Autumn: Vijlenerbos

Arjan Wilmsen November 8, 2018

Autumn is here, and I am super busy. Renovating the house and working on what feels like a thousand projects. All of this is good. I can’t complain. But due to me being super busy I haven’t had the change to go out and capture some of that Autumn goodness. Up until this week… This week it finally happened. And probably right in time, within a few weeks these popping colors will probably be gone.

In this blog, a nice forest in Vijlen, Limburg (NL) south of the country. Lots of pines, elevation changes and beautiful forest trails and paths. A great place to spend a few hours hiking. And so I did. Alright, have a look at my shots below, thank you.

Observing and enjoying the beautiful forest.

Epic scenery, so much drama in this one.

Panorama shot of the forest, epic colors peeping through in the back.

Making a little pitstop halfway through my hike.

Click the images in the gallery below to see them in full size

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Iceland: Gaukshöfði, Vik, Laxa i Kjos, Strandarkirkja

Arjan Wilmsen August 23, 2018

In this blog post I will share 4 images, of 4 amazing locations in Iceland. Some well known and "touristy" others a little more undiscovered.

Gaukshöfði

A small detour from the Rte 32, a steep climb up the rocky cliffs — and you’re rewarded with fabulous views over the wide aquamarine Þjorsá river. In the distance is the low mound of Hekla volcano.The overlook point, with narrow trails on two rocky hills, perhaps 300 feet tall, is named for Gaukur, a 10th century resident of nearby Stong, a viking longhouse. The stories say he was murdered by his foster brother. Bones and weapons were found at the base of the cliffs, which everyone assumed must belong to the combatants.

Vik

Iceland has several volcanic beaches along its coastlines, but Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach is by far the coolest and most famous on the island. It is easily accessible from the main road running through Vík í Mýrdal and taking a walk on the black sand beach is a must. Together With basalt columns, unique lava formations, towering cliffs, and caves the area is a nature lovers delight.

Laxa i Kjos

The Laxa i Kjos is the centrepiece of one of the most stunning glacially forged valleys in Southern Iceland. A narrow upper canyon splays into a gentle, peaceful, arable valley before cascading down the final falls and pools into the sea. This exceptional river and its beautiful tributary can be reached within an hour’s drive from Reykjavik.

Strandarkirkja

Strandarkirkja is a Lutheran (Church of Iceland) parish church in Selvogur, on the southern coast of Iceland. The church, rising from the coast and pointing its tower towards the heavens, has been a beacon for those travelling at sea. It has more supporters all over the world than any other church in Iceland and is often referred to as the 'miracle church' with the locals' longstanding belief that it has profound, divine powers. Many miracles have been attributed to Strandarkirkja and there was a time when it was one of the richest churches in Iceland from the donations of Icelanders coming from all over the country in hopes of having their prayers and wishes realized.

Wedding Photography in Iceland

Arjan Wilmsen July 16, 2018

If you follow me on social media and check this site every now and then you've probably seen that I have been to Iceland yet again recently. This time I was shooting wedding photographs for this lovely American couple. It was one of the best trips and experiences I've ever had. Hanging out with this amazing couple in these breathtaking locations just was something else. I loved every second of it. To add to that, shooting their wedding photographs really made this something very special and unforgettable. Have a look at some of the photographs from this trip.

Here's what the couple wrote about the experience with me after the trip:

One of the important things for my then fiancé and I was having some amazing photos at our favorite travel destination, Iceland. We had booked our honeymoon there and thought that this was the perfect opportunity. We had no idea where to start looking for a photographer but I made a facebook post on Iceland the Photographer’s Paradise facebook group. We received an overwhelming amount of responses and sifted through many portfolios but from the very beginning Arjan’s work really stood out. We loved his landscape photography and more importantly how incredibly nice he was to work with. Even before we made a commitment to work with him, he sent us a map with over 40 locations throughout Iceland he thought would be perfect for us to shoot in and committed a lot of time on communicating with us despite a significant time zone difference. We were hesitant at first because as skeptical people we were scared to meet a complete stranger in a different country and this was further complicated by how uncomfortable we are being photographed, evidenced by maybe 1 good photos of us together in the 6 years we have been together. Arjan could not have been more understanding, accommodating, and a pleasure to work with, oh and he brought us Dutch cookies to congratulate us on our recent wedding. Meeting him in person in Iceland and spending two full days with him driving around the country was a lot of fun. He made us feel very comfortable, ran around everywhere trying to capture the perfect shot, was willing to stop at any location we wanted to randomly, and he shooed away all the other tourists getting in our shot at the black beach while carrying my jacket on his head. The best part – the incredible photos he was able to take that we will cherish for a long time to come. We could not be happier with our experience and could not recommend Arjan enough.

Here's a few more shots from the amazing time I got to spend with these amazing people in Iceland

Spring is here!

Arjan Wilmsen April 15, 2018

The temperatures are rising again, the trees and flowers are turning green and colorful again. People awake from their winter sleep and head out into nature. As much as I love the winter, Spring is always welcome. I just love the seasons, as they pass. They all bring their own beautiful assets to the table.

Therefore my wife and I decided it was time for a little bit of outdoor fun today. And we drove down to the south of the province that we live in (Limburg) To the town and area around Gulpen. Its so gorgeous. Super green, nice hills (which are rare in The Netherlands) and we just had the best weather for a decent hike. Below are some shots from our day in Gulpen, check them out. And if you ever are in the area be sure to make your way outside of the town for a bit, to get a amazing panoramic view over the town

*All shots in this blogpost were shot on my Iphone 8 and edited with the VSCO photo editor.

Norway 2014: Revised

Arjan Wilmsen April 5, 2018

Do you know that feeling, when scrolling through your older work, and feel like you could've done a better job at processing and editing some of that work? Well I do. I very often stumble upon old shots that I first thought to be not good enough to make it as a upload. Anywhere. Actually some of them I have completely ignored after taking them. Thinking they were no good. Just leaving them on my harddrive, taking up space. Never to be shown to the world.

For this particulate reason I like to dive into some folders on my pc with old shots. And so I did last night. Norway. October. 2014. A super amazing trip (I got married during this trip) where I shot a ton of decent material. But there's just so much photographs never being looked at the way I did last night... After playing around with editing a few of them I was quite happy with the selection shown below.

Let me know what you think of these shots! Do you have old and untouched shots laying around? You know what to do!!

These shots were taken in Ersfjordbotn, Tromvik, Rekvik, Grøtfjord and Sommarøy. All located just outside of Tromsø

Curios about the region? Click the logo to find out more information about Tromsø and its surroundings. You will be redirected to Visit Tromsø's website. Its the official travel guide to Tromsø. Have fun exploring this amazing city and beautiful landscapes surrounding it.