The south coast of Iceland is a well-trodden tourist trail. There are many photogenic locations and tourists – at least on my last visit pre-Covid.
There had been a distinct lack of ice on my first visit to the so-called ‘Diamond Beach’, properly known as Breidamerkursandur, which stretches approximately 18km along Iceland’s South Coast, from the foot of Kviarjokull Glacier to the famed glacier lagoon Jokulsarlon. Usually, the icebergs that fill the Jokulsarlon lagoon make their way down the channel, where they either drift out to sea or break into smaller pieces and wash up on shore, creating a stark contrast with the black volcanic sand.
When I returned late afternoon the following day, I was greeted by the most extraordinary sight. There was still a lack of ice on the beach, but enormous icebergs that had broken away from the ice in the lagoon during the previous night’s wind storm had drifted down the channel and were floating just off the shore.
I spent several hours capturing different compositions – my neoprene wellies were definitely an advantage as, unlike most other visitors, I did not have to run up the beach to avoid incoming waves. That said, it was challenging to balance the shutter speeds required as the light faded with the possibility of either the iceberg or my tripod moving.
This is my favourite image from that evening, which I call ‘Rhapsody in Blue’, as the ice's luminous blue matched the sky's gentle hues. I used a slow shutter speed, partly due to low light levels but also to ensure movement in the water. I also used a 1.5-stop neutral density graduated filter to retain the delicate colours in the sky. A fabulous end to a wonderful day.
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Dimitri Vasileiou • Editor