The first night of our Iceland tour was my first experience during the Midnight Sun. I must say that having light for 24 hours it is a photographer’s dream. There is actually a sunrise and a sunset each day. During our trip, the sun rose a little before 3am and set a little before midnight. During that three hours between sunrise and sunset, it gets a little darker but it is still pretty bright. I took this photo at 12:30am and you can see that it is quite light out. During normal times and locations, landscape photographers best photos are taken during what is known as the golden hour each day (one hour after the sun rises over the horizon and one hour before the sun sets below the horizon). During this time, the light is at its best with soft golden glow bathing the landscape. During the time of the midnight sun, the golden hour stretches out for multiple hours which increases the chances of capturing some magical moments.
Emerging from the Fog - Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Iceland
The first leg of our sojourn in Iceland was to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula on the western side of the country. Snæfellsnes translates to Snow Mount's Peninsula mainly because the peninsula is home to a volcano with a glacier at its peak. The drive to Arnarstapi from our first hotel is only three hours but with the many photography stops along the way, it took most of the morning and afternoon. The weather was beautiful with great sunshine. Our plan was to visit the Snæfellsjökull Glacier after a quick dinner. As we ate, fog quickly moved in, endangering our shoot for the night. Undaunted, we headed to the glacier through the fog.
When we got to the glacier, we were pretty socked in and it looked like our shoot had ended. Our fearless leader, Nathaniel Smalley, thought otherwise being a veteran of Iceland tours. We were somewhat doubtful but why not? Off we went to our next destination, Kirkjufell. Driving toward the coast, we encountered fog and more fog. Just over the pass we saw the coastline and a break in the clouds
bathed the valley and mountains with great light. Our next obstacle was the high winds that I estimate to have been 50 miles per hour. After struggling to stand still and dealing with the cold, we were able to get some excellent photos.
Drangurinn Rock and the Elves - Drangshlíð, Iceland
The Ring Road is 825 miles long and circles the island, although it bypasses part of northern Iceland, the western fiords and the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Most of the Ring Road is pretty remote, which is not surprising as Iceland’s population is only about 325,000 with more than two-thirds living in the Reykjavík area in southwestern Iceland. As a result, you can drive the road for miles and miles without seeing any buildings. Of course, the drive is overflowing with natural beauty.
The buildings that are visible are filled with history and Icelandic lore like the Drangurinn Rock that provides the background of these two concrete sheds with sod roofs. According to Icelandic folklore, this giant boulder was ripped from the mountains and placed at its current location, where it became home to elves who lived in the caves. According to the myths, the elves cared for pregnant cows that were placed by farmers in these sheds and miraculously gave birth overnight aided by the elves.
Glacier Lagoon (Jokulsarlon) - Southeastern Iceland
Last week, I posted a photo of Diamond Beach that was “littered” with ice chunks. I mentioned that the source of chunks originated in a glacier lagoon (known as Jökulsárlón) and floated the short distance to the beach. The chunks calve off of Breiðamerkurjökull Glacier, which is part of Vatnajökull Glacier, the largest polar cap in all of Europe. It is fascinating to watch and hear the ice chunks breaking off the glacier into the lagoon and make their way toward the Atlantic Ocean.
This process is a continuous one, at least during the warmer months. Some of the chunks are smaller and they make the journey right away. Others are large and often get stuck on the lagoon’s bottom, but ultimately break free when they melt. This process appears to happen daily. We visited this location two nights in a row, and the chunks that were present the previous night were nowhere to be seen, being replaced my new ones.
This photo was taken about 1am, about an hour or so after sunset and only two hours before sunrise. It is kind of different when the golden hour stretches over several hours and it is interesting that the sky never gets dark. I totally appreciate the midnight sun of Iceland.
Looking for Love - Vik, Iceland
Bird watchers from all over the world come to Iceland to see puffins. Why? Iceland is home to more than 60% (8 - 10 million) of the world’s entire Atlantic puffin population. Puffins are not full time residents of Iceland. They spend 8 months of the year at sea. In late spring, thousands of puffins form large colonies on coastal clifftops, coming together for the breeding season.
Fortunately for us, we stayed in the town of Vik for a night. Vik is close to the Cliffs of Dyrholaey where a large breeding colony has been known to nest. The weather had turned for the worse being cold, damp and with extremely high winds. As we hiked to the top of the cliffs, we spotted puffins everywhere flying into the wind and diving here and there. It was quite a scene to experience. I guess the puffins were well into the mating as they totally ignored us as we snapped away.
Ice - Diamond Beach, Iceland
Iceland is home to the largest ice cap in Europe when measured by volume and it is named Vatnajökull. During the warmer months, pieces of the ice cap “calve” (break off) into a lagoon and ultimately float to Diamond Beach. The beach is located off the Ring Road north of Hafn. The beach consists of black sand and gets its name from the ice chunks that glisten like diamonds along the beach. It is a very impressive sight.
