Thanks.
I went with a guide, that way we could go to privately owned areas, like the geothermal area outsid of Myvatn and he (also a photographer) knew where to go & when to be there. It wasn't a "stand here & shoot this" kind of tour. He'd drop us off, give us options, tell us when to meet back at the van (he had search & rescue experience), then we'd usually have to wait at least 45' for the straggler to rejoin us; The 1st guide was an American who'd never been to Iceland before, didn't even go there early to scout or figureout how to get gas -- that's when I decided it was better to go with an Icelandic guide who was a photographer. It takes me at least 3 trips to an area to figure out where/when I want to be there, so it's just more economical to go with a good guide.
I think it's quite different from when I went. Even from 2013 to 2017, areas had been trampled: the moss that is so amazing was pretty much dead from photographers (there was one high profile gal with red hair who photographed herself lying on the moss, not realizing that she was tearing it up by the roots & would take years, if not decades to recover), as well as tourists who rented vehicles & drove off of the designated roads, doing damage that would take 50 years to recover and others killed sheep & put them in the trunks of their rented vehicles (yes, really!). Fortunately, people were filming everything with their phones, so miscreants were identified. So, yes, go, but be decent human beings. End of rant.
Monika, I’ve come back to enjoy your images again, and I’m even more impressed this time around. You have managed to provide a fresh feeling vision of an area that often feels cliche (to me). It would be hard to pick a favorite, each one is compelling in different ways. This is Thread of the Week material for sure and I voted.
Wow!! Incredible set Monica. The first drew me into it's aurora abstract perfection, but the second is my favorite - minimalist beauty. The Landamannalauger captures what I had hoped to get, but the weather nixed our plans to camp there. Thanks for sharing large versions to enjoy.
