[5] Vestrahorn - Iceland

[Julia]

Amazing set of images, and fantastic write up. I know how it feels to see the equipment-catastrophe about to happen, and not being able to do anything about it. I had my tripod tip over (with the camera on top, of course) more times than I care to admit. I was often a few feet away to clear away stuff so I wouldn't have to fix it in post and, out of the corner of my eye, saw the tripod starting to tilt. But since I lack those Wonder Women reflexes, not much I could do except squeeze my eyes shut and pray

 

[Nam-in-Sonoma]

Thank you @SteveAdler , @pake , @pdk42 , @Panolyman and @Julia

To go to Iceland in the winter, during COVID, is the stuff of dreams. Can't wait to see what other photos you have taken there.

This was after the Covid started in Asia and Europe and we got back right before the borders were closed in the US.

Indeed Olympus gears are beast in these conditions.

Now that I have time to look back and talk to new friends that I met over this trip and keep on going to travel in the US to shoot together...the best thing to do in Iceland is rent a sleeping van drive around and stop wherever you want and be ready to shoot anytime...my friends stayed in a hotel and miss much of the aurora borealis unless they made a point of staying out and wait for it. Furthermore, you will beat the crown also at most of the popular spot since you are already there the night before.

 

[roelwillems]

Really stunning photography, well done! And an amazing place, I can only imagine how great the trip was.

 

[absolutic]

I think a big part of it is also whether your camera is on when it is being soaked or off. I've had my share of accidents. My worst one was when I was next to my child, in my hands Sony A6000+ Zeiss 16-70 lens and HVL43M flash. The child went underwater and it was a choice to either save the camera or pull my 3 year old out, so I picked the kid and in grabbing him, my camera with lens and flash went under water (Caribbean Sea) for half a second, no more. The camera was on at the time. Everything got instantly fried beyond repair: camera, lens and the flash. Nothing could be done. Lucky for me my home insurance covered for the loss.

 

[Nam-in-Sonoma]

Thank you @roelwillems and @absolutic

@absolutic the camera was on. Here what I did the next day when I got access to a bathroom

Video

I know the the cap that go on the body is not sealed that's why I did it very fast and dried it right after.

 

[pdk42]

I think a big part of it is also whether your camera is on when it is being soaked or off. I've had my share of accidents. My worst one was when I was next to my child, in my hands Sony A6000+ Zeiss 16-70 lens and HVL43M flash. The child went underwater and it was a choice to either save the camera or pull my 3 year old out, so I picked the kid and in grabbing him, my camera with lens and flash went under water (Caribbean Sea) for half a second, no more. The camera was on at the time. Everything got instantly fried beyond repair: camera, lens and the flash. Nothing could be done. Lucky for me my home insurance covered for the loss.

Ahhh - it was only a Sony

 

[Holoholo55]

This was one of my favorite spots…it met all my expectations… I had great and scary time there.

We got there in mid afternoon and scout around for best spot to shoot at sunset…after I took this shot, I moved down to the beach and one of my friends follows…since I was down there already and the rock was kind of slippery and high, he asked me to help hold his tripod and camera…I told him let me put my camera down first, I put my camera on to of a rock about a foot high then when and grab my friend’s tripod a few feet away from my camera, at the corner of my eye I can see a big wave coming and try desperately to save my camera but it was too late. The wave knocks it off the rock and soak it for a few seconds. After a few instant of panic, what the heck why worry I have Olympus gears, furthermore it’s the #EM1X … I asked my friend for his water bottle and just rince the salt water off it and blow dry it with my air blower and keep on shooting...after my misfortune with the wave I kept shooting for while, I went back to the van to change and reheat myself because it was not confortable walking around with wet feet under -6ºC (21ºF).

[1] Before the incident

View attachment 810709
Vestrahorn by Nam Ing, on Flickr

[2] Wider view

View attachment 810710
Vestrahorn by Nam Ing, on Flickr


I was sitting in the back of the van that doesn’t have any window, while my two friends are chitchatting in the front…I look up through the opening between the back cabin and the front seat and saw an orange glow and asked Jenny to open the side door for me (note to the rental company: Bad idea not to be able to open from the inside from the side sliding door) Once outside, I saw a sky that is ready to “explode” in colors…Grab my camera and tripod and just run toward the beach…then I remembered how perilous that descent was…I have to go around with will take longer…with my luck that day, I decided that I will just stuck at and around the dunes and still run like crazy to look for good composition.

[3]

View attachment 810711
Vestrahorn by Nam Ing, on Flickr

[4]

View attachment 810712
Vestrahorn by Nam Ing, on Flickr

[5] From a different angle

View attachment 810713
Vestrahorn by Nam Ing, on Flickr

[6]

View attachment 810714
Vestrahorn by Nam Ing, on Flickr

[7] Panorama

View attachment 810715Vestrahorn by Nam Ing, on Flickr

[8] The opposite side of the mountain

View attachment 810716
Vestrahorn by Nam Ing, on Flickr

[9] A few days later we came back trying to catch the Northern Light ... but the sunset wasn't as great as last time...but I was able to catch the reflection of the mountain

View attachment 810717
Vestrahorn by Nam Ing, on Flickr

[10] Later that night, testing out the Starry Night Auto Focus, which works great.

View attachment 810718
Vestrahorn by Nam Ing, on Flickr

Wow, just saw these @Nam-in-Sonoma. Gorgeous and stunning. Wow again. Beautiful images, beautiful place. Mahalo!

