Iceland Revisited Part One

Hallgrimskirkja

Once a year I go through my archives of photographs, an interesting exercise, an opportunity to clear out images I would never use and to revisit a particular collection, a chance to find something new, photographs that I enjoy. Looking at the series from Iceland, images shot in 2012 and 2017, I came away with some I would like to share. Up top is the Hallgrimskirkja church. To me its imposing presence rivals the Washington National Cathedral, plus, one can go up above the clock and get a great view of Reykjavik toward the harbor. For largest display, click on individual image.

I typically travel with two cameras, a backup in case one fails. For the 2012 trip I had my Leica S2 camera 3-lens kit and a smaller Pentax K5 kit with a wide angle and a zoom lens. A cardinal rule when walking around, especially an unfamiliar city, is to look down before proceeding. I broke that rule early on the second morning of my trip. I was walking along a surface of pavers.While looking at a scene I wanted to photograph, I stepped into a spot missing a paver and took a fall, a hard fall. The  Leica kit was in a camera bag but the impact was so hard the camera was trashed. I was shaken, bruised, yes, somewhat embarrassed but otherwise OK. The black and white shot of Hallgrimskirkja was one of only two photos I took with the Leica. The whole trip was saved by the backup Pentax kit.

Reykjavik 

This capital city is a photographer’s dream. The mix of colors, shapes, textures and subjects is seemingly unlimited. From sophisticated spaces like the Harpa Opera house to a graveyard of broken bicycles strewn among walls covered with graffiti. Color studies present themselves everywhere. 

Touring

Other towns add to the allure of Iceland. Husavik offers up some grand images of the town and its harbor. 

Landscapes 

A variety of which I have only seen rivaled in Hawaii. Lush areas, barren thermal areas, rock formations and of course, waterfalls.

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