Iceland

The Guts

Awarded Gold Medal 🏆 2022 WORLD NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS in category People & Nature Solheimajokull - Southern Iceland This is how it feels to be inside the glacier's guts. Not many people would even dare to go in there, where it is dark, deep, cold, loud, and wet. And that is the whole purpose of this photograph; pushing your limits to capture what only a few people will ever experience at night. Abseiling down felt incredible, as the more we penetrated into this dark monster, the more the fear sets up. I had many options and ideas in mind to be able to capture this shot. As usual, many features had to line up together for this moment to happen. I locked myself against the ice wall about 15 meters deep, and by using a sling rope screwed into the ice, I was able to hang my tripod horizontally to grab these precious long exposure shots on the ice walls and the milky way sky. The setup was simply impressive, and I did feel amazing just being hanging into that moulin with about 30 meters of dark void under my feet and my hanging tripod in the air. Helgi was climbing up throwing ice fragments down below forcing me to protect my camera and looking down. Once the shot was taken, I remember saying "oohhhh man! I think I got it! This is why we are here." My words were bouncing all over the ice walls on the deep moulin. I knew I had it.

The Welcoming

Iceland - Kleifarvatn This is a game of colors I really worked and played with while having my feet in the water. I could see on the back of my camera screen how the city light of Reykjavik brought warm tones on the left of the rock and how the aurora punched the color balance on the right-hand side. In my foreground, the Eastern full moon created that amazing rim of brilliance on the outer line of the rocks that melted with glee the blue tones of the shadows and darker rocky areas.

On Edge

Awarded FIRST PLACE 🏆 2022 INTERNATIONAL MONTFOTO Festival Photography Competition in Mountain Activity Category This moment is one of the most epic work behind-the-shot sessions and adventures. Planning such a shot brings huge excitement because, from the beginning, the final result is absolutely unknown. Helgi Ragnar Jensson and I were both speaking about that photography mission in Icelandic glaciers for almost two years. We had one goal; capturing the shiny sky of Iceland with Milkyway or Northernlight from the inside of a deep moulin. But all conditions had to line up for it. After few days of scouting for a good weather window in the glaciers South of Vatnajokull, we started our adventure. We had to find the right timing when the sky is clear, and the wind is down, and all this at night. We started driving around 5 pm toward ''Solo'', and hiking on the glacier during the last daylight, with two heavy backpacks full of climbing gears. The goal was to set us up ready to drop in just before the dark night comes over. It was really important for us also to not spend too much time on the ice as our energy level and the cold would affect us. This is also why we decided to bring a tent and use it as a shelter against the wind during the night. After 30 minutes on the ice, we found a moulin, about 40 meters deep. A dark hole going into the guts of the glacier. This shot here was taken under the rising full moon and its halo around midnight. Helgi was climbing out of this ice monster under the most epic conditions. We can barely see our lightened tent on the right side of the frame.

Light Season

Haifoss - The aurora season has started ! A banger from last night, September 2nd, in front of this amazing wonder of Iceland. Such a beautiful show nature gave us, with incredible fast movements. A great way to start the northern light season

The Saphire

Some of the most epic blues I have seen so far. Ice caves are giants and it feels so incredible to look for compositions in this type of place. Here is the first shot of our little road trip mission with Helgi who was scouting for a spot to ice climb here, on this photo, and it didn't take him long to find it.

Good Old Set

The good old Diamond beach of Iceland. The diamond pieces of ice coming from the glacier Lagoon are found resting on the black volcanic sand of southern Iceland. It offers an incredible show when the light conditions align with the right foreground. The long exposure here brings this cutting line and balances the depth into the frame.

Emeraude Bleue

Bruarfoss Waterfall - Iceland - No words to describe this jewell of Iceland. A long exposure taken after midnight.

Lost In Loupine

Langjokull Glacier Edge - Iceland - One of the sunniest summer in decades in Iceland. Lupine flowers are blooming and sun is shining over the edge of Langjokull glacier showing a white horizon; an ocean of ice.. just incredible! Summer sounds promising !

