Eldborg - A Time-lapse
This is a video of a time-lapse sequence captured on March 28, 2014 in Iceland. [video type="youtube" id="i5vXFrlGW08" width="600"]Default Message[/video]
Iceland 1 - Day 5 March 19, 2014
After a quick breakfast we check out of our storm shelter and headed out to Hali. There is so much to see and photograph along the south coast of Iceland that two days do not do it justice. From a photographers point, at a bare minimum you need a week during each season.
Our first major stop was the ice blue ridges of Svinafellsjokull (Pig Glacier) at Skaftafell. This is a beautiful glacier that has claimed a few lives. As you approach the glacier entrance sign shows the names of two who went missing 2007. The sign was erected by their family and friends. Unfortunately due to ice on the ledges, the path that leads to an elevated vantage point was closed. Yet there were many suitable spots to photograph from and some of the group trekked to the far edge to capture images of the glacial valley and the mouth of the glacier.
From here we set out to Jokulsarlon. This is a large glacial lagoon where Vatnajokul, the largest glacier in Europe, calves and sends its magnificent large blue and crystal clear icebergs into the ocean.
With many images under our belt we were anxious to get to the black sand beach which is at the very end of Jokulsarlon. There the Vatnajokul icebergs get pushed and deposited onto the black sand beach by the mighty waves and tides of the ocean. The photo opportunities are endless and one has to be careful of the huge rogue waves that come ashore so fast that it is virally impossible to out run them. I did experience my first soaking this morning. Knees down I was wet and my boots were full of freezing cold sea water. I guess I can say it took a dip in the ocean in Iceland in the winter. Fortunately this was soon before we had planned to wind up and head to our hotel to cheek in. I had to use the reception facilities to get out of my wet clothes and change into a fresh set of dy ones. I guess I was not the only one in the group who experienced the wrath of the tides in Iceland as many stories of rogue waves were told at lunch. Our plans were being formulated to come back for sunrise the next morning.We had a great lunch. Most of us ate the traditional Icelandic soup while others had mushroom soup. The weather started to turn for the worse so some of the group wanted to just relax while others wanted more ptography despite the weather. We headed out along the coastal route going North East. En route we photographed some farm houses and a church. We saw a herd of reindeer or caribou on the right side of the highway so pulled over. None of us had really long focal-length lenses but it was still fun photographing these creatures.Reindeer and Caribou look a bit different, but they are the same species Rangifer tarandus. Reindeer were domesticated in northern Eurasia about 2000 years ago. These animals have unique hairs which trap air providing them with excellent insulation buoyancy.
A old home in ruins was a great object of interest. At this juncture the weather really turned for the worse so we headed back to the hotel. The winds were gusting and the clud cover was dense. The likelihood of any night photography or Aurora photography was just about a zero.
We had dinner and retired to the rooms. Some of us sat around in the kitchen area drinking a few beers and just relaxing.
Iceland 1 - Day 4 March 18, 2014
After a fairly late night with the Aurora displays we checked out of our hotel and started our drive to Hali. We had great plans to photograph the falls, farms and other interesting vista. It was raining and snowing as we left Reykjavik and slowly but surely started getting worse as we moved South.Our first stop was Seljalandfoss. Seljalandsfoss is a very popular tourist attractions and also one of the most photographed in Iceland. These falls are located between Seljalandsmúli and Hamragarðar. When driving on route 1 you need to turn at Seljalandsmúli on a side road. The falls are about 3/4 of a mile with ample parking.
The Seljalandsá river drops about 200 feet off the cliff edge forming Seljalandsfoss (foss means waterfall). In addition to Seljalandsfoss, there a few additional streams that drop similar heights to the west of the main falls. A path provides access behind the waterfall that gives photographers and tourists many unique views.Small breaks in the rain allowed for some brief shooting.Next stop was Skógarfoss. This is one of Iceland’s larger waterfalls 70 feet wide and 200 feet high. Skógarfoss is a fall along the river Skógará.The wind and the way the fall droops there is always high volume of spray. In sunlight, that we unfortunately lacked, the spray results in a a single or double rainbow. According to Icelandic folklore there are treasures and gold buried under the waterfall.The rain and snow is getting worse and photography is near impossible. Some of the group would not be denied the opportunity so they braved the elements and got some record shots.We leave the foss in driving sleet, snow and high winds. We stop at one more waterfall called Falls at Forsa.Now the snow is more like a blizzard, visibility is down to a 50 feet or so. We drive using the yellow road markers to guide us. Eventually arrive in the town of Vik. This is the southern most tip of Iceland. Lunch and then on to Klaustur where we normally fill up as there are no gas stations in Hali. The conditions are getting worse and the wind is just brutal. We drive on to the next small town of Skaftafel. The wind spend signs show 88 MPH steady winds and the gusts are over 100 MPH. If you are on FaceBook check out a short video of this experience on E.J. Peiker's timeline. We drive a few miles and are turned back by the police - the road is impassable. Fortunately Skftafell has a small hotel and they have 5 rooms available, we are 15 in all so it is hole up time. We had dinner at this hotel and managed to get some sleep. Wakeup call was for 5:45 and departure 6:30.In the most part this day was a wash-out.
