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Darkelf Photography, Perth (2026)

11/08/2026

Eternal Moment

Another long exposure photo from one of the most well known locations in the Faroe Islands - Drangarnir sea arch on Vagar island. We went along with a locally guided hike and enjoyed this location greatly. Light and conditions were not at their most friendly for dramatic photography, so I decided to go with my plan B which usually means my 10 stop ND filter with an extended exposure.

It is a location that we really wanted to see but did not get to it during our first trip in 2019. This time, we were more prepared and informed, so we booked a guided tour to explore this beautiful part of Faroe islands. The track passes through private land and it is not possible to do it by yourself only. Another alternative is to go there by boat, but the hike itself is excellent. Views throughout western part of Vagar are fantastic, and there are many spots to discover along the way. If we were ever to return there, I would seriously consider booking a private tour with a view to have more time to spend in this location. I think that it would be well worth it.

Drangarnir sea arch was obviously the main attraction of this hike. The same actually refers to two sea stacks - Stóri Drangur (the one in this photo) and Lítli Drangur. You can also see the islet of Tindhólmur behind the main arch. There are some great vantage points to view Dangarnir. We arrived via the high path and had fantastic perspectives on the arch from the top. I might post a photo from that side in the future. One can also get down to the water level if one is brave enough. It is quite slippery on the rocky shore and you have to be aware of wind and wave conditions all the time. It is worth it through and I felt like I got almost within a touching distance of the arch.

As I mentioned previously, the weather was not overly dramatic. It was great for tourist purposes but it was never going to create an extraordinary mood for photography. Wave action was very quiet, almost non existent really. Coming all the way out there, I was keen on making the most of the visit, and I felt that there was just enough moodiness to accompany the amazing landscape for me to give long exposure a go. Also, I pretty much had to beg the tour guide to let me stay there long enough to take this photo. Luckily, he was very accommodating. I cannot complain, really, I was also lucky that a couple of large photography tours vacated this particular spot just as I arrived, which enabled me enough freedom in a short time to plan a decent composition.

Now that I mentioned composition, I wanted for the foreground cliff and rock shelf to frame the view of the sea arch. I also did not want the islet behind to block the view through the arch completely, otherwise the arch would blend it too much with it. What made the long exposure work in my mind, were the fast moving clouds, and also the strong currents moving the water around. What I like especially is the colour of the water. The emerald hue was not as strong in real life, and it really came to life with its intensity thanks to the extended shutter speed. Foreground rocks had a variety of tones and textures in them as well, and they added additional interest to the scene.

Many years ago, I would not even bother to take too many photos in conditions like this. I would just have a look and walk away. I think that one of the best things that photography has taught me is that almost any conditions can have something interesting in them and that there are ways to make them work for my photography vision. While completely blue skies are still a slight turn off for me, grey conditions and overcast skies are something that I have fully embraced by now, and I hope that it comes through my photos.

This will be my last post before departing for a couple of months. We have a bit of travel planned. Amongst others, I am especially looking forward to return to Iceland in September.

Thank you all for your continued interest and support. I hope to catch up with you again when I return to posting towards the end of the year.

ISO 50 | f/16 | 240 sec | 15mm

03/08/2026

Embrace the Darkness

A second photo I took at Mikladalur harbour on Kalsoy island in the Faroe Islands. This is the view looking look south, in opposite direction to previous image. I did not expect this spot to have so much to offer and it was a wonderful discovery. The coastline here is amazing. I had every intention of taking a long exposure photo as soon as we arrived there, and I thought that the overall mood and clouds worked nicely for the purpose.

I explored the harbour as much as it was possible while watching out for any bigger waves, and liked the scene which I presented in my previous post. I thought about a long exposure there as well but the composition was just a little too tight. I could not get enough clouds in the sky to make it work for me. Still, shorter exposures caught the washed up water nicely and it came out great as well. On the other hand, this scene looked just perfect for a long exposure to me. Foreground provided lots of interest to lead in, there was good depth all the way to the distant cliffs, and there was a good mix of water and clouds to add that ethereal effect that long exposures can create.

