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Skogafoss
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Skogafoss



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cameraNIKON D600

settings Aperture f/10 ISO 200 Shutter 76/1 Focal Length 180/10 

upload_dateSep, 2015

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2080

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Aaish helderramos karriejohnston NeilBPhotography wasulite andreaaccordino StefanOlafsson +11
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tilly1997 violetcarinacollard Afreshtake Mlucasphotography elsagabo Nitka patriciahoran +4
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Denise_Marshall Gloriosa LucyCMorr PeterFo

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2 Comments |
t-Sqd
 
t-Sqd September 27, 2015
stunning, wish i was there
Byronfairphotography PRO+
 
Byronfairphotography August 21, 2016
Stunning capture

Submitted to Photo Contests

Tags

#skogafoss #iceland #long exposure
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Behind The Lens

Location

I took this photo on my honeymoon in Iceland. It is a pretty well visited (and photographed) waterfall called Skógafoss. With flights getting cheaper (WOWair) it was a very reasonable vacation. Additionally, we were camping about 80 feet behind where I took this photo.

Time

This photo was the second time I shot Skógafoss on that trip. The initial time there two things prevented me from being happy with my images. The first is that the mist and wind were so strong that it would build up on my BigStopper ND filter which led to blurring dots. The second is that it was difficult to get a long exposure shot with all the people visiting the waterfall. A fellow photographer even set his tripod up right in front of my long exposure image!!! So after reviewing the images, I knew I didnt want to leave Iceland without one more shot at a good image, so I convinced my new wife to let us stop there one more time on our way back. This was shot mid day, and it was overcast (as it was nearly the entire trip).

Lighting

The overcast skies made for nice soft and moody light.

Equipment

I used my Nikon D600, on a tripod with my 18-35mm lens and the BigStopper ND filter. I used a long exposure to get that cotton appearance of the water.

Inspiration

I had always wanted to see Skógafoss for myself, and especially when I found out that you could camp right in front of it. There are so many beautiful photos of this waterfall, but I figured if we were there I might as well try to get my own shot.

Editing

I definately did some post-processing on this image. I started in Camera Raw adjusting the color temp and mid tones and then opened it up in Photoshop. I did a moderate amount of subtle dodging and burning and pushed the greens and contrast a tad. This is the type of photo you could spend hours with, but at some point you have to let the content speak for itself.

In my camera bag

I carry mostly prime lenses (85mm 1.8, 50mm 1.4, 35mm 1.4) and a landscape lens (18-35mm) to use on my Nikon D600. I have slowly accumulated my gear over the years and only upgraded to full frame in 2013. That was probably the best thing I could have done. I know people always say "invest in glass, it has a much larger impact on image quality than the body of your camera" and for the most part, I agree. In my opinion I think the cropped sensors have pretty similar images and glass will influence the quality of the image much more than a sensor. That being said, I started to realize as I looked at other peoples work that I really appreciated the appearance of a full frame (or medium format) image. This aesthetic is most likely due to the improvement in depth of field which I love. Shooting full frame with a wide open lens is like suddenly applying the Brenizer Method to all of your shots. I digress. I also recently invested in a lee BigStopper ND filter and some cheaper ND grads. I think these are essential tools for landscape photography and significantly expand the possibilities of what you can create. Lastly, the single most important thing for landscape photography is your passport. Exploring the world is essential for broadening your landscape shots. Its hard to feel creative in your own area and one of the most critical aspects of landscape photography is an interesting perspective or subject.

Feedback

Continually hone your craft. Photography is a practice dependent skill. Read as much as you can in your free time. Bookmark and visit sites like Phlearn, SLRLounge, Petapixel, FStoppers and 500Px on a regular basis to see what other people are doing and find out ways you can improve you photography. If your going on vacation, research where you going on either flickr or 500px so you know of a site or two to stop at and photograph. The more you have the camera in your hand, the more excited you become about shooting.

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