Southern Iceland in Spring
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Þingvellir National Park
First stop of the "Golden Circle" itinerary. Rich in significance both geologically and politically. Politically, this was where the first assembly was formed for Icelandic settlers. The church that you see in the picture is the Þingvellir church where the Althing parliamentary general assembly met between 930 CE and 1798.
Canon 5DMARKIV. 70 mm. f/9.0. 1/200 sec. ISO 100.
Öxarárfoss Waterfall
Second stop of the "Golden Circle" itinerary. Öxarárfoss waterfall flows from the river Öxará over the Almannagjá. The waterfall is where a stream plunges into a geological fissure. Legend has it that this is a human made waterfall when river Öxarár was moved to channel the water into the ravine Almannagjá. The purpose was to provide water for the members and visitors of the Icelandic parliament Althingi in the 9th century.
Canon 5DMARK IV. 24 mm. f/8.0. 2.5 sec. ISO 320. 10-stop ND filter.
Seljalandfoss Waterfall
En route to Vik. Seljalandsfoss waterfall, part of the river Seljalandsá, has its origins underneath the glacier Eyjafjallajökull. The cliffs behind the falls have a wide cavern, and rocks and paths allow guests to fully encircle it in summer.
Get ready to be full drenched :-) Also ensure that you have a wide angle (at least 16 mm) to get the behind-the-walls shot and change it before you start the trek. It was a nightmare trying to change from my 24-70 to the 16-35 behind the falls. Try to visit during late afternoon or evenings when the sun is right behind the fall and makes for a fantastic shot.
Canon5DMARKIV. 24 mm. f/11. 1/160 sec. ISO 100.
Gullfoss Waterfall
Final stop of the "Golden Circle" itinerary. The water in Hvítá river travels from the glacier Langjökull, before cascading 32 meters (105 feet) down Gullfoss’ two stages in a dramatic display of nature’s raw power.
The sight of it screaming, wallowing and bulldozing through three levels of rocks is an unforgettable experience. Together with the crazy clouds it almost felt like a hurricane was about to descend. Can you spot the two people standing at the edge?
Canon5DMARKIV. 55 mm. f/11. 1/80sec. ISO 100.
Son's Gaze at the Skógafoss
Somehow, the color of the jackets that my son chose were all incredibly photogenic (more to come on that on other photos). The black and white effect against the "blue" rain coat gave the perfect contrast to this picture. Of course, my son did not like getting drenched is another story altogether.
Canon5DMARKIV. 23 mm. f/4.0. 1/125 sec. ISO 100.
Gullfoss Waterfall
Given its huge size and many different perspectives I found it difficult to button down on a single view. So, this is another perspective of the same fall as you walk down towards the very edge.
Canon5DMARKIV. 25 mm. f/7.1. 10 sec. ISO 100. 10-stop ND.
Just Another View!
Iceland is so majestic and so variegated in its landscape and texture that it is a landscape photographer's dream. On the contrary, it could also overwhelm you on where to focus. I observed this view as I was walking from Gullfoss but the 16*9 seemed to provide better scale than the original. I did wish I had the telephoto lens for this.
Canon5DMARKIV. 70 mm. f/11. 1/80 sec. ISO 100.
Seljalandfoss Waterfall and Its Siblings!
Given Iceland's immense popularity it is very easy to get lost in the common tourist attractions. Sometimes, the best images come when you just keep your eyes "open".
I caught this wide angle on my way from Gljúfrabúi waterfall (a hidden gem 500m from Selja) to the parking lot. One of my favorite shots from the trip.
Canon5DMARKIV. 16 mm. f/10. 1/250 sec. ISO 100.
The Skógafoss WALL
I wanted to capture the "Wall" fro GoT with a person standing real close to the waterfall. Thanks to my friend who got really drenched and probably was screaming at me. But all was well at the end :-)
Canon5DMARKIV. 63 mm. f/2.8. 1/500 sec. ISO 100.
The Impending Storm At Vik i Myrdal!
