Ring Road Stream and Cliffs, Iceland
Roadside stream cascades over rocks in southern Iceland along the Ring Road.
Cliff, Farm, and Stream (Color #1), southern Iceland (16″x53″)
Seljalandsfoss, Iceland
With the blowing spray and crowds of people, taking a photograph that I was satisfied with at Seljalandsfoss was a bit daunting. I found a few brief moments when the wind shifted direction and I was able to take a bulb exposure of the falls from behind.
Seljalandsfoss (Bulb #1), southern Iceland (12″x18″)
Seljalandsfoss (Short Exposure #1), southern Iceland (18″x12″)
Ice and Sand at Jökulsárlón, Iceland
Icebergs from the retreating Breiðamerkurjökull calve into Jökulsárlón, where they are carried out to the ocean. The wind and waves then push the melting chunks of ice up onto the black sands of ‘Diamond Beach’ (Jökulsárlón Ice Beach). This is another one of those sweet spots in Iceland where climate and geology combine to make a perfect location to photograph.
Jökulsárlón Lagoon (Single Frame #1), East Iceland (12″x18″)
Jökulsárlón Lagoon (Single Frame #3), East Iceland
Jökulsárlón Sand and Ice (Single Frame #6), East Iceland
Southern Iceland Cliffs
On the drive from Breiðdalsvík to Jökulsárlón in southern Iceland, I stopped along the Ring Road to photograph the cliffs disappearing into the clouds in the distance. The eroding red paint on the house stood out against the grays and greens of the landscape.
Cliffs and House along Southern Coast, southeastern Iceland (16″x53″)
Jökulsárlón, Iceland
Blue-grey icebergs from Breiðamerkurjökull are scattered across the surface of Jökulsárlón. After a few test photographs of the glacial lake, I noticed that I had to keep the exposure length under ~10 seconds, or the icebergs appear blurred as the cold wind pushes the ice slowly across the lake.
Jökulsárlón (Bulb Panorama #2), East Iceland (16″x66″)
Breiðdalur Valley, East Iceland
We drove through a thick fog bank on the pass between Egilsstaðir and Breiðdalur valley in East Iceland. As we continued down the ring road towards Breiðdalsvík, we dropped below the clouds and could see the 1100 meter high mountains disappearing into the rain on either side of the valley.
Rain Clouds and Mountains in Breiðdalur Valley (#2), East Iceland (16″x64″)
Roadside Falls, East Iceland
The desolate drive along the Ring Road between Mývatn and Egilsstaðir in East Iceland passes through a windswept plateau where golden grasses creep up the steep slopes of hills (first panorama).
On our descent to Egilsstaðir in the Jökuldalur valley, I stopped to photograph the Rjukandi Falls as they poured over cliffs on their way to the Jökulsá a Brú river (second and third panoramas).
Light on Grassy Hillsides on the Plateau (#2), East Iceland (16″x81″)
Yst Í Rjúkandi Falls (#1), East Iceland (16″x35″)
Yst Í Rjúkandi Falls (#2), East Iceland (28″x16″)
Luke Parsons Photography 