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I guess you have heard about the Diamond beach near Jökulsárlón, or even been there yourself. Then you already know that it is a black sand beach in front of the glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón. Icebergs float through a river connecting the lagoon to the ocean, carrying with it big chunks of Ice and icebergs on every low tide. Icebergs are calving of the edge of Breiðamerkurjökull glacier into the lagoon and float towards the exit of the lagoon. On the lagoon they gradually break into smaller pieces that can float out to the ocean with the outgoing tide. When I say smaller peaces, they might be as big as a mini-bus or a car when they float to the beach. The actual name of the beach is Vestari Fellsfjara (on the west side) and Eystri Fellsfjara (on the east side).

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These Icebergs are pushed up on the coast by the incoming tide and waves, leaving them lying on the beach until they gradually melt and disappear. I like to photograph them at f/8 - f/13, with a slightly long shutter speed, from 0,5-2 seconds, depending on the conditions each time. Also I set my camera to continuous shooting (bird photographers know what I mean) to give me better options of capturing the right moment. A ND-filter (Neutral density filter) may be necessary in bright daylight to get the shutter speed slow enough. A tripod is also needed for capturing sharp images with this low shutter speed. Of course the waves sometimes push the ice during the shooting, making it blurry and out of focus.

When an incoming wave hits the icebergs, I start shooting and continue until the wave has returned back to the ocean. This will sometimes give me 5-10 shots for each wave, allowing the water to paint lines in the picture with the white foam, see photos above and below. Then you have a few shots to choose from from each burst, and you can also throw away the ones that are not good when you have uploaded them to your computer. The video below is explaining this method better.

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I hope this will help you to capture beautiful images the next time you visit the Diamond beach. Of course there are many ways to capture the "diamonds" on the beach, this is just one of them.

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The Nacreous clouds or Polar Stratospheric clouds (PSC) are a rare phenomena only visible in the mid winter in the polar regions. They are formed like any other clouds, but at very high altitudes, 15,000 - 25,000 meters (49,000-82,000 ft) and get the rainbow like colours when the sun hits them before rising above the horizon. The ice crystals in these clouds are hit by the light of the rising sun at dawn, when it is 1-6 degrees below the horizon at civil twilight. PSC are formed at very low temperatures, below -78 degrees Celsius (-108 deg. F) and even though the stratosphere is very dry the clouds may form when the conditions are right. The main type of PSC is made up of supercooled water droplets and nitric acid and has been linked to formation of ozone holes. The other type is made of ice crystals only and is not harmful to the atmosphere.

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I have managed to capture PSC a few times in Iceland, maybe 5-6 times in the last 10 years, which indicates how rare they are, or maybe just how lazy I am in the winter. Of course there have to be good conditions on the ground, not heavy clouds, raining or snowing as often is in the winter. The weather forecast is helpful if you are planing to try your luck with PSC, and going out around one hour before sunrise when the sky is predicted to be clear. Shooting with a medium telephoto lens, such as 24-105 or 70-200 mm will give good result, and using a polarising filter can enhance the colours. I also underexpose to get the most out of the shots, as the PSC are often much brighter than the sky around them.

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In some instances the PSC are still visible after the sun rises, like on December 28 2020 when I captured most of the photos here. That is even more rare and very beautiful to see. I was on a photo shoot in Reykjavik early in the morning that day and captured a few shots of PSC over Reykjavik and over Hveragerði in the south the morning before. Also when I got back home to Selfoss in the middle of the day, well before sunset when I also captured a few videos of the Nacreous clouds.

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Every time that I have seen these clouds is from mid December till end of January which is the coldest part of winter, so that could be one more reason to visit Iceland when the day is shortest. Sunrise in mid December is around 11:00 am and sunset at around 3:30 pm here in Iceland, so plenty of time to photograph Northern lights and Nacreous clouds - if you are lucky :-)

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Markarfljót riverA drone image of the Markarfljót glacial river.

Many of you have probably visited Iceland sometimes and enjoyed the beauty of our nature and landscapes. Taking your camera with you on a journey like that is a must, which will capture your memories and experiences here. Iceland is not a big country, only 102 thousand square kilometers, but full of beauty and surprises. One thing you can do to enhance your experience is bring a drone on your tour, or hire a private pilot who will take you flying over the beautiful landscapes of Iceland, and it does not hurt that he is also a photographer. Yes, that's right! And you know what, this guy is a friend of mine :-)

BláhnjúkurFlying over Brennisteinsalda, mt Bláhnjúkur in the center.

Fly over Iceland

I did go on one of these flights last September in a 4 seater airplane where you could open the windows for better photography. It was more than a 2 hour flight covering some of the most beautiful river deltas in south Iceland and into the Landmannalaugar area in the highlands. The experience was great and so much different from photographing with a drone. First of all, you can use your real camera, in my case the Sony A7R3 + 24-105/f4 lens, which suited perfectly for that mission. Dressing in warm clothes is essential here, gloves, hat and a winter coat because you are flying at 13-160 km/hour and often in high altitude. It is an experience that you must try next time you come to Iceland. Contact me for more info.

Ljótipollur crater. Torfavatn lake and Stórasúla mountain.

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Flying the drone

In Iceland we do have regulations regarding drone flying as most countries do, and to make things easier it is good to get to know them before bringing the drone over here. The Icelandic Transport Authority has published some information material about drone operation, which shows in a simplified manner some fundamental things to keep in mind when preparing and during flights. This material can be accessed here.

Also, you need permission if you want to fly within the National Parks, Vatnajökull National park, Snæfellsnes National Park and Þingvellir National Park. Here you can see the regulations for Vatnajökull National park and apply for a licence if you plan to fly there. 

Even though some locations are out of reach, there is plenty of space here to fly your drone if you follow guidelines and do not disturb birds, animals or other people. You just check it out and take off, you might be surprised of what you see up there.

Here you can see a few of my aerial and drone photos that I have recently shot. Do not hesitate to send me a message if you have any questions.

Markarfljót river. Highlands of south Iceland

River delta. Rauðaskál crater.

Reykjadalir at Fjallabak.

Smells like rotten eggs!

The sulphur smell is one of the first things travellers notice about our geothermal areas, but we who live here have gotten used to it through the years. The geothermal hot water is used for heating and up to 82% of domestic houses in Iceland are heated with renewable energy, 62% geothermal and 20% hydropower. Taking a shower in Reykjavik reminds you of where the water comes from, through bore-holes deep into the ground. In the volcanic zone you may find at least 20 high-temperature areas containing steam fields with underground temperatures reaching 200°C within 1,000 m depth. These areas are directly linked to the active volcanic systems which keep the temperature high.

Reykjanes geothermal.

The famous Geyser

In Iceland we have many geothermal areas with hot-springs and mud pots and one of the most famous is definitely the Geyser area with Strokkur as the key player. It erupts pretty regularly every 5-7 minutes sometimes up to 20 meters or more.

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Mývatn area

In the north you will find the Hverir mud pots area and Krafla with another mud pots area with orange and blue clay. In these areas the geothermals are not erupting but bubbling clay and on the hiking paths the ground is sticking to your shoes, especially when it is raining. There is also a hiking path up to the mountain you see in the back which gives you a great view down over the Hverir area.

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Hveravellir and Kerlingafjöll

In the centre of Iceland lies another famous geothermal area between Langjökull and Hofsjökull glaciers. One part of it is the Kerlingafjöll mountain range which has similar activity as Hverir at Mývatn, bubbling mud pots and steam vents with a few warm creeks flowing from the ground. The other part is Hveravellir, just a few kilometers from Kerlingafjöll. In Hveravellir you can find a natural pool and some mud pots and steam vents with beautiful patterns in the mud. It is a good day trip from Reykjavik and requires a 4x4 vehicle to get there.

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Dangerous grounds

When you visit the geothermal areas in Iceland you should take care where you step because you will sink in the mud and burn your feet. Stay on the pathways that have been marked and you will be fine. Respect our fragile nature, thank you.

