Current Information About Iceland

Of Interest to Photographers

The amount of interest generated by my mid-2002 visit to and article on Iceland has been tremendous. Nearly 70,000 photographers have read my travel article and portfolio during the first 90 days that its been online. Iceland holds a special place for me. It is one of the most unspoiled and beautiful countries that I've ever had the good fortune to visit. For a photographer, it is one of the most thrilling locales imaginable.

If you're as fascinated by Iceland as I am here are two items that you may find of interest. The first is a new magazine that will be of interest to anyone with a passion for Iceland and photography.

ICELANDIC GEOGRAPHIC

My friend, Icelandic photographer Daniel Bergman introduced me to Icelandic Geographic while we were in Iceland in June, 2002. This is a new journal that seeks to portray in an informative manner the most interesting and unique aspects of Iceland, and the interplay of man and nature.

The articles in the inaugural issue cover the diversity of the Icelandic nature: flora, wildlife and the amazing landscape. Major articles include “Curse of the Drift Ice”, “Arctic Fox - The Monarch of Hornstrandir Nature Reserve” and “Mystery of the Draining Lake” (about a deep lake in a geothermal area with moonlike landscape, that recently started to drain after big earthquakes, close to the capital Reykjavík).

The writers are thoroughly familiar with their subjects and this first issue of Icelandic Geographic is filled with spectacular photos. The photography by Daníel Bergmann and J—hann Óli Hilmarsson is excellent.

There are also interesting articles about the birds of Iceland and about a young Icelandic adventurer that has achieved the Grand Slam (walked to both Poles and conquered highest mountains of all the seven continents). All in all Icelandic Geographic is a magazine with great looks, excellent photos and interesting articles.

This new journal is published once a year by an Icelandic company that obviously made the quality of the publication a priority. The editor is a young Icelandic woman, Ms. Þ—rdís Hadda Yngvad—ttir, (I don't know how to pronounce it either).

Information about subscribing to Icelandic Geographic can be obtained by sending e-mail to info@icelandicgeographic. The next issue will be published in spring 2003. Their homepage, www.icelandicgeographic.is is still under construction but check them out.

Alcoa's Destruction of Iceland's Landscape

I normally don't take political or social stands on this site. My online concerns involve photography, not politics or social issues. But over the past few months I have become aware of a plan by Alcoa Aluminum to build a huge smelter in Iceland, and a series of dams that will flood almost 1000 square kilometers of Iceland's pristine wilderness.

You can find out more about this, view photographs of the affected region and fill out a petition against it at this site. Your support will be appreciated by everyone who loves the natural landscape of this still unspoiled country.

Thanks to Icelandic photographer J—hann Ísberg for bringing this to my attention.