabling the horse to reach speeds of 30 miles per hour (48 km/h).

Next time when you’re in Iceland, go check out these horses and don’t be afraid to talk to them; they are great listeners who prefer a good conversation over a handful of grass!

Birth of the Sun

When planets align, the universe brings us a new day!

As I’m gathering steam in the re-establishment of my creative spark in photography, I want to revisit some of the series that I have enjoyed in earlier posts.

I’m sure that many of you remember the ‘Yoga Tree’ series of a tree in an astounding pose, photographed against various skies and across the seasons. Let’s make Wednesdays about her!

Birth of the Sun

Just over 9 years ago, I captured this image. It inspired me to think that when planets align, the universe brings us a new day.

Let’s keep our planetary voyage moving forward toward all that is good and inspiring!

Snæfellsnes Peninsula – part 6

Rugged and awe inspiring.

How does one follow up the view of Kirkjufell, you might ask. In Iceland, the answer is simple, as each landscape is unique in its own way and dramatic!

As we were heading toward a great little church (coming up in part 7), we made a stop to enjoy another aspect of Snæfellsnes Peninsula: Berserkjahraun lava field.

Berserkjahraun I

The lava field is about 4000 years old and covers the western part of Helgafell, situated between the towns of Stykkishólmur and Grundarfjörður. Its name, Berserkjahraun comes from one of the old Icelandic sagas, the Eyrbyggja-Saga. According to the tales a farmer brought two berserkers from Sweden to the Snæfellsnes peninsula, who he later gave to his brother Viga-Styr, who lived on the other side of the lava field. One of the berserkers fell in love with Viga-Styr’s daughter and asked for her hand in marriage.

The shrewd Viga-Styr made a deal that stipulated he could have her hand in marriage, if he cleared a path across the lava field, which feat was considered impossible. Of course, the berserkers worked together and completed a path in short time. Instead of keeping his promise, Viga-Styr had the two Swedes killed and buried them near the path. The landmarks of this legend can be found in the field: the path, Berserkjagata, the burial place of the berserkers, Berserkjadys, a boundary fence, Landamerkjagarður and a sheep den, Fjárrétt.

Berserkjahraun II

Looking across this field, one can imagine the source of such a wonderful tale. The entire field is strewn with lava stones, which seem nearly impassible. If you find yourself here, it is well worth spending some time exploring the field, as long as you watch your footing, as it is treacherous.

The images in this post are taken with my iPhone 13 Pro Max and 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; for these images, I created a template based on the Backlit Clouds template that is part of the Overcast collection of templates. Touch up processing was done in Photoshop.

Snæfellsnes Peninsula – part 5

Magnificent Kirkjufell

Welcome to the second day that we spent on the Snæfellsnes peninsula. After a busy first day, there was plenty more to experience!

Our first planned stop in the morning was at a magnificent location: Kirkjufell, Icelandic for Church Mountain.

Kirkjufell Mountain

This 463 m high hill is located near the town of Grundarfjörður and is claimed to be the most photographed mountain in Iceland. This makes me wonder if that was before or after it was featured in Game of Thrones as “arrowhead mountain”; this was seen by the Hound and his band when they were north of the Wall busy capturing a wight.

Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss

There is also a wonderful set of waterfalls across the road from Kirkjufell, which are known as Kirkjufellsfoss. On this longer exposure to get the water to be more ribbon-like, you’ll notice that there are plenty of people crossing the falls.

The views here are stunning and I would love to go back here during the off-season to spend more time exploring the possible images, such as using the opportunity to get down lover by the waterfall to capture them from an even better angle.

The images in this post are taken with my iPhone 13 Pro Max and 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; for these images, I created a template based on the Backlit Clouds template that is part of the Overcast collection of templates. Touch up processing was done in Photoshop.

My Creative Approach – part 1

A view of the beach stretches back

For me, photography is about more than capturing the scene that we find in front of ourselves. Granted that there is a lot to be said for great photography technique, so that the capture truly represents said scene and highlights the subject(s) in the best way possible. I enjoy that part of photography and particularly like a good lighting challenge. The aspect of photography that keeps me challenged mentally is the creative process. In this series of blog posts, I’ll try to share a bit of this process.

In this first post, let’s take a look at an image that I captured yesterday while exploring a beach in southern Connecticut with great friends of mine.

Meigs Point Beach Scene

As we came upon this section of beach by Meigs Point, I thought that the piece of driftwood across the seashells made for a great bit of counterpoint to the rocks in front of the sky. Overall, I was happy with this view of a bit of beach life, but there was something more that could be done with this.

17th Century Beachscape

A bit of creative exploration brought the idea of taking this image back to the golden age of Dutch seascape masters. As part of their Seaside Artistic Collection for Luminar AI, Skylum provides the sensibility of various seascape painters in a series of templates. Testing some of the treatments, I selected the Rotterdam template, setting it to approximately 1/3 opacity to allow for a blend of captured scene and Dutch seascape that my mind’s eye perceived.

Next steps were very much about bring the age of seascapes in with subtle adjustments, such as film grain, details, contrast aiming to get a sense of the present of the driftwood reaching back to the 17th century of the sky. Taking a bit of a meandering walk through creative options enables me to connect to the points that resonate with what I’m feeling about the scene.

I love to hear what creative approaches you take to your photography. Please let me know in your comments.

Sunset over a Harbor

A setting sun and a calm moment

As a new diversion, I’ll be sharing various sunsets and sunrises on Thursdays; there are plenty of images to choose from, so I think I may have something for just about all tastes!

Let’s kick things off with a wonderful moment from June of 2021, when I was lucky enough to find myself with this view…

Bar Harbor Sunset

As the day was drawing to a close, we found ourselves sauntering around the harbor front area in the town of Bar Harbor. As the Sun started getting lower, I started experimenting with different approaches of capturing the moment, while finding a balance between the brightness of the Sun and the silhouette of the landscape.

Ultimately, I settled on a higher shutter speed of 1/1600 s with an ISO of 125, which gave me this result at F/9. Shot with a Canon EOS R5 and a Canon RF 24-105mm L IS USM lens. Post processing was used to add a little bit of warmth and pop the contrast.