So there we were, driving around the south of Iceland inside of a campervan we affectionately named Truck Norris, fully stocked up on pre-brewed espresso, and eager for the photographic discoveries to come. Seljalandsfoss — one of the most famous waterfalls in Iceland — was one of our first destinations on what turned out to be an extraordinary 6 day “on the road” adventure, as we toured the stellar Icelandic Countryside.
One of the most extraordinary things about Seljalandsfoss is that you can walk all the way around the waterfall, finding many great vantage points along the way. The only tricky part is finding spots that aren’t being saturated by the swirling mist in the wind. I spent an entire hour back there waiting for the right light and when I was done, I was completely soaked and chilled to the bone. Thankfully Truck Norris was waiting in the parking lot to help warm me up. 😉
Technical Mumbo Jumbo || Before And After Comparison
Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: 14-24 f/2.8 (Shot at 14 mm)
Tripod: RRS TVC-33 / BH-55 Ballhead / RRS L-Plate
ISO: 50 at f/22
5 Exposure Brackets ( -2, -1, 0, +1, +2 )
Hardware: 15” 2011 Macbook Pro, Wacom Intuos5 Small Tablet
Software: Lightroom, Photoshop, NIK
Technique and Details: Digital Blending using 5 Bracketed Exposures at f/22. ISO 50 was used to extend the exposure times and create the soft water effect.
In photoshop—using Hand Painted Masks—I blended all 5 exposure brackets together. Exposure 0 made up the base with a blend of +1 and +2 for the landscape elements, followed by -1 and -2 for the sky and waterfall. The green and gold tones were natural vibrant so aside from a bit of touch up, very little color correction was applied. I did however have to paint out a lot of dust and water spots. f/22 is a great tool but it really shows how dirty your camera sensor is.
Espresso: Cafe Bustelo (Since I was processing this in South Florida)
