
Description:
Svartifoss is one of the more famous waterfalls in Iceland (of which there are many). The name means 'Black Falls', which comes from the black basalt columns which surround and form the falls. These formations are identical to the ones seen at the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland, and are caused when lava cools and contracts. As this happens it tends to fracture into these hexagonal shapes.
This image was made on a wet day, which deepens the black of the rock. The overcast sky brings out the vibrant green of the vegetation. Both of these features create a great contrast in the image. The line of rocks in the middle of the frame leads the eye up to the falls, which act as a punctuation mark for the eye. The viewer is then drawn out of the image along the course of the stream.
The other advantage of arriving in the evening of a wet day is that there are no tourists in the area!
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