I liked the waterfall hiding being the ledge as well. I would have loved to venture a little further out onto the rock shelf to get more of that waterfall, but it was very slippery out there. The rocks looked deceptively grippy but almost any sudden step ended up with a bigger or smaller slide and loss of balance. There was also a gap right in front of me and jumping over with camera gear was a bit sketchy at best. I am very keen for photos but not too keen to risk my health more than is necessary.

Only a single exposure was required for this photo. My main concern was not to blow out the sky just to the left of the main cliffs. I did a few shorter test shots to confirm my settings before firing off the proper exposure. I do that to the get a preview of what to expect. It sometimes allows me to make a decision on whether it will be worthwhile before proceeding. It was afternoon on the day we visited with the light being steady and uniform which protected me from any dramatic changes while the camera was doing its work. There was just a small chance of the sun peeking through but it kept nicely behind the clouds here. There were also a few rain drops around but luckily they did not cause too much trouble and the few that got onto my filter, I was able to clean up in post processing.

My vision for photography transformed slightly towards darker and more brooding moods. I think it can be seen in the images I post and in the way I process them. This is a good example of the kind of scenes I really love to photograph. It was also great to find a fantastic location which was not previously known to me. Photography has played a big part in our travels and led to many similar discoveries which is always a wonderful experience.

ISO 100 | f/11 | 120 se | 15 mm

28/07/2026

Forgotten Places

Coastal scenery from Mikladalur on Kalsoy island in the Farore Islands. It is on the way to the Kallur Lighthouse, but it seemed like not too may people were stopping here on the way, making it somewhat of a forgotten location. The town does have something to offer. It is a nice cosy place with a cafe overlooking the cliffs. There are few odd interesting spots such as the The Seal Woman sculpture and Marjun's Lifting Stone. The old harbour is wonderful for seascape and coastal photography and this is where I took this photo.

We stopped in Mikladalur after the hike to Kallur Lighthouse, and after walking though town we went down to the harbour. This is also where the aforementioned sculpture of Seal Woman is located. Conditions were getting a little worse by now with stronger wind and a hint of rain hovering around. Still, I was keen to make the most of this visit and found a couple of compositions which attracted my attention. First, I spent a bit of time photographing long exposures in the opposite direction along the coast, and then I concentrated on this scene. I will present the long exposure photo in my next post.

What attracted me to this side were the cliffs, the stairs cut into the rock, and the waves crashing below. I thought that they all made for an interesting combination. It was also great to take some photo at the sea level looking up towards the massive cliffs. The light was on the softer side which allowed for the details in the dark cliffs to come through nicely. Darker clouds in the sky also helped to control the exposure as I did no need to fear any blown highlights to start with. I just had to ensure that the crashing waves did not end up one big white blob but the sea was cooperating nicely as well with the waves kept coming at good intervals to avoid build up of white foam.

From there I only needed a bit of patience to find the right wave washing over the foreground rocks. How many times I have seen a great wave come through, and then sat around for the next half an hour waiting for sea to reproduce it. I have to admit that it rarely ever happens. On this occasion, rather than catching the wave as it came it, I was waiting for it to recede from the shore to form the streaks you can see forming at the bottom of the shore. I also liked the small waterfall and the way the waves interacted with the shore further into the distance. My preference is for streaky water rather than frozen water when I take seascape photos. I remember well that during my photography beginnings this was the type of photos that I was very much dreaming of taking. It is always, of course, a very personal decision as to what one wants to present in a photo, and this is something that works for me in coastal scenes.

Post processing this photo was not overly complex. Looking after the details in the cliffs was my main consideration, as well as, giving the sea its due attention, now that I had waited it out for a good wave to help me out. This spot was a wonderful bonus find in addition to the main attraction of the lighthouse and surrounding views. I could easily spend many hours at each location. Each fantastic in its own right.

