Iceland

It has been virtually non-stop since arriving into Iceland last Monday morning. The days have flown by - and there are no real nights as it never turns completely dark this time of year. The sun rise starts at around 130AM and lasts until 4AM - sunset starts at 11PM and runs until twilight at 130AM....perfect for our purpose.

I am trraveling with a group of photographers on a workshop  led by Tony Sweet which has been organized by Focus on Nature...We move around the countryside in a large 4 wheel drive bus which literally can go anywhere we might want to shoot.

The Focus on Nature staff, Einar, Asta, Ziggy and Gudmundur are very accommodating and there is virtually nothing they can not make happen. Hotels and food are not an issue and the coffee needs to be packaged for use at home - comes in handy after being out on the glacier until midnight and then have a wake up call for 2:45AM the next morning to catch a sunrise at Glacier Lagoon.

Iceland has a good deal to offer if you are a photographer - we have hardly touched the surface and have shot an industrial site, mountain range, glaciers, glacier lagoon, ocean and two farms one working and one from the a few centuries back. The first thing you notice about Iceland is the warmth of the people - at the farm above i was set up in the field shooting a waterfall and the farmer was driving back and forth in a tractor right in front of me. When it came to the part where he would either run me down or go around me, he went out of his way to drive around me with a smile and a wave - simply amazing!!!!!

You also find that there is access everywhere even at the industrial plant mentioned above. You can simply set up and shoot anywhere at any time. I am sure someone asked for permission but there are no fences, barbed wire or "Keep Out" postings unless it warns of impending danger or physical harm.

And did I mention the herring is to die for.......

Off to another sunrise now.....