"Iceland is so raw, so geologically angry and so unique that a
visiting artist is truly tested to do it justice. On location, intense
cognitive processing is required to examine how best to convey the
enormity of the visuals that greet the eye throughout daylight hours.
The shorter the distance between the brain and the eye, the greater the
chance of working towards an image that is as awesome as the location. I
think we may have finally achieved our goal. I am very happy with this
image.

"I have been fortunate enough to visit Skogafoss
waterfall many times over the years and I am in no doubt that it offers
the best opportunity for a creative narrative of any of Iceland’s
numerous waterfalls. It may not be the widest, or most thunderous, but
the immediate foreground is the most easily accessible. From the
riverbed below, the visual is dramatic and clean. This is “Game of
Thrones” country and from the right angle - and I have explored most of
them over the years - it is perhaps the finest backdrop I know in
Europe.

"Prior to 2018, I have, for various reasons, never
nailed the preconceived image. The main reason being that it is
technically and logistically a challenging assignment and I have not
been good enough. It is a real test of balancing working distance
against lens choice and I have made a few errors in the past. The
smaller the lens, the better. It is always the case even if the spray
from the waterfall soaks both you and your gear.

"An issue
with filming in Iceland is that whilst permits are easy to obtain,
exclusivity is not. Waterfalls such as Skogafoss will not normally be
closed off to the public if filming is taking place. As a result, the
only time to have exclusivity there is before the tourists arrive in
their droves, which is normally from 8 am onwards. But in the early
morning, the waterfall, which is tucked tightly into the cliffs, is
always in shadow and often a good two stops of exposure darker than the
open areas 200 yards away.

"There are always compromises here.
On this occasion, we were able to work longer into the morning as the
high winds had prevented many tourists from taking days trips from
Reykjavik. Nevertheless, it was still fairly dark, so I knew my depth of
field would be marginal but as long as the subject matter is sharp, I
think this actually helps the image. I don't think I have ever taken a
picture before in which the subject is less than 1% of the image and yet
everyone’s eye is immediately grabbed by that one point. That was
always my intention. I have had this image in my mind for a few years. I
could just never get a beautiful horse in the right position at the
right time. It is a beautiful horse - we chose well." - David Yarrow