The end of a day at the end of the world, a photo from Lappland, Norrland

Photographer's Note

The adventure of a visit to the Ice Hotel starts even before getting there. It starts from the moment that you land on the "white" Kiruna airport. People from the hotel are waiting for you and they take you to some dressing rooms, right outside the airport where they give you a special "uniform" that will help you to stand the cold. Just imagine something like the uniform of an astronaut preparing for the first step on the most inhospitable place of the universe. Then they give you a snowmobile and guide you through the forests for the next 16 km until you reach the hotel. Halfway, there is a stop in some traditional wooden huts where you can taste some "Sami" cuisine. Then you take the last part of the road, which is not a road exactly, its the frozen surface of Torne river, a landscape in white. White, did I say? Well sometimes the sun paints it all orange.

TWO PHOTOS FROM THE SAME TRIP:

ICE CRYSTAL HALL

NYMPH OF THE NORTH

evanrizo, saylan-cb, bostankorkulugu, syd1946, Ertan, doubay, delkoo, kdialyna, Xalkida, abulafia, Vato_Law, Emile, agriolouloudo, kri54, batalay, delic, sssimon, Didi, Felip, sunamoon has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

talikf (1290) 2007-04-11 14:07

This is completely amazing, I love this shot, I need to go there now :P

imtiyaz (1005) 2007-04-11 14:19 [Comment]

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pat0500 (21561) 2007-04-11 14:33

Hi Hercules,
Very nice composition of the beautiful adventure..!
Good POV and wonderful colours of the splendid sky.
Fantastic shot..I like much..!
Best regards,
Patrick

evanrizo (462) 2007-04-11 15:07

Γειάσου Ηρακλή.
Μοιάζουν με διαβολικά όντα. -Ё))
Πάντως είναι αρκετά όμορφη, το φως με αρέσει πολύ.
Καλό βράδυ.
Βαγγέλης

saylan-cb (12738) 2007-04-11 15:08

Hi Hercules
Superb atmosphere!A very nice compo and good colours of splendid sky.
I like this photo.
Well done/TFS/Best regards

bostankorkulugu (42866) 2007-04-11 15:58

i like this purple snow a lot irakli, goes a long very well with the orange sky... like a scene from a james bond movie... congrats file mou... a real good job...

cheers

korkut:)

syd1946 (1167) 2007-04-11 16:04

Γεια σου Ηρακλή,
Με εντυπωσιαζεις και παλι με μια μοναδικη φωτογραφια!Τοσο σαν θεμα οσο και σαν εκτελεση.Υπεροχος ο φωτισμος και ωραια η σκηνη με τα μηχανοκινητα!Μπραβο φιλε,

Θωμάς

MiguelP (14470) 2007-04-11 16:46

Espero que el cambio climбtico no nos prive de disfrutar momentos como йste, aunque sea a travйs de fotos. Me gusta mucho la definiciуn que tiene la foto teniendo en cuenta que fue hecha al atardecer. Muy bonita Hйrcules.

Ertan (2988) 2007-04-11 18:07

Hi Hercules.
Superb picture and fantastic!!!Great colors and POV.Very well done
Best Regards
Ertan

paura (25802) 2007-04-11 19:14

Hercules,
Amazing shot here! It is a very interesting subject and you place a wondeful composition on it. Very well done.

Paulo

barrufeto_77 (28888) 2007-04-12 1:19

Hola fiera.

Desde luego, el viaje cundiу. Y mucho. Un cielo buenнsimo y un gran momento.

