Take a Break, a photo from Isafjordhur, Vesturdir

Photographer's Note

I wish I had circled on my Iceland map what cities I visited, some cities are marked, some are not. It took me a while to figure out where I captured this scene.

With some investigation and hard work, I know I took this photo in Isafjordur, in north western Iceland. Its one of the areas that most tourists don't get to see - and thats too bad, its a very photogenic city. One of the largest cities in this isolated part of the country.

Please check out the MAP feature to see just how far North this city is. I'll post a couple of WS photos as well if you're interested. While I was here there was a Cruise ship docked. I get the feeling most of the tourists that visit are from the sea, not from driving around as I did.

This is the main church in town, while I was photographing I noticed this cute couple taking a break from their travels.

maloutim, papagolf21, kasianowak, Fis2, alvaraalto, snunney, holmertz, tyro, adramad, ktanska, cornejo, PiotrF, ChrisJ, PaulVDV, Lidka, pierrefonds has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

papagolf21 (152605) 2018-02-02 22:47

Bonjour, cher Craig,
J'aime beaucoup cette prise de vue par le sujet principal avec ce couple attendrissant et cet édifice religieux dont la simplicité poussée à l'extrême est étonnante.
Merci également pour les commentaires appréciés.
Amitiés.
Philippe

peterpap (2863) 2018-02-02 22:56

Hi Craig, interesting building, lines, corners, somehow strange. But your picture would not look half as good without the two sitting there enjoying the sun. Nice picture.

emka (157280) 2018-02-02 23:07

Hello Craig,

Excellent composition of the back of this unusual church. Interesting the cross and the tiny windows. The sitting couple is a vital element of the composition.
I would like to go to Iceland in summer with my friend but we have no driving licence and I am afraid we couldn't see much.

Kind regrads MAlgo

jemaflor (146168) 2018-02-02 23:18

Hi Craig,
Excellent photo with first an interesting architecture with lines and curves and a good detail with people sleeping on the bench, tfs.

kasianowak (17648) 2018-02-03 0:52

Your last three uploads could be treated as a series. Taken on three different continents they have a lot in common - very graffic images with perfectily timed/place people that make them special.
Yet another one for my favs...
I must go there next time I go to Iceland.

Fis2 (169589) 2018-02-03 0:53

Witaj Craig!
Instead of praying in church, it's a rest on the bench;)
A very interesting facade of modern church.
Nice composition and frame.
Have a good weekend.
Krzysztof

alvaraalto (42804) 2018-02-03 1:29

Hello Craig
Beautiful series of this far North peninsula in Iceland. Three pictures that show attractive this place is for a visit. I hope I once will be on one of that cruise ships that moor in this part of Iceland.
Have a good weekend, groet Rob

snunney (130967) 2018-02-03 2:16

Hello Craig,
Sightseeing can be very tiring and forty winks always comes in handy:-) The church makes a superb backdrop to the couple on the bench. Agreeable warm/cool tonal contrasts with the pastel blue sky.

holmertz (101880) 2018-02-03 2:28

Hello Craig,
This is a great photo. A very "clean" and seemingly uncomplicated composition of a nicely designed church and the tired couple on the bench. The flower pot adds fine colours and the light is perfect. I'll have to follow Kasia's example and add it to my favourites.
Best wishes,
Gert

Royaldevon (85576) 2018-02-03 3:29

Hello Craig,

It's location is less important than its appearance, which is absolutely stunning!
You have cropped the building to perfection, emphasising its overlapping walls, with silver edgings and finishing with the iconic cross.
The minimalistic sleeping couple and the flower pot seem to add further importance to the church.

Like others before me, this will go into my favourites. 😀

Have a lovely w/e,
Bev :-)

tyro (30513) 2018-02-03 3:32

Hi Craig,

First of all, let me congratulate you on your exceptionally accurate map reference - I opened your map here and, using the little yellow man, was able to "drive" along the road beside the church and into the car park and see this exact scene. Well, actually this couple weren't there but there was a little group of children. Even that big flower pot is there but the flowers are all dead and withered - not nice and fresh like in your photograph!

Anyway, this is a lovely example of fine street photography, this contented couple relaxing or even sleeping in summer sunshine in the shelter of the wall of this modern church. Although the people are relatively small in the frame, the background is largely bland and featureless (apart from the cross high up), so the couple immediately become the main focal point despite their diminutive size.

A beautifully composed shot with lovely light and colours and exceptional technical quality. I love it.

Excellent!

Kind Regards,

John.

janneman (4037) 2018-02-03 3:34

This is an interisting composition of shapes and lines. The two resting people and flowers are a sharp contrast to that.
I love it!