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Unless you have traveled abroad on photography trips in the past, deciding what to take with you to Iceland is most likely a challenge. My clients frequently ask what camera equipment and personal gear they should bring to Iceland, and my response is always the same — only take what you need. The following section should help with those difficult decisions.

Photography Gear

If you are like me, you own more than one camera body, many lenses, filters, at least one flash and tripod, and a lot of other gear. However, if you are traveling to and around Iceland, you should minimise the gear you bring to what you will actually use. My photography gear recommendations are for landscape and wildlife photography and are predominantly intended for DSLR users. What camera system you use (Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji etc.) is irrelevant to my recommendations. Drones are becoming a part of peoples camera gear and are allowed in most parts of Iceland, but should be used sensibly and without disturbing people or animal life as a general rule.

If you recently purchased a new DSLR, lens or other gear, I highly recommend using and practicing with it before arriving in Iceland. Many shooting situations you will encounter in Iceland may be only momentary, in poor weather, or from precarious locations such as from a cliff or beach with the potential for large rouge waves. If you are familiar with your gear, you will stand a much better chance of capturing those difficult or fleeting shots.

The following list provides my photography gear recommendations, based on my extensive experience photographing Iceland in all four seasons and from leading photography tours for many years. 

Recommendation

Bring two camera bodies; the second will be your backup. Once you leave Iceland’s major cities, there is only one camera shop available if you need to replace or repair a camera, and it is in Akureyri in North Iceland.

If you do not have a second camera body or cannot borrow one, you can take excellent photographs with your Smartphone (e.g., iPhone). In fact, I often shoot Smartphone images in addition to shooting with a DSLR, because it is easy to post them to the web while in Iceland.

Lenses

Wide Angle

If you have them, I recommend bringing both a wide angle lens and an ultra wide angle lens. Fixed or zoom wide angle lenses are a necessity for landscapes and seascapes. I regularly use 16-35mm and 24-70mm lenses on a full-frame camera with the 16-35mm used most often.

Telephoto

A telephoto lens is also useful for zooming in on areas of interest in landscapes or seascapes and can be used for wildlife. Most wildlife in Iceland can be photographed successfully with a telephoto lens with a zoom range to 400 mm. However, a 200 mm or 300 mm can be used effectively, but images with these lenses may require some cropping.

Filters

Polarizer

Using a polariser filter is highly recommended for landscape photography. Polarisers bring out details in the sky and enhance colour saturation, and Iceland’s landscapes and seascapes are wide open and unobstructed, meaning most photographs will include the sky. A polariser filter is also important when photographing water or wet surfaces since it cuts out the glare, but it should be used with care.

Neutral Density (ND)

ND filters are a must when shooting waterfalls at a slow shutter speed to get a silky look in the falling water, and you will most likely see and photograph many waterfalls in Iceland. ND filters also work well on lakes, bays, and the ocean when you want to smooth the surface of moving water and waves, providing an artistic look to an image. There are many types available to include variable ND filters, any of which will work. My ND preference is the rectangular filters that slide into a holder attached to the front of a lens. This type of filter will not cause vignetting like round filters on to the front of a wide angle lens. Whether you use the rectangular or round ND filters, I also recommend bringing several filters enabling stopping down the exposure by two to ten stops, giving you the ability to adjust to varying light and your desired images. Be careful when using polarisers with a circular ND-filter, they can get stuck to each other because of a grain of sand being stuck in the threads or they being fastened too tight. 

Tripod and ballhead

Bring along a tripod and ball head that are solid and capable of being used in various types of terrain (e.g., cliffs, rocks, sand, water). Ideally, the tripod is lightweight for long hikes and climbing up or down steep trails and cliffs. The wind in Iceland can be very strong at times; therefore, the tripod needs to be able to withstand high winds and is also one that you can suspend your camera bag from to hold it firmly to the ground. Recently one of my clients broke his ball-head but could get it replaced in the camera shop in Akureyri.

Shutter release

A shutter release, either wired or electronic, is critical to most landscape shots, especially long exposures. I always carry an inexpensive spare in case my better one fails to work. Keep spare batteries with you if your shutter release uses batteries.

Camera rain cover

Many excellent landscape images are made in poor weather conditions, and in Iceland the weather can change rapidly. I highly recommend some form of rain cover for both your camera and lens, as well as for your camera bag. Most camera bags have built in covers, but if yours does not, light plastic bags work well and can even be used to cover your camera and lens when shooting. A soft towel is good to have to wipe rain of your camera and lenses. 

Battery charger

Of course you will remember your camera’s battery charger, but if you have a spare, bring it too. One of my recent tour clients left his in his hotel room and did not discover it was missing until the next day in another location. Fortunately, my client had a spare. Another client’s charger went bad, which could have been caused by the power differences between Iceland and the USA. Bring a spare if you have one! Often it can be useful to have a dc convertor to use in the car, for example when traveling in the highlands when electricity is not available for charging the batteries. 

Image storage

You cannot bring too many memory cards, especially if you are not bringing a portable backup/storage device or laptop. My recommendation is to bring as many memory cards as you can afford, especially if you will be bracketing or focus stacking images, and do not bring a portable storage device or laptop unless you want to review your photos at night with your guide. Instead of spending time backing up cards, spend your time shooting. The days are long and nights are short during spring, summer and early fall. Use that time shooting. If you follow that advice, also carry your memory cards separately from your camera gear, just in case your gear is stolen from your car or hotel room, which is unlikely in Iceland, where the crime rate is very low. I carry my used memory cards in a zip-lock bag in an inside zippered pocket in my jacket.

One more tip on memory cards. Change memory cards each day, whether they are full or not. That way, when you return home, your images are organised by day (date), and you can more easily create separate folders/directories by day. This method makes it easier when identifying locations for naming images. Some camera models allow you to create seperate folders for each day on your memory card, so you do not have to change them every day.

Laptop or tablet

Bring one if you are going to be in Iceland for long periods of time. I prefer to travel with a tablet and not process images in hotel rooms after a long day of shooting. You can use your smartphone for processing some images if you need to post shots to the internet for your friends or clients to view while you are on the road. Wifi is sometimes slow or unstable when staying at guesthouses or hotels in Iceland. It is also useful to buy an Icelandic sim-card for your phone, it reduces the cost of 3G or 4G connections when traveling. 

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Personal gear

Deciding what personal gear to bring to Iceland can be as difficult as deciding what camera gear you will need. Critical to choosing your personal gear is, obviously, the time of year of your trip. If you will be in Iceland in the winter different clothing is required than if you will be there in the summer. However, the most important recommendation is to think in LAYERS. Regardless, of the season, use layers effectively, ensuring comfort when the weather changes, because it will change nearly everyday at least once depending on several factors, such as location.

Weather

An excellent resource for anticipating Iceland’s weather can be found at: https://weatherspark.com/averages/27562/Reykjavik-Capital-Region-Iceland or check the Icelandic www.en.vedur.is

The following list provides my recommendations for personal gear and is based on living in Iceland all my life and being outdoors exploring this amazing country as a professional landscape photographer. Keep in mind, personal gear is available in stores and shops in even the smallest of towns. Therefore, if you need something or need to replace gear, it is probably available throughout the country, but it can be expensive and limited in variety. 

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Clothing

Your clothing should be comfortable while rugged enough for casual to strenuous hiking, climbing or descending trails or locations where there will be no trails. Be prepared for wet, windy, and cold weather, as well as sunny, warm weather, depending on the season. Again, consider layering your clothing.

The season(s) you will be in Iceland dictates the right jacket or coat to bring to Iceland. Ideally, your jacket or coat, regardless of season should: 

• Consist of layers —an outer element and a liner. There are many brands and styles, but one with a removable liner is best—liner in when it is cold and out when it is warmer. Remember, the weather changes often and without much warning.
•  Waterproof for obvious reasons.
•  Wind resistant—winds and strong gusts can be unexpected.
•  Tough to withstand potential snags and scrapes.
•  As lightweight as possible while being warm enough.

