Day 5 was here and we were checking out of the “dead animal hotel”, the Hotel Smyrlabjorg.
We were heading West and towards a popular mountain in Iceland known as Lómagnúpur.
We stopped off en route to take some photos from the roadside.
Lómagnúpur
About Lómagnúpur
Lomagnupur mountain is a breathtaking colossal rock on the South Coast, known for being one of the most recognizable mountains in Iceland.
The stunning rock mountain is a favorite amongst photographers because of its dramatic cliffs and picturesque surroundings, from glacial rivers to an expanse of black sands.
Lomagnupur mountain, spelled Lómagnúpur in Icelandic, stands 2506 feet (764 meters) at its highest peak, while its shorter cliffs reach 2204 feet (671 meters). It may not be as towering as other mountains in the land of fire and ice, but it easily stands out on the plains of the South Coast.
One of the most striking features of the attraction is its flat peak, estimated to be over a million years old. This plateau is mostly of palagonite composition, a volcanic mineral that forms when water and volcanic glass mix. Its origins are most likely from volcanic eruptions underneath the Ice Age glaciers.
The Shoot
This location feels like a roadside visit, and to some extent it is just that.
As we pulled into the car park, we could see a couple of people walking over a frozen river. I grabbed a shot of this as soon as we got out of the van, albeit one of them had walked away.
It was time to shoot the mountain now and I’m pleased with this next shot because the couple in the scene really provide that essential judge bait sense of scale. 😀
I shot a closer capture of the mountain.
While we were milling around, I grabbed some shots of passing cars, in the somewhat tragic hope something would emerge suitable for the club’s upcoming themed round of ‘traffic’.
I shot a few vehicle and boat shots on this trip, very casually and in passing but nothing was suitable, and it wasn’t what I was here for. Absolutely naff theme for a photo competition.
Some of the others flew their drone but I couldn’t be bothered and was content just looking around.
We were done, and it was time to head on to our next location.
Stjórnarfoss Waterfall
About Stjórnarfoss Waterfall
A rustic wonder found in Kleifar, close to the small town Kirkjubæjarklaustur of southern Iceland, the Stjórnarfoss Waterfall is one among the many marvels of Iceland.
The striking waterfall can capture the eye from a distance despite its short height and petite form. Though structurally unique and different from the conventional ‘waterfall’ edifice, Stjórnarfoss makes a peaceful and scenic view for tourists and a popular relaxing spot for localities.
As compared to the myriad of Iceland’s grand waterfall, this one falls short on the stature, but not on beauty.
The Shoot
We parked the van and made our way through the snow along the frozen river and up to the waterfall.
There was a clearer view of the frozen river water as we got closer to the waterfall.
I turned my attention to the waterfall.
There were some interesting shapes and textures in the partially frozen waterfall.
We spent quite a while photographing this waterfall and some small ice rocks.
And that was a wrap.
We wandered back to the van and onwards and back to the Hotel Vik.
The day was quite the contrast to the last couple of days with less epic locations. Still enjoyable and plenty of photography opportunity but a stark contrast nevertheless.
We checked back in to the familiar hotel from earlier in the week.
Justin arranged a pre-dinner tutorial on how to edit Aurora pictures which was most useful and helped a lot to get the best out of our Northern lights images.
We had a trip to the Icewear shop in Vik which most of the crew bought socks or other apparel – it didn’t interest me much. After all, I’d probably purchased the entire UK stock of men’s thick thermals prior to the trip!
Black Crust Pizza was the dinner venue of choice and very nice too, and that was the end of another day.
Our last day was fast approaching.
Onwards and upwards…