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Just as we were planning to head back to Reyjavik after spending much of the afternoon at Gullfoss the sun broke through parting clouds and warmed the plain with golden light. One of our party spotted this mistbow that had formed on the first stage of the waterfall and we all scampered over to the edge of the ravine to photograph it.

A video would have done the scene more justice as seeing the mistbow in motion as the mist danced in the wind was a sight to behold. It seemed like some of the river avoided tumbling over the edge by escaping heavenbound in a climbing column of colour.

Canon 5D Mark II with Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS

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Gullfoss along the Hvítá river is probably one of the most photographed waterfall in Iceland. And there are thousands upon thousands of waterfalls in Iceland.

Gullfoss is unique in that it falls in three distinct stages, but it's true claim to fame is that its final stage empties into a narrow crevice at right angles to the continuation of the Hvítá. This results in it appearing as though the waterfall simply vanishes when viewed from certain angles. This photo is not taken from that angle but is instead taken looking along the river and crevice hidden from the more commonly found images.

To take this photo I walked down to a platform of dense rock that has survived the thousands of years of water erosion better than the surrounding terrain. Walking down to this vantage point a few metres above the surging water offers a nearly 180 degree view of the three stages as the waterfall curves around the platform.

If you look closely at the ridge beneath the clouds to the right of the image you can see people enjoying a panoramic view of the waterfall. This should give a sense of scale of this popular attraction a short trip from Reykjavik.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II with Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

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Before it plummets in stages at the Gullfoss waterfall, the Hvítá river in western Icelend carves it's way through plains. This photo is taken over the west side of these plains with the distant mountains that mark its boundary in the background.

In the foreground are three of the many cairns that dot the plains around the Gullfoss waterfall. Shot at this angle and perspective, they seem to mimic and nearly match the size of the distant, cloud-shrouded mountains.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II with Canon EF 27-200mm f/4L IS

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A series of lakes in Thingvellir National Park. We were on the way to see the 'Golden Triangle' in Iceland. This comprises the three sites of Geysir, the Gullfoss waterfall and Thingvellir.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II with Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

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As is the case in the Icelandic summer, the Sun never strays far below the horizon leaving the summer months nightless.

After spending the day on the Snæfellsjökull region, we began the 200km drive back to Reykjavik. Once again deceived by the late sunset, we only began the return trip after 11pm. The majority of the drive was uneventful as the clouds that had dogged us all day remained overhead.

Around half-way back at 1.30am, however, I happened to look in the rearview mirror. The clouds had cleared from where the sun was moving along the North Eastern horizon revealing a blue and violet sky above and swirling knee deep mist below.

We all piled out of the car to get a better look and to take a few photos. A few minutes later the winds replaced the clear sky with cloud and the beauty of the place was gone.

This was the case for much of our trip to Iceland. One minute you'd be looking at a dark, bleak landscape and then a gust of wind would rearrange the sky transforming the scene into a thing of beauty and hope. But only for a moment -- the fickle winds would soon blow again and the gloom would return.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II with Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

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