In October 2024, Ken and I joined a photography workshop by Capture the Atlas, exploring the stunning landscapes and northern lights in southern Iceland. It was my first visit to this beautiful country, and my first encounter with the mesmerizing aurora borealis. Those twelve days were not just an adventure; they would live with us forever through our photos.
(1) HOPE AND EXPECTATIONS
Here are two of my top ten daytime photos. The first one, "Embracing the Glow," was captured immediately after sunset at Dyrhólaey cliffs. The afterglow illuminated the sky, sea, and the wavefronts that gently crashed onto the black sand beach. As each cascading wave rushed forward to embrace the golden afterglow, I imagined a girl in a bright orange dress joining in the dance.
The second image, "Hope and Expectations," was taken on our last day at Reykjanes Lighthouse. I ventured down to the beach where the sea was calm and the tide low. The rocks seemed to line up, gazing towards the setting sun. However, on our first day here the strong wind battered the waves against these rocks, and only a 30-sec long-exposure could calm the sea (the third photo). Each day brought different weather and moods, yet each day also renewed our hopes and expectations.
(2) BLISS CASCADES
It is said that Iceland has about 10,000 waterfalls. These cascading falls dance from one tier to the next with joy and happiness.
Some waterfalls appear to crash from the sky. Welcoming the powerful and inevitable, if you are brave enough to embrace it (photos 1 and 2). Another, "Rainbow Lady" (photo 3), is charming and elegant, like a young lady adorned with a rainbow around her waist. Additionally, photos 4 to 6 capture waterfalls happily running each day from the cliffs and through the canyons.
(3) MASSIVE GLACIERS
Iceland, known as the Land of Fire and Ice, has glaciers covering about 11% of its land area. Among its 269 named glaciers, Vatnajökull Glacier is the largest, located in central and southern Iceland.
The first photo, "Moments in Time," captures Kvíárjökull Glacier (a part of Vatnajökull Glacier) in the background, cascading downhill and terminating at a glacier lake. In the foreground, ice flakes float on the lake's surface, their shining edges soon to vanish into the water.
The second photo, "Timeless Glimpse," features Svinafellsjokull Glacier (the pig glacier). Massive ice caps appear to drift on the lake’s surface, as hinted by their shadows reflected in the quiet water. The glacier’s peak, shrouded in thick clouds, occasionally peeks through. Like the hiding peak, the man gazing at the glacier in the foreground might disappear in moments too.
Photos 3 and 4 show Svinafellsjokull Glacier from different locations.
The last photo, “Longing”, captured an iceberg at sunset at Fjallsarlón glacial lagoon. It resembles a dinosaur of ice. Where is it headed, and what does it seek before its journey's end?
