Iceland - Hverir
At the end of our first week in Iceland the weather started to turn on us. Heavy clouds set in, which really didn’t offer much for fine photography, but allowed us to explore some interesting places. At one of those locations we decided to try and make a morning shoot of it - the Hverir geothermal area. We’d photographed it the previous afternoon, and while the forecast projected rain that night, it showed clearing skies the next morning.
So we were up early that morning and at Hverir at 5:00 am. It hadn’t cleared. It was cold and windy, with the occasional drizzle, but that didn’t stop us. We were there alone and had a variety of subject to pick from. We were in no rush so were able to take our time and explore a range of subject matter.
Naturally I couldn’t resist some abstract images. I tried to be judicious though and only made a couple. Much to my surprise, in the one below there is a covid mask I hadn’t realized was there. Can you see it?
With the landscape shots I benefitted from our earlier visit to Hverir. I knew of at least 4 images I wanted to make and was pleased with the results from the first of that group. While there are guide posts and ropes visible if you look closely, at least there aren’t any people like there were the previous afternoon.
Given we figured we had a lot of time before the crowds would arrive (by 6:30, there was only one other person, and he was flying a drone for images I suspect), we wandered around to explore new images in addition to the locations we’d get to later.
This was one of them, taken on a side trail not far from where we’d explored the previous day.
Unfortunately, as is visible in the above image, the clouds started rolling in to obscure the hill tops. Not long afterwards, the rains and even more dense clouds settled in to deprive us of any view of the surrounding landscape.
We packed up, got back to the bimobil and waited. With the rain coming and going, and the forecast predicting much of the same for the rest of the day (it was correct), we called it a shoot and decided to head down the road to see if there were other opportunities. There were sights, but that was about it.
We’re learning that we just have to take the photography as it comes this trip, plan for the best and accept what is. Regardless, it’s beautiful, even if not always suited for making a good photograph.