I am staying in Iceland with a friend. He has been generous to host me on my last-minute trip. We had dinner last night, and he asked for my plans for today. I really had not planned this trip, volcano, done. After that, it is all on a whim. I told him my thoughts, and he said, “Have you been to the Highlands?” No, I have not, but I have wanted to go. “You are going there tomorrow.” Then he mapped out my route, and that was it. I texted him a couple of hours after I was there and said, “Friends do not suggest the Highlands to friends when they only have one day.”
The Highlands are central Iceland. Remote, uninhabited, isolated, and most of the year inaccessible. I did a speed round in a small part of them today. I was completely by myself, and I had to have said “Holy F*ck” out loud 20 times. Every time I turn/drive, the view is different and better than the last. Yesterday I said I took only a few film photos, well today curved my average: all digital, tons of drone, full camera, so many photos. There were things I saw I could not even try to explain, and in some cases, I was not sure how to photograph. Colors I have never seen in nature. Water in ways I have never seen. I think we all could close our eyes, and if I said picture Mars, we all might have a similar vision, now take that and make it ‘more alien’, that is the Highlands of Iceland.
I saw a lot in one day, and I barely saw them. There are tours that last ten days that friends of mine run. There is no pavement, and there are barely any roads. You know where to drive and are expected to stay on those paths, but you can not call them streets. And they will not even let you on the access road without a 4×4. I have not been that overwhelmed with a trip since the first time I came here. Today was like that, just pure awe of what I saw—kind of Iceland at the next level. The introductory tour ends here. There are so many photos I need to spend time with them, digest and weed them down to a strong set. They will be back in the dailypic, I promise. In the meantime, the Icelandic Sheep will do. They were all over the place, enjoying watching those who venture to the Highlands from a distance. And a tease picture below – the last shot I got before I found the pavement again.
tr/trp
Amazing!! I can’t wait for more. You have a wonderful way with words to make your unique perspective with the camera. Thank you so much for letting us in our wonderful adventures.
Your storytelling is beyond words!! Also so is your photography!
Fantastic – so excited to see the photos!
This. Is the answer to the question, why I bought a camera and learned to use it.
I’m sure that’s the right description… holy… glad you’re having a blast! Be careful can’t wait to see the finals… and you were gonna stop the “ daily pic” , no way….
Wow!!!!!