Vestrahorn - Iceland

Craig_85

Craig_85

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Craig
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Stokksnes in the conditions we visited had to be one of least hospitable places on earth. But I loved it, Iceland is an incredible place and I would recommend it to any landscape photographer. It does not however give up good results easily. The reflection shot is the one where it all came together for me and I spent significant time repositioning the camera and waiting for a break in the mental winds to get it. The other shots just show the area and conditions on the day hopefully.

1.
Vestrahorn by Craig Hollis, on Flickr

2.
Vestahorn Sea by Craig Hollis, on Flickr

3.
Vestrahorn Dunes by Craig Hollis, on Flickr

4.
Vestrahorn B & W by Craig Hollis, on Flickr

5.
Vestahorn Sea by Craig Hollis, on Flickr

6.
Vestrahorn Wind by Craig Hollis, on Flickr

Thanks for looking, C & C welcome.
 
Although I am a sucker for a reflection and I do like one, I prefer the motion of 2 better and the composition of 3.

I know why you took 6 but the bigger view works better.

The mono is good, but the dark cool tones I think work better in the colour renditi8ons. All strong images and whilst my own preferences are for golden light chocolate box these pull off the rare trick of being moody and dark in mood, without having to be dark and hard to see in appareance.

Great work.
 
Very nice set
3 is my fave the mono is very well done I like that and it is worth viewing on black on Flickr
The last one looks to me like it suffered water drops on the lens/filter on the foreground section something I have seen a lot of myself
 
And just to prove we all have different tastes, #3 and #6 don't really work for me as the foreground dunes/grasses just don't seem to fit with the rest of the scenes for me. #1 is a bit tight on the rhs, but otherwise they are all fine shots.
 
Hard to pick a winner there Craig but I think number 2 is my fave which has a bit of everything, love those cool steely tones.

The ones with the yellow grasses in feel a bit tight with the horizon for me, especially the last one, I'd have maybe got set up higher and pointed down to give then more clearance maybe?
 
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These are like Iceland: out of this world!
My pick is #1! Thanks for the pleasure.
 
This is a great set Craig. I always wanted to go to Iceland and seeing these hasn't changed my mind.

I think no 2 just edges it for me purely from a composition point of view, with No 5 not far behind.

I do agree with the comments about the dunes /grasses somehow not fitting in with the rest of the scene.
Clearly they are part of the natural landscape and do fit the viewed scene, but purely from a photographic point of view and with them being a total different colour they are competing with the lovely cool tones of the mountains.
 
I won't offer too much crit Craig as I think its all been covered but I am slightly jealous of number 1. They're all wow in their own way but I just love that first one.
 
SFTPhotography said:
Although I am a sucker for a reflection and I do like one, I prefer the motion of 2 better and the composition of 3.

I know why you took 6 but the bigger view works better.

The mono is good, but the dark cool tones I think work better in the colour renditi8ons. All strong images and whilst my own preferences are for golden light chocolate box these pull off the rare trick of being moody and dark in mood, without having to be dark and hard to see in appareance.

Great work.
Click to expand...

Thanks Steve. The mono was actually because I had messed up the colour balancing and gave up! The dark and moody whilst retaining luminance was exactly what I was after, pleased it works for you.

alfbranch said:
Very nice set
3 is my fave the mono is very well done I like that and it is worth viewing on black on Flickr
The last one looks to me like it suffered water drops on the lens/filter on the foreground section something I have seen a lot of myself
Click to expand...

Thanks Alf. That is the precise reason I was unsure if the last one works or not. It looks just like water on the front element but it is in fact black sand and water spray being blown along the ground, but I guess it looks more like a wet lens!

Peter B said:
And just to prove we all have different tastes, #3 and #6 don't really work for me as the foreground dunes/grasses just don't seem to fit with the rest of the scenes for me. #1 is a bit tight on the rhs, but otherwise they are all fine shots.
Click to expand...

Thanks Peter, fair point. There are some stunning compositions from within the dunes that I failed to find in the horrible conditions, some shots I have seen from others pull off a more harmonious scene with them.

Stuart Mc said:
Hard to pick a winner there Craig but I think number 2 is my fave which has a bit of everything, love those cool steely tones.

The ones with the yellow grasses in feel a bit tight with the horizon for me, especially the last one, I'd have maybe got set up higher and pointed down to give then more clearance maybe?
Click to expand...

Thanks Stuart, I agree but these mounds with yellow grass are actually quite large, 2-3m high in places. By the time the weather had settled enough to be able to get a proper look around them and find a better composition a workshop of photographers had turned up and any shots then would have looked like something out of meerkat manor!

Kodiak Qc said:
•


These are like Iceland: out of this world!
My pick is #1! Thanks for the pleasure.
Click to expand...

Thanks Kodiak, pleased you like.

Seniorshot said:
This is a great set Craig. I always wanted to go to Iceland and seeing these hasn't changed my mind.

I think no 2 just edges it for me purely from a composition point of view, with No 5 not far behind.

I do agree with the comments about the dunes /grasses somehow not fitting in with the rest of the scene.
Clearly they are part of the natural landscape and do fit the viewed scene, but purely from a photographic point of view and with them being a total different colour they are competing with the lovely cool tones of the mountains.
Click to expand...

Thanks Roger, I like the breaking wave in 2 but other friends prefer the strong diagonal of 5.

AdamSi said:
A really nice set and a place I still want to visit
Click to expand...

Thanks Adam, get it booked before the tourist numbers go even higher!

Dale. said:
I won't offer too much crit Craig as I think its all been covered but I am slightly jealous of number 1. They're all wow in their own way but I just love that first one.
Click to expand...

Thanks Dale, I hope the simple beauty of the first one comes across in the shot.
 
Craig_85 said:
Thanks Alf. That is the precise reason I was unsure if the last one works or not. It looks just like water on the front element but it is in fact black sand and water spray being blown along the ground, but I guess it looks more like a wet lens!
Click to expand...

Craig
If it is natural it is an interesting effect.
 
Looks like you've had a great trip, cracking set #2 is awesome and love the Ice caves from your other thread (y)
 
RichieTee said:
A cracking set of varied images Craig. Amazing how photogenic that place is. Very, very jealous :p

No.s 1 and 4 for me. (y)
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Thanks Richie, yes I could happily spend weeks there (if I could put up with the wind) making photographs.

Neil Burnell said:
All lovely but 2 is stunning
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Thanks Neil, I shot a few frames from this spot and liked the shape of the breaking waves and their similarity to the shape of the mountain.

kellett said:
Looks like you've had a great trip, cracking set #2 is awesome and love the Ice caves from your other thread (y)
Click to expand...

Thanks Kellet, yes it was a great trip and loads more varied shots to process, just trying to work through methodically with them.
 
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