Rain gear is a must in Iceland and should be considered a layer. As the saying goes in Iceland, if you do not like the weather, wait 5 minutes and it will change. Rain gear includes a waterproof and windproof jacket with a hood and rain pants. 

Gloves

Keep your gear easily accessible in your vehicle. Even if you are traveling to Iceland in the warmer seasons, bring along gloves, especially if you are going to be traveling to northern Iceland or the highlands. I recommend lightweight, windproof gloves for the warmer seasons and well-insulated gloves for the colder seasons.

Footwear

Quality hiking boots are essential to a successful visit to Iceland. To get to most good locations in Iceland, you will need to hike on a variety of terrains. Your hiking boots should provide ankle support, good traction and be waterproof, as well as warm, if you will be in Iceland during the colder seasons. If you purchase hiking boots for your trip to Iceland, be sure to thoroughly break them in before arriving.

Sunglasses

If you wear sunglasses at home, do not forget to bring them to Iceland. The days are long during Iceland’s warmer seasons, meaning you could be in bright sunlight for very long days. Polarised sunglasses will prevent your eyes from fatiguing and will assist you in better seeing what you will be photographing by eliminating glare and saturating colours.

Power Converters

Same as the rest of Europe, 200V @ 52Hz. You need power converters when using most USA electronic devices. Details at: www.123.com Pay attention to wattage requirements.

Bug Spray

You do not need it; there are no mosquitoes or other biting insects in Iceland. However, there are small annoying flies in some wetland areas in late spring and summer. If you need or should want to avoid them, bring fly-nets to put over your head.

Binoculars

If you do own a pair of light binoculars you can bring them if you are looking for birds or wildlife, but you might miss the shot while reaching for your camera, so you don’t really need them.

Maps and Guide Books

Available in bookstores everywhere in Iceland. Kortabók Máls og menningar (The Mál og menning Road atlas) is most useful because it is designed to meet the needs of those who travel around Iceland. The country is divided up into 60 pages of maps with a large overlap between pages, making the book convenient to use. The Mál og menning Road atlas was nominated world’s best atlas and has since then been Iceland’s most popular atlas. Also you can find local brochures in every gas-station and information centre around Iceland.

Cell Phone

There are more cell phones per capita in Iceland than any other country. Therefore, cell phone coverage is generally excellent in Iceland and available all around Ring Road, but not as good in the highlands. In addition, most major carriers have international plans for short periods of time at very reasonable rates. In addition, many newer cell phones are capable of use in Iceland without changing SIM cards (e.g., iPhone).

Cash

Iceland’s currency is called the Krona (plural Kronur), which is often abbreviated to ISK. It is often difficult to find someplace that will accept the US dollar or any other foreign currency. Although you will find that you can complete transactions for everything using a credit or debit card, it may be useful to have some local currency. The best place to exchanging your cash into Kronur when you arrive and back to US dollars when you leave, is at the airport currency exchange where there is no transaction fees. Often hotels and other exchange counters charge a significant fee for this service.

Credit Cards

All credit cards must have an EMV chip embedded in them. Check yours and exchange them if they do not have the chip. More information can be found here: www.123.com. MasterCard and VISA are accepted everywhere.

Finally

You should not forget to check your insurances, your personal, travel and camera insurances. Also if you do need some vital medicines, be sure to bring enough for the whole trip. Your photo guide will ask you if you are in good physical shape and capable of hiking with your camera gear on your back into a mountain range. Make sure that your understanding of the terms “Easy”, “Moderate” and “Difficult” are the same as your guide’s. If not, a 20 minutes “Easy” walk can extend into a 60 minutes “Difficult” hike. 

Selvallavatn-150526_MG_4193 Traveling Around Iceland

There are several options for touring Iceland, which include renting an automobile, SUV, or RV and doing it on your own, choosing one of Iceland’s many commercial tour services, or hiring a private guide, like me. Each of the options have their pros and cons, but as a private Icelandic guide, who is also a professional landscape photographer, I believe using a professional guide is the best way to see more of what you want to see and photograph in Iceland. Each of the options is described in the following list.

Travelling on your own

Pros

•  Set your own schedule
•  Choose your locations
•  Stay in locations as long as you want
•  Can be out as long as you want (dawn to dusk)

Cons

•  Requires detail planning and making reservations
•  Being off schedule and passing planned locations
•  Missing “hidden” locations which only a local guide can show you.

Commercial Tour Companies

Pros

•  Perfect for those who want others to plan and execute the entire trip.

Cons

•  Cost
•  No flexibility
•  Many other travellers
•  Short stops and crowded locations

Private Guide
Pros

•  Schedule is flexible and tailored to your input
•  Go to the iconic locations and those only a local would know
•  Choice of hotels/ guesthouses and restaurants.
•  Cost is based on length and type of requirements, accommodations, transportation, number of people, and other arrangements, such as pick up and drop off at the Keflavik airport. 
•  A local who can tell you stories and facts about locations and Iceland in general which make the tour more interesting.
•  Traveling in a comfortable SUV by yourself or with friends.

Cons

•  I cannot think of any.

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Filters or no filters, that is the question!

It is most likely that you have often been dealing with difficult light conditions when photographing landscapes. Blown highlights and too dark shadows make it nearly impossible to capture the photo in a single frame as you see it in front of you so you need to bracket 3-5 shots and merge them in Photoshop or Lightroom when you are back at your computer. This is one way to deal with this situation, but there is another way.

Filters

I have been using filters on and off for a long time in my photography, helping me to get the result that I am aiming for. My camera is Sony a7r2 which has a very good dynamic range that helps me getting more information out of my RAW files, but sometimes that is not enough. I started using LEE-filters many years ago and have been happy with them so far. A few months back a good friend of mine introduced me to a new filter system, KASE, which I tested and after using it for a while I liked it better than my older set and have now bought and been using the package you see on the photo. 

KASE_20180722__A651484 This is the KASE Wolverine K100 Series Master Kit.

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The Master Kit contains a Filter holder + Circular Polariser + Soft GND (gradient neutral density) 0.9 + Soft GND 1.2 + Soft GND 0.9 reverse + Neutral density filter ND65 (6 stop) + ND 1000 (10 stop) and a filter box that you see on the photo. It also contains a few adapter rings for different lenses, ranging from 67-86 mm. The ND filters are 100x100 mm and the GND are 100x150 mm in size. Attached on the camera above is a Soft GND 0,9 filter.
 

The CPL (Circular Polariser) is attached to the adapter ring with a magnet, so it is easy to insert and remove and it does not get stuck on the front of the lens as sometimes happens when using the regular screw-on filters. On the photo here to the left you see a red wheel on the side of the filter holder that is used to turn the polariser when it is attached on the magnetic adapter.

The Wolverine series filters are made from toughened glass*, that will withstand a drop or two, reducing the risk of accidentally broken filters when out in the field. They also will not scratch or mark very easily at all. The ND filters have no issues with colour casting, colours as reproduced perfectly, a great image every time. All Wolverine filters have nanotech coatings that help control reflections, repel oil and water and are mold resistant. They simply wipe clean when covered in sea spray, or water with minimal smudging. This is one of the most valuable  when photographing waterfalls or using the filter in the rain.

*The toughened glass has been stress tested and drop tested at heights of 1m plus, falling onto multiple surfaces without any issues. However, as with all toughened glass products, it will weaken after repeated shocks from falls etc. The products are designed to reduce accidental breakages and not to be treated roughly all the time.
 

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Photographing Waterfalls with filters.

On the photo above I used the ND64 (6 stop) filter to slow down the flow of the water to make it smoother, reducing the shutter speed to 0,5 sec. The CPL (Circular polariser) to reduce the glare and reflection on the water in the foreground and to enhance the green colour of the moss. Finally I used the GND 0.9 (gradient neutral density) filter to darken the sky and get more definition in the clouds.

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Above you can view a video that shows you how rotating the CPL changes the effect it has on water. You should observe the bottom of the river to the right where you will see the changes that are making it darker by reducing glare. 

