Category: Iceland

THE VERTICAL COMPOSITION – SELFOSS BEFORE STORM

Posted in Iceland, Landscape Photographs, News and Updates, Photographs, Travel Photography, Uncategorized2 Comments

When out shooting in the field I usually find that the subject and composition will dictate the orientation of the frame – either horizontal or vertical in the 35mm format. Almost always I will go with my first instinct when making framing, composing and orientation decisions and usually my first instinct results in the best overall frame. Once I have taken that photograph I will then experiment with different compositions and usually a different camera orientation. Often, an alternate orientation produces an equally good photograph and occasionally a superior one. It almost always results in a photograph that ‘reads’ differently and the experience can be quite different for the end viewer.

Speaking extemporaneously it is no skin off my nose to experiment with an alternate camera orientation in the field. It takes little to know time to re-orientate the camera after shooting a horizontal or vertical composition; especially with the Really Right Stuff L bracket that I use on my primary Canon 1DS MKIII. This is something I find myself doing a lot as the alternate orientation gives me a choice of options during the editing process back in my studio – and choice is always a good thing. Even if the different orientation ends up a banal photograph destined to reside in my Lightroom catalogue without ever seeing ‘print’  I do at least have the photograph for comparative purposes.

Every now and again I end up processing both the horizontal and vertical frames as I cant decide which I prefer; or I like both equally as in the case of ‘Selfoss Before Storm’. Both the horizontal and vertical compositions work to my eye for this photograph and both for quite different reasons. Each orientation places the emphasis on different elements in the frame and each; although similar, is visually quite a different experience. The vertical composition more successfully coveys a sense of height to the waterfalls that cascade down this martian like canyon. On the other hand the horizontal orientation conveys a greater sense of grandeur; giving a sense of scale to the width of the falls. In both instances the racing storm clouds are positioned to emphasise the orientation of the frame. I like both – Which do you prefer?

AUGUST PHOTO OF THE MONTH – SELFOSS BEFORE STORM

Posted in Iceland, Landscape Photographs, News and Updates, Photographs, Travel Photography, Uncategorized3 Comments

Iceland is a country well known for its waterfalls. One of its most famous is Selfoss; a waterfall I made several repeat visits to during my 2010 trip. What makes Selfoss so unique and other worldly is the way it cascades down both sides of a deep rocky canyon. I have not seen such a geological feature anywhere else in the world and as far as I know it is unique to Selfoss and Iceland. The light was very different on my second visit to Selfoss and on this occasion a storm was building and dark storm clouds were racing across the arctic sky as I set up my tripod to take this photograph. The water has an almost chocolate colour as it is glacial and full of sediment from melting glaciers upstream. Not long after I made this exposure it began to rain heavily and I was forced to abandon any further shooting; but it didn’t matter as I had the photograph I wanted and an image I have titled ‘Selfoss before Storm’. A higher resolution version of this photograph can be seen on my primary portfolio website at www.jholko.com under Iceland. Limited Edition Fine Art Pigment on Paper prints are available of this photograph through Source Photographica in Brighton.

NATURE’S BEST PHOTOGRAPHY – SEMI FINALIST 2011

Posted in Iceland, Landscape Photographs, Media, News and Updates, Photographs, Travel Photography, Uncategorized3 Comments

I’ve been away up at Mount Buller for some skiing and snow play with my kids over the last few days and I was very pleased to learn on my return to Melbourne last night that one of my photographs has been selected as a semi-finalist in the Windland Smith Rice International Awards. There were more than 21,000 photographs submitted this year to this award; which is run by Natures Best Photography and I thrilled to have one of my photographs selected to go through in to the semi-finals. At this stage I need to supply additional ‘exif’ information and a higher resolution file for further judging. I cannot as yet disclose which photograph has been selected as the next round of judging has not yet been completed; but will do so as soon as possible.

ICELAND LANDSCAPES – BY DANIEL BERGMANN

Posted in Iceland, Landscape Photographs, News and Updates, Photographs, Reviews, Travel Photography, Uncategorized1 Comment

A couple of weeks ago I received an email from my Iceland friend and photographer Daniel Bergmann that his new book ‘Iceland Landscapes’ was now finished and available for order. I was just passing my laptop on the way to bed when I saw his email but could not resist the temptation and ordered a copy then and there on the spot. I have subsequently been eagerly waiting for it to arrive; which it did yesterday and I have now had a chance to sit down, read, and absorb the wonderful photographs contained therein.

