Happy stormy Saturday

Good afternoon.

Northern Iceland today is a bit grey but to me, still stunningly beautiful. In fact I would go as far as to say, that horizontal snow and sleet hitting you face at about 90 miles an hour is a fantastic beauty treatment and far more effective than any Swiss skin peel....

So the White/grey sky prevails, making it difficult to see the top of the mountain, but as the sea is a deep angry grey, it is fiercely demonstrating its power outside the studio right now. 

The dark grey in the sky could be a storm ahead, or as often happens, could dissipate and go bother somewhere else!! 

The days are certainly getting lighter. It's now 5.10pm and still light outside. I may brave the weather and get some movement shots. 

The last couple of days have been quite low key with the weather being a bit difficult and treacherous underfoot. Yesterday was spent editing and organising the final road trip before my return to the UK. It does look fabulous and I'm so excited about seeing the ice lagoon and glacier. 

We're staying for 2 nights at Vik, the southernmost town in Iceland and then travelling in to Jokulsarlon to hopefully see some blue icebergs and crashing waves. 

There was news yesterday of around 50 tourists getting trapped on ice here. For some reason they thought it was safe to jump on a big piece of ice, floating down a lagoon towards the crashing waves of the decidedly unfriendly sea.... Lots of Icelandic comment regarding the resources needed to rescue them and also more discussion generated regarding the need for better safety etc. Most of what I've read seems to sit on the side of 'what kind of idiots do these stupid things and what difference would a small fence or sign make?'

It seems that Iceland is struggling to come to terms with its increased popularity, particularly in terms of health and safety. From a personal point of view, I'd say let common sense prevail. There's too much in the uk to warn people of everything that could potentially do them harm to the point where any form of risk is frowned upon. When I think of the risks taken as a kid in the 70's, I'm sure it's instilled a level of both resilience and careful common sense. 

Sorry for the musings, I suppose it's a little sad that I may come back to an Iceland that's a little more sanitised and nannied. Yes, I'm certainly planning to come back...

Just thinking about safety, I've found out that a beach I thought I wouldn't see on this months trip happens to be 5k from the hotel I'm staying in next weekend just before leaving for the uk. 

It's called Reynisfjara Beach and is famous for its beautiful black pebbles and volcanic sand. It's also renowned for the power of the sea and the numerous photographers who have been knocked off their feet by crashing waves. It looks stunning and I can't wait to explore - carefully. 

Doesn't that look amazing??

I have now less than a week at Skagastrond, my current home and it feels odd to think I won't be taking the windy walk back to manabraut each evening (or early morning!).

Last night was something of a change from the usual home - studio - home - sleep type of day. Toti, the local (only) publican and restauranteur offered us artists a pizza and beer evening topped off with karaoke, pool and darts in the dark.....(don't ask). We had the place pretty much to ourselves - I've said before, it's very rare to see an actual local,  I'm sure they have a parallel universe which artists can't access... Anyway, from 8pm until about 5am there was pizza, more pizza, laughing, singing, more pizza, beer, SALAD!!!!! Yes, vegetables! I was so excited to have something green and crunchy to chew. Vegetables pretty much consist of the frozen variety, which is fine, but this was brilliant and not limp in the slightest. 

Anyone who knows me will be shocked at my enthusiasm for veggies (I'm slowly becoming Australian as I'm surrounded by them - veggies are vegetables, not vegetarians) but when everything you've eaten for 3 weeks is white, red or brown, a bit of green is a welcome addition!!

After lots of food, singing and a few beers I wandered back to the house, leaving the young people to sing all night long. 

I wasn't inebriated but I thought it would be funny and kind to leave a special trail in the snow for the other manabraut residents to follow when they left the restaurant. I walked in beautiful circles and spirals all the way home and it took three times as long as usual. It was very beautiful - a piece of art if you will... 

Then it snowed, so the first comment I heard this morning from the other residents was "it was amazing walking home from borgin last night as the snow was covering everything and we made lots of footprints..... 

When I explained what I'd done, I realised I was probably a little tiny bit drunk. 

This was me before I started the 'art crop/snow circle'. 

Masumi and I, probably singing. 

Toti looking after the punters. 

Toti's wife who is an accountant also has a cafe right in the edge of the sea which is only open in the summer. She invited us all today for coffee and cakes.  Perhaps a nod to the need for hangover food after last night... The space is calm and still, a beautiful haven from the crashing sea just outside.  The cakes were fantastic. I won't be eating tonight!

Nadia and Andy playing with Lego in the cafe. 

Our many footsteps from the studio to the cafe. All of about 100 feet away. Still needed hats, gloves, scarves, thermals....

I get the impression Skagastrond is never 'touristy' but I think it's so beautiful and would love to be here in other seasons as well as deep winter. 

