iceland

Winter is coming

Plunging temperatures and low sunlight heralds the arrival of winter in Iceland. And it arrives early this far north, with cold, windy and dry conditions taking over from the blissful and wet summer.

Signs of these changes were everywhere. Waterfalls had an aura of winter all around, puddles and streams on trails became icy, while lakes in the highlands had already started freezing. These conditions make outdoor adventures in Iceland challenging, but offers unique conditions and compositions. This is one of the multitude of falls showcasing its winter sheen.

Kvernufoss
Iceland

A Blast of Red

The geomagnetic storm I witnessed in Iceland on Oct 10 led to perhaps one of the brightest auroral events I had ever witnessed. Even with my eyes blinded by the headlights while driving, I could still see the reds and the pinks in the sky. The splash of color in the sky danced and morphed continuously, highlighting an intensity of storm that was off the charts. A few moments later, when I stopped to take a look, the bulk of the auroral activity was occurring in the southern half of the skies.

I had never seen such bright band of red span across the entire sky from east to west. These colors show up rarely and only during intense storms where the charged solar particles react with Oxygen above 200mi (320km). The typical aurora with green hues occurs from this same reaction occurring at much lower altitudes (60-190mi or 100-300km). This is also why you see the greens band below the reds.

This storm continued for the entire night, though it ebbed and flowed throughout. I was glad I had an opportunity to witness this.

Fjallsárlón
Iceland

Bruarfoss

It didn't look like much on the map. And even the short walk from the parking lot didn't inspire confidence. But once I got to the wooden bridge straddling the river downstream of the falls, I was taken aback. It wasn't the typical Icelandic waterfall, featuring a tall column of water descending from the lip of hard basalt that you see everywhere. Instead, it was a diffuse waterfall, spreading along a long ledge over which a multitude of streams pour over. Perhaps what was most fascinating was the tiny canyon barely 3m tall and a meter wide that cut its way into the face of the waterfall.

I spent an hour admiring every single detail of the waterfall, from the columnar basalt in the foreground, the faded clumps of orange grass that contrasted with the deep blue water, and the roaring sound of the gushing river.

Bruarfoss
Iceland

And the Curtains part

I distinctly remember where I was when I heard about the May 11 G4 geomagnetic storm that would go on to create auroral displays in nearly all the states in the US. It was a slow-moving storm, and that gave enough time to evaluate locations to catch the aurora. This G4 storm earlier this month came with much less warning and lead-time. This fast moving storm would impact earth in just 24 hrs after it was detected. Were I in the US at that time, I would have struggled to find the right location to shoot it, but I happened to be in Iceland at that time. And while October usually results in changing weather patterns, I happened to be just an hour away from locations with 360 views, fairly calm conditions and very little light pollution.

The intensity of the storm was such that, even with my eyes blinded by headlights, the deep red glow was visible as clear as day as the storm was starting to build up. I pulled over, anticipating a sub-storm that would blow up the sky. And it did. As the intensity of the storm peaked, beams of light stretched from the coronal center all the way to the peaks in the horizon. It was as though the curtains of the sky had parted, and brilliant multi-colored light hiding behind the jeweled night sky filtered from the heavens.

The storm would continue for many more hours of that long night, with periods of quiet interlude between sudden showers of light. Nearly a decade since my first aurora, I couldn't believe that I would get to witness such an incredible spectacle so many more times. It was a night I wouldn't forget for a long time.

Kalfafellsstadur
Iceland

Church Mountain

Sometimes I like to revisit photos of places that I had visited in the past to help kindle that sense of nostalgia. And after California, I often go to my archives from Iceland. It has been one of the diverse landscapes I had visited, where glaciers and geysers coexist, where sheep-filled meadows end in a rocky landscape and where one can enjoy the northern lights from outdoor hot-springs.

Kirkjufell is perhaps one of the most iconic locations in the island nation, featured in every travel poster. I visited the peak during the tail end of my trip, and I still have fond memories of the beautiful sunrise I witnessed there.

Kirkjufell
Iceland

Winter Lights

The Pacific Northwest, though known for its amazing landscape and inspiring outdoors, is a tough place to live in in the winter. As we approach the winter solstice, the prolonged conditions of short days that last only 8 hours, and the ubiquitous grey and gloomy skies can put anyone in a dank mood. This double whammy has been exacerbated this year by the pandemic restrictions on travel and socializing, and poor economic and social outlook. Many people have lost their loved ones or their livelihood.

But there is hope around the corner. The vaccines are coming, and after tomorrow, the days will slowly get longer. Our lives will slowly achieve a sense of normalcy, and we can soon look forward to traveling and experiencing the delights of the world we live in. Like this display of the aurora borealis from Iceland.

Bordeyri

Iceland

Sublime Sunrise

It was one of those dreamy mornings where the light and location came together in perfect harmony.


After having spent a late night hunting for the aurora, motivating myself to leave the cozy confirms of a warm bed out into the cold still morning didn't feel like an easy proposition, But as soon as I saw the clear skies and the just a tinge of clouds on the horizon, I knew I had to rush to the inlet near the village of Grundarfjörður to capture the majesty of Kirkjufell.

I am glad I did, because it turned out to be one of most sublime sunrises I had ever witnessed on that memorable trip to Iceland about 4 years ago.

Kirkjufell

Iceland

Driving Around Iceland

The problem with driving around Iceland is that you’re basically confronted by a new soul-enriching, breath-taking, life-affirming natural sight every five goddamn minutes. It’s totally exhausting.

- Stephen Markley

Every turn, every mile, and every day brought out a new scenery to stare at, a new waterfall to wander to, a new mountain to be amazed by, a new glacier to gape at, a new terrain to traverse, and a new landscape to shoot. The long days of driving around this tiny island, while tiring, was anything but boring. It was a wonderous destination with jaw-dropping beauty, a magical place I would love to return to.

Ring road

South Iceland

Glacial Designs

“Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life—and travel—leaves marks on you.”

- Anthony Bourdain

Iceland certainly left its mark on me. Witnessing the raw power of earth's forces transform the landscape before my very eyes, from glaciers gouging vast canyons, waterfalls cutting through the soft earth, laval flows creating new land, and rivers, lakes and oceans shaping the harsh terrain all around, was an indelible experience.

I hope to see this magic once again

Skaftafell National Park

Iceland

Through the wormhole

The glow in the night sky transcended reality: green shimmers and pink glimmers glinted and gleamed against a dark starscape. Eventually, thick bands swept their way over the mountains, across the fjord and onto the next valley deep in the Westfjords of Iceland, until one settled right atop me, albeit just for a moment.

Clear winter nights in the Pacific Northwest make me yearn for the Aurora spectacle that I had witnessed in the northern reaches of Iceland. And I hope to visit that magical display in the sky once again.

Flateyri

Westfjords, Iceland