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Nanotech coating

When you are photographing in heavy rain or near waterfalls it is good the have the Nanotech coated KASE filters that you can easily wipe dry before each shot. The KASE filters kit comes with a white soft fibre cloth that you should keep in your pocket or in the filter box. This is me on a rainy day at Hrafnabjargafoss waterfall.

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Dramatic clouds with filters.

Here I used the KASE GND 1.2 to enhance the already dark clouds and the CPL for bringing out the colours. You can rotate the filter holder on the lens so that the edge of the filter follows lines in the landscape, in this case rotated slightly to the left so the angle of the graduation follows the line in the mountains.

The decision is yours

In the end it all comes down to a matter of taste if you want to use filters or not when shooting landscape, and here I have just talked about few things that I like about the KASE system. As I mentioned before, you can create some of the effects in post processing, like Graduated filters in Lightroom or Adobe Photoshop Bridge, but creating the Polarising effect is nearly impossible in post processing. Also the ND filters are very useful, almost necessary, if you like the smooth look of waterfalls or running water on a bright day.

Iceland by airFlying over the highlands of Iceland with Icelandair's latest Boeing 737 MAX.

Many of you have taken photos from the windows of an airplane when heading for the next photo adventure, just to let your friends and followers on Instagram or Facebook get a glimpse of your upcoming adventure. Some of the photos might turn out bad but there might be many keepers that you capture while flying over interesting landscapes on the way to your destination. It does not have to be difficult to improve your photos from the air, it is like any other photography a question of the right equipment and conditions of the subject you are photographing.

I (Páll Jökull) had the oportunity to be one of the hosts of a celebratory flight by Icelandair when they were introducing their brand new Boeing 737 MAX on April 14th. Guests on board the celebratory flight were provided with an in-air tutorial to learn how to take the best aerial photographs from the newly designed windows for better viewing. My photography tips helped passengers to get the perfect shot using the aircraft’s new LED lighting system to light the photo and the better-designed cabin windows to help frame it.

„Capturing a good photo from the Boeing 737 MAX is a combination of the light available and the composition of what you see out there, landscape/sky, and will be made easier with the new redesigned windows“ said Páll Jökull.

Here are the 10 tips that may help you capture a better photo from up to 32.000 feet.

Iceland By Air_20180414_A654618Flying over the northern highlands of Iceland, heading to Akureyri.

10 Iceland by air photo-tips

Play with colours, lights and shadows to add depth to your photo. 

Clouds can make an interesting pattern on the ground. The contrasts of a snow covered landscape against rivers or lakes can make a good photo. The Black sand beaches or a rocky coastline against the surf and the waves of the blue Atlantic. As the ground is slowly changing colour from the brown and yellow autumn and winter tones you might find green colours popping out, for example on moss covered lava fields.

Iceland_by_air_20180414_DSC8747Austurdalur valley cutts into the highlands of north Iceland.

Use the rule of thirds

Carefully balance the space between the sky and the ground: 1/3 sky versus 2/3 ground works well. When you are in the air and can only see the sky and/or clouds, you can use the wing and engine as a prominent part of the photo, indicating that you are travelling to (or from) Iceland on an adventure trip.

Iceland_by_air_20180414_DSC9008Approaching Reykjavik from the north. This is Hvalfjörður fjord on the left and Kjalarnes peninsula in the center.

Including part of the aircraft wing in the shot can make the landscape really stand out. 

The window of the aircraft also nicely frames the landscape. When you are photographing the landscape below, the wing will automatically point diagonally upwards in the photo, creating a connection between the plane and the ground. Also you should find out which seat gives you the best view without too much obstruction from the wings if you don't want them to be a major part of the photos.

Iceland_by_air_20180414_DSC9108Coming in for landing at Reykjavik airport. The Hallgrímskirkja church stands proud on top of the hill in the center of Reykjavik.

Use aperture priority or manual mode to get the best results at sunrise or sunset.

The golden hour before and after sunset or sunrise can be rather long in Iceland, especially in the winter because of the low angle of the sun. The sunset light can linger on for up to two hours of beautiful golden, pink, red and purple colours until the dark blue colour of the night takes over. In general it is better to sit on the opposite side of the sunset or sunrise. On this flight we had a cloudy sky as you can see.

Iceland_by_air_20180414_DSC8895Eyjafjörður.

Low light requires higher ISO

When shooting in low light conditions use a higher ISO setting (ISO 800 or higher) to maintain a high shutter speed that counterweights possible camera shake.

Iceland By Air_20180414_A654631Dark clouds covering the mountaintops of Tröllaskagi peninsula on the west side of Eyjafjörður in north iceland.

Reduce glare from the window

When shooting through a window of a plane there can be a glare from the interior lights that you may notice in your photos. You can reduce that by holding the camera lens close to the window or even covering it with your other hand or putting your jacket over your head and camera so the reflection does not reach into the lens. This is particularly difficult at night when it is dark outside and the lights are on in the cabin, for example when trying to photograph northern lights. On the new Boeing 737 MAX we might see some changes in this with the newly designed windows and interior lighting.

Iceland_by_air_20180414_DSC8721Take-off from Reykjavik airport. Iceland_by_air_20180414_DSC8721Take-off from Reykjavik airport.

Take-off and landing

When you come in for landing you will only have a few minutes to capture the landscape (countryside or city) in close-up as the plane comes in for landing, so you should be prepared for a few quick shots as the plane descends and you get closer to the airport.

Iceland_by_air_20180414_DSC8834Akureyri, the second largest city in Iceland is next to the fjord Eyjafjörður.

Northern lights require a tripod

Photographing northern lights from a window of a plane requires the use of a tripod, as you would use on the ground. By setting the camera to ISO 2000-4000 and using f/2.8 og lower with 5-10 sec shutter speed you should be able to capture some northern lights. Try to set the camera lens up to the window to minimise glare reflecting the light of the window. A small portable tripod like Gorilla pod can be useful in these situations.

Iceland_by_air_20180414_DSC8914Eyjafjörður to the north. Iceland_by_air_20180414_DSC8922The newly designed windows of the Boeing 737 MAX.

Left is right!

One last tip: In general it is better to sit on the left side of the plane if you plan to photograph through the window. It is easier for your posture and for framing the shot so you don‘t have to twist your body to get the shot. If you are flying from North America to Iceland in the winter, the left side is best to capture the Northern lights. Sometimes the view is better on the right side of the plane and you can research the flight path using Flight Aware and Google Earth to find out where to sit for the best view.

Iceland_by_air_20180414_DSC9230The Boeing 737 MAX on the ground in Reykjavik.

One last tip

When you are photographing from the airplane you should of course keep your seat belt fastened when the cabin crew tells you to as during landing and take-of.

Good luck and happy shooting!

Ice caveThis cave is called the waterfall cave.

When traveling in the southern part of Iceland in the winter you have the option of visiting Ice caves in the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier at the Glacier lagoon, Jökulsárlón. Ice caves are in many ways different from regular caves because they are formed under or inside glaciers by running water, and you can only visit them in the winter, because then the Ice is more stable due to the frost. With the decline of the glaciers in summer, they are constantly shifting and changing, and sometimes the ice retreats several hundred meters in one summer and the ice caves disappear. The Glacier guides must go and find the ice caves in the beginning of winter and make them accessible for their tours in the following winter. Talking about Glacier guides, I had the opportunity to visit one of the ice caves in January 2016 with two great guides, Haukur and Siggi from Glacieradventure.is. The tour started at Hali, which is a Restaurant and a Country Hotel 13 kilometers to the east of the Glacier lagoon. Haukur and Siggi gave us the necessary ice cave and glacier equipment, before getting into their truck in which we travelled for about 30 minutes before reaching the end of the track. We were visiting the Waterfall Ice Cave, which is suitable for those who want to visit a more isolated cave which is more difficult to reach. 

The walk

Preparing for the Ice cave.Getting ready to walk to the Ice Cave. In the distance you can see the Glacier. Snow was covering the ground and it was around -5°C at 10:00 in the morning, just before sunrise when we got out of the truck. Siggi and Haukur explaned everything we needed to know about the gear and the upcoming tour. They told us that a few years before, the glacier had reached to where we stopped and showed us the ruble and ridges that were left behind when the glacier retreated. On a tour like this the guides decide if it is safe enough to do the tour according to weather and safety conditions, but the total duration of the tour is 3,5 - 4 hours.