ISO 50 | f/8 | 1.6 sec | 18mm

20/07/2026

Fading Darkness

There is beauty everywhere you look around in the Faroe Islands. I took this photo from exactly the same spot as the previous one. The main view of the lighthouse and cliff behind it was spectacular but there was plenty of fantastic scenery to find in other directions as well. When I looked to the west, I saw the cliffs in the distance lining up nicely to create great layers and drama. I just loved this misty view towards the islands of Eysturoy and Streymoy with the Risin og Kellingin sea stacks also visible in the distance. I think that the conditions made it great for a black and white image.

While the long exposure was taking place on my main camera, I took my backup one with the 70-200mm lens and 2x teleconverter attached, and started taking photos of the distant cliffs. I needed all of the reach at 400mm to really get the effect I was looking for. Cropping out from a wider frame could have possibly worked as well but I was glad that I got the result without losing too many pixels. It made my life a lot easier in post processing too with better level of detail in the image. The teleconverter works very well with this lens and there was hardly any noticeable quality degradation in the instances where I used this combination.

This was my favourite of the few photos which I took of the cliffs. There were some low clouds passing through in front of the last cliff and that added a lot to the atmosphere. Waterfall in the foreground was also a nice bonus to add something to catch the eye in the dark outline of the closest headland. Most of the processing work involved subtle dodging and burning to emphasise the separation between each layer and to build up a little bit of contrast. It was a low contrast scene on the day with overcast weather playing a major part. I was also on a lookout for conditions and landscapes like this during our trip. On this occasion I found just what I was hoping for.

ISO 400 | f/8 | 1/320 sec | 400mm

14/07/2026

Tides of Eternity

The famous Kallur Lightouse on Kalsoy island in the Faroe Islands. It has become especially popular since it appeared in one of the recent Bond films. There is even a James Bond tombstone on the slope of the mountain in the background. It pinpoints the exact filming location where Daniel Craig’s 007 met his demise. I was deeply into long exposure moods by that stage of the trip. It seemed that our days were either bright and sunny, or dark and moody, with not much other than rain in between. Out of all the conditions, I think moody was exactly what I was hoping for.

I knew of this location long before the Bond film enhanced its popularity. We could not make it there back in 2019, so it was high on our list for the second time around. We had a bit more flexibility so we were able to time the visit with more favourable weather. We kept checking ahead for weather and ferry tickets availability before making the final decision to go there. While I would have loved to visit during the golden hours of the day, that was not possible for us and I was glad to be able to make it there at all.

The hike to the lighthouse is quite straight forward. It was a little slippery and muddy in places but very manageable on the day. We could see the cliffs clearly and also had great view around to other islands. The best view was of course the one at the very end. When we were on the final stretch to the lighthouse, it seemed a little underwhelming at first, but once we made it to the cliffs and beyond the lighthouse, the magic of this location came to life. It was truly spectacular. We explored around and took a few photos to start with. It was very busy when we arrived but still plenty of space for everyone. We walked out onto the ridges leading out of the lighthouse and also hiked a little up the cliff behind the lighthouse.

After a couple of hours, I realised that we were the only ones left. That allowed me to go back to a few spots I picked out earlier to re-take some of the previous photos. I was especially keen to take a long exposure from the little point accessible via a narrow ridge to the north of the lighthouse. I am glad that the wind was relatively calm and that it was not too wet as otherwise getting across would have been a real challenge. It was the kind of place where you did not want to look down if you had fear of heights.

I took a number of photos at various focal lengths, from zooming right into the lighthouse to this wide view. The latter worked well for the long exposure, as I was able to get the cloudy sky and water into the frame and this is where the extended shutter speed really made the magic happen. One of the reasons I like this type of photography is the contrast it creates between the stillness of the landscape and frozen motion around it. I really loved the way the clouds were rushing in over the cliffs visible on other islands in the distance. This is just a single exposure. Uniform light revealed good detail around the entire scene and I did not require exposure blending.