I encountered this church as I was nearing the Vik downtown. Intrigued by its structure, I drove to the top and my oh my! I was presented with a panoramic view of the church with the basalt rocks of Reynisdrangar. What made it even more eerie was the impending fog that covered the whole place in a matter of minutes. The lull before the storm!
Canon5DMarkIV. 24 mm. f/11. 1/50 sec. ISO 100.
Reynisdrangar Black Sands!
One of those rare places where words really do not do justice. Do words capture the emotions, the roar of the Atlantic, the wind, the changing colors, the birds and the sleeper waves?
Having had a not-so-successful evening here I came back at 6.00am the next day. This and the next couple of images were shot at that time. Not a soul except me and a couple of campers from Colorado. Surreal!
Canon5DMARKIV. 50 mm. f/6.3. 15 sec. ISO 100. 10-stop ND.
The Gatekeeper!
Just gazing at this image brings forth so many emotions. Plan for a wide angle lens to get the complete arc. Thanks to my friend for patiently posing while I waited for strangers to step away from my frame.
Canon5DMARKIV. 16 mm. f/10. 1/10 sec. ISO 100.
Kiss of the Rays and the Basalts!
Same location, slightly different frame, flood of emotions. Taken early morning right after sunrise. Sunrise at this time of the year (April / May) is around 4.00am. Almost felt like the rays and the basalt were posing for me. Here to hoping for another meeting with them in a few years!
Canon5DMARKIV. 16 mm. f/9.0. 1/50 sec. ISO 100.
Svartifoss Waterfall
This is a 5km hike from the base of Skaftafell national park. The waterfall tumbles down 20 metres (80ft) over a cliff which is bordered on both sides by tall black basalt columns, resembling pipes of a giant organ, which is where the waterfall gets its name.
The first view of the fall is from the top of the mountain following which you will have to descent a fair amount of stairs to get real close to the waterfall.
Canon5DMARKIV. 28 mm. f/2.8. 1/250 sec. ISO 100.
The Vestrahorn Mountain!
I had done a lot of research about Stokksnes before heading out there. Stokksnes near Hofn is where the Vestrahorn mountain resides. This place really feels from an outer planet. Black sand dunes filled with golden hay adorn this mountain next to the Atlantic and another snow covered mountain.
It was chilly with heavy winds and sand blowing in your face. I was dressed in 5 layers, sunglasses, head cap and camera gloves. As soon as I stepped out my car I quickly forgot the struggles. It was quite honestly an overwhelming experience to witness the sunrise at around 4.30am. I spent nearly 2.5 hours here despite the harsh weather conditions.
Canon5DMARKIV. 21 mm. f/11. 1/100 sec. ISO 100.
The Eystrahorn Mountain!
A sibling to the Vestrahorn mountain, Eystrahorn is equally majestic and vicious as its sibling. It is further on route 1 from Hofn. Prepare for windy conditions here.
Canon5DMARKIV. 21 mm. f/11. 1/60 sec. ISO 100.
Heinabergsjökull Glacier
Located 8 km off the beaten path from route 1 (between Vik and Hofn) Heinabergsjökull glacier is mesmerizing. Further, given its remote location we had the entire glacier to ourselves for nearly a couple of hours in the afternoon until a few others showed up. It can be found within Vatnajökull National Park, located on the South Coast.
Canon5DMARKIV. 24 mm. f/11. 1/160 sec. ISO 100.
Skógafoss Waterfall
My favorite waterfall out of the ones I visited. Because of its majestic drop of ~60 meters. Because you can witness it in real close proximity. Because of its roaring sound. Because of the luscious green landscape around it. Because of the numerous birds circling it without a shed of fear. Because it was my last stop in Iceland. For now!
Canon5DMARKIV. 24 mm. f/11. 30 sec. ISO 100.
Such is Iceland's variegated landscape that all I needed to capture this majestic sunset was step out of my AirBnB at Hofn. I spent nearly an hour and a half year just gazing at the retreating sun behind the snow capped mountains. Reliving those moments while writing this transports me back there. For. Every. Second.
Canon5DMARKIV. 50 mm. f/11. 1/80 sec. ISO 100.