Our first night was first spent near the lagoon where the calved pieces of the ice cap filled the lagoon and, as we were there, we saw numerous ice chunks float toward the ocean. We then drove to Diamond Beach to find it littered with sparkling ice. This photo was taken during sunrise (just before 3am) as the sunlight was lighting up the tip of the mountain across from the beach. It was amazing to watch and experience.
Vestrahorn Beauty - Hofn, Iceland
It has been awhile since I have posted a photo on social media. After ten years plus of posting images and write-ups, I decided to take a long rest. Truth be told, I missed being out with nature and experiencing the tranquility and beauty of what Mother Nature had to offer. I missed my photography friends and the constant banter and laughs that we shared. In essence, I felt uninspired. That ended a few weeks ago when I took my first trip since COVID began to Iceland.
Our small group traveled the southern part of the Ring Road and saw some amazing scenes. This is the first photo that I have posted from the trip. The location is near Hofn and it spoke to me. This unique shaped mountain has earned the nickname “Batman Mountain”. It stands at 1,500 feet above a flat lagoon, a black sand beach and small black dunes. A great scene to rejuvenate my soul.
Teton Sunrise - Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
One of the best things about Grand Teton National Park are the many turnouts and overlooks that have been built along the park's two main roads, US Route 89 and Teton Park Road. These stops on the road provide many beautiful views of the massive Teton Range, which are part of the larger Rocky Mountain Range. I have a particular affinity for the Blacktail Ponds Overlook.
Best shot at sunrise, you really need to get there early enough to get the morning light as it begins to light up the peaks and work its way down the mountains. One of the challenges when shooting here at this time of day is the high dynamic range of the scene that is often difficult for cameras to capture. Trying to blend the very bright mountains and the very dark foreground takes a bit of thought and practice. There is a fine line in balancing the image, by bringing out details in the shadows while reducing the highlights to bring out the mountains.
Frozen Swim - Lake Misurina, Misurina, Italy
Before visiting the Dolomites in May a couple of years ago, I checked the average temperatures for the region, and it seemed to be quite reasonable with an average low of 48° F and an average high of 73° F. As the trip progressed, we started hearing that the Dolomites were experiencing the coldest and snowiest May in seventy years. When we reached the town of Misurina, it was clear that winter was in full force. After checking into our hotel, we walked to the lake, which had frozen over except for a small area. There I found a small group of mallards taking a frozen swim.
Sandstone Fins - Colorado Springs, Colorado
There is something about the rock formations in the American Southwest that always makes me wonder how they were created. Of course, the answer is usually erosion, but it is hard to put my head around it. Whenever I see the many different and unusual ones, usually in close proximity to one another, I think of what combination of wind, water and ice made each the way they are, especially since they were exposed to very similar conditions over time. On the opposite hand, there are rock formations like these sandstone fins that have a very similar shape as far as the eye can see.
I decided to find out how these fins were created and here is what I found out. Fins are actually an intermediate stage in the erosion of sandstone. The fins may have started out as part of a plateau. Through the uplift of the underlying rock, deep vertical, parallel fractures to begin to be formed. Weathering and erosion enlarge the fractures and the sandstone falls away until they form the shape that you see in this photo.
What's next for these fins? The next stage is the erosion of sandstone below forming either windows or arches. Over time, even these erode causing the arches to collapse, resulting in hoodoos. This helps me understand how the rock formations in the Southwest were formed.
Sentinel Mesa - Monument Valley, Navajo Nation
A few years ago, before a Moab photo tour, we spent a few days in Monument Valley, one of my favorite places in the US. The first morning was magical, with the clouds and sunrise light bathing all of the sandstone formations. After shooting the Mittens and Merrick Butte from the balcony of the View Hotel, we rushed out to the front of the hotel, hopped in our car, and went a very short distance to this dirt road. This image shows the light gradually lighting up both Sentinel Mesa (on the left) and the rock formation known as the King on His Throne on the right. One of the more interesting things about Monument Valley are the cool names that the rock formations have. Many of the names originate from the Navajo or the settlers to the region. When you start out with magical light like this, everything else is just icing on the cake.
Double Arch Evening - Arches National Park, Moab, Utah
One of my favorite rock formations that I have shot is located in Arches National Park. I have shot there quite a few times and have determined it is best shot early in the mornings. The few times I have shot it in evening light have not come out very well, so I had given up on shooting there at that time. On my last visit, I had just arrived in Moab in the late afternoon and decided to take a quick spin into Arches National Park. As I headed toward the Windows and Turret Arch area, I thought about my reluctance on shooting Double Arch at this time of day. Despite this, I made a stop and this was the scene that I saw. I quickly realized that whatever I had experienced before had led me to false conclusions. Maybe the time of the early evening was different in the past, but the glow through the arches was wonderful. While I still think that Double Arch is better in morning light, suffice to say I will visit it in early evening light more in the future.
Striped Kingfisher - Welgevonden Reserve, South Africa
On my trip to South Africa a little over a year ago, I found myself taking photos of birds more that I ever have. There are so many birds that it is hard to identify a bird’s name whenever you find them. Fortunately, I was with some excellent bird photographers who would identify them. This bird is a Striped Kingfishers.
