Iceland #16 - Selfoss before Storm

[Josh-H]

I have been meaning to post this photograph for some time and finally got around to putting it on my website and blog tonight. I have a short write up on my blog about it at blog.jholko.com. But, in short, I think for me this photograph is one of my favourites and at least for me captures the essence of Iceland. It doesn't have the knock out punch of colour that some of my other Iceland work does, but its 'feeling' speaks to me more strongly than some of the blazing sunrises/sunsets. Would be very interested in what others think. I did not include this photograph in my recent exhibition in Melbourne.

Comments and Thoughts welcome as always.

[John R Smith]

Josh

It's an extraordinary picture. I'm guessing that it's a very long exposure, of course. Usually I don't comment on colour photographs, because I find them very hard to judge as art, if you know what I mean (which is a curious statement, I know). I like the very restricted colour palette in this one, though. And I hate sunsets.

What strikes me here is the incredible organisation of the compositional elements, each one of which seems perfect in its own right - the cloud formation, the waves or ripples in the mid-ground, the water downfalls, and the perfectly arranged rocks below them. If one had painted this from imagination it would have been hard to do better. My one criticism of it is that it seems so perfect and smooth that I find myself yearning for a little bit of grit and edge.

I've never been to Iceland, but this picture makes me want to go.

Nice shot, for sure.

John

[William Walker]

Hey Josh

This picture led me to your website, and, for anyone who has not seen your work, I suggest they take a look.

Your Australia and Tasmania portfolios are particularly stunning. The are some black & whites that, I am sure, would even please a few fellow forum members! I would be keen to see what they would say about something like "Frozen - Mount Buffalo." Even the type of picture some would consider passé (waterfalls, sunsets/sunrises, slow exposures on water etc.) are great. "Blue Lace - Fox Glacier" looks like the frozen version of the ubiquitous Antelope Canyon pictures one sees so often.

My out-and-out favourite? Signal Peak - The Grampians. The light is beautiful and the colours lovely and warm. Who knew Australia could be so lovely?

I will return to your site again and again!
Thank you.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Josh,

I spent three weeks in Iceland once, in 1974. This image brings back the memories very strongly, I've enjoyed your other  Iceland shots a lot, but this one is, indeed, iconic to me.

Eric

[francois]

It's another stunning photo from your Iceland trip. This one is almost too perfect…
Bravo again!

[Heinz]

This is a striking image. May i ask why you did not include this photograph in your recent exhibition in Melbourne?

[John R Smith]

Josh

One thing which has me really intrigued with this picture is that there is nothing to give a sense of scale. I can't tell whether those cliffs are 100 feet high or only ten - or are they cliffs at all?

Put me out of my misery . . .

John

[wolfnowl]

Nicely done, Josh.  The muted colours balance well against the power of the water, and don't attempt to overpower it.  Composition is great too!

Mike.

[Josh-H]

Gents, Thank you very much for the comments and feedback. Hugely appreciated as always.

John - Those cliffs are around 10 metres high. In the large 24 x 30 inch print I made tonight you get a much better sense of the scale and size. Bit hard to tell in the small jpeg I know.

Heinz - I have had the image sitting in my Lightroom library for over 6 months now. It has been one of those photographs I could not see the wood for the trees - With nearly 5000 frames shot in Iceland in 3 weeks there was a lot of sorting and a lot of trees to see through if you know what I mean (although there are no trees in Iceland ). I always felt it was good, but it needed to reside in my sub conscious for a while I think before being put out into the public space. I have another exhibition kicking off in September this year and this will now most definitely be a part of it.

Thanks again very much for the feedback

[Riaan van Wyk]

Extraordinary, as John mentioned, sums this up nicely for me. Also, I concur with William's comments regarding your website. Lovely stuff Josh.