This place was full of people when we arrived mid morning. Our ferry was packed and there were already other hikers who arrived earlier. However, we were completely alone by the time we decided to head back. That made the experience even more profound, and it does feel very much like the end of the world out there.

ISO 50 | f/11 | 240 sec | 15mm

06/07/2026

Morning Reveal

Morning fog lifts to reveal the magnificent coastline at Akraberg on Suduroy island, the most southerly point of the Faroe Islands. We thought that we were going to be in for a gloomy day with almost no visibility but luckily the fog started to clear and that created amazing conditions. Suduroy was the second island that we wanted to visit which we did not see back in 2019. This one is accessible only by ferry or helicopter. Ferry takes about two hours to sail across from Torshavn and we took one early in the morning to have sufficient time to explore as much of the island as possible before returning in the late afternoon.

When we reached Suduroy, it was almost completely covered by thick fog clouds and we could barely see past few metres ahead of us when we drove off the ferry. We had already decided to start from the most southern part of the island and make our way to the northern tip while stopping at various points along the way. The distance to cover from south to the north was only about 40 odd kilometres, so it was not a long drive but there was plenty to see throughout the island.

As we were getting closer to Akraberg, the fog was still hanging about. We still decided to get out of the car to see if there was anything to be seen or photographed. As we walked toward the lighthouse, thick clouds started to lift and that gave us a bit of hope. When we arrived at just about the furthest point we could walk to, the fog definitely lifted and we could see the outline of the coast getting clearer each minute. As soon as the clouds dissipated sufficiently, sunlight broke through and we experienced really wonderful conditions for the next fifteen or so minutes. You can see the result on these conditions in this photo. The cliffs revealed their fantastic detail. Sea action of excellent way down below, and remaining fog added to the overall atmosphere of mystery and wonder.

It was then a matter of find an interesting composition to make the best of the light and views on offer. Find a composition was not too difficult, but treading through endless sea of sheep droppings was definitely a challenge. We were used to walking through cattle and sheep fields where various encounters were expected, but this took it to another level. It was essentially hopping from one small path of grass to another while trying not too land in the biggest pile of manure. If we just had a long hike ahead of use, I would not even worry that much. Bringing the dirt and smell into our hire car, was definitely something we did not want to do. Also, one had to be extra careful when setting up the tripod as well.

Regardless, I did manage to find a spot where I was able to take today's photo. It really was a breathtaking view. The rest of the day turned out to be fantastic as well. I will look through my archives to see whether there were any other photos for Suduroy which I could post in the future. We enjoyed our visit there immensely. The island has had a peaceful, calm and isolated feel to it. It also packs a lot to see in a reasonably small area. It was sad to leave it at the end of the day.

ISO 100 | f/8 | 1/250 sec | 15mm

30/06/2026

Whispers of Time

Saksun is a lovely small village located in the north of Streymoy Island in the Faroe Islands. We visited this place during our first trip but we did not get a chance to really explore around it. We only walked through the village and concentrated on the church and the iconic houses. I did walk down to the lagoon but the tide was rising and I was not able to venture out too far. The second time around we spend a beautiful day walking around the tidal lagoon at low tide and also hiking the surrounding mountains. That helped to discover photo possibilities in case we decided to come back one more time, which we definitely did. This time it was in the evening with hope of either a great sunset or moody conditions. In the end moody conditions won.

It was an overcast but reasonably peaceful evening, if we ignore a small herd of horses which decided to leave their enclosure and roam wildly about the village. There is a small bridge to cross when going to the main part of Saksun and it was quite a sight with five or six horses rushing towards our car at full gallop. Luckily, they passed by without any incident and were then chased further by the locals following right behind them. Still, it was quite a welcome.

