While travelling on the Ring Road around the stunning country of Iceland in springtime, I had the opportunity to explore the Southern and Eastern regions toward the end of my trip. One particular location, near Vik, is a viewpoint at Dyrholaey, which offers a view looking west toward Reynisfjara Beach and the small sea stacks of Reynisdrangar. Most of the photographs I took were from the beach below, focusing on Reynisdrangar, while the other frequent shots were taken from the opposite side.
I’ve seen fantastic images of Reynisdrangar from the beach, but those were typically captured during low tide. The area can be extremely dangerous, as rogue waves can rush in unexpectedly, putting photographers at risk. I chose not to venture down to the beach during high tide, which was when I was there.
Noticing that the previous day and night were filled with sea mist and fog, I thought it would be intriguing to get up early and capture the beach and Reynisdrangar at dawn. The experience did not disappoint. The “god fingers” or rays of light were breathtaking, illuminating various parts of the scene beautifully. Welcome to the Black Sand Beach of Reynisfara and the sea stacks of Reynisdrangar, Iceland.
I opted not to use a filter, as I was concerned that it might diminish the effect of the rays of light, which I wanted to highlight. Additionally, I desired a deep depth of field, so I set my aperture to f/16, a few stops wider than my usual setting for landscape shots. To maintain a soft feel that complemented the fog and sea mist, I decided on a slower shutter speed. I also set my ISO to auto and used a tripod to help frame my shots effectively.
