The road winds through the vast, desolate landscape of northern Iceland. The snowflakes swirl down slowly, their light flight in stark contrast to the black, basaltic rock on which they nestle. It seems as if the world has receded into a monochrome canvas, the colours obliterated by the icy stillness of the moment. The mountains, sharp-edged and menacing in their simplicity, show themselves as dark shadows against the blank horizon.
The snow covers everything, but it is not the soft blanket I would expect; it is sharp, like a graphic pattern, highlighting the hard edges of the volcanic landscape. The road beneath my wheels is slippery and treacherous, my concentration fully focused on maintaining grip, controlling the car in this unforgiving environment.
In this moment, the fire of Iceland seems to have disappeared, hidden under the snow, but I know it is still there - not in nature, but in my own passion for photography. The fire of inspiration burns within me as I take my camera out of the bag. Here, in this contrast of black and white, lurks the photographic gem I want to capture, before the moment fades away.
My name is Gerry van Roosmalen, photographer and author with a passion for images and stories that touch. After years in the corporate world, I followed my heart and chose photography in 2002. I completed the Fotovakschool in Apeldoorn, specialising in portrait and reportage photography.
Documentary and landscape..
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