Puffin Hunting, a photo from Vestur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Vesturdir

Photographer's Note

This is a must when travelling to Iceland, but its a hard drive getting here. Some things are worth the time and effort, this most certainly was.

These are the cliffs of Latrabjarg on the far far west northern coast of Iceland. Take a look at the TE Map I provided to see the precise location.

The closest city from here is a couple hours drive away, and its a pot-holed bone crushing one at that. However, I'd do it every time to see these views.

It's thrilling to lay on your stomach right at the cliff edge, which I was eager to do and I got some shots that way. The wind is strong here, so that makes it a bit dodgy, but as long as nobody pushes you over the edge you're safe when laying down :)

The main highlight visiting these cliffs, other than the obvious views, are puffins. I was SO eager to get puffin shots. To my disappointment there were no puffins to be found.

There are only 2 pages of TE Photos from these cliffs, and most have puffins. I looked at the dates when those were taken, and most were captured in June, July or August. I was here in August...but not one puffin.

There are 2 more shots in the WS if you're interested. I regret not flying my drone here, if I did I'd get a shot of the cliffs from out on the ocean looking back. Why do we forget to do such things sometimes...I'll just have to go back to Iceland for a third time :)

Hope you enjoy these views

alvaraalto, pierrefonds, pajaran, jhm, Fis2, ikeharel, ikeharel, jean113, ChrisJ, PiotrF, papagolf21, Royaldevon, worldcitizen has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Tue (71882) 2019-11-13 3:37

Hello Craig,
An amazing view of those cliffs, the shapes of them and the beautiful rock formations are wonderful and so well lit by a clear sunlight. The people add a great sense of scale, too.
Lars

holmertz (83300) 2019-11-13 3:40

Hello Craig,
The workshops have been added, so I will read the note later. I also like the lady in red in the WS, but there are persons strategically placed in the main photo too, enough visible to animate the view and tell us of the dimensions. You don't always have to wear red to suit a photo. Terrific rocks, but I would get soft in my knees if I came too close to the abyss.
Regards,
Gert

alvaraalto (38634) 2019-11-13 3:44

Hello Craig
Beautiful spectacular photo of the Puffin hunt, but unfortunately no photos of the puffins. You could not sail along the cliffs with your drones?
I have not seen puffins on Iceland or on the Faroe islands. Helas
Excellent presentation
Have a nice day, groet Rob

Silvio1953 (191219) 2019-11-13 4:38

Ciao Craig, great view of fantastic cliffs, wonderful natural colors, splendid light and excellent clarity, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

pierrefonds (93555) 2019-11-13 4:46

Hi Craig,

The cliffs are impressive. The presence of the persons has an effect of scale. The point of view is showing the details of the cliffs. Have a nice day.

Pierre

lousat (121003) 2019-11-13 4:55

Hi Craig.I was also in August, but the puffins had already migrated elsewhere, so no photos of these wonderful birds, but I made up with the Tunisian flamingos today ... ehehe..3 beautiful photos, the landscapes are fantastic and balance the disappointment of those in search of puffin without finding them, congratulations for the usual exceptional quality! Have a nice day and thanks,Luciano

pajaran (92142) 2019-11-13 5:47

Pozdrav.
lep pogled, interesantan i dobar tekst ...
Lepa litica i zelena polja, lepa priroda.
Lepo pokazano, dobro uhvacen trenutak sa posetiocima.
Zelim vam lep dan, sve najbolje.
Paja.

Greeting.
nice view, interesting and good text ...
Beautiful cliff and green fields, beautiful nature.
Beautifully shown, well captured moment with visitors.
Have a nice day, all the best.

Sergiom (115636) 2019-11-13 5:54

Bonjour Craig,

Une petite excursion dans la nature qui en valait la peine. Des falaises à perte de vue et quelques humains pour offrir une relation dimensionnelle. Superbe point de vue et très beau cadrage.

Amicalement

Serge

jhm (191357) 2019-11-13 6:43

Hello Craig,

What a big rock with a very nice structure.
Nice panorama and the big rock, this make your picture completely.
Very well done, TFS.

Best regards,
John

Fis2 (142643) 2019-11-13 7:43

Witaj Craig!
A very curious place, cliff makes impression.
Good framing, colors and light.
People add flavor to this picture.
Well done.
Warm regards.
Krzysztof

jean113 (16085) 2019-11-13 8:40

Hello Craig, the people in each of your pictures are a great aid to our appreciation of the scale of the landscape.
Good choice for your main post as we are able to view the extent of the cliffs and fully understand their height.
Your love of this country really comes across!
Thanks for sharing, regards Jean.

ChrisJ (152396) 2019-11-13 9:17

Hello Craig,

Some rugged looking cliffs here for sure. The few tourists animate the scene. Good sharpness & the absence of trees is noticeable. It's probably too cold, too rocky/infertile and prone to ash falls. Tfs!