I spent a couple of weeks travelling through Iceland with Daniel Bergmann in July and August, Summer 2010 and have visited many of the locations photographed in this new book. Indeed, I feel a personal connection to some of the photographs as I was standing alongside Daniel (or, was at least in the nearby vicinity) when they were taken. As such, I have a wonderful emotional connection to the photographs that is for me at least quite visceral. Photographs of locations I have not yet visited – well; they inspire me to return to this amazing country to seek out the light and subject captured by Daniel.

Iceland Landscapes

Iceland Landscapes includes 110 landscape photographs from Iceland, mostly taken during the last five years. The book is in English and covers both the locations photographed along with technical information and thoughts on photography. Renowned English landscape photographer David Ward wrote the introduction and an Icelandic author, Pali Asgeir Asgeirsson, wrote the preface. The book is 144 pages long and is 24 x 28cm. It was printed in Iceland on high quality semi-gloss paper. It is self published by Daniel Bergmann. The print quality is extremely high and the colours and beautifully reproduced. This is an extremely well produced book.

Iceland Landscapes is not yet another tourist book on the amazing geological landscapes of Iceland. It is rather a successful effort to capture the essence, soul and stunning light found in Iceland. It is a book that is going to appeal to photographers and those who appreciate fine art photographs on many levels. It will serve as an inspirational guide to those wishing to travel to the remarkable country of Iceland for Photography and inspire them to visit some of its many wonders. It will also fill the cup of those who want to experience Iceland through the pages of a fine art photography book.  David Ward eloquently sums up Iceland Landscapes better than I can in this excerpt from his introduction –

… More extraordinarily, the photographs reveal that Daníel can find new perspectives in subjects that are familiar to him. This requires a particular openness of mind that, as I know from my own struggle, is extremely hard to achieve. American photographer Wynn Bullock wrote, “Mysteries lie all around us, even in the most familiar things, waiting only to be perceived.” The photographer needs a desire to explore, a yearning to look in new aesthetic directions as well as to tramp all points of the compass. Only by prolonged and in-depth observation can a photographer begin to see beyond the expected and reawaken a childlike sense of wonder. In this way one might begin to see one’s homeland, as Daníel does, with the eyes of a stranger. And imagine what a gift that is…

Daníel Bergmann’s images in this book succeed as both distillations and revelations of his country’s amazing landscape. Both beauty and the sublime are evident in his photographs, and his work even manages to transcend Iceland’s amazing subject matter.

I encourage any photographer (or non photographer for that matter) who may only have even a passing interest in the amazing, varied and often primordial landscapes of Iceland to purchase a copy of Daniel’s new book ”Iceland Landscapes. The photography and print quality are wonderful and having spent time in Iceland can say with some degree of experience that Daniel has captured the soul of his countries amazing landscapes in this new work.

I already had plans in place to return to Iceland in July next year 2012 for a couple of weeks with Daniel. Now that I have read Daniel’s new book I feel totally re-ignited to get out in the amazing landscapes of Iceland.

Iceland Landscapes can be ordered online at HERE and shipping is available worldwide. I highly recommend this book.

Conclusion: **** You should own this book and consider it an important part of your photography library.

WATERFALL DRILL AT FOX GLACIER NEW ZEALAND – PHOTO OF THE MONTH

Posted in Antarctica, Arctic, Iceland, New Zealand, News and Updates, Photographs, Reviews, Scotland, South America, Travel Photography, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Some of the most enjoyable photography I have done in the South Island of New Zealand has been by small mountain helicopter. There really is no better way to see, experience and photograph the Southern Alps and glaciers than by helicopter. With the doors removed for better photography, warm clothes and cameras ready I spent just an over an hour this trip photographing the spectacular landscape. One of the goals of this trip was to try and get a photograph of the waterfall drilling down into the side of Fox Glacier. I had flown over these falls several times on previous trips, but had not been able to get the shot I wanted. My pilot from this trip was Mike from Mountain Helicopters. Mike is as good as they come and he was able to position the helicopter in the ideal position for me to lean out and take this frame with a wide angle 24mm lens on the full frame Canon 1DS MKIII. We were less than 30 metres off the deck when I took this photograph. I have flown with Mountain Helicopters several times now and can highly recommend them to anyone looking for very experienced pilots who can position a helicopter exactly where the photographer wants and then manage to tilt it to keep the rotor blades out of frame.