Visiting the Icelandic Highlands Landmannalaugar Fuji GFX50s Part III

At this point, I was in the valley heading back to camp.  Flat and boggy which was ok by me. The last of the golden light was on the hills and sheep were grazing here and there.

Heading to the Vondugil valley below Suðurnámur on the way back to camp in the Icelandic HIghlands Fuji GFX50s

A small waterfall below Suðurnámur on the way back to camp in the Icelandic HIghlands Fuji GFX50s

In the Vondugil valley below Suðurnámur on the way back to camp in the Icelandic HIghlands Fuji GFX50s

More bog and flowers about as the sun sets over the hills.  Tiny white flowers dotted the landscape.

In the Vondugil valley below Suðurnámur on the way back to camp in the Icelandic HIghlands Fuji GFX50s

I made the decision to go around the Laugahringur lava fields which was a lot easier than picking your way through the lava forms and flows.  This took me past an area I had had my eye on all day, Brennisteinsalda, with vents letting out sulfurous steam clouds.

Brennisteinsalda the open and colorful small sulfur rocks and hot springs that are sometimes covered with smoke. This place therefore has a strong sulfur smell. Fuji GFX50s and 32-64mm lens.

After a bit more careful hiking through the lava fields, you are back on a normal trail that takes you along a canyon past the Blue Mountain trailhead.  Soon I was back at camp and dipping into my bottle of Aleve.

This was an amazing hike.  You really have to explore the area a bit beyond the parking lot and camping area.  There are easier hikes but this one serves up amazing views for all your hard work.

Visiting the Icelandic Highlands Landmannalaugar Fuji GFX50s Part II

If you are here, you have to hike a bit to see the surroundings.  So I did some research and found a vigorous loop that would take me around the area and provide amazing views from above.  One source recommended Suðurnámur mountain ridge and Vondugil, one of the longer hikes, but with a huge payoff.  I set out early hoping to be in the views around dusk.

The first part takes you up and over several peaks with incredible vistas in every direction.  Each peak seemed to be better than the last.  I largely had a place to myself, only running into four other people.

View towards Bláhjúkur, Brennisteinsalda and Laugahraun along the hike.

Lone Hiker Along the Suðurnámur mountain ridge, Icelandic Highlands.

View along the Jokulgilskvizl between the Barmur Ridge in the Icelandic Highlands.

About an hour into the hike, I got hit by a strong rain squall.  Fortunately I had my parka with me and slipped into it.  There was enough wind that I figured it would pass, and it eventually did.  I talked to two hikers who said the rest of the way was sunny and clear.

Views from the Suðurnámur mountain ridge and Vondugil in the Icelandic Highlands. Fuji GFX50s and 32-64mm lens

Two hikers I talked to about the weather…

Views over the ridge at Frostastaðavatn lake and beyond.

Massive geological features along the trail and the lava fields of Graenagil to the left

Golden light on the green landscape of Landmannalaugar.

The trail and its views were captivating.  I lost sense of time, except for the sunset coming on brought me back.  The rain had indeed passed.  I started to descend to the valley below, taking care going down the slopes slick with loose gravel.

Trail to the valley below in Landmannalaugar

Tiny sheep on the golden hillsides of Landmannalaugar.

It felt good to be descending but I also missed the views from up on high.  More in Part III.

Visiting the Icelandic Highlands Landmannalaugar Fuji GFX50s

I have been enjoying my Fujifilm GFX50s camera since the moment I bought it last January.  I knew I had to get back to Iceland with it and see how it captured the fascinating landscapes there.  I also wanted to visit the Highlands around Landmannalaugar for the first time along with my many usual favorite locations there.  So I booked a sturdy 4×4, did a ton of research and off I went in early August.  I also packed two drones to capture the vast landscapes.

I got into Iceland and quickly heading along the Ring Road and then to the Highlands via F Road 208.  30 miles to Landmannalaugar it said.  How bad can that be?  Well its about 3 hours of rocky rutted road with 6-7 stream crossings deep enough you leave a wake.  Crazy but incredible.  The scenery began to change to wild hillsides of contrasting green and brown with occasional blue.  This was what I was after.  I put the drone up to see how it looked from above.

Driving to Landmannalaugar Iceland Drone Views

Driving to Landmannalaugar Iceland Drone Views

I reached the campsite area around Landmannalaugar and set about capturing some dusk light images of the area

Landmannalaugar Iceland Blue Mountain Fuji GFX50s

Landmannalaugar Iceland Half Moon Rising Fuji GFX50s

Landmannalaugar Iceland Plains of Barmur Fuji GFX50s

Landmannalaugar Iceland Blue Mountain and Campground Fuji GFX50s

Landmannalaugar Iceland Plains of Barmur Fuji GFX50s

There are many hikes in the area and I decided to take on the most rewarding but also roughest one. Suðurnámur mountain ridge and Vondugil is a 4-5 hour adventure with spectacular views in every direction.  I planned on doing it in the evening for the best dusk light.

More on that in my next piece.

Fuji GFX50s Camera Sunrises and Sunsets

I have to admit my Sony a7r2 has been abandoned in the gear closet.  Why would I do this in favor of the relatively massive Fuji GFX50s and lenses?  Image quality.  Details, tones and colors.  Mostly how all this adds up to spectacular sunrise and sunset captures.  The GFX50s has been thrilling me with how it captures one of my favorite subjects:  Landscape sunrises and sunsets.

These images really take me Back There and what the Fuji does with colors, details and tones in Velvia setting is simply beautiful to me.