Miguel82 (35864) 2019-11-13 10:16

Craig, this scary cliff falling in the sea represents a habitat for the puffins. The sea birds nest in the small, wind-swept interstices on the cliff side. They are inaccessible to polar foxes and other predators who would like to eat their eggs. Fine colors, good image quality, enthralling photo note, regards.

BennyV (30390) 2019-11-13 11:31

A great trio of shots, Craig. THe other one (with the other woman) is superb too, I really wouldn't know which one I'd have as a main post.

Girl, you thought he was a man but he only was a puffin!
Great birds!

Benny

kasianowak (14001) 2019-11-13 11:50

Hi Craig
Breathtaking landscape indeed and definitely worth a visit, never mind the awful road. All three photos are really beautiful, the lady in red is great but the lady in blue is also good. ;-)
I've seen puffins, both in Iceland and Faroe Islands, but I haven't got any good photos of them. Poor us, we will have to go to Iceland again... ;-D Me to photograph puffins and you to photograph puffins AND to fly your drone over these cliffs... Lol.
Best wishes
Kasia
Ps. You asked about Takero… He speaks English very well. We met for just one evening. I spent only 2 days in Japan last time (my previous 3 trips were 2 weeks' long each though), it was just a brief visit on the way to Taiwan. My best friends live in Tokyo, hence the long stopover.
It's a fascinating country and you will love it there. :-)

dta (95522) 2019-11-13 12:47

Hello Craig ,
The few walkers were essential here to give us the scale to this impressive rocky cliffs .
A beautiful sunny summer day in Iceland , but I suppose not so hot .
Regards

PiotrF (42670) 2019-11-13 14:36

Hello Craig,
Great view of the impressive cliff.
I like attractive colors and nice composition.
Thank you for informative note.
Fine presentation.
Regards
Piotr

abmdsudi (81564) 2019-11-13 17:53

Hi Craig
A very serious looking cliff, looks like a good view point for this image with a very clear and contrasty figs to give a sense of scale. I would call this one : freedom. Well done shot.
Best regards

Nicou (188446) 2019-11-13 21:04

Hello

les personnages donnent bien la hauteur et la taille de cette falaise quel cadrage latéral qui met en valeur la roche la coupure et le vide de la falaise fantastique
bravo et belle journée
Nicou

jemaflor (125717) 2019-11-13 23:43

Hi Craig,
Well presented these impressive cliffs, good light capture and perfect the tiny silhouette to give more great this landscape, tfs.

papagolf21 (145094) 2019-11-13 23:48

Bonjour, cher Craig,
Cette falaise abrupte est imposante et les personnages semblent prendre plaisir à frôler les bords de la falaise (j'exagère peut-être un peu), mais cela fait peur !
l'image est belle à contempler.
Amitiés.
Philippe

mkamionka (53776) 2019-11-14 2:02

Hi Craig,
we have some excellent puffin watching spots in North East England. You may have seen my photos already.
However they are coming to the land/islands only for breeding which is around May.
You can spot some in April and in August but I think in August there are just single birds around.
Having said that I am not sure if it it true as well for Iceland but I suspect it is.
The cliffs are amazing. They are brilliant photos but to watch birds on cliffs like that you need a telescope, so islands are so much easier.
HERE are my photos from Farne Islands. But I have seen them also in Northern Ireland on a Rathlin Island, HERE.
You just need to come and visit :) (In May!!!)
M

Royaldevon (64322) 2019-11-14 7:53

Hello Craig,

Iceland has those wonderful, wild, rugged qualities, and your photograph reveals them extremely well. I like how we are able to see the contrasts of the sheer, rocky face (full of inferred danger) and the flat, grassy plateau (full of inferred safety!)
Though it is a close call I like you w/s with the lady in red, slightly better. To me, that has a good lead line, too.

It is a pity you weren't able to see the puffins! They are such fun birds to see and watch, often called the clowns of the sea!

Have a good day,
Bev :-)

GyurMaster (16638) 2019-11-14 13:32

Hello Craig,

All three photos are impressive! I don't which one I would have chosen if I were you. Maybe this one, I don't know really. I only know that it is really spectacular.

Best Wishes,
Gy.

ikeharel (98802) 2019-11-18 9:03

Hello Craig,
Fantastic sight of the sheer cliff under fine daylight that enhanced its carved, eroded rocks.
A great nature picture, scaled by the figure at its edge.
Good afternoon,
Ike

worldcitizen (12758) 2019-11-23 16:54

Hello Craig,
That's one big chunk of rock, with some tiny people on it. :-) There's a vast sense of space, and also a sense of how long the drop would be if you fell over the side! It's too bad the puffins were away that day, but it's still a nice shot.