The walk to the ice cave can take 35-45 minutes in the pure and rough nature on gravel, snow and glacier, and it can get really cold in frost like that when the wind is blowing of the glacier.

Haukur showing the way to the Ice cave.The blue ice cap of the glacier is in front of us. Going down to the Ice cave.A security line was attached to the rocks which we followed.

As we got closer to the glacier itself and started climbing up the slope where the glacier met the mountain the ice cap was on our left and the mountain on our right. The guides stopped and told us to walk in one line and follow the footsteps of Siggi, who was in the front. They pointed out the cracks in the ice, partly covered with snow, which can be very dangerous and difficult to see. These crevices can be several meters deep and should not be approached. The group was 8 people with two guides and we reached the other end of this track safely. Standing on the edge of the glacier we had to walk down a gully down to the Ice cave, and we had a security rope bolted to the cliffs on the right, as we eased our way down.

We reached the bottom of the gully and way down there we could see the entrance to the Ice cave. Following the small river which we crossed over a timber bridge that the guides built before the season started. Some more climbing was required before reaching the cave itself with the help of ropes and stares. Siggi and Haukur were really helpful these final steps and assisted those who needed or were unsecure.

Safety first.Walking down into the gully with a safety line attached to us. As we were inside the cave it took us a few minutes to adjust our eye sight to the darkness and the blue colors started to appear in the ice roof above us. The cave is not very big and everybody had a camera with a tripod which makes it more difficult to find the best position to photograph. The river is also running through the ice cave in a few waterfalls and disappearing under the ice wall at the bottom. The light was magical, as the daylight shone through the ice roof and into the cave. At the end there was an opening up through the ceiling where the daylight was flowing in. I had my Sony A7R2 camera with a Canon 16-35mm f/4 lens and a tripod. This was perfect for some long exposures with the waterfall and the river and I also did some bracketing to get the most out of this short period of time we stopped in the cave.

Ice cave- photographyA group of photographers were working their way around the Ice cave.

Bottom of the Ice cave.The opening through the ceiling of the ice cave.   A view from the top of the Ice cave.Standing on the rocks near the entrance looking down to the bottom of the ice cave.

Ice cave.I was one of the last persons out of the cave, which gave me this unobstructed view.

This was an experience to remember, being under the ice cap of Europe's largest glacier, Vatnajökull, witnessing the power of nature in this frozen world. It is difficult to imagine that the glaciers are constantly moving under their own weight, scraping and breaking down the rocks underneath it, like it is actually floating but not. 

One hour passes quickly

We spent approximately 1 hour inside the cave, but in my mind it was more like 10 minutes because of all the beauty and colors you were taking in while staying there. This tour offers great photo opportunities and an unforgettable experience, but the level of difficulty is medium/hard and should not be done if you are not in good physical health. You need to bring good hiking shoes and warm clothes and of course your camera and tripod.

And when you start planing your Iceland trip, here is a good article about the best campsites in Iceland! Enjoy!

Sunset over the glacier.Heading back from the ice cave as the sun was about to go down.

Good to know

There are a few things you need to keep in mind if you are going on an ice cave tour.

• Be at the meeting point 20 minutes before departure time
• The participants should be in good hiking condition
• Driving in Iceland in the winter can take much longer than during the summer. It is recommended that you stay somewhere close to Hali the night before the tour
• You should check weather and road conditions before heading out.

Number one: The No-name waterfall

Seljalandsá-160417_DSC3677 This one does not have a name but it is in the same river as one of Iceland's best known waterfalls, and hardly anyone goes there - ever! This is a good sunset location in late April until May and in late September, as the sun shines into the canyon and lights up the waterfall.

Number 2: Fagrifoss

Fagrifoss_20150906__MG_7240

His name is Fagrifoss, which means "Beautiful waterfall", and it sure is beautiful. The farmers who own the land must have run out of ideas for a name as they found this one, but that is ok. It is located near a popular highland route to Laki in the south-east highlands.

Number 3: Fossárfoss

Fossárfoss-160830_DSC3607
Travelling in the East-fjords you might find this waterfall if you look carefully. it is located in Berufjörður fjord in the river Fossá, which means "Waterfall river" and, you guessed it, his name is Fossárfoss, or "Waterfall-river waterfall". 

Number 4: Dynkur

Dynkur-140818_MG_9151 Far up in the highlands of south Iceland, in Iceland's longest river you might find this one. Dynkur is it's name, which could translate as "Thunder". It is in the Þjórsá river, which is a glacial river originating in the center of Iceland.

Number 5: Flögufoss 

Flögufoss-080613_MG_9587
In a gorge cutting into one of the widest valleys in Iceland, Breiðdalur in the East fjords you can hike up to this gorgeous waterfall, Flögufoss. It has made a hole through the basalt rock on the edge of the cliff where it falls down and the river trickles through the rocks in the canyon.

Number 6: Ægissíðufoss

Ægissíðufoss-060413_MG_3709 This waterfall, Ægissíðufoss is in the flattest part of Iceland, right in the middle of the south, where you can see tens of kilometers in all directions, but still it is hidden from the view of most people who travel in the area. It is in one of Icelands great Salmon rivers, Ytri-Rangá which runs through the town of Hella.

Number 7: Gluggafoss Gluggafoss-091212_MG_6032 The Gluggafoss, or "Window waterfall" is out of plain sight and out of the ring-road number one. You might find it if you travel the road in Fljótshlíð towards the Syðra-Fjallabak highland area. He got his name because he falls out through a "window" in the cliffs.

Number 8: Bláfjallakvísl Bláfjallakvísl-160724_DSC7387 Surrounded by this luminous green moss you might find this waterfall in the river Bláfjallakvísl on the Syðra-Fjallabak highland route. It can not be seen from the road, and you must have a local knowledge in the area to locate it.
 

Number 9: Ófærufoss

Eldgjá-150728_MG_0036 The Ófærufoss waterfall is near the Nyrðra-Fjallabak highland route in the river Syðri-ófæra. It falls into the Eldgjá canyon, which is the largest volcanic canyon in the world, approx. 40 km long, 270 m deep and 600 m wide at its greatest. The waterfall can be seen from two locations, up on the ridge where this photo is shot, or by hiking 2 km one way up the canyon to the waterfall.
 

Number 10: Axlarfoss

Axlarfoss-180813_MG_6876

The Axlarfoss waterfall is also in the highlands of south Iceland, near the Syðra-Fjallabak route. It is hard to find and get to, unless you know where to look, but it sure is worth visiting when you get there.

As you might think, there are a several other waterfalls that I could have shown you here, and you might guess that waterfalls are my favourite subjects. You are right about that too :-) and I love just sitting around and looking at them, listening to their different voices echoing in the canyons and cliffs. You should join me one day to see and hear for your self.

Thanks for reading, comments and thoughts are welcome.

Kýlingavatn lakeA small and beautiful lake in the Highlands of Iceland on a good summers day.

My 10 best photos of 2015

Iceland is a photographers dream come true! That is what I have been told by several of my customers these past three years. Maybe I did not quite realize that myself, because I am Icelandic and have lived and photographed here all my life. The ever changing landscape and conditions make such a variety of photo opportunities from one day to the next, or even from one hour to the next. I had a good photography year in 2015, my photo-tours were productive and I met a lot of interesting people who traveled with me in Iceland and I could share my knowledge of the land. One of the things I noticed is that I did not shoot as many photos in 2015 as in 2014, and maybe it is because I am becoming more selective of my motives. The advantages of traveling with other photographers is that you learn some new tricks and methods that can be useful for your photography and make you grow as a photographer. Hopefully I have also been able to share some of mine to them at the same time.

It was not an easy task to choose these ten photos out of all my tours this year, and I have left out many gems that could have been here, but you have to start somewhere. 

