by Dennis Sabo
Updated August 11, 2024

Image 1 - Iceland Fairytale

Dennis is an internationally award-winning photographer specializing in contemporary fine art abstract, landscape, and seascape photography. Dennis's fine art has been included in solo and group gallery exhibitions, commercial installations and private home collections throughout the United States and internationally.

Color and Light while at the forefront of his photography is not his only conscious art play. Much of his nature photography is a microcosm, a photographic story that transcends geography regardless of where the collector lives.

Dennis's mastery goes beyond the visual—it resonates with nature lovers on an emotional level. His photographic creations become a bridge between the viewer's emotions and the essence of his captured nature moments.

In the next few pages, he shares his wonderous adventure to Iceland in August of 2022.  What makes this adventure interesting is that he was able to capture Icelandic images with the fervor and creativity that his photographic work is known for.

Image 2 - In the Beginning - The fairytale-like Fjaðrárgljúfur has steep tuff walls on both sides. They are believed to be about 2 million years old. The Fjaðrá River runs like a snake in between these enormous vertical cliff walls and originates in the Geirlandshraun lava field. It also falls from a cliff into the Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, creating quite the scene.

Image 3 - Londrangar during an early summer morning on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

Image 4 - Kirkjufell near sunset, Iceland.

The Electric Greenland of Iceland

Image -5 Time Moves On

Image - 5 Öldudalur is the electric green-land of the Iceland Highland. Emerald and neon green vegetation crawls up to the top of the surrounding mountains and hills of the Bláfjöll mountains making for interesting natural textures and patterns.

Öldudalur is the electric green-land of the Iceland Highland. Emerald and neon green vegetation crawls up to the top of the surrounding mountains and hills of the Bláfjöll mountains making for interesting natural textures and patterns.

Image 7 - Awaken

Valley of Smoke

The Valley of Smoke in the south Highland region (Syðri Fjallabak) of Iceland is comprised of vivid geothermal colors, ranging from every shade of brown, green, and orange to the brightest red colors. Couple these colors with abstract patterns of nature and undulating land formations. and very interesting abstract nature landscapes occur.

The day prior to my Highlands adventure we were not allowed to travel there due to gale force winds.  The next day when it was OK to travel, my guide and I entered the Highlands while the rain was coming down in sheets which actually worked to my favor electrifying the highland earth tones of reds, yellows, and greens.  It was now just getting an opportunity for a shot.  This happened when we were at a locale in the highlands where the rain was coming down hard behind me in a horizontal fashion, back to front..  I was able to block the rain coming into the camera with my body and quickly get several shots that were keepers.

Image - 8 Valley of Smoke

Life on Mars

After 12 hours in the Iceland southern Highlands, it was time to exit. As we headed out of the highlands, we motored along without seeing much of anything.  All of a sudden, I saw an incredible landscape of Mars like qualities.  We need to go over there I told my guide. It was here we found a vast area of a stark Martian-style landscape. Stunning colors of reds, lime greens, blacks, and even a tinge of yellow against the stark stormy skies were present. This is the area around Rangárbotnar; an ever-changing living breathing ecosystem complete with abstract nature patterns, textures, and colors.

Image - 9 In the Valley the Trolls

Image 10 - Life on Mars

Image 11 - Highland Magic

Chasing Iceland Waterfalls

Why does Iceland have so many waterfalls?  Well, it all comes down to geology and geography. The North Atlantic is a cold, wet and windy place. That means there's a lot of rain and snow in Iceland, falling quite consistently throughout the year, hence these gorgeous creations of nature ranging from large drop offs to beautiful turquoise colors of water.

Here are a few of my favorites from my 2022 adventure. 

Image 12 - The Mighty Bruarfoss

Mighty Bruarfoss - A moderate 2.5 hike brings you to the stunning Bruarfoss waterfall a glacier-fed waterfall known best for its striking, turquoise blue color. The water looks like a Gatorade drink! The color comes from the Langjokull glacier which feds the Bruara River where this waterfall is located.

Image - Cascading Thoughts

Image - Fragile 

Fragile -  Hraunfossar ('Lava Falls' in English) is a series of beautiful waterfalls streaming out of the Hallmundarhraun lava field. The waterfalls pour into the Hvítá river from ledges of less porous rock in the lava.

Cascading Thoughts-  Microcosm of the beautiful Hraunfossar waterfall area.

Image 15 - Jokulsarlon Trio

Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon

Jokulsarlon Lagoon-which means “glacial river lagoon” is Iceland’s deepest body of water at 820 feet. The glacial tongue Breioamerkurjokull leads into the water providing a constant stream of icebergs in an endless variety of colors.

Image 16 - South Side of Heaven

My goal with this image was to try and capture the yellow/orange hues from this particular day’s sunset that were being reflected onto the water and the glacier.  To accomplish this, I had to keep moving around to compose the shot which ended up having the sunlight coming in from the left side of the frame.

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Authors Biography & Contact Information

 Bio: Dennis Sabo is an internationally honored photographer specializing in contemporary abstract, landscape, and seascape photography. Dennis's fine art has been included in solo and group gallery exhibitions, commercial installations and private home collections throughout the United States and internationally, and also in books, magazines, and in multimedia worldwide including NOVA, PBS, National Geographic, Canon U.S.A., Inc., Anthology of Appalachian Photographers, and Blue Planet.

 

 

 

Previous article on this site by Dennis Sabo: https://www.canadiannaturephotographer.com/DennisSabo.html

Dennis Sabo: dsabo.photo@gmail.com
Telephone: 865-253-0798

Website: www.dsabophoto.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DennisSaboPhotography
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