Regards, Jan

adramad (72524) 2018-02-03 3:35

Hello Craig.
What a wonderful image, I love this church with its original and beautiful volumes curved and found, the couple sleepy in the bank, gives a nice vital touch.
Beautiful rincon this quiet town, as I see in the photos of the WS, seems very well located in the shelter of the mountains.
Colorful, sharpness and brightness are captured excellently.
Very good composition, magnificent presentation.
Have a good weekend.
Warm greetings.
Luis.

ktanska (44416) 2018-02-03 3:47

Hi Craig,
Quite surprising style for a small town church. Direch and curving lines make interesting combination and sand colour works well in these walls. Iceland manages to surprise in many ways.
Kari

BennyV (34710) 2018-02-03 4:08

Lovely composition here, Craig. The bottom half where the couple is sitting, is a rather bland wall, then the architecture happens in the top half.

The position of couple below (legs open, legs closed, the head on the shoulter...) is just great too.

Not the classical Icelandic picture, but one of the best from the country I've seen. Tops!

Benny

Silvio1953 (220443) 2018-02-03 4:57

Ciao Craig, lovely composition with nice couple on bench, beautiful geometry, splendid light, excellent clarity and wonderful colors, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

abmdsudi (95869) 2018-02-03 5:08

Hi Craig
That's massive building with scale ref aided by the tiny figs and capped by superb contrasting blue sky. Great image and content well crafted, Congrats
Best wishes

lousat (138521) 2018-02-03 9:52

Hi Craig,in effect the map is very useful,i haven't been there during my trip of the last year.The main pic is lovely,not the usual green scenery but this sleeping couple very tired close to the church. And i like the 2 WS too showing different moments of daily life,good time to do something in the open air for the child in the short summer. Have a nice evening and thanks,Luciano

cornejo (61504) 2018-02-03 12:04

Hello Craig, very good photograph of this interesting composition with everyday life scene, very well captured in this interesting image, with good sharpness, light, color and quality. Great and interesting work perfectly done, my congratulations my friend. Thanks for sharing this beautiful work.

Good afternoon and happy Sunday.
Best wishes from the south of Spain.
Angel.

GyurMaster (24668) 2018-02-03 12:30

Hello Craig,

That's what I call an absolutely excellent shot. Simple, but well-working.

Best Wishes,
Gy

PiotrF (54246) 2018-02-03 14:28

Hello Craig,
I like beautiful composition here.
Interesting architecture.
Thank yoy for informative note.
Fine presentation.
Regards
Piotr

rychem (72187) 2018-02-03 15:24

Great, I like the scene and your cropp to show interesting architecture elements, very well captured
regards Rydszard

ChrisJ (171146) 2018-02-04 0:45

Hi Craig,

I like how the blue grey cross almost matches the color of the sky. The sleepy exhausted looking bg couple steal the show here. Good sharpness and framing. Tfs!

PaulVDV (62746) 2018-02-04 5:09

Hello Craig,
The ideal place to take a picture with an excellent composition. Very well cropped. Beautiful with all the straight and curving lines.
The couple relaxing in the sun is a beautiful element of the photo.
Remarkable how small the windows are.
Best regards, Paul

carlo62 (81265) 2018-02-04 13:07

Ciao Craig
mi piacciono anche le foto del ws, ma questa ha senza dubbio un maggiore appeal.
Anche in questo caso le forme geometriche riempiono l'immagine, ma la presenza delle due persone cambia completamente la visione della foto.
Saluti
Carlo

LuisGustavoLima (5184) 2018-02-05 7:48

Oi, Craig!

Uma foto muito bem executada. O casal descansando deixou a composição ainda mais interessante, a parede da igreja possui uma boa textura e a luz é muito boa, deixando até um bonito brilho nas partes metalizadas. A arquitetura da igreja é bem diferente.
Ótima foto!

chiping59 (223) 2018-02-06 7:20

圖案感極強，細小的人物做了一個很好的對比，顯示出建築物的巨大。

Lidka (527) 2018-02-07 13:56

Dear Craig!
A nice pair. Very happy people.
Sophisticated architecture. Strange church.
Fine composition.
Excellent lightness.
Marvelous colours.
Ideal contrast and sharpness.
Good cut and framing.
Well done!

pierrefonds (113474) 2018-02-08 15:39

Hi Craig,

You have captured well the couple enjoying a moment of relaxation. The point of view is showing the details of the church. The light is giving good colors output. Have a nice day. I have a GPS for my Nikon D300.

Pierre

CLODO (45116) 2018-02-10 0:00

Hi Craig

very simple but the framing is perfect and the resting couple at the right place
Best regards
CLODO

mkamionka (73198) 2018-02-15 11:16

Hi Craig,
very nice scene: these two people look so sweet and charming here. Did they come to the church but arrived too early? :)
Nice spot to enjoy the sunshine.
It must be quite dark inside the church judging by the little windows. The architecture is quite particular, never seen anything like it.
Very well spotted. Definitely off the beaten track place.
Fantastic geometry,
M