 

[Nam-in-Sonoma]

Thank you @Holoholo55

Since many of you have missed this series...here are all my posts in Iceland

01-seljalandsfoss-iceland

02-skógafoss-iceland

03-vik-reynisfjara-iceland

04-jökulsárlón-diamond-beach-iceland

06-ice-cave-jökulsarlon-iceland

07-gollfoss-strokkur-iceland

08-kurkjufell-iceland

Enjoy

 

[Holoholo55]

Thank you @Holoholo55

Since many of you have missed this series...here are all my posts in Iceland

01-seljalandsfoss-iceland

02-skógafoss-iceland

03-vik-reynisfjara-iceland

04-jökulsárlón-diamond-beach-iceland

06-ice-cave-jökulsarlon-iceland

07-gollfoss-strokkur-iceland

08-kurkjufell-iceland

Enjoy

Thanks, I enjoyed the rest of the series too. Beautiful, albeit cold, especially for a tropical person like me!

 

[WT21]

The Vetrahorn in reflection is absolutely amazing in an amazing series. Thanks so much for sharing and for writing up the details.

 

[danelkins]

Beautiful set of images, the B&W is my fav. The mountains are just big enough for a nice wide angle shot. Hope your cabers holds on!

 

[SpecFoto]

Really wonderful images Nam! I looked through many of your photos at your flicker page and it seems you used the 7-14, 12-100 and 17 f1.2 lenses. Did you bring other lenses with you, or lenses you did not, but might want for your next trip to Iceland?

I am hoping to get there late next year and would bring the Oly f2.8 Pro set of 7-14, 12-40 and 40-150 w/MC-14. Plus 2 primes, most likely 17 f1.8 and 60 macro. From your photos and others, there doesn't seem to be much wildlife other than shore birds, so hopefully the 40-150 w/ tc would cover the longer FL requirements.

 

[Nam-in-Sonoma]

Thank you @WT21 , @danelkins and @SpecFoto

I am hoping to get there late next year and would bring the Oly f2.8 Pro set of 7-14, 12-40 and 40-150 w/MC-14. Plus 2 primes, most likely 17 f1.8 and 60 macro. From your photos and others, there doesn't seem to be much wildlife other than shore birds, so hopefully the 40-150 w/ tc would cover the longer FL requirements.

This was my original setup but I switched from 12-40 and 40-150 to 12-100 and indeed at some point I felt the need of the 40-150.

I also had the 60mm Macro but didn't use it much. The 8mm F1.8 was supposed for Aurora Borealis, but the best night that we had the moon was full so was very tough to capture it but the 17mm F1.2 was great for the previous nights.

Beside a few locations and some wild life, I didn't feel the need for longer than 100mm. I was glad with my choice of lens...for sure I could have bring all my lens, since we have our camping van with us all the time....the only time I had to leave a few gear behind was when we visited the ice cave because he have to ride a 4x4 of our guide.

What's in my camera Bag by Nam Ing, on Flickr

 

[doxa750]

This was one of my favorite spots…it met all my expectations… I had great and scary time there.

We got there in mid afternoon and scout around for best spot to shoot at sunset…after I took this shot, I moved down to the beach and one of my friends follows…since I was down there already and the rock was kind of slippery and high, he asked me to help hold his tripod and camera…I told him let me put my camera down first, I put my camera on to of a rock about a foot high then when and grab my friend’s tripod a few feet away from my camera, at the corner of my eye I can see a big wave coming and try desperately to save my camera but it was too late. The wave knocks it off the rock and soak it for a few seconds. After a few instant of panic, what the heck why worry I have Olympus gears, furthermore it’s the #EM1X … I asked my friend for his water bottle and just rince the salt water off it and blow dry it with my air blower and keep on shooting...after my misfortune with the wave I kept shooting for while, I went back to the van to change and reheat myself because it was not confortable walking around with wet feet under -6ºC (21ºF).

[1] Before the incident

View attachment 810709
Vestrahorn by Nam Ing, on Flickr

[2] Wider view

View attachment 810710
Vestrahorn by Nam Ing, on Flickr


I was sitting in the back of the van that doesn’t have any window, while my two friends are chitchatting in the front…I look up through the opening between the back cabin and the front seat and saw an orange glow and asked Jenny to open the side door for me (note to the rental company: Bad idea not to be able to open from the inside from the side sliding door) Once outside, I saw a sky that is ready to “explode” in colors…Grab my camera and tripod and just run toward the beach…then I remembered how perilous that descent was…I have to go around with will take longer…with my luck that day, I decided that I will just stuck at and around the dunes and still run like crazy to look for good composition.

[3]

View attachment 810711
Vestrahorn by Nam Ing, on Flickr

[4]

View attachment 810712
Vestrahorn by Nam Ing, on Flickr

[5] From a different angle

View attachment 810713
Vestrahorn by Nam Ing, on Flickr

[6]

View attachment 810714
Vestrahorn by Nam Ing, on Flickr

[7] Panorama

View attachment 810715Vestrahorn by Nam Ing, on Flickr

[8] The opposite side of the mountain

View attachment 810716
Vestrahorn by Nam Ing, on Flickr

[9] A few days later we came back trying to catch the Northern Light ... but the sunset wasn't as great as last time...but I was able to catch the reflection of the mountain

View attachment 810717
Vestrahorn by Nam Ing, on Flickr

[10] Later that night, testing out the Starry Night Auto Focus, which works great.

View attachment 810718
Vestrahorn by Nam Ing, on Flickr

Just WOW!!!

 

[MonikaO]

Super photos !!!
What a stunning location, I bet you had a great time (apart from soaking your camera)
Thanks for posting them.

 

[Nam-in-Sonoma]

Thank you Monika. Yes I had a great time in Iceland...love it so much I want to go back.

 

[Glennn]

Breathtakingly beautiful.

 

[Nam-in-Sonoma]

Thank you @Glennn