Constant Awe

"Constant Awe" | Iceland

And then those enlightened places, which only existed inside the oniric landscapes of imagination, materialized right in front of me. Something too profound and primitive was happening on that infinite piece of land, inhabiting the strength of a naked and untouched earth, and then also inhabiting an excessively large room inside of me. Sometimes I wipe off its dust and open its windows to let the air flow, but when I glance at it I can only find memories and
shadows, longing for a new encounter.

José Ramos ©

The Story:
A photo made on the South of Iceland, when I was headed to Skogafoss, on the 5th day of the trip.

It's not easy for a photographer to drive on the Ring Road in Iceland as you feel like you need to stop every minute to take a photo. In this case I really had to stop as, all of a sudden, a majestic mountain appears at distance, lit by one of most epic sunsets I witnessed during the trip. It was supposed to be a quick stop, but I just couldn't leave the place until it got dark, exploring the endless composition possibilities, while capturing the constantly shifting light.

Even though I did not know the name of this mountain when I first posted this image online, a commenter told me it's Lómagnúpur, definitely an under-rated spot in the island. There are so many little known gems in Iceland hiding behind every corner, and it's impossible not to be in constant awe in this place...

Technical:

Sony a77 + Sigma 10-20mm
Aperture: f-8
Exposure: 1-30 seconds
ISO: 200
Handheld (I was supposedly in a rush, and it would be just a 5 minute stop, which was prolonged to one hour, so my Manfrotto tripod stayed in the car)
Manual focus
Sensor stabilization On
Filters: Formatt Hitech 4 stop ND soft Grad, angled 45 degrees
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