I photographed the grass thatched houses previously and it was not the right time to visit the lagoon, so I decided to climb a little further above the village to see whether it was possible to possibly find a stream or a waterfall to use in my composition. There is a larger waterfall flowing just behind the village but it was a bit risky trying to get to the side which would have worked for the composition I had in mind. It wasn't actually that easy to find a composition because most decent streams were hiding away from the view of the lagoon. I just could not find the right angle. This was one of the better compositions I could find with just enough of the view below to make it work (in my mind anyway). The clouds worked nicely as well, and long exposure gave them a dreamy feel which is something that I was looking for in this image.

Blue hour mood was definitely prevalent by the time I was able to take photos. It was getting steadily darker but I had enough time to work with a few different compositions. I also took a number of different exposures to see whether faster or slower shutter speed worked better for the waterfall. I decided to stay with the full long exposure setting because the flow was very delicate and silky rather than powerful and that silkiness worked better for my vision than strong textures. That is of course up to individual taste and discretion. There was no need for multiple exposures to be blended for this image. I had enough details all around to work with in a single frame. Single long exposure worked out just perfectly.

I greatly enjoy photographing in conditions similar to these. I love this atmosphere and often find that most people disappear back to their accommodation as darkness comes earlier in the day. I usually end roaming freely and on my own, even in the most touristy of landscape locations. That was such a quiet and peaceful evening. I was also certainly very glad that the wind kept quiet as on a couple of occasions it was so windy here that we had to turn back and come up with an alternative plan. This time I was just able to enjoy the mood and a moment of solitude.

ISO 100 | f/8 | 240 sec | 15mm

22/06/2026

Precarious Path

Faroe Islands are beautiful in moody conditions but they are also wonderful in sunny weather. This is the narrow coastal road to village of Dalur on the island of Sandoy. Colours really did come to life once the sun broke through the cloud cover. The road was a touch precarious but it was very quiet and we did not have to pass anyone on the way. When we visited in 2024, we had planned to visit two different islands in the Faroese archipelago which we have not travelled to previously. Sandoy was one of them. I believe that it was only accessible by ferry before and in 2023 a new 10km subsea tunnel has been completed which linked Sandoy with Streymoy island.

As you have seen in previous photos, coastal scenery is amazing right around the Faroes, no matter which part of the islands you visit. Overcast conditions give the islands a mysterious appearance and I love that, however, a bit of sunlight really lifts the gloom and adds fantastic depth and dimension. The sun never really reaches the top of the sky throughout the year and there is always lovely side lighting which helped to create the depth in the photo which I mentioned. The light also reflects nicely off the roads and enhances them as leading lines which are just waiting to be used in a composition.

Clouds, which are ever present in the Faroes, helped to provide a dappled light effect where one would get bight patches mixing in with the shadow areas. I really like that effect as well. In this view, the light was coming from the left behind the far cliff, which meant that most of that cliff would be in the shadow. I was waiting for a moment when there was at least a hint of light on the headland where the road disappears into the gorge to create a bit of separation between the slopes. I think I just managed to get that separation but the light was not exactly cooperating and it took a bit of patience. Mind you, with views like this, I could wait half a day out there (if we did not have many other places to visit). It was so peaceful with only the sounds of local sheep going on about their daily business breaking the silence.

September is a time of seasonal change and we could see the first subtle signs of autumn creeping into the landscape. Greens were still very vibrant but there were small patches of yellow tones starting to come through. It made for a lovely varied mix of tones which was also further enhanced by the sunlight. We had a good mix of weather during the trip with rainy days, moody days, and a few wonderful sunny ones too, to satisfy both the tourists and the photographers in us. With a lot more moodiness still to come, I wanted to share a brighter photo to show a different side of the islands as well.

