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Dwarfed
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Dwarfed

by Marsel van Oosten

Gallery: Man & NaturePosted April 26, 20121,047 views23 comments
Last month I traveled in Iceland to set up a new tour there. My first impulse is always to skip the iconic places, but I always end up going there anyway - they've become icons for a reason.

The magnificent waterfall Skogafoss is one those icons. It drops 60 meters over a green cliff and is fed by melting water from the glacier above it. Photographing it up close with a wide angle lens is virtually impossible, because the it produces a massive amount of water spray that has nowhere else to go but in your direction. I tried numerous times, but it was just too much. I therefore decided to position myself a bit further away from the falls with my 24-70.

I've not seen much direct sunlight in Iceland, but on my second visit to this location it was sunny one moment and heavy clouds the next, and vice versa. Usually I'm not a big fan of front light, but in this case it really helped to bring out the rainbow.

I waited for a dark patch of clouds to move into the background and asked my lovely assistant to walk to the falls to add some scale to the shot. You might see her in the large version. :smile:

Comments

23 comments
Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on April 26, 2012 at 5:26 AM
Classic image here Marsel. Love the human added for scale. The rainbow is a nice touch.
:toast:
Registered on March 22, 2011, 385 Posts, 2068 Comments
Comment posted by Balan Vinod on April 26, 2012 at 7:05 AM
Astounding Image Marsel...love the mood and adding a human makes one measure the scale of this massive fall. Well done

Balan Vinod
Registered on March 20, 2006, 889 Posts, 2312 Comments
Comment posted by Florian Aubin on April 26, 2012 at 10:36 AM
well it's just beautiful... :toast:
Registered on April 8, 2011, 8 Posts, 100 Comments
Comment posted by Soubhik Patranabis on April 26, 2012 at 10:50 AM
Very nice shot Marsel - like the feel the human figure adds as scale.
Registered on January 25, 2010, 54 Posts, 610 Comments
Comment posted by Luke Ormand on April 26, 2012 at 10:58 AM
Marsel - you might want to clone out that person who is ruining your photo by walking right in the middle of the frame!

Jokes aside this is a really beautiful image and that rainbow spans the gap brilliantly
Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments
Comment posted by Richard Teller on April 26, 2012 at 11:19 AM
Outstanding image. Icon or not a great photo is a great photo. The comp. color, light, everything is spot on. The Rainbow really adds to the image. Many times rainbows at waterfalls are partial and not as nice, but this one filling the span between the rocks really works and the water blur is just right. :eek: :eek: :eek:
Registered on August 23, 2010, 1162 Posts, 6692 Comments
Comment posted by Michael J Greene, on April 26, 2012 at 3:14 PM
Wow! The light, shutter speed, and processing really came together for this one. I can't image it getting any better than this. Incredible work Marsel. :toast: :toast: :toast:
Registered on June 18, 2009, 86 Posts, 2317 Comments
Comment posted by R.Bill Moser on April 26, 2012 at 3:36 PM
Beautiful light and atmosphere. This is incredible. :toast:
Registered on January 29, 2010, 285 Posts, 4281 Comments
Comment posted by Todd Liotine on April 26, 2012 at 7:45 PM
Classic, beautiful!
Registered on July 1, 2008, 131 Posts, 671 Comments
Comment posted by Nick Bristol on April 26, 2012 at 7:58 PM
Wonderful shot, Marsel. What an amazing place this is, and that rainbow is awesome! Really nice work.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI
Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments
Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on April 26, 2012 at 11:50 PM
Good grief! :eek: Now that's a waterfall! I agree completely: icons become icons for a reason. Glad you made the effort to make this image special with the addition of a person (for the amazing sense of scale it lends to the falls) and getting the rainbow, AND waiting for the right sky. :toast:

Your description refers to a green cliff. Perhaps it's my monitor, but the cliff looks more toward the brownish...
Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments
Comment posted by Stuart Williams on April 27, 2012 at 5:33 AM
unique for the sun and rainbow - and lovely assistant. usually in b&w. you've controlled highlights int eh sun remarkably! maybe another exposure through a bigger lens really isolating the rainbow and the assistant? just a thought!
Registered on December 7, 2007, 247 Posts, 4792 Comments
Comment posted by Wayne Rhodus on April 27, 2012 at 8:29 AM
An impressive location and a wonderful combination of elements you've captured.
Registered on November 16, 2003, 157 Posts, 3326 Comments
Comment posted by Joseph Campisi on April 27, 2012 at 12:13 PM
Awesome shot Marsel. The rainbow is icing on the cake, and the figure in the FG really gives it a sense of scale. Excellent! :toast:
Registered on November 24, 2008, 304 Posts, 3211 Comments
Comment posted by Miro Susta on April 28, 2012 at 2:49 AM
Superb composition with nice waterfall (ncluding also that mini man), well captured colors and all execellent details. :toast:
Registered on August 18, 2006, 719 Posts, 3736 Comments
Comment posted by Zack Clothier on April 30, 2012 at 11:18 AM
Perfect! :toast:
Registered on January 28, 2010, 343 Posts, 2257 Comments
Comment posted by Gary McGhee on May 1, 2012 at 3:56 PM
Definitely one of the best shots I've seen from here Marsel, love it.

Gary.
Registered on April 15, 2010, 142 Posts, 2416 Comments
Comment posted by Jenaya Launstein on May 2, 2012 at 1:02 PM
Wow, "dwarfed" sure is right :biggrin: ! I absolutely love this, Marsel! Congrats on the weekly pick!
Registered on February 8, 2011, 254 Posts, 1302 Comments
Comment posted by Rick Diffley on May 2, 2012 at 5:23 PM
Accolades on the WP.
Registered on April 8, 2012, 52 Posts, 279 Comments
Comment posted by Miro Susta on May 2, 2012 at 10:17 PM
Marsel accept my congratulations to WP. :toast:
Registered on August 18, 2006, 719 Posts, 3736 Comments
Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on May 5, 2012 at 8:34 AM
Pretty Awesome stuff. Congratulations on the WP
Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments
Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on May 5, 2012 at 12:21 PM
Beautiful scene - the human addition is important to show the scale of this magnificent plae.
Great work as always.
Sandy
Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments
Comment posted by Youssef Ismail on May 10, 2012 at 1:27 PM
Amazing!
Registered on November 1, 2003, 474 Posts, 5555 Comments