Un saludo, OScar

Graal (103040) 2007-04-12 2:25

Hi Hercules,
amazing view and place, unusual photo. Good composition, colours and contrast. Well done. I like it.
Gr., Aleksander

ktanska (45098) 2007-04-12 3:21

Hi Hercules,
A good photo stop on the snowmobile safari. The sunset is impressive. And the lights catch attention well. Compositionally I'd prefer the sun place a bit more to the left, not above the nearest vehicle.
Kari

doubay (674) 2007-04-12 6:40

Gia su Irakli,
an ke den ime poli ton chimerinon diakopon afti edo i fotografia mu prokali pragmatika orexi na aloniso ke ego tis chionismenes pediades tis Suidias me ena tetio ochima. Perpi na ine megalo kefi.
Gia tin fotografia: Ti na po? Os sinithos poli orea. Mu thimizi ligo tenia James Bond.
Filika
Andreas

Budapestman (82620) 2007-04-12 6:43

Hi Hercules,
This is a very impressive and spectacular photo. I like the particular atmosphere and the fascinating lights. Effective composition and superb quality. Excellent shot. Have a nice day, thank you my friend
George

delkoo (68) 2007-04-12 8:03

hi hercules
this is completly different of your native Crete... anyways it must be very interesting to have such trip in snow,cold, and polar night.
great one
didier

kdialyna (3148) 2007-04-12 8:16

Γειά σου φίλε μου Ηρακλή.
Και τι δεν θα έδινα να ήμουν έκεί τώρα .
Αφ'ενός λατρεύω τις μοτοσυκλέτες και αφ'έτέρου το χιόνι.
Σε αυτή βέβαια την επιθυμία μου συμβάλλει και η φωτογραφία σου, που με τα απίθανα χρώματα και φώς, κάνει ακόμα πιό όμορφο και ονειρικό το τοπίο.
Σε χαιρετώ
Κώστας

ben4321 (9875) 2007-04-13 8:34

This is superb!
The headlights of the snowmobiles really lift the dark foreground and the evening sky makes a wonderful backdrop.
My one criticism is that area of burn-out in the sky. Sadly, it's only to be expected with didgital, but you could have minimised it by setting the camera to under-expose a bit more. Recovering shadow detail might have given you an unacceptable level of image noise though, so maybe you made the right choice.
I like the rather apocalyptic atmosphere of this image, your title is an apt one.
Good work Hercules.

Cheers,
Ben

Xalkida (11744) 2007-04-13 15:06

Αμάν αδερφέ μου, με έχεις τρελάνει μ' αυτές τις φωτογραφίες από κει ψηλά στα παγωμένα μέρη. Τα χρώματα του ουρανού καταπληκτικά και ο φωτισμός εξαίρετος (και δύσκολος).

pablominto (53746) 2007-04-14 3:42

Hello Hercules,
They are fun to drive, but very restricted in Norway! Sweden is as I know a bit easier...
Good night atmosphere is captured as the sun is dropping below horizon...
Greetings,
Pablo -

vbl (1421) 2007-04-14 8:19

Hola Hercules:
Estupendo cielo con grandes colores, la moto de nieve tiene pinta de ser divertida de usar, que envidia,
vanessa

abulafia (4900) 2007-04-14 11:16

Hi Hercules
Wonderful contrasts in this one, it is almost like a B+W shot!
I like the very dramatic sky and the snow that is lit up by the last colors of the sun.
Nice one
Harry

Vato_Law (12732) 2007-04-14 14:36

Hello Hercules,
it might be inhospit but surely it's beautiful, look at the fire in the sky! and this white pure snow!
A beautiful composition that would even be worthy if the snowmobiles and the persons weren't there as this landscape is so, so beautiful.
Cheers.
Paulo

cimcim (3712) 2007-04-14 15:59

Hi Irakli :)
There are lots of things to write about this amazing photo.
First of all this frame is very special cause it has taken in a very special atmosphere, the place you had been is very speacial it is very different from rest of the world, it has its own beauty and features.
Clouds has an incredible beauty! Their colours and movements are fantastic! And the snowmobiles&people are good addition to composition, they look great!
Hope I will have same adventure :)
LOL
aycin