ISO 200 | f/8 | 1/250 sec | 45mm

# landscape

15/06/2026

Beneath the Mountain

Blue hour setting over the town of Klaksvik on Bordoy island in the Faroe Islands. Klaksvik is the second largest town in the Faroes. I took this photo on the way back from climbing the Klakkur mountain. We were making our way back into town when we spotted this view from the car. I thought it would give me a good opportunity to add an urban element to the landscape. Once we decided to stop, I wanted to catch that moment when street lights have come on but there was still decent ambient light available to reveal the surroundings and Kunoy headland rising high in the background. This is what actually made me think about a photo. If it was a bit brighter or darker, we would have probably driven on.

I have not done too much city or street photography (other than our travel photos) in recent times. I have been concentrating almost solely on landscape photography as this is the main reason why got into the this art in the first place. As I mentioned, this was a chance to add something else to the landscape and I was more than happy to give it a go. I gave myself a moment or two to think about it. We got out of the car to consider the light and composition, and there was something in the atmosphere of the evening that just clicked with me. The last deciding factor was how the clouds were dancing around the top of the mountain ahead. In addition, if I could get a longish exposure to catch their movement, it would complete the composition for me and fortunately I was able to do that.

We walked along the local streets for a while to find a good elevated spot with minimal distractions in the foreground. There was always either a car, or a rubbish bin, or some other unwelcome element in the places I found to be most suitable but finally we found one that seemed to work well for the photo. I has a great view of the town in front of me with the steeply rising mountain filling the background. I liked how the fjord added some separation between the houses and the mountain. I just felt that the overall balance felt very good.

I took multiple exposures for this image to ensure that I could keep town light under control and not blow them out too much. I brought back the brightest street lights through exposure blending in post processing. I think that they added a good touch of life to the urban part of the scene. There were only two or three spots to address, so it was not an extensive piece of work, but worthwhile in my mind nonetheless.

I was a spur of the moment decision to stop and take this photo but I find that these have often led to some of my favourite images being taken. I did not plan for this particular photo and I was very happy when conditions aligned nicely for me to be able to take it.

ISO 50 | f/16 | 1.3 sec | 70mm

09/06/2026

Illusions and Perceptions

My apologies for taking more time that intended to post the next photo. Just busy with a few things at home and I did not get a chance to work on the next image. It is a return to Trælanípa cliffs today and the magical "floating" lake of Leitisvatn (also called Sørvágsvatn) in the Faroe Islands. Ever since our first visit back in 2019, I wanted to return there again and we did so during our last trip to the Faroes. Light was not at its best but there is always a hint of that special Faroes' atmosphere in the air and I was able to explore few different composition.

Rain was threatening on the day but we were very keen and headed out along the lake towards the cliffs. The hike, or rather a walk, is very easy but it is in the open and therefore it can get very blustery our there. It only takes about 45 minutes to reach the first cliff. When we walked there for the first time, I tried to imagine what it all actually looks like but still when I got there it surpassed anything I could come up with in my mind. That is also despite seeing photos from Trælanípa before. Second time around it was all more familiar but still exciting as we made our way. An added bonus of this hike is that we did not need a guide and we were able to do it at our own pace with plenty of time to stop and take photos.

Last time I concentrated more on the illusion created by the relationship between the lake and the ocean below. This time I was looking to work the cliffs into the image as well and to try a couple of different perspectives. I will not hide from the fact that I was looking for some ocean action with may be a bit of swell to add a bit of texture to the water but it was quite calm out there. That kept my focus on the landscape rather than the water. It is a tricky location to photography because even with 15mm width, I still felt like I needed more. My vision was to shot how the cliffs stretch form the lake towards the end point. There are also wide angle optical distortions to contend with but these days I just do not stress too much about that. I think that having a drone would be a of great benefit here (depending on the local permissions).

I did not end up taking too many photos. This is one of the images which conveys the perspective which I had envisioned. It also has the lake and the ocean in the frame which keeps the illusion of this place going. I was very happy to re-visit this location, especially since this view was still as mind bending as on the previous occasion.

ISO 100 | f/8 | 1/8 sec | 15mm

Darkelf Photography

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