Goðafoss waterfallThe waterfall of the Gods, Goðafoss, is in North Iceland just by the main road No. 1 around Iceland.

This location is on the east side of Goðafoss waterfall in the river Skjálfandafljót. You have to climb down to the water bed and from there it can be easily accessed. A long exposure (1-5 sec or more) works well here.

IcebergsOn the beach at Jökulsárlón, the Glacier Lagoon, you can find Icebergs like these thrown up on the coast by the waves of the Atlantic.

The Icebergs rolling in the surf are a beautiful sight, but the waves can be dangerous if you come to close. Many photographers have got wet on this coast and some of them have lost their gear in the waves.

Reynisdrangar sea stacksThe Reynisdrangar sea stacks are at the Black beach Reynisfjara in South Iceland. This location is sometimes difficult and dangerous to access, and impossible on high tide.

The Reynisdrangar sea stacks are one of my favorite locations on the south coast.

Fjallabak NorthThe road through Fjallabak north is winding through one of the most spectacular landscape in Iceland.

One of many beautiful vistas in the Highlands at Fjallabak north. This is called Illagil, or Evil gully.

Reynisdrangar sea stacksOn a stormy winters day in South Iceland this is the view from Dyrhólaey peninsula. This is a 600 mm zoom.

Another angle of the Reynisdrangar sea stacks, this time from Dyrhólaey peninsula in a heavy winter storm.

Thingvellir National ParkThe Þingvellir (Thingvellir) is both a historical and geological site, where the Eurasian- and American tectonic plates meet. In Thingvellir the first parliament was established 1000 years ago.

Þingvellir (Thingvellir) is the site of the oldest parliament in the world, first established in the year 1000. and now a National Park. 

Aurora Borealis at Thingvellir.The Thingvellir area is a wonderful location to photograph the Northern lights.

Northern lights at Thingvellir, a great location to see them on a still night.

Emstrur at Fjallabak South.The mountains in the Fjallabak area are colorful and rough.

The Emstrur mountain range in Fjallabak south in the Highlands of Iceland. Green luminescent moss and old volcanoes are characteristic for this area.

Ófærufoss waterfallThis waterfall is in the Fjallabak area in the river Syðri-Ófæra. It falls into the Eldgjá volcanic crevice.

Ófærufoss waterfall in the river Syðri Ófæra falls into the volcanic rift Eldjá (Fire canyon) which was formed in a huge eruption. It is the largest volcanic canyon in the world, 270 m deep and 600 m wide at its greatest. In the year 934 was the largest flood basalt here in historic time. The areal extent of the lava is around 800 km2 and an estimated 18 km3 of magma poured out of the earth.

These ten photos are just a tip of the iceberg of my photography year, and I am sure that 2016 will be even more productive for me and my photo tour clients.

Finding the Northern LightsPáll Jökull assisting two photographers shooting the Northern Lights at the Glacier lagoon at full moon.

I guess your Bucket list includes among other things seeing the Northern lights, and you would like to do it on your next trip? If you are traveling in Iceland from end of August to end of March you have a chance to see the Northern Lights if weather permits. That is because at the end of August the nights are dark enough and long enough for you to be able to see them. For you to bring the memories of the Northern lights home, it is appropriate to talk a bit about how to prepare and how to photograph the Northern lights. 

Can I see the Northern lights at full moon?
Yes, you can see the aurora even if the moon is full, and actually it sometimes helps with bringing out details in the foreground which helps greatly in making a good photo of the northern lights. The photo above is a good example of that, as the moon lights up the glaciers and the mountains.

Why do I not always see the green color?
The eye does not see colors as clearly in darkness as in daylight, and when the aurora is not strong it sometimes appear as a faint, white glow on the horizon. On the other hand when the activity is higher and lights get stronger you will clearly see the green color, and sometimes even red, pink or purple colors. The modern DSLR cameras can capture the vivid colors of the night sky much better than the naked eye. Most of the time you can use Auto white balance to get good results, but I don't recommend that. If you are familiar with the white balance settings on your camera, the optimum setting should be 3500-4000K which gives result close to the actual color of the northern lights and it does not change from one shot to the next. Here is a visual explanation of the Kelvin scale.

"Humans use two different kinds of cells in their eyes to sense light. Cone cells, concentrated in the fovea in the central area of vision, are high resolution and detect color in bright light. These are the main cells we use for vision in the daytime. Rod cells, concentrated in the periphery around the outside of the fovea, can detect much fainter light at night, but only see in black and white and shades of gray." Catching the light, by Jerry Lodriguss

What should I bring?
You should bring warm clothes and good walking boots. Hat and warm gloves are essential when the wind blows and the temperature goes down to minus degrees Celsius. A flashlight is useful so you can see what you are doing when you set up your camera and fasten it on your tripod. Your smart phone can also be used as a flashlight. Bring your camera with fully charged battery's + a spare battery just in case. A sturdy tripod is necessary because you are doing long exposures and sometimes in some wind. A remote shutter release or using the timer for the shutter to decrease camera shake. If you have a lens with large aperture, (f/1.4 - f/2.8) and wide angle (14mm - 21mm) you should use it for getting best results. I recommend for example the Samyang 14mm f2.8 lens for the northern lights. It is a fully manual lens, inexpensive and can be bought with various mounts, such as Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, Fujifilm and more.

Aurora at ThingvellirOn a still night at lake Þingvallavatn.

Can I use AUTO to shoot the Northern Lights.
No, the Auto setting is not suitable in these conditions, the Manual (M) setting should be used to get the best results. Be careful when focusing in the dark. It is best to focus manually on a distant light, a bright star or the moon for example, and then turn oft the auto focus on the lens. If you are not used to photographing in the dark I recommend that you practice and get to know your camera and familiarise with the necessary settings before you come to Iceland for the real thing. The Northern lights are unpredictable and sometimes they appear suddenly and then maybe disappear again 10 minutes later. In these circumstances it is not good to be fumbling with your settings in the dark.

Aurora borealisAt the Glacier Lagoon in moonlight.

Practice makes perfect!
Set your camera to high ISO, (1200 - 4000) and switch to manual (M) for optimum control. New or relatively new DSLR cameras do have better ISO performance than earlier models. Choose the largest aperture (lowest f-stop) of the lens and start with 5-10 sec exposure. Review your shot and adjust your settings accordingly. The shorter your exposure you use, the more details you will get in the lights, because they tend to move quite fast. For example a 1 - 5 second exposure is possible if the lights are strong.

ThingvellirThe church and old house at Þingvellir National park. Where should I go for the best experience?
To Iceland of course! By driving out of city lights you will increase your chances to see the Northern lights and by following the weather forecast you are often able to find the best location. Choose your location carefully, because when photographing the northern lights it is equally important to have a good foreground and other interests in your shots as in regular landscape photography. For example a mountain, a tree, an old deserted house or having a lake or a pond close by adds to the interest with some reflections on the water.

If you are in Iceland, and would like to get a professional guidance to shoot some aurora, you can contact me for a tour and guidance. In the blog post are some examples of my Northern lights shots. Happy shooting:)

Helpful links
The aurora activity can be seen on few web pages, such as http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/pmap/pmapN.html. This plot shows the current extent and position of the auroral oval in the northern hemisphere, extrapolated from measurements taken during the most recent polar pass of the NOAA POES satellite. Of course the Northern lights can not always be seen, so you have to be prepared to fail for the first time. When traveling to Iceland your main goal should be to enjoy the country and what it has to offer, not just the Northern lights. Seeing them is like the icing on the cake :-)

More photos of Northern lights here.

ReynisdrangarA sunset at Reynisdrangar sea stacks at Vík in South Iceland.