That Climb

I got to Iceland this end of September with a mission in mind; Capturing ice natural sculptures, ice climbers, and night skies. One of the three shots I dreamt of included this kind of perspective. Losing that notion of up or down, deep or shallow. Helgi is here ice climbing in an Ice cave by the south side of Vatnajokull. After looking deeply into it, you will notice the depth in the frame. The foreground ice on the right side brings volume and dimension. .

Peak Volcanik

Vatnajökull - Iceland - A fantastic journey by snowmobile on top of Vatnajökul glacier to reach this point and the breath taking views downward.

Rise From The Deep

Published late January 2020 in Ársrit Íslenska Alpaklúbbsins 2019. -The Annual magazine of the Icelandic Alpine club - cornerstone of the alpine and climbing community in Iceland since the 70's. Photo Winner of ISALP Photography Competition - Category "Mannlíf á fjöllum" - Human Life in the Mountains with the capture "Eternal" ---------------------- Vatnajökull National Park Hanging deep in this bottomless moulin, shooting from below, this shot brought me such an incredible experience photographing. The conditions were hard, hanging low on an uncomfortable position, ice particles falling down on me and my gears, i was trying to keep my balance with one hand, holding the ice axe jammed in the ice wall in front of me and shooting with the other one. i was hoping for a rewarding shot after this mission, and here it is. Glaciers look crazy from above and even more amazing from inside.

Higher Lands

WINNER SHOT OF THE KENDAL MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL 2019 PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION Landmannalaugar - Highlands Traveling through the Icelandic highlands brings so much serenity. A place where every turn and corner is different and unique. . A place where you discover shapes out of this world, colorful mountains, and giants all around you. . A place to get lost.

12 O'clock Falls

Bruarfoss Waterfall - Iceland - It is past midnight, and we walk all the way up the river to reach this breath taking area. Once on spot we discovered how the river is concentrated into a deep crevice that runs through the centre of dark volcanic rock formations. This creates sky-blue rapids and cherry on the cake; a golden sky to bring the right light. Here is the bridge falls.

Camp Asleep

Mýrdalsjökull Glacier - Þakgil - Hitting the right place when the world around you is sleeping. Every tent is shut, and the campground is into pitch silent. You only hear the wind cruising throught the crazy rock holes and your own foot steps through the dirt path. It is here 4.45AM.

Eternal

Published late January 2020 in Ársrit Íslenska Alpaklúbbsins 2019. -The Annual magazine of the Icelandic Alpine club - cornerstone of the alpine and climbing community in Iceland since the 70's. Second place at ISALP Photography Competition- Category "Klifur" (Climbing) with the capture "Rise from the deep" ----------------- Langisjór - Highlands A capture from the golden hours through the long sea. Lost, deep in the highlands, this hike got us absolutely speechless and mind-blown. I close the 2019 Iceland serie with this incredible golden shot. Thank you Iceland and all my adventure extreme friends.

Shelly Morning

Hvitserkur - Iceland -

In Darker Skies

Þakgil - With an area near enough unpopulated and less than two inhabitants per square kilometer, the southern sides of Iceland show dark, and volcanic landscapes like nowhere else. An oasis for luminous green flora and towering walls covered in moss on the arms of Mýrdalsjökull glacier.

Shade Of Ice

Glacier Lagoon - Iceland - Kayaking through the Icebergs is simply an adventure incredible. Camera in my hands, i felt so much pleasure shooting these amazing shapes changing days after days, following the currents of salty and fresh waters.

Emerging Face

Southern Iceland - An amazing 6am hike in some of the most incredible breath taking place in south Iceland. Dark sky and lighter clouds to balance the colours of these rock formations.

Mind The Gap

Langjokull - Few hours snowmobiling on Langjokull glacier preparing the track, looking for nasty but incredible moulins and crevaces. A place from another planet going deep under ground