Julian Köpke

Black as a color is not so popular. In Iceland you always encounter a black, which only seems homogeneous at first glance. In fact, every black, whether in basalt or sand, is slightly inhomogeneous and interesting to the eye and not a gap.

My first encounter with the color black on Iceland was on the rocky coast near our hotel in Arnarstapi, which was easily accessible on foot. The power of the sea seemed to be best expressed in moderate long-term shots. Anyone who exposes too long will only get the average altitude of the sea level . . . .

Occasionally black was also found in buildings. At farms or at the famous Black Church of Budir, which I shot from many perspectives.

The reflection on the Vestrahörn was best achieved in the early morning at low tide on the damp black beach. The repeated flooding of the beach by waves disturbed the tripod and sometimes necessitated rapid escape movements, but they were also a prerequisite for good mirror images.

Last but not least, black and red were the dominant colours in the hot lava of the Fagradalsfjall, which we were able to see more closely on the last day of our stay.

Only a few kilometers further by car the sun began to shine and the clouds receded. In the southwest of the Reykjanes peninsula we felt the white of the lighthouse all the more radiant after our volcanic visit.

Before leaving, one last look at the waves, which are radiated by sunlight and seem to contain more energy than usual.

In our garden is a small fountain just beneath a hedge. A remarkable number of birds showed up to drink or to take a shower in it. The urge of the birds to bathe there was always stronger than the fear of our presence. What do they see in the fountain ? I couldn’t imagine an answer until today.

Today I made macro images of the fountain with a wide variation of exposure values to find a small world within it. Many of my fountain images remind me of the night sky and its wonders. Sometimes I had to think of our universe.

The birds might see this ? I cannot be sure. But they are not blind, for sure.

A macro of our fountain appears like a painting under many exposure conditions. A first glance of four images is presented here.

Black as dominant color

Play of colors and light