During a previous visit to Iceland, I was fortunate to visit Öxarárfoss, a waterfall situated within Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park in South Iceland. This human-made waterfall sits on the edge of the boundary line between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates and was created to redirect water into a ravine. The waterfall is fed by the Öxará River and gracefully plummets off the iconic Almannagjá Gorge. Interestingly, geologists and historians have discovered that the river Öxará was moved hundreds of years ago to channel the water into the ravine Almannagjá in the ninth century. Its purpose was to provide water for the members and visitors of the Icelandic parliament Althingi.

I have always enjoyed photographing moving water and the attempt to portray the image to illustrate its flow and movement best. I used an ND filter to achieve a long shutter speed to create the smoothing effect of the waterfall and the water over the rocks. This is an effective way of mimicking the water flow you are trying to capture in the image.

This was one of the most photogenic waterfalls I have photographed, with the mystery and location adding to its beauty. The name Öxarárfoss translates to "Waterfall of the Ax River". According to folklore, the name came from an Axe that killed a notorious and unstable female troll famous for killing and terrorizing visitors, inhabitants, and travellers in the Hengill area not far from Þingvellir. Legend also has it that Öxarárfoss turns into wine at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve.