If you enjoy perusing well-shot destination-specific photography, you will enjoy this Iceland photo set without a doubt. Flickr user Vamitos, Carmen Marchena, excels in discovering and documenting magical landscapes and scenes within Iceland for this photo set, aptly named ‘Magicland’. Swooping clouds, blinding sun rays, dramatic peaks and valleys, surrealistic teal-blue glaciers, stunning silhouettes, and dizzying mist all make cameos in this set of photos. So take a moment and explore these carefully taken and well-appointed photos. There are 52 in all, and, in my opinion, not a single one leaves anything to be desired in the realm of sheer beauty. Granted, when working with such a phenomenal muse (Iceland), inspiration is likely not easily lost. Enjoy.
Faroe Islands photo set
The Faroe Islands is a country tucked away in the Norwegian Sea. Located about halfway between Scotland and Iceland, this country is beautiful, but small. With only 540 square miles and a population of nearly 50,000, this self-governing Danish destination is thick with history and easy on the eyes. I haven’t been to this country nor do I currently have plans to go–but I hope that changes soon. Let’s just say I have plans to make plans.
Flickr user Spumador (Andrea Ricordi), a clearly talented photographer, uploaded an eye-catching photo set from his summer 2011 trip to the Faroe Islands. These moving photos have now given me incentive enough to research this country further and travel there as soon as I possibly can. Perhaps this Faroe Islands photo set will offer similar inspiration to you.
Witness the hidden corners of Iceland in high definition
In this video, Pétur Kristján Guðmundsson of TrailerPark Studios films his home country of Iceland, focusing on the diverse and unique landscape as well as the culture. The overarching goal of the film, which is called Heild, or Totality, is to “present Iceland in a way it has never been presented before, using many elements of higher-end cinematography”. In the video, viewers not only see the well-known areas of Iceland but also off-the-beaten path regions that one must be quite adventurous to get to, and extremely patient to truly capture. The video is so clear that even gentle motions seem strong, from the rippling lake to the billowing clouds. Meet locals, fly over plains, mountains, and craters, and lay under a neon-colored night sky.
To get a taste for yourself, check out the trailer for Heild here:
HEILD l Totality Trailer from Petur K. Gudmundsson on Vimeo.
Video: One girl’s solo hike through Iceland
In the summer of 2011, Austrian photographer and cinematographer Klara Harden hiked solo through Iceland. During the expedition she worked on a film project, documenting the entire journey and acting as her own film crew. The images are breathtaking as she shows varied scenery of mountains, brooks, terrain, valleys, glaciers, volcanoes, homes, and more during her 25-day expedition.
MADE IN ICELAND from Klara Harden on Vimeo.
Labor Day island getaways from Wanderfly
Labor Day is fast approaching along with the official end of summer. If you haven’t had enough sun yet, maybe it’s time for one more weekend of lying on the beach, fruity cocktail and fun book in hand? We asked our friends at Wanderfly.com, a web travel tool that helps you choose a vacation spot, for some Labor Day island getaways offering deals for the long weekend.
Domestic: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Hilton Head is a 45-minute drive from Savannah, Georgia (one of our favorite romantic destinations), with miles of public Atlantic beaches, dolphin cruises, and renowned golf courses. Not bringing your private yacht? ResortQuest will pay for your gas ($150 credit card) on Labor Day stays of 3 nights or more, plus free tennis and discounted golf.
Caribbean: St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Feeling decisive? If you can book by tomorrow, you can save 35% on stays at Bolongo Bay Beach Resort in St. Thomas. They’ll also throw in a free sunset sail and cocktails at their beach bar. Summer is the low season for most Caribbean islands, but a tropical weekend knows no season. Check out more of Wanderfly’s picks for St. Thomas here.
Europe: Iceland
So Iceland might not be known for sandy beaches or fruity cocktails, but relaxing in the geothermal waters of the Blue Lagoon works pretty well too. Iceland Air is offering a free stopover in Iceland on flights booked to European cities such as Stockholm and Amsterdam. Just have time for one destination? Reykjavik is only about 5 hours from the East Coast with direct flights from New York, Boston, Washington D.C., and Orlando, as well as Minneapolis and Seattle.
If you’ve had enough sun, Wanderfly has plenty of other travel ideas. Visit their site and tell them what you’re looking for (with interests from art to extreme adventure) and how much you want to spend and they’ll give you personalized recommendations. Stay tuned for more Labor Day travel ideas on Gadling.
Hilton Head Island photo courtesy Flickr user Lee Coursey.