Darkelf Photography

Illusions and Perceptions

My apologies for taking more time that intended to post the next photo. Just busy with a few things at home and I did not get a chance to work on the next image. It is a return to Trælanípa cliffs today and the magical "floating" lake of Leitisvatn (also called Sørvágsvatn) in the Faroe Islands. Ever since our first visit back in 2019, I wanted to return there again and we did so during our last trip to the Faroes. Light was not at its best but there is always a hint of that special Faroes' atmosphere in the air and I was able to explore few different composition.

Rain was threatening on the day but we were very keen and headed out along the lake towards the cliffs. The hike, or rather a walk, is very easy but it is in the open and therefore it can get very blustery our there. It only takes about 45 minutes to reach the first cliff. When we walked there for the first time, I tried to imagine what it all actually looks like but still when I got there it surpassed anything I could come up with in my mind. That is also despite seeing photos from Trælanípa before. Second time around it was all more familiar but still exciting as we made our way. An added bonus of this hike is that we did not need a guide and we were able to do it at our own pace with plenty of time to stop and take photos.

Last time I concentrated more on the illusion created by the relationship between the lake and the ocean below. This time I was looking to work the cliffs into the image as well and to try a couple of different perspectives. I will not hide from the fact that I was looking for some ocean action with may be a bit of swell to add a bit of texture to the water but it was quite calm out there. That kept my focus on the landscape rather than the water. It is a tricky location to photography because even with 15mm width, I still felt like I needed more. My vision was to shot how the cliffs stretch form the lake towards the end point. There are also wide angle optical distortions to contend with but these days I just do not stress too much about that. I think that having a drone would be a of great benefit here (depending on the local permissions).

I did not end up taking too many photos. This is one of the images which conveys the perspective which I had envisioned. It also has the lake and the ocean in the frame which keeps the illusion of this place going. I was very happy to re-visit this location, especially since this view was still as mind bending as on the previous occasion.

ISO 100 | f/8 | 1/8 sec | 15mm

Piercing Light

Something a little more minimalist today. This was the morning view from our accommodation in Gotugjogv on Eysturoy in the Faroe Islands. That was about as much sunlight as we were going to get that day. Thick clouds rolled over the Faroes during the night and darkness lasted long into the day with only brief moments when sun was threatening to break through. I took this photo from our hotel. I actually noticed very faint light and colour a bit earlier and took few even more minimalist images. I will consider posting one of them in the future. Then we sat down for breakfast when I once again noticed this scene outside our windows. The camera was already prepared with my longer lens attached, and I was able to quickly take a few more shots. Because of the brightness of the light, I exposed for the sunlight, and I was happy to keep the cliffs and foreground water silhouetted. I love this kind of a scene and light, and I like a bit of contrast and darkness in the final image to emphasise the mood of the moment.

I am taking a short break I will be back in two to three weeks.

ISO 100 | f/9 | 1/250 sec | 170mm

Highland Citadel

Time for a black and white photo. I have looked at this image of Castle Stalker in Scotland a number of times when going through in my collection and kept thinking about doing a black and white conversion. When I was choosing a photo to post today, I came across it again and finally I decided to work on it for a bit, and this is the resulting impression.

It was a spot which we missed visiting a few years earlier and we allocated more time to be able to stop there when we went back. It was high on my list of places to photograph. We planned an afternoon/evening session and also went back again in the morning. Today's post comes from the afternoon visit. There is a number of different spots from which to photograph the castle and having the extra time allowed us to explore a few. Some are tide dependent and that also had to be taken into consideration. Having good side light was also an important factor as it allowed to add dimension and depth into the scene.

There were two main options for composition which I considered given the light and conditions which we encountered. One was to find a spot closer to the castle, and try to use the foreground as the leading element. Second was to find a composition which would set the castle against the mountains in the background and use a telephoto lens to photograph the scenery. The latter option was what I went with here and we decided to explore the areas to the south and east from the castle. While we did that, we spotted a small wooden bridge which cut across the inlet, and discovered that it offered good views of the castle with mountains in the background. This photo was taken from that location, just past the bridge on the south end.

I already mentioned the light and its direction which was another consideration when composing the photo. While the view from the bridge was great as well and it could work nicely, I wanted to catch the light illuminating one of the walls of the keep. I felt that it would add a bit of additional separation between the castle and the mountains. Final composition took a few fine adjustments as I was working out how much of the surroundings and mountains to include in the frame, as well as the angle which would work best for my vision. I think I quite liked that shadow line in the background pointing towards the structure. Keeping the castle set against the shadow part of the mountains further enhanced the depth in my view.

Sunset and sunrise did not produce anything overly exciting and I also did not get foggy conditions which I was hoping for, but it was still a fantastic experience to visit and discover this area. Afternoon light was great and it sculpted the landscape beautifully. I thought of a black and white image immediately but it took a bit of time at home for me to finally give it a go. I think it just took time for my mind the settle and a specific vision.

ISO 400 | f/8 | 1/500 sec | 200mm