Iceland: Myvatn to Husavik

Sunday 2nd March: It had snowed heavily overnight and was still snowing when we drove from Myvatn to Husavik. The scenery along the way was captivating in its gentle colours and shapes. The Ptarmingan image is from the previous evening around Reykjahlid; the Barrow's Goldeneye were on the river at the far end of the lake.

Aurora borealis

I have just published a Website Gallery of the brilliant northern lights that we witnessed on our first night in Iceland. Auroral displays appear in shades of red, yellow, green, blue, and violet. The lights appear in many forms from patches or scattered clouds of light to streamers, arcs, rippling curtains or shooting rays that light up the sky with an eerie glow. This set was taken at Grindavik Iceland Thursday 27th February 2014.

Krafla Thermal Area Iceland

Saturday March 1st afternoon. We visited the geothermal area of mud pools and spouts as the weather closed in giving exciting lighting opportunites and a return to minimal landscape designs.

Iceland in colour

 Saturday March 1st: Morning. We woke to a good covering of snow but cloudy. The clouds soon broke up a bit  to give some lovely subtle colour to the landscape. These are on the road from Myvatn to Reykjahlid. We travelled this  stretch a couple of times looking for Gyr Falcons. We saw five birds but always at a distance. Here is the best my lens could do with much help from sharpening software (70-200 with 2 times converter)

Flight From Reykavik to Akureyi

Beautiful sunrise for our flight to Akureyi yesterday morning but we ran into cloud as we approached the north. Bit apprehensive about landing on iced runway but no problem - obviously well practised.

Myvatn Pseudocraters

 Friday 28th February. We arrived at Myvatn in a blizzard but decided to have a walk to the pseudocraters. They are formed by steam explosions as flowing hot lava crosses over a wet surface, such as a swamp, a lake, or a pond. The explosive gases break through the lava surface and builds up crater-like forms which can appear very similar to real volcanic craters.  They were preparing for husky racing over the weekend.
I am looking forward to working on  these images and printing them - the subtle colouring and structures are difficult to portray digitally.

Akureyi in the Rain

• We spent an hour or so in Akureyi on Friday. It was raining so we sheltered for a time inside the Cultural Centre (large building at top of first photo). The building's design represents iceland's natural features. Externally, the building is clad with rods and bars of a special variety of Icelandic granite called Studlaberg. The building's interior represents a ravine between rock walls. Openings in the rock walls provide access to the cultural functions: a concert hall with room for 600 spectators, a multi-purpose hall, and a sculpture courtyard.
• We then visited the Church. This is a Lutheran church and was designed by architect Gudjon Samuelsson and consecrated in 1940. It was thought the the central stained glass window above the altar formed a part of a set which was destroyed in an air raid on Coventry Cathedral in England but this is now disputed. There is a large 3200-pipe organ, a unique interpretation of the crucifixion.

Godafoss

Friday 28th February. We visited Godafoss on the way from Akureyi to Myvatn where we were to stay for 3 nights. The light was very poor and, because of the snowy conditions, we couldn't walk down to the foot of the waterfall. However, the dull conditions allowed some slow shutterspeed work on the water and the blue glacial water really stands out from the overall grey. The water of the river Skjálfandafljót falls from a height of 12 meters over a width of 30 meters. 

The name derives from the legend where  the Lawspeaker Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði made Christianity the official religion of Iceland. After his conversion it is said that he threw his statues of the Norse gods into the waterfall.