Often looming under cloudy skies, the area of Mýrdalssandur is riddled with braided glacial rivers, dust storms, and vibrant green moss. With these unique elements combined, this area has fast become one of my favourite routes for exploring.
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Years of summer travel traditions and sheep herding have led to the creation of highland tracks that can be traversed in well-equipped 4x4 vehicles. By early June the winter ice has melted and these tracks become accessible, making way for easy access to the endless array of hiking trailheads that sit within the mountains of Iceland. With my modified Land Rover Defender on hand, I hit the highland tracks to discover the road to Mælifell.
Once reaching the black sands, the true scale of our surroundings became distinctly evident. Bright light beams shone through the cracks in the cloud cover, highlighting the natural elements that make this landscape so unique.
Out of nowhere, the summit of Mælifell revealed itself in view. Bright green moss covers all sides, sitting amidst the black ash. An overwhelming sense of confusion came over me when I first caught a glimpse of this sublime cone shaped mountain. I’ll never be able to comprehend how it was able to explode out of the flat black landscape and stand tall above the entire area; it’s these moments that really give me inspiration for my photographs.
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BENJAMIN HARDMAN is an Australian photographer residing in Iceland. His work blends digital media with fixed aesthetic principles through textural contrasts and natural obscurities within the landscape.
Instagram: @benjaminhardman
Website: benjaminhardman.com