INFO: Sony a7r2 + Metabones EF-E mount T + Sigma 150-600mm f5+6,3 DG Contemporary @221mm, 1/5000 sec, ISO 400, f/5.6

Bring Nature closer to you

I have been a landscape photographer for many years, more than I actually care to remember, and have mainly used lenses from 14mm to 200mm to capture the greatness of Iceland. Roughly half of what I shoot is from 14-105mm with various lenses, like Canon EF 17-40mm f/4, Canon EF 16-35mm f/4 and Canon TS-E 24mm. The interesting thing is that I have used my Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 lens for about 30% of my photos and most of it is for landscape. Maybe it is because I am lazy, that I like to pull the landscape closer to me? No, it is because with a zoom lens you get a different perspective of distant mountains or whatever you are photographing, and that way you bring more details to the photos that you can not get with a wide angle lens.

From Landscape photography to Nature photography

Sony and SigmaSony a7r2 + Sigma 150-600mm f5-6.3 DG Contemporary Through the years I have not photographed birds or animals in nature. This was mostly because I have not owned the right equipment, but this autumn that changed. I was at an Exhibition (NVPE2015) in USA and tested a Sigma 150-600mm f5-6.3 DG Contemporary lens on my Sony a7r2 camera. It was a lens with a Canon mount, and I used the Metabones EF-E mount T adapter and it works like magic! This was love at first click! The Sigma has not been introduced with the Sony E mount yet, but that might change with the growing popularity of Sony cameras.

Using the Sigma 150-600mm

I have had the opportunity for the past few weeks to get more acquainted to the Sony/Sigma combo with good results. This is not a highly technical pixel peeping test, but more my feeling of using this combo and realizing the capabilities it brings to my photography. You can read more of the actual facts, figures and testing in The Digital picture reviews.

Mountains at Öræfajökull glacierThe mid day sun shining on the icy slopes of mountain peaks in South Iceland.

   INFO: Sony a7r2 + Metabones EF-E mount T + Sigma 150-600mm f5+6,3 DG Contemporary @600mm, 1/1600 sec, ISO 800, f/6.3

The sharpness of the Sigma is good in landscapes like this and the details are well acceptable. The shot above is handheld, and the powerful image stabilation works well. Framing a subject properly at 600mm handheld requires steady arms, but OS reduces the steadiness requirement to include a much greater segment of the photographer population. This was shot at 1/1600, so there was little chance of it being shaken.

ReynisdrangarOn a stormy winters day in South Iceland

   INFO: Sony a7r2 + Metabones EF-E mount T + Sigma 150-600mm f5+6,3 DG Contemporary @600mm, 1/25 sec, ISO 800, f/6.3

Using the lens on a tripod is easy if you fasten a L-bracket or a lens plate on the tripod foot and then it is well balanced. The photo above was shoot in high wind and it was good that I have a sturdy Gitzo tripod with a Really right stuff ball head. 

Bombay HookSnow geese at sunrise in Bombay Hook. INFO: Sony a7r2 + Metabones EF-E mount T + Sigma 150-600mm f5+6,3 DG Contemporary @600mm, 1/500 sec, ISO 800, f/29

Birding

I had the chance to visit two Wildlife Refugies, Bombay Hook in Delawere and Chincoteague in Virginia where I could test the lens in real life bird photography. Two friends of mine, who are bird- and nature photographers, took me on the tour and showed me how to do it. Thanks Stephen Tabone and Ernie Sears! This kind of photography is relatively new to me and I was excited to try out my new lens. I did not bring my own tripod on this trip, because it is too big and heavy to travel with, so one of my friends loaned me a tripod. Most of the time the lens worked well with the tripod, but not all the time. Using this combo handheld can become strenuous because of the weight of the lens (1930g). However it is not always easy to use the tripod, because it can be impossible to follow the birds long enough to get the shot right. The image above was shot handheld. I was getting pretty good with the AF-C (Continuous autofocus) on the Sony a7r2 and the Sigma 150-600mm.

Snow GeeseA great big flock of Snow geese was at Bombay Hook that morning.

   INFO: Sony a7r2 + Metabones EF-E mount T + Sigma 150-600mm f5+6,3 DG Contemporary @600mm, 1/640 sec, ISO 6400, f/10

A tripod shot where I followed a part of the flock of Snow Geese when they took off with a thunderous noise shortly after sunrise . 

Summary

If you are looking for a lens that will help you move mountains closer without spending lots of money, then this Sigma 150-600mm is for you, and it is not as heavy as some of the major brands. This lens has performed very well for me, both in landscape shooting and birds and the great range of focal lengths is very useful. 

American Bald EagleCatching a fish at Conowingo Dam. @600mm, 1/5000 sec, ISO 1600, f/8 American Bald EagleLoosing it catch. @600mm, 1/5000 sec, ISO 1600, f/8

Great White EgretSitting on a branch at Chincoteague National park. @600mm, 1/1000 sec, ISO 2000, f/8 Bombay HookSnow geese coming in for landing. @600mm, 1/500 sec, ISO 800, f/6.3

Beach lifeOn the beach at the Glacier Lagoon, Jökulsárlón in Iceland. @283mm, 1/2500 sec, ISO 1000, f/5,6   MoonIn the morning light the moon is setting behind the Reynisfjall mountain in Vík on the south coast of Iceland. @600mm, 1/500 sec, ISO 1600, f/6.3

Páll JökullMy great grandfather was a tour-guide and an explorer.

My great grandfather, the Explorer

Páll Jökull PálssonA drawing of Páll Jökull Pálsson made from an old photograph.

In the summer of 1875, one thousand years from the settlement of Iceland, my Great grandfather Páll Jökull Pálsson traveled across the Vatnajökull glacier as a guide in an expedition with William Lord Watts, an English mineralogist and geologist and an adventurer with four other Icelanders. The expedition started from the farm Núpsstaður in the summer of 1875, when the distance of more than 60 km was covered in 12 days, walking up the glacier Síðujökull and going down north of Dyngjujökull near Kistufell in North Iceland.

Páll with Watts and two others from the same district had discovered a nunatak in the glacier the year before, but then they had to turn away because of bad weather and shortage of food. Watts named the nunatak Pálsfjall (Pauls-Mountain) after his fellow member of the expedition, who was allways called "Páll Jökull" (Glacier-Paul) after that. 

PálsfjallPálsfjall mountain in Vatnajökull glacier.

This expedition turned out to be a difficult task as can be imagined with the accessories and gear that was available 140 years ago. On this journey they had to pull a heavy sleigh across the glacier with the supplies and food for this difficult trip. They saw the Grímsvötn volcano area in Vatnajökull, which had erupted just three years before and witnessed an eruption in Volcano Askja, north of the glacier and some volcanic eruption on the highlands south of Lake Mývatn. 

Norður yfir VatnajökulThe book, Norður yfir Vatnajökul 1875. After returning home to England, William Lord Watts wrote a book about the expedition "Across The Vatna jökull" which was translated to Icelandic as "Norður yfir Vatnajökul 1875". After that Watts moved away from the UK to USA and worked for several years as a geologist in California, assisting with oil wells and other mineral minings. Watts died on a boat sailing to Trinidad on 2 January 1921. The names of the five Icelanders who went on this expedition are: Páll Jökull Pálsson, Kristófer Þorvarðarson, Olgeir Þorsteinsson, Eyjólfur Bjarnason and Sigurfinnur Ketilsson. They were all young men, from 21-28 years of age. Páll Jökull was born August 17th 1848 and died June 21st 1912 at 64 years of age.

I am proud to bear my great grandfathers name, as we are both tour-guides in our time.

The english version of the book | Amazon

Hvannadalshnjúkur mountain in Öræfajökull glacier ist the highest point in Iceland.

Many icelandic glaciers do cover volcanoes, both active ones and some who have been dormant for thousands of years, such as the Snæfellsjökull glacier. On the other hand, many of Iceland's most active volcanoes are under a glacial cover, like the Grímsvötn volcano, which erupted in 2011 and Eyjafjallajökull which managed to stop flights in northern Europe for few weeks in 2010. One of the most talked about is the Bárðarbunga volcano system which is under a layer of 800 meters thick ice in the northern part of Vatnajökull glacier.

The Gígjökull glacier before the eruption in Eyjafjallajökull 2010.   The Gígjökull glacier after the eruption in Eyjafjallajökull.

Snæfellsjökull glacier in autumn 2014.