I was going to put a little bit more into this but I've just had a message to go home as the wind is getting too bad to walk across the gap in the houses... 

I'll sign off and write some more tomorrow. I'm hoping for a clear walking day.

Thinking lots of the people I love today, while listening to Elvis Presley in my headphones....

"You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes"

Highly relevant considering the only half decent thing I have to wear here are my precious blue suede boots... I carry them in a carrier bad to quickly change into from the stinky disgusting snow boots, complete with crampons...

Ok, that's it for today. Thanks for reading.

Sleep well and think of me, setting off to walk half a mile in driving wind and snow...

Love,

Aly x

What day is it???

I can't believe that I only have just over a week left here in Skagastrond. I suppose I need to get my act together and start to think about getting back to some kind of normality!

Normality at the moment consists of going to bed at around 3am after either staying late at the studio or messing around editing photos or catching up with The Archers (yes, I have managed to keep up to date.... can't wait for Rob to get his comeuppance...). The days are slowly getting longer and there's a marked increase in daylight since I arrived 2 and a half weeks ago. The sky is becoming light at around 9am but the sun takes ages to come up properly, allowing anyone with a camera to catch the most perfect light for a good couple of hours. It's dark by 5pm and the sun is down before then, although, again, that lingering golden hour is definitely more than that in reality. There is never a time that the place is not stimulating in some way. Even when it's stormy, there is a sense of the power of nature and just how insignificant we all are!

It truly is a magical place. Incidentally, my friend Sue made a comment about the new BBC series 'Trapped' and whether Iceland was really like that. Well the short answer is, YES! When the snow comes and then adds strong wind to the mix, you can hardly stand up. The only thing that seemed wrong with the programme was that no-one goes anywhere without a hat and gloves... plus, that policeman would certainly have known that the school would close! The series was shot over on the Eastern side of the Island and there is just one road in and out. That's a bit scary as they would regularly get stuck in the winter. Everything is weather dependent and although the road clearing systems are fantastic, if there's a bad storm, everything stops.

The place it's filmed is called seydisfjordur. 

It's on the far right of the Iceland map, about 6 hours from skagastrond. 

So yesterday was spent recuperating after my fall, which has knocked my back about a little bit. My knees are a mess and my whole body feel like i've done a massive hike, followed by zumba, followed by being walked on by a big person in DM's. I've protected myself from falling today by going to the studio with my socks over the top of my boots (read it somewhere...) and then the crampon things. I look ridiculous, particularly as the socks are black with a purple toe, but hey, they're covered in snow for the walk, so no-one cares. No-one cares anyway!

I've been pulling together lots of the images I've made and editing them all day. I've also planned a final trip for the last 3 days of my time here. Hopefully, weather permitting, we'll be going to the Ice lagoon and beach at Jokulsarlon http://www.jokulsarlon.net/black-sand-beach-in-jokulsarlon/ 

This is one of the places I actually knew about before I came to Iceland, so, I would love to see it and take some images. The plan is to take a scenic drive down the west coast, beyond Reykjavik to Vik. This will take around 5 and a half hours. Then the next couple of days can be spent playing with icebergs!!

The day I fell over, luckily reaped some good images, so I've been working my way through them all day. I have to keep getting up and moving around as I'm stiffening up all the time. Properly knocked my self and my confidence a bit. I've trodden so carefully today - with my sock/boots!!

Here are a few sample images for your perusal! If anyone wants to ask any 'Iceland' questions or get me to show particular images in here, there's only a week or so left. (Cries into strong Icelandic coffee...)

It's interesting, I was always a bit unconvinced about going to santorini in Greece because of the black beaches. I couldn't imaging how it could be beautiful. Having spent these weeks in Iceland surrounded by black beaches, I am now desperate to go there. 

I'm sitting in the main studio with Arthur, Louise's 7 year old. Everyone else is listening to the amazing Joe give a talk on Psychoacoustic and optical illusions. I should be there, but I can't sit for very long because of my stupid fall. I am having the surreal experience of listening to tonight's Archers (poor cows...), watching the baftas on my computer screen and writing this blog on my phone - all at the same time, whilst in the background Joe's talk seems to be saying baa baa baa over and over again... (Back to the Archers then). 

Empty studio bar (baa) (ha ha ha, laughing at myself) me and Arthur. 

Sorry, slightly diverted by Stephen Fry's hilarious smut. 

I think I'll sign off until tomorrow. Sleep well. 

Love,

Aly x

Happy Tuesday

Weather update. We're probably going to have to snuggle up on sofas in the studio as the wind gets stronger and there's a gale warning. Overnight there's been a transformation in Skagastrond. The snow has disappeared from many of the rocks and fields, exposing a landscape previously unseen. 

This was on my very blustery walk to the studio today. I almost got blown over - despite my excessive weight (camera bag as well as myself...)