Iceland 1 - Day 3 (March 17, 2014)
It is day 3 of this trip and we head out to the region known as Snæfellsnes Peninsula. This is a rugged region of Icelandic west coast that juts out into the Atlantic between Faxaflói bay and Breiðafjörður. The two coasts north and south separate by a range of mountains that run along the peninsula and culminate ending up at Snæfellsjökull, a large volcano and glacier at the land’s westernmost point. This is the largest volcano on this peninsula. This is the mountain that was featured in the Jules Verne book “Journey to the Center of the Earth"
Travel to this region is shortest when you take the 6 kilometer long tunnel that traverses under the ocean. Once through the tunnel, on the way Snæfellsnes to our first stop was the unique single crater volcano named Eldborg (The Fire Castle) is actually it is a caldera rather than a volcanic crater.
Next, we ant to the town of BÚÐIR. This is a former fishing village in the Búðavík bay. The settlement was abandoned in the early nineteenth century and today has just a hotel and a church. The church is a black church surrounded by a lava field. It has three white-framed windows and was constructed in 1703. The church has a surrounding wall made of lava and topped with turf.
Our next location was an costal area Arnastapi at the foot of Stapafell. It is a small fishing village and harbor. The rocks and cliff sides are rookeries. This time of year the primary nesting sea birds were Fulmars with a few Kittiwakes. Arctic terns also nest here and are known to dive-bomb when threatened.
There are lots of photo opportunities in this area and one has to be very careful of massive rogue waves. The waves are very unpredictable and if you are on a beach or near the ocean you must be extra cautious.A quick snack and then on to another hunt for the Aurora. There were faint signs while we were driving so we stopped and set up. This was truly rewarding.
Iceland 1 - Day 2 (March 16, 2014)
Iceland continues to be cloudy, stormy and very windy. We planned of doing the Golden Circle route despite adverse weather conditions. On the way to Þingvellir we stopped at Mosfellsheiði (Mosfellsheidi in English).
Þingvellir (Thingvellir in English) which is the is the National Park where the Althing, open-air parliament that represented all of Iceland, was convened in 930 and continued remained active until 1798. It became a national park in 1928 and has a special tectonic and volcanic environment as a rift valley. It is in this area that you can see the continental drift between the North American and Eurasian Plates particularly in the faults which traverse park. The largest of the fault cracks is the Almannagjá. 
Þingvellir is on the northern shore of Þingvallavatn, that is the largest natural lake in Iceland.
As we walked along the fault cracks we noticed bus loads of tourists arriving so decided we would go ahead to the largest waterfall Gullfoss and beat the crowds that were bound to visit the famous Gyser before going to Gullfoss.For a change Gullfoss was not as windy so the group was able to get some excellent images from the various vantage points.
Next stop was for lunch at the Geyser. Here again the crowds were impossible - it was school vacation week in England and hence the crowds.After lunch we headed out to photograph the Geyser. A few quick eruptions and then we are in the middle of one of the fastest developing snowstorms. No one outside was spared. A few (sensible) members of the group decided to stay back in the restaurant - smart move. By the time one could walk from the gyser to the concession store photographers, cameras and tripods all became one big white snow covered mass.Heading back around the Golden Circle we stopped and photographed a small church in Faxi called Haukadals Kirkja (Kirkja means Church - interesting that the Hindi word for church is Girja and sounds similar to Kirkja).
Next stop was a coral of Icelandic horses on Route 35 before heading to another waterfall.
This is Faxafoss which is not very high but has some lovely form.
With the weather continuing to be problematic we heads towards a potential Aurora location. As the sun was going down we stopped overlooking a valley with a lovely little church. This is the church at Lake Ulfljotsvatn that is south of the Thingvellir national part called Ulfljotsvatn Kirkja. The original church or churches were was established 1200. The current church was built in 1914 and will be 100 years old this year. The lake is frozen but it is deceptive. It is believed that centuries ago the priest and people traveling to attend mass drowned on their way trying to cross the lake as a shortcut to church.
- The church at Lake Ulfljotsvatn
The Aurora is always a waiting game so we waited and waited. All there was to photograph was the full moon.One can only have so much patience and with no signs of the skies clearing we returned to the hotel.
