Einar Páll Svavarsson

Hiking in the volcanic ash

Hiking in the volcanic ash
Originally uploaded by emstrur

After weeks of eruption people are trying to revert back to normal. One of the things we do in summer is hike through the area where the ash fell. As we can see from this photo it is a bit difficult.
When the wind blows the very fine ash it can be difficult to breath. It is also not good to get the ash in your lungs. Your eyes can also hurt. So it becomes a question whether it is worth it to hike with masks and ski goggles.

Spectacular Eyjafjallajökull

Spectacular Eyjafjallajökull
Originally uploaded by emstrur

The eruption at Eyjafjallajokull took on many forms. First there was a smaller eruption and later the big eruption that set everything out of control. This photo was taken in the evening when the eruption was very active and daylight was still hiding the real fire. But the explosion was viable sending ash and rocks as far as 300 to 400 meters up in the air. It was a spectacular sight and one could feel the power by sensing the sound waves that hammered the nearby spectators. I waited a long time for this shot. I took many photos before I got it right. It was a lot of fun photographing the Eyjafjallajokull eruption.

Halla and Inga Björg

Halla og Inga Björg
Originally uploaded by emstrur

This photo is taken at an annual event at Kvennaskólinn í Rykjavík. All the students finishing the third year dress up in old Icelandic clothing. They also dance and walk around town in Reykjavík. The old clothing is "very Icelandic" and also very beautiful. The whole event is a spectacular sight reminding us Icelanders of our past and where we came from.
This is a shot of my daughter and Inga Björk her best friend. They have been friends for many years ever since they stared in school. It is yet another photo I take centered on their good friendship.