The grass is a rich brown colour and very springy (is that a word?) to walk on. Where there's still ice however, the roads and paths are treacherous. This is not the first time I've wished for a pair of ice skates to skate home on. Much safer than trying to walk. 

I wish I could give an impression of the wind. It's just so strong. You have to plan each step as it seems to catch you as you lift your leg for the next step. No wonder there's never any people out.... Also, virtually all of my fellow artists have had offers of lifts from villagers. All except me! I probably look like too much trouble with all my bags and tripod. 

For the next couple of days I will show a little of some of the other artists and their work. 

Penny is a painter from Australia. I share a house with her and we've got to each other a bit. Her work is gorgeous. At the moment she's working on heavy papers with house paints at a large(ish) scale. Not figurative, her work is quite formal exploring the materials and their reaction to each other. She's used snow and ice to work the paints which are layered up until they no longer have any absorbent properties. I have agreed to use some of her images (small parts photographed and changed to monochrome) in my layered montage works and she has photographed some of my aurora images to use in hers. Her work is concerned with the cosmos, so being here is a perfect setting. Penny has worked in arts education for a number of years and has taught higher education theory and practice as well as directing numerous projects, both as director and as an artist. Her public art works are sited in libraries, hospitals and other public premises. I love her use of colour. 

The images below are sections of penny's work which I will use in my layered work. 

The weather has calmed down a tiny bit since I started this, so maybe I will get to sleep in a bed tonight... This is the current view out of the studio door. 

Doesn't look bad at all does it... It is - promise!!

Louise just went outside to photograph some birds. This is her return...nearly blown away. 

In a couple of hours I am giving a photography tutorial for the gang. The idea is that everyone will be able to get better images, particularly of the aurora, although the light changes so much, even when they're happening, that it's really difficult to gauge exposures. Ah well, we'll talk about principles and take it from there. 

I've just been going through the many images I've taken so far and I love this one. Can't remember whether I shared it, but the colours were amazing. 

Sorry for the dodgy quality as it's taken with my phone from the computer screen. This was near Myvatn, the smelly pots and bubbling mud. 

I've just managed to sort out some of the arrangements for coming home (which is less than a fortnight away now) and I've booked a car so that I can see Jokulsarlon ice lagoon and beach. Way hay!!

I'm signing off now, as I need to start putting some layers together....

Happy Tuesday, especially to those enjoying a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc without me....

Love,

Aly x

Iceland when it's cloudy - best portrait setting

Good afternoon. 

It's Monday and I'm losing track of time. So tired after the lights last night, which were glorious. Today I remembered that I had offered some skagastrond women a bit of a photo shoot today at 2pm. I was a little worse for wear and they were certainly more 'gone' than me at the celebration in Saturday night. So when 2pm came and no-one came I wasn't surprised at all. However, just as I'd put my slippers on and settled down to some work, two people turned up at the studio for photos. Luckily the rain has stopped and although it was bitterly cold, the light, as usual, was perfect. Not direct sunlight but so light because of all the snow still around. So today was about chatting to and photographing these lovely people. 

So easy to photograph people who have a great look and when the light is as perfect. 

These from yesterday were a piece of cake for the reasons above. 

I'm trying to get the raw materials together to make a start on a layered piece but I keep getting sidetracked by beautiful things.... 

I need to start thinking about how to exhibit some of the work I'm doing here. It seems to me that there'll be a diverse range of pieces which may or may not work together. My MA was all about display and how disparate images work together in a seemingly chaotic way. So that's a possibility, otherwise I would definitely like to produce some large scale prints. I don't want the month to disappear into the mire of other work and  'normal' work/life as it could so easily do. 

I also want to come back next year. Same time same place - creature of habit that I am!!

I also photographed one of my fellow artists, for her to show a friend's headwear off (and because it's just perfect light!!)

We've just had some 7 year old kids running around in the studio which was so lovely. Hearing little kids laugh in the quiet of the working space was just what I needed. I'm now thinking about food and entertainment for the evening. I'm delivering a photo session tomorrow - mainly so that all of the group are able to catch the aurora with the range of cameras we all have. My sleeping and eating patterns are all over the place. It's now 6.25 pm and I've had some cashew nuts... All day! I'll probably now go and scoff a burger at the garage. The only place where I can get food which doesn't cost the earth. Although it's still 10 quid a time. Food in Iceland is not cheap. 

So now I think I'm signing off. I have Lindisfarne blasting through my headphones. 

"And I've been to the places in town

Where the faces hang round

Just to stare at each other

I've looked with them screamed at the moon

Behaved like a buffoon but I soon discovered 

Run for home, run as fast, as I can,

Whoa oh oh 

Running man

Running for home."

I can't remember whether I put the aurora images up from last night but it was amazing!!! Here's one which was really bright. Sorry if I've already included it. 

Have a lovely Monday evening. 

Love,

Aly x