Return to Iceland

I took this picture of Stútur, a pyramid-like little crater situated inside a large depression, during the first day of our trek in Iceland last summer. Paulette and I were so enamored by this rugged volcanic island that we are returning this summer.

Walking is sublime, the scenery beautifully stark, the vistas infinite! A paradise for walkers, photographers and peace seekers. This time we are on a self-guided trek in the Landmannalaugar area and a self-drive tour of the island to the south, east and north.

Paulette and I have teamed up with my Scottish cousin Edie and husband Chris. Fifteen days of outdoor adventure here we come! More photos for sure!

Tips for Better Summer Photos

Darwin Wiggett wrote an article in Photo News (Volume 19, No. 2) entitled Tips for Better Summer Photos. Paulette and I were heading downtown to visit our library and to do some shopping for our trip to Iceland. I carried my camera as usual and thought about Wiggett's tips as we circumnavigated the old city.

#1 Get Up Early - well, I read the article too late in the day to follow this tip! I am up early this morning; perhaps I should be out photographing instead of blogging!

#2 Use a Polarizer - yup, you can see the blue sky is richer and colours more saturated.

#3 Go Light - going light is relative; but I took the minimum (Canon 7D and one zoom lens)

#4 Shoot the Shade - no shade in sight here but it is great for flattering portraits

#5 Capture the Big Vista - I used the widest angle setting on my 15-85 mm lens at f/18

#6 Steady it with a Tripod - done using my new light carbon fiber Induro tripod (1 kg)

#7 Action Made Easy - see previous post, Thunderbirds

#8 Experiment and Have Fun! - this is a pretty postcard photo and low in experimentation but I did have fun taking this shot. And I especially enjoyed walking about our beautiful city with Paulette!

Thunderbirds

Instead of cursing the thunderous noise over Quebec City I decided to embrace it and even try to take pictures of it. I'm writing about the annual air show held at the Jean Lesage Airport, a scant five kilometres from home. I cycled up to the highest point over Highway 40 and starting tracking six speedy F-16C USAF fighter planes.

I shot off over 150 images in shutter priority (Tv) at 1/2000s, continuous auto focus and burst mode (8 frames per second) with a Canon 70-200 f4L lens . I didn't hear the noise of the highway or the planes until the show was over. Surprisingly I had a good time!

The shot above, where the jet seems to be tethered to the cloud by its contrails was the most peaceful of the bunch. Below, you see how closely they fly in formation.

White Mountains Take Four

The day of our eleven-kilometre ridge walk from Crag Camp to Lake of the Clouds Hut dawned wet and windy. Our bunks and meals were previously reserved at "Lakes" so there was no verbal debate about the day's plan.

We suited up with our wet wear, climbed the 2 km to Thunderstorm Junction and felt the full force of the wind. We put our heads down, looked for the line of cairns and started followed them south. The rain picked up as we advanced. Each of us concentrated on our footing across the slippery rocks and snow patches. We stopped now and then for a quick snapshot, a sip of water and a GPS confirmation of our route (Gulfside Path most of the way). After six-and-a-half hours our AMC hut appeared like a welcome phantom in the mist.

Damp through and through we changed in dry, warm layers and settled down to anticipate the evenings meal. A good but demanding day toasted with a glass of merlot and lots of laughs.

White Mountains Take Three

After a good day hiking the Presidential Ridge we dropped back down to Crag Camp. I took this northward view at 18 h30. I used a polarizing lens to darken the blue sky and accentuate the cumulus clouds. Luckily the black flies don't show up in this shot!

White Mountains Take Two

After scaling and descending Mt Madison we ate lunch in the shade created by Madison Spring Hut then continued on up the "easy" approach to Mt Adams shown in the above picture. Walking across the jumble of large rocks requires heads-down concentration, sturdy boots and good balance. Hiking poles help too.

Taking a picture in this environment is a different challenge. You must plant both feet firmly, establish stable balance and then, and only then, remove your camera from its case to compose the shot. Even more important is to take the time to stow away your camera completely before daring to move a foot and resume your climb.

I can chew gum and safely walk across this terrain. However, taking pictures and walking in the White Mountains is a very imprudent type of multitasking!

White Mountains Take One

This is a view looking north from the top of Mt Madison. My friends and I hiked up to Crag Camp in the rain the previous day to begin a four-day visit to the White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire.

Mountain weather is unpredictable so we felt very fortunate to wake up to blue skies, scattered clouds, warm temperatures and gentle winds. We spent the day exploring Mt Madison and its higher neighbour, Mt Adams before returning to camp along the oldest trail in the area, Lowe's Path.

The wide open skies, distant vistas and sense of peace makes all the effort worthwhile.