Midnight Hour at Bruarfoss
This month's photograph was taken in late July 2023 during our crazy and very spontaneous short trip to Iceland to see the erupting volcano on Reykjanes. But we were also curious about the new parking lot that was built right next to one of Iceland’s most beautiful waterfalls. It is not one of the largest, it is more a narrow cascade that plunges into a small gorge. What makes Brúarfoss truly special is the vivid color of the water and the contrast against the dark volcanic rock. The unusual turquoise comes from glacial meltwater that carries fine rock flour, tiny particles that scatter the light. The river originates from the Langjökull glacier, the second largest glacier in Iceland. A small wooden bridge provides a bird's eye view and the perfect angle to capture the scene at sunset. This image was taken at midnight. By late July, the sun already disappears under the horizon for almost 6 hours, but nonetheless it doesn't get really dark. It's more like a never-ending sunset and sunrise with about 2 hours of what is commonly known as "Blue Hour" - another photographer's favorite!
Brúarfoss is located in the southwest of Iceland along the famous Golden Circle - en route between Þingvellir National Park and the world-famous Geysir. Ten years ago, Brúarfoss was still considered a hidden gem. On our first visit back in 2013 it was kept secret by the locals, since there were no official trails leading there. Finding it was still a little bit adventurous. And the trails were all super muddy and slippery. After the first publications on the internet the road through private land was closed for tourists and everyone had to do a moderate strenuous hike and follow the 3.5-kilometer trail along the river. That's not that long ago! Lately, things really change fast in Iceland.
Today, access is much easier. No bushwhacking required anymore, but there is a fee. A new parking lot has opened this spring, and they are charging 750 Icelandic Króna per vehicle for up to four hours. The path from the parking lot down to the Brúará River is not particularly difficult, and should be doable for most people in just about 5-10 minutes. And for photographer this new parking lot is really priceless, since it made Brúarfoss also easily accessible during the night. So shooting some crazy aurora swirls on top of this waterfall is next on our never-ending bucket list.
To be continued... hopefully soon! ;-)
Image data: 1 s at f/14, ISO 400; Canon EF 14-35 mm 1:4 L IS USM at 24 m; Canon EOS R5
Related Links: Our images from Iceland