Striped Kingfisher can be found throughout Africa, except deserts. These birds love woodlands, open savannas, and dry bushes. Their diet consists primarily of grasshoppers and other large insects. These birds typically hunt by perching on a branch and then dive to their prey once they spot any. These birds bring their victims back to their perch first before swallowing them whole.
Siena Glow - Siena, Italy
Before my last trip to Italy, almost all of my friends who have visited Italy told me that I must visit the Tuscan city of Siena. I was a little concerned before I got there that I would be disappointed because they hyped it up so much. When I checked into our hotel and looked at the cityscape, I realized that they hadn’t hyped it enough. Located in the center of Tuscany, Siena is famous for its medieval cityscape and the Palio, a horse race held twice a year. Settled sometime between 900 - 400 BC, its architecture screams history. Built on a Tuscan hill, the streets and alleyways seem to go in just about any direction. Walking around the city, you feel like you entered a time machine and were transported to a medieval time. While there are some cars present that tell you that you are still in the present, there is no doubt that Siena was built for its people and that, even today, that fact is still true.
From a photography standpoint, Siena really shines during the golden hours when the setting sun adds a glow to an already perfect scene to something even more amazing. The buildings just pop when the evening sun hits them and I sometimes just stood there and took it all in instead of shooting photos of the scene. On my previous visits to Italy, Venice has always been my favorite one. After visiting Siena, Venice has a new rival.
Tuscan Window - Province of Siena, Italy
Not quite two years ago, I spent three weeks exploring Italy on a photography trip. One of my stops was several days in Tuscany, which I had only briefly explored in the past. As I visited many of the small towns in the area, I became mesmerized by the architecture of the small homes that could have been built as long as a thousand years ago. I can only wonder about the history that has occurred outside these homes. I found myself taking a lot of photos of doors and windows as I walked around. Even though some of them looked like they would soon crumble, I felt that their appearance showed strength and resilience with tons of character. I liked this particular window as it showed all of these characteristic and also had a freshness there with the colorful flowers in the window box.
Two Jack Serenity - Banff National Park, Alberta
I was blessed with some amazing light during a trip to Banff National Park a few years ago. This was especially true of Two Jack Lake. Being only about ten minutes from our hotel, I visited there twice and was treated to beautiful light each time. This contrasts with one of my earlier trips when I visited the lake four times before getting decent light. As you can see, the light was amazing, even though Mount Rundle was only partially lit (it never did get fully lit on this morning). Regardless, the clouds and the reflection more than made up for it. This is the reason you wake up at 3:30am for a June sunrise shoot.
Twin Falls - Washburn Point, Yosemite National Park, California
One of the great places to get an expansive view of the Yosemite Valley is to head up to Glacier Point. Although it is only 1 mile away from the valley as the crow flies (looking up), it is a 30 mile drive to get there. It can get quite crowded there, as it gives a great angled view of Half Dome. For a more secluded view of the valley (and much less crowded), take a hike to Washburn Point (the trailhead is quite near Glacier Point). From there you get a 360-degree view that includes Half Dome and two of Yosemite's waterfalls, Vernal and Nevada Falls. Half Dome dominates most photo compositions so, to focus more on the waterfalls, I zoomed in on them.
Lurking in the Shadows - Welgevonden Reserve, South Africa
If you want to come home from Africa with excellent photographs, one of the most important things you will need is access to top notch Rangers. A good Ranger will be able to track and find wildlife and get you in position to get the shot. I have only been on two safaris but there can’t be many better than the Rangers at Nedile Lodge. They constantly were the first Rangers (of many) to find wildlife. That is important as they get into position themselves first to get you the right angle for the shot. Our Rangers not only found them but also knew how to anticipate where to go when the wildlife went on the move. This cheetah was lurking in that shadows and they guessed correctly where it would end up giving us a straight on shot of it.
Fenceline - Red Hills, Kelly Wyoming
The Red Hills are a great side trip when you are visiting Grand Teton National Park. Located east of the Tetons, it is a beautiful drive where you pass lakes and ranches. When I visited a few years ago, the weather was very spotty and the color of the hills was muted. There is a large ranch to the right of the hills with this split rail fence that seemed to go one forever. I decided to use this fence as a leading line to the red hills.
The hills on my visits here have never looked that red to me, but rather more of an orange color. I was a bit puzzled by this, so I did a little research. Turns out that the hills were not named for their color. In the early 1900's, there was a bitter feud between two Jackson Hole ranching families. The feud resulted into a bloody showdown between the families, and shortly thereafter they were called the Red Hills.
Headed South - Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Delaware
Back in October, I was looking to scout some of the wildlife refuges in the area and had heard about Bombay Hook. It is a little over a hour from our new house and I decided to head out there one afternoon. The refuge is a breeding ground for migratory and wintering waterfowl along the Atlantic Flyway. The roads are well maintained and it was easy to drive and walk around. While there were many birds in the distance, I wasn’t able to get close enough with my 600mm lens. This was one that I captured of geese flying south for the winter.