When Plagiarism Hits Home
During most of my 1 day workshops and seminars, I am often asked for a copy of my slides or a set of notes. On occasion I have had attendees use their smart phones and iPads to capture images of each slide. On a few occasions, I have had someone discreetly record my entire presentation. I have never said any thing. I have had one known occasion where what I presented was used by someone else as their own work.I am always torn between whether to give a copy or not. This is a difficult situation. A lot of work goes into putting together a workshop, the research, the content, the hands-on, and even the notes. For someone to take and use the very same for personal gain is unethical and this has come to light in a few recent cases. Two well known photographers who were well respected in the photographic community were found plagiarizing and as a result have had to pull out from the next WPPI.Now, a recent case has emerged where a photographer/videographer attended a workshop and subsequently used pretty much the same material, the same verbiage, the same examples and the same references to do his workshop on Creative Live. This is like saying, not only did I steal but let me show the community what I stole.More on this at https://www.slrlounge.com/stolen-workshop-unfortunate-common-trendTheft in the photographic world is not new. Copyright infringement is not new. What is so disturbing is that the very photographers who are trying to protect their own copyright have shown little regard or respect for a fellow photographer's or a fellow artist's work.Frederick van Johnson discussed this on the most recent episode of This Week in Photography entitled Theft vs. Creative Inspiration - TWiP 341. Of significance are: what , when and how you should give credit if you use someone else's work.Can you as photographer condone this?Your thoughts and comments would be most appreciated. Use the comments section on this post so that all my all Facebook, Google, Twitter readers and other social media followers can read your posts.
2014 - 1st Quarter One-Day Workshops
Here is the schedule for the first Quarter of 2014. Please use this REGISTRATION link for details about each workshop and to register.REMEMBER ALL ONE-DAY WORKSHOPS INCLUDE A PIZZA LUNCHJanuary 11 - Product Photography and Lighting TechniquesJanuary 12 – Food Photography and Lighting TechniquesJanuary 18 – Lighting for PortraitureJanuary 19 – Timelapse Photography, post processing and video assemblyJanuary 25 - Macro CloseupJanuary 26 – The Digital Darkroom – a course that covers capture to process and enhancement to output to print and web media. A one day program for digital image making workflowFebruary 1 – Flower Photography, Textures, Blending and moreFebruary 2 – Lightroom 5February 8 – HDR – done right using Photoshop, Photomatics, NiK HDR Efex 2, EnfuseFebruary 9 - Macro CloseupFebruary 22 – Timelapse Photography, post processing and video assemblyFebruary 23 - Photography Basics 1 day Class March 1 – Flash PhotographyMarch 2 – Lightroom 5If you have any questions or would like more information please call 617-759-0010 or email sv @ shivverma.com (please remove the spaces)
A Special Discount for LRTimelapse 3
LRTimelapse 3 is one of the best time-lapse assembly software products available and works seamlessly with Photoshop Lightroom 5.For the remainder of 2013 and January 1, 2014 you can license or upgrade to any version of LRTimelapse for a 15% discount. This applies to upgrades and cross-grades too.A brief explanation of the options:
- If you still don't have any License, you can choose LRTimelapse 3 private and LRTimelapse 3 Pro. You can read about the differences here.
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- If you have a license for LRT2 Pro (commercial), you will require the update to LRT3 Pro.
- If you already have upgraded to LRT3 private, you can crossgrade to Pro, if you need the advanced features.
Click Here and use the discount coupon code: XMAS2013LRT
Frederick Van Johnson of TWIP interviews me
So honored to have been interviewed by Frederick Van Johnson on Episode 339 of TWiP. If you have not subscribed to TWiP you must - it is one of the best Podcasts for photographers bar none.Click Here for a link to the podcastTWiP is available from iTunes as well as http://www.thisweekinphoto.com[video type="youtube" id="TEJ1XpaMbI0" width="400"]Default Message[/video]
Bosque de Apache - Day 1
Day 1 - We arrived mid afternoon to predicted weather. After checking in to the hotel we drove out to the refuge to check out the activity. The skies were overcast and it had been raining, torrential at times but this turned out to be serendipitous. The sun peaked out for a few and then there was this double rainbow across the horizon. The lack of detail did not bother one as the contrast was accentuated.I am so glad to be having this workshop a few weeks later than usual this year. No jostling for space to set up tripods and get a decent spot. The typical hoards of photographers competing with their workshop leaders to get a good image are all gone. The ones that are here seem to have respect for each other and maintain photographer's etiquette, so different for years past. There are a thousands of sandhill cranes and 10's of thousands of Light Geese making it difficult to isolate.Late evening after dinner we photographed the old church in Socorro.
2013 Remaining Workshops
There are a few spots available for the following:December 7, 2013 - Photography Basics 1 day Class December 8, 2013 - Time-Lapse WorkshopDecember 21, 2013 - Lighting WorkshopDecember 22, 2013 - Macro CloseupClick here for more info.Also checkout Iceland 2 and the India Tigers and More Workshops and Photo Tours. Click here.
