The verdant landscapes of Iceland, through a new lens
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Version 0 of 1. (NOTE: To interact with the photos, click on different elements in the frame in the foreground, midground and background.) From Skaftafell National Park, a climber takes in a view of Hvannadalshnukur, Iceland's highest peak (6,923 ft.). Although covered in ice, the peak is on the rim of the summit crater of the Oraefajokull volcano, the largest of dozens of active volcano systems in Iceland. (Chris Burkard/Lytro) The loose surface of the Vatnajokull glacier meant paying special attention to crampon and ice axe placement. (Casey McCallister/Lytro) With the help of ice screws, the crew installed a hammock on icebergs on the beach of Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon. (Chris Burkard/Lytro) "You had to be there." Those are words that you never want to utter when reviewing your photos. And yet, you notice there's often something that can't quite be captured when you look through your frames. Maybe it has to do with the fact that a memory isn't two-dimensional, or even three-dimensional — a moment engages all our senses and emotions. Changing this is the pursuit of the revolutionary camera company Lytro. Lytro was heralded as a game changer in 2011 when its founder, Ren Ng, announced the introduction of the first camera capable of shooting photos that could be refocused after the fact. Hence the nickname "living pictures." In a set of light field pictures freshly commissioned by Lytro, the glaciers and verdant stretches of Iceland take on this new life. They were shot on the recently released Lytro ILLUM during a trip by photographer Chris Burkard; Nick Davidge, creative director at GreenLight Media & Marketing; and Lytro creative content manager Casey McCallister. The Lytro crew trekked through Fjadrargljufur Canyon with the help of inflatable standup paddleboards. It is possible to explore many of Iceland's hidden canyons by navigating winding streams and rivers. (Chris Burkard/Lytro) The crew took to the air in a helicopter to explore Iceland from above. Iceland's terrain includes massive blue glaciers, black volcanic rock, snow-filled craters, rolling green hills, and endless lakes and waterfalls. (Nick Davidge/Lytro) Waterfalls such as Seljalandsfoss line Iceland's Route 1, also known as the Ring Road. (Chris Burkard/Lytro) The photos helps to elucidate Lytro's intended direction in photography. The first model, which is shaped like a stick of butter and handles like a telescope, is priced low enough for an amateur to afford. The ILLUM, on the other hand, retails for $1,599. It mimics the look of a professional DSLR and features a 30-250mm lens. Lytro is banking on its merits as a unique tool for professional storytellers. And anyway, some amateur photographers can make do with the cameras in their phones (there's even an imitation refocusing app for the Nokia Lumia now). Lytro has not yet seen widespread adoption among professional photographers, but new media formats sometimes need time to take hold. The same year that Lytro shipped its first cameras, a photo story shot on iPhone with Hipstamatic filters by New York Times photographer Damon Winter surprised the photo community when it won a Pictures of the Year International award — the first such recognition for cellphone photos. Although the award spawned stories with headlines such as "Hipstamatic and the Death of Photojournalism," since then it has become increasingly common to see iPhone photos in print. The Lytro's path into the kit of professional photographers may not be as simple. There are constraints on what makes a successful Lytro photo: It must have an item very close to the lens and a compelling subject to refocus to in the background. But even so, every medium has its constraints. And so, we may yet see the first Pulitzer Prize-winning Lytro photo story. Flyfishing in the river flowing out of Fjadrarglufur, a hidden canyon, on a rainy day. (Casey McCallister/Lytro) Professional arctic kayaker and Iceland native Elli Thor navigates the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon. Boaters and kayakers give the icebergs a wide berth, as the massive chunks of ice often flip over without warning on warm days. (Chris Burkard/Lytro) An Icelandic climbing guide navigates the east wall of the Vatnajokull glacier on Iceland's south coast, an area made famous by the 2013 film "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.” Vatnajokull is the largest glacier in Europe. (Chris Burkard/Lytro) The Northern Lights shimmer over the Vatnajokull ice cap at Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon. (Chris Burkard/Lytro) The crew used glow sticks behind icebergs on the beach to illuminate them in the dead of night at Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon. The blue hue of the ice is the result of years of compression within glaciers. (Nick Davidge/Lytro) |