Puffin Portrait – Iceland
Puffins were high on my list of subjects to photograph when I visited Iceland in 2023. I had three locations earmarked to photograph these stunning birds. The first two did not work due to bad weather and a lack of birds, I saw just one. So, I was determined that nothing was going to stop me from visiting the Látrabjarg Cliffs in the Westfjords region of the country. This rugged part of Iceland sees a significantly smaller number of tourists and has a very small population, in 2020 there were 7,115 people living in this region.
I visited in May when the daylight hours are long and headed to the cliffs around 6pm, I photographed for about 2 hours. The winds were quite strong and for about two thirds of the time I was photographing, it rained constantly. I don’t normally venture out in the rain to photograph, but I was determined. I wore a wet weather outer layer and covered my two cameras and lenses with rain sleeves. This day, the conditions were less than ideal with slippery rocks and steps and the ground was muddy, however, I did not mind, I was in my element. The overcast and wet conditions provided some great light.
Whilst I have many wonderful images of the puffins photographed at this location, this is my absolute favourite. ‘It looks like a painting’ was the feedback I received from a prominent pet and wildlife photographer and judge.
Printed on Ilford Galerie Smooth Cotton Rag with a double matt and framed with a Medium Flat Matt Black Bevelled Frame. Glass – Tru Vue Classic AR High Clarity Glass that filters up to 78% of UV rays.
Image Measurements:
Unframed: 580mm x 430mm
Framed: 630mm x 480mm (Black Frame)
About the photographer
Helena has loved photographing since receiving her first camera as a young child. She has entered a number of competitions and been part of several photographic exhibitions over the years. Food for her soul, is how Helena describes what photography means to her. She is happiest when she has a camera in her hand and photographing.
Helena’s other passion is travel. She thrives on combining her love of travel and photography to capture nature, people, cultures, landscapes and architecture in a variety of locations. Helena spent seven weeks in East and South Africa in 2016 and said it was the most exhilarating and amazing experience of her life. Post Covid Helena visited parts of Europe (including Iceland) in 2023 and in July 2024 returned from a trip to Alaska.