One Day Workshop Schedule for December 2013
Here is the schedule for the remainder of 2013. Please use this REGISTRATION link to register and pay for these workshops. Please also fill out and mail or bring with you the Workshop Registration and Waiver Form This is an electronic form, you may print it and then fill it out or fill it out directly and then print the required copies.Click on the links for detailed PDF documents.December 7, 2013 - Photography Basics a one day class December 8, 2013 - Time-Lapse WorkshopDecember 21, 2013 - Lighting WorkshopDecember 22, 2013 - Macro and Closeup PhotographyIf you have any questions or would like more information please call 617-759-0010 or email sv@shivverma.com
Blueberry Barrens
Mid October the blueberries have been harvested and the barrens in Maine are ablaze with color. The fall foliage provides a great background for these vast expanses of red, yellow and green. Around the third week of October the barrens are mowed down to the ground so you need to get your images before the mowing begins.
Another great "Glorious Acadia" fall workshop
Got back late Monday Night after a wonderful 4 day "Glorious Acadia" workshop. Had a great group of photographers and met some wonderful friends and made a few new ones too. All-in-all this was a 5 star workshop. One last one left this year in December - The Bosque del Apache and White Sands - a few spaces are still available.Here are few images form various locations:
I was looking to do something a little different during tho workshop. There are way too many images of the same subjects and the same tripod holes. Here isa lone dead tree lit up by the setting sun. I knew it was going to be a full moon so we stayed at the same location and turned around about 130 degrees. The next images is the moon rising.
The next image is a customary sunrise looking out toward Otter Clifs. A few more clouds would definitely have added to the image.
At otter cove I did an IR time lapse using the 16 to 35 mm series two Canon lens. This was a disaster as this lens just like to older version creates a massive hotspot in the center of the frame of each image. Trash canned the lot bout a deep crop on one image was useable.
I will be posting a few more images captured by the wonderful participants. I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of them for coming and being so supportive.
One final slow shutter speed image from the trip:
Lighting Demo and Educational Program
I am truly honored and proud to have been selected to demonstrate and teach lighting for Manfrotto. They represent Gitzo, Elinchrome, Lastolight, Gossen and more of the finest.Join me for a day at Hunts Melrose or a 1/2 day in Hanover.This is a great educational experience as well as an opportunity to check out some fantastic lighting gear. Some of the finest manufacturers products featured in one location.The event is free but you need to register.
When it all comes together
I have visions of scenes and locations that I want but have to wait till it all comes together. On the very last day of the Smoky Mountain Workshop we had planned to go to the Foothills Parkway for sunrise. When I woke up I saw signs of some fog which would make for some very nice images along the parkway but feelings were tugging at me and I wanted to go to Cades Cove in the hope of getting my one image of Sparks Lane. The group agreed to the change in planes and we headed out to Cades Cove. Half way there all the fog was gone, it was too late to turn around so I decided to to continue and take my chances. Arriving at the gates before they opened, I saw that the fog was there - a big thumbs-up.The rest of the story is in the image. The light in the trees, the dogwood in the foreground, the fog along the tree line and the sunrise colors on the mountains - my dreams had come true it was all there as I had hoped to capture one day. Please do click on the image for an enlarged version.
Smoky Mountains - 2
On the last day, the fog was awesome so I captured a panorama - 10 images. Combined and cropped the image is 14430 pixels. Please click on the image for a better look. 
The lush greenery in the Smoky Mountains is glorious.
Smoky Mountain - Wild Flowers and Landscape Workshop
7 Days in the Smoky Mountains and Cades Cove - pure thrill. The incredible light, superb lush green of fresh spring leaves, beautiful wild flowers and dogwood trees that were exceptional. Rivers and streams flowing pristine water, moss covered rocks and the occasional mist made for some great photography. The participants were fantastic and we all had a lot of fun. Yes, days were long 4:30 AM wake-up and late evening bedtimes were worth it - every bit of it.Here are a few comments (Audio) from some of the wonderful participants. Click on the links to listen:ArmandLoisNanMany images were captured - this is one of my favorites. Captured on the last day - Sparks Lane - all to ourselves and just two other photographers. Most photographers are under the impression that Cades Cove is closed on Friday - not true, not in the spring.
This image is from the night before.
The Genie Motion Control Device
Syrp, a New Zealand company, was very kind and shipped me one of their motion control devices, that I am featuring in my upcoming book. The time-lapse sequence above, was captured using the Genie in Time-Lapse mode with the Clouds preset modified for my way of capturing.I love the simplicity of this unit. It is easy and a charm to use.I also did a review of the Genie that you can read - click on this link GENIE Review.Please contact me if you need more information or would like to get your and on one.
Phottix Macro Focusing Rail
I have just finished a review of the Phottix Macro Focusing Rail. The review is a PDF document that you can read on line or download.Phottix Macro Rail Review