Emile (20352) 2007-04-15 2:17

Hola Hercules.
Muy buena composicion con los preciosos colores del cielo y las siluetas de los que montan las motos de nieve, tu punto de vista esta muy bueno y la definicion esta perfecta.
Muy buena foto, felicitaciones.
Saludos.

agriolouloudo (165) 2007-04-15 5:44

Hi Hercules,

Just at the right moment you took this photo! Not only the sun setting gives the sky and the snow the great orange touch; it also gives the snowmobiles the chance to turn on the lights, which are very important for the composition. You have felt just perfectly the moment to capture the black shapes against the great sky.
I simply love the adventurous spirit of the photo. It's one of those moments that make my heart pump from joy and the excitment of the unknown ahead.

Bravo!!!
Larissa

meltemi (0) 2007-04-15 11:27

Hi Hercules,
So beautiful. Lovely colour and composition. Great depth of field. Well done. Greetings.
Stella

batalay (41261) 2007-04-15 22:36

Hello Hercules,

A superb note accompanying a truly memorable photo. Without the headlights, the photo would be a nice silhouette of a very interesting sight, but with the headlights there is an extra dimension. It is not merely a two dimensional photo. Beautifully conceived and implimented shot!

Regards,

Bulent

rigoletto (34279) 2007-04-16 7:05

Geia sou Irakli,
I cannot deny the beautiful combination of violet and orange, and the sky is surely your style, with great dramatic impact. The snowmobiles and their riders are surely charismatic and their fiction-like vision creates a weird combo with that romantic landscape. A really interesting share. Cheers,
Deniz

delic (6735) 2007-04-17 3:02

Kalimera Hercules,
Very nice exposure job that gives a sense of mystery. May have tried fill-flash but seems like you didn't have much time to experiment. Well done my friend.
Best wishes,
Hakan

brevbrev14 (140) 2007-04-17 5:03

Hi HErcules, i like a lot the moment you have captured, the great light,...i think a wonderful experience!!
and your image describe very well these emotions of the place!
i like it a lot!
ciao!
Valeria

sssimon (684) 2007-04-20 19:26

Hi Hercules!

Wow! What an amazing sky! It is just great to see those machines over the snow surrounding by that dramatic sky!

Simon

Didi (61591) 2007-04-29 3:40

Hello
Very interesting excursion and original scene for us; you choose the best moment for catching this nice composition.
Cheers.

kaptan (1444) 2007-04-29 14:09

Yassu Hercules
Wonderful background.Perfect Compost.Thanks.Nezih

rossy85 (2879) 2007-05-03 4:00

Hi!
Thanks for the comment , I appreciate it :)
What can I say about this picture? I'm impressed, very clear and colorful.
It seems to be a real adventure to drive this snowmobiles in a place which is so peaceful and quiet!
Regards,
Rossy

CRATEOS (7278) 2007-10-24 7:37

katapliktiki file...ore tseims mpont ke vale.!!!!!sinxero ta megista..!!!!

nf

Felip (3907) 2008-08-03 12:33

Realmente no voy a decir nada que no sepamos ya de esta imagen, es muy buena y punto. Ahora bien, referente a tu epopeya "helada", debo decir que, o estas loco, o estas loco, independientemente de que te vistan como un astronauta para enfrentarte a los rigores del termуmetro, que pijama te pones para dormir en una cama de hielo, en un "hotel" de hielo?. Te diу la chaladura Hercules!, espero que te hayas repuesto completamente! :)

Un saludo campeуn!.

Felip

P.D.1Є- Yo tambiйn he montado en una moto de nieve, aunque lo mнo fuй para ir al hospital (me rompieron unos skys en la cabeza,...cosas del sky!)
P.D.2Є-Sн Hercules, la palabra "emblemбtico", existe en el diccionario espaсol!

sunamoon (10) 2009-01-29 10:07

Woww es increible ese cielo, una escena muy buena,
genial momento para fotografiar con las motos de nieve,
una luz optima, preciosos colores!, es espectacular!
Felicidades!

Un saludo,
Elena