Some recent samples:

Mount Rainier Reflection Lakes Sunrise GFX50s and GF23mm Lens

Seattle Sunset From Rizal Bridge Fuji GFX50s and GF23mm lens

Seattle’s Kubota Gardens Spring Sunset Fuji GFX50s and GF23mm lens

Diablo Lake Fog Sunset Fuji GFX50s and GF23mm Lens

Diablo Lake Fog and Trees Sunset Fuji GFX50s and GF23mm Lens

Mount Rainier Lake Tipsoo Thawing Sunset Fuji GFX50s and GF23mm Lens

Mount Rainier High Rock Lookout Sunrise Fuji GFX50s and GF23mm Lens

Liberty Bell North Cascades Sunrise Fuji GFX50s and GF23mm Lens

Mount Shuksan Picture Lake North Cascades Sunset Fuji GFX50s and GF23mm Lens

Mukilteo Ferry Fiery Sunset Fuji GFX50s and GF23mm Lens

California Coast With Fuji GFX50s

We needed some time out of town and Cannon Beach didn’t seem far enough away so we headed to Big Sur and Carmel, California.  I was really looking forward to getting some time with the Fuji GFX50s medium format camera and various lenses along the coast for some hopefully dramatic shots.  To quote Fstoppers:

The best camera isn’t the one with you, it’s your best camera, so make sure that’s the one with you.

So that’s why my A7R2 is in the closet at the moment and I can’t seem to be separated from my GFX50s…

Lens lineup for this trip was as  follows:
Fuji GF 23mm (18mm in 35mm terms)
Contax Zeiss 100-300mm
Contax Zeiss 50mm f1.4
Canon 16-35mm f4

Also brought a fistfull of ND and polarizer filters for the lenses and my Gitzo 0540 tripod.  And my Kipon AF adapter to make the non-native lenses play nice.

In retrospect, I used the 50mm and the 23mm the most.  I really like the rendering and colors of these lenses, and their compact size.  I could have done without the Canon 16-35/4 and might eventually replace it with the Fuji GF 32-64 lens.

Now to some photos from the trip:

Purple Echium Blooms Along the Beach in Carmel – Zeiss 50/1.4 on Fuji GFX50s

The Lone Cyprus Along the 17 Mile Drive in Pebble Beach – GF 23mm lens on Fuji GFX50s

Bixby Bridge and Highway 1 in Big Sur California – Zeiss 100-300mm on Fuji GFX50s

Big Sur Wave Motion At Point Lobos – Zeiss 100-300mm on Fuji GFX50s

Surf Drama and Wildflowers at Point Lobos – Fuji GF23mm on Fuji GFX50s

Black and White Cyprus Grove at Point Lobos – Fuji GF23mm on Fuji GFX50s

Garrapata Coastal Dusk Scene – Fuji GF23mm on Fuji GFX50s

Calla Lily Soft Light Bokeh – Zeiss 50mm 1.4 on Fuji GFX50s

Flowers Montage Soft Light Bokeh – Zeiss 50mm 1.4 on Fuji GFX50s

Fuji GFX50s Medium Format Travels to Namibia: Images of Sossusvlei

Part 2  Off to Namibia from Cape Town.

After landing in Windhoek, I set off on a one week self-drive safari around the country.  I love capturing far off landscapes, but also expected to find exotic animals up close.  For this I brought two Canon lenses:  70-200mm 2.8 ii and an old school classic, the 200mm f.1.8 prime.  For more length, I also included a 2X ii converter.

My first stop was the Hoodia Lodge, near Sossusvlei and it’s world famous dunes.  I used the safari-included tour of the dune areas for scouting and returning the next morning early for the good light.  A few shots using mostly the 70-200 on the GFX50s:

Lone Tree Against a Massive Dune at Sossusvlei

People Climbing Big Daddy Dune in Sossusvlei Namibia….and a tiny Oryx in the Foreground

Deadvlei Lost Forest in Namibia

The parched nature of the area and the vastness of the dunes were stunning.  105 degree midday temps added to the sense of a vast arid landscape.

Back at the lodge, I put up the drone for an aerial view outside the Sossusvlei park where drones aren’t allowed.  The sunset from above was a burner, and the aerial view added a new perspective of my surroundings.

Sossusvlei Burning Skies Sunset and Dry Riverbed DJI Mavic Pro 2 Drone

Sossusvlei Sunset Ridge Across a Desert Landscape DJI Mavic Pro 2 Drone

Sossusvlei Sunset Peaks Last Light DJI Mavic Pro 2 Drone

I rested up for the next leg of my journey.   Tomorrow I would be heading to the coast for another part of the Namibian landscape:  Vast dunes against the beach and Atlantic Ocean.

Fuji GFX50s Medium Format Travels to Namibia

I had some work to do in South Africa, so I planned a week of self-driving around Namibia to explore the land and see what my new Fuji GFX50s medium format mirrorless camera could do out in the bush.  It’s hard for me to choose lenses for such a trip so I pretty much brought everything:

Pelican 1510 case with numerous lenses and a Mavic Pro 2 drone

This was the lineup for this trip:

Fuji GFX50s
Sony a7r2
Canon 200mm f/1.8 and 2x converter
Canon 70-200 2.8 II
Canon 16-35mm f/4 IS
Zeiss 18mm f/3.5
Zeiss 50mm f/1.4
Zeiss 85mm F/1.4 Otus
Mavic Pro 2 drone
Gitzo 0531 tripod with BH25 head

I was able to get some nice shots hiking around Table Mountain and the Signal Hill areas of Cape Town.

Lions Head from Table Mountain Cape Town Fuji GFX50s

Sunset Watchers from Signal Hill Cape Town South Africa GFX50s

Full Moon Over Cape Town Fuji GFX50s

The Twelve Apostles Table Mountain Cape Town Fuji GFX50s

Work wrapped up after at the end of the week and then I flew to Windhoek Namibia for another 7 days of exploring with the Fuji GFX50s…