Another active volcano which has been silent for almost hundred years is Katla in the Mýrdalsjökull Glacier. It's last eruption was in 1918, and scientists are monitoring the volcano regularly because usually Katla erupts every 40-80 years. When traveling over Mýrdalssandur sand stretch you can see the effect of it's glacial floods, because after the eruption in 1918 the coastline was extended by 5 km to the south.

Mýrdalsjökull glacier and it outlet glacier Kötlujökull. The river Leirá runs from under it.

The Icelandic glaciers are loosing ice due to climate change, and some outlet glaciers have retreated hundreds of meters for the last decades. One of the former glaciers Okglacier in Borgarfjörður recently lost it's glacier title because it's ice is not thick enough. Now it is jus Ok mountain. Most of the Outlet glaciers are getting smaller every year, like Sólheimajökull which has retreated 887 meters in the past 20 years, and if we look at Hoffelsjökull outlet glacier her below, it retreated 2,6 km from 1930-1992, and is still getting smaller. In front of it a large lagoon has formed, but not as clean as the Glacier lagoon or Fjallsárlón at the bottom.

The Sólheimajökull glacier has been rapidly retreating for the past years.

Kvíárjökull is one of the outlet glaciers from Vatnajökull. Now there is a lagoon in front of it.

Close to Skaftafell is the Svínafellsjökull outlet glacier.

Fjallsárjökull outlet glacier has formed a beautiful lagoon, Fjallsárlón.

One of the small but beautiful glaciers in Iceland is Eiríksjökull glacier in West Iceland. It is the largest table mountain in Iceland, rising more than 1000 meters over it's surrounding, formed by a subglacial volcanic activity. Here is a view from Borgarfjörður.

Eiríksjökull glacier in the highlands of West Iceland. And one tiny fact in the end. My name is Jökull, and in Icelandic Jökull means glacier, if you did not figure that our already :)

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You should bring warm clothes, flashlight, your camera with fully charged battery's and a tripod. If you have a lens with large aperture, (f/2.8 or f/2.0) and wide angle (14mm - 21mm) you should use it for getting best results. Be careful when focusing in the dark, it is best to focus manually on a distant light, a bright star or the moon for example, and then shut of the autofocus on the lens.

Set your camera to high ISO, (1200-3200) as most of the recent camera models can handle high ISO better than before. Switch to manual (M) for optimum control of aperture and shutter speed. Choose your largest aperture (lowest f-stop) and start with 5-10 sec exposure. Review your shot and adjust your settings accordingly. The shorter your exposure you get, the more details you will get in the lights, because they tend to move quite fast.

Choose your location carefully, because it is equally important to have a good foreground and other interests in your shots as in regular landscape photography, and having a lake or a pond close by adds to the interest with some reflections on the water.

If you are in Iceland, and would like to shoot some aurora, you can be in contact with me for a tour and guidance. Here are some examples of my Northern lights shots. Happy shooting:)

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At the Glacier lagoon in mid September 2014.

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Near the town of Selfoss in March 2013.

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At the river Sogið in South Iceland in October 2013.

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On the Ring road in Eyjafjöll in South Iceland. A truck passed over the bridge as I shot.

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In South Iceland in October 2013.

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At Hotel Vatnsholt in November 2013.

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On the banks of Ölfusá river in Selfoss.

Seljalandsfoss auroraThis beautiful waterfall is in South Iceland, and is lit up at night.

And finally Seljalandsfoss waterfall under a ribbon of aurora on the night of January 2nd. 2014.

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The morning light is creeping in, the sun is bathing the Öræfajökull glacier with it's rays early in the morning. The tide was high this morning and all the ice was gathered near the exit of the Lagoon, waiting for the tide to go out again.

Jökulsárlón sunrise The weather was calm and still at 06:30 in the morning and the other tourists have not yet arrived at the lagoon.

Jökulsárlón-140906_MG_0751 Arriving again at the Lagoon at 20:00 the sun was setting and the orange light was appearing in the west. Now the tide was going out and the Ice cubes were waiting their turn to flow down to sea.

Jökulsárlón-140906_MG_0771 Heading down to the beach and now there were a few ice cubes there also.

Jökulsárlón-140906_MG_0785-Edit The final shoot of the night. No more words needed for that one.

Jökulsárlón beach-140912_MG_1255 The next day it was raining at the Lagoon, but the sun was trying to break through the mist and clouds. Short stop here now and heading east.

Jökulsárlón-140913_MG_1907 Another sunset at the Lagoon in calm weather and almost clear sky this time. 

Jökulsárlón-140913_MG_1920 After the sunset I noticed that glow in the north, and I figured that it must have been the glow from the Volcano in Holuhraun, north of Vatnajökull glacier. 

Jökulsárlón-140913_MG_1935 Later, when it was getting darker the glow came to be more visible, casting an orange reflection on the lagoon. There was also a faint green glow on the north sky and some purple Aurora showing up above the Volcanic glow.

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Turning the other way the Milky way was rising over the Lagoon.

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And finally we got this great Northern lights exhibition!

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Sunset at the South coast.

1. South coast near the Ölfusá river 

Sunset in Borgarfjörður

2. The Snæfellsjökull Glacier in the afternoon glow. Borgarfjörður in the foreground.

Sunset in the East Fjords.In Breiðdalsvík on East Iceland late at night in mid july.

3. In Breiðdalsvík on East Iceland late at night in mid july.

Hvaleyri sunset

4. Sunset at Hvaleyri beach in the town of Hafnarfjörður south of Reykjavik.

Sunset at SnaefellsjokullThe sun is setting over the Glacier Snæfellsjökull in West Iceland.

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5. Well, I cheated a little bit with this one. The sunset over Snæfellsjökull glacier seen from Mosfellsbær town, near Reykjavik. On the second one the sun sat down onto the top crater of Snæfellsjökull glacier, and a few moments later it rolled down the north slopes of the glacier and under the horizon.

1. From Skaftafell to Mt. Lómagnúpur, which is straight ahead. Skeiðarársandur

2. The road over Hólasandur, leading from East Iceland to the Mývatn area in the North. Vegurinn yfir Hólasand

3. At Brattabrekka from Dalir to Borgarfjörður in West Iceland. I was traveling from Barðastrandasýsla to Reykjavik late one night, my wife at the weel. I stretched out of the window with my camera in the hand and fired away. Mt Baula is on the left with a band of clouds attached to the top. Driving in West-icelandI was traveling from Barðastrandasýsla to Reykjavik late one night, my wife at the weel. I stretched out of the window with my camera in the hand and fired away.

4. The view down to Breiðdalur valley in East Iceland, the road from the town of Breiðdalsvík to Egilsstaðir, or the other way around.

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5. A typical mountain road in Strandir in the West fjords. Better not be afraid of hights when driving on a road like that, 100-200 meters above sea level. Be careful.

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Hrafnabjargafoss

2. The beautiful river Geitá in West Iceland runs through a narrow crevace in an ancient lavafield. This is shot about two hours after midnight at the end of June when the sun is rising again. Geitá is on the route from Húsafell to Thingvellir via Kaldidalur.

Geitá waterfallThe beautiful river Geitá; in West Iceland runs through a narrow crevace in an old lavafield. This is shot about two hours after midnight at the end of June when the sun is rising again.

3. A waterfall with no name. It is in the Markarfljót river near the road through Fjallabak syðra, north of the Mýrdalsjökull glacier. Markarfljót waterfall

4. The Syðri Ófæra river on the route through Fjallabak syðra.

Syðri Ófæra river

5. Axlarfoss waterfall on the route through Fjallabak syðra.

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These beautiful waterfalls are a "Must-See" when you visit South Iceland. They are well known and easy to reach on any type of car. Enjoy!

1. Gullfoss

1. Gullfoss in river Hvítá.

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2. Öxarárfoss at Thingvellir

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3. Skógafoss near Skógar

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4. Seljalandsfoss at Eyjafjöll.

Brúarfoss near Laugarvatn

5. Brúarfoss near Laugarvatn.