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Darkelf Photography, Perth (2026)

26/05/2026

Reaching for the Light

We have returned from our latest trip and it is time to get back into posting. I started sharing photos from Faroe Islands before my little sojourn on the east coast of Australia and I shall resume with that theme at the moment.

This is a long exposure taken from the top of Klakkur mountain near Klaksvik. It was one of the hikes what we really wanted to do and set time aside specifically for that purpose. It is a reasonably steep but not a long climb. It can take around an hour to get to the top. Terrain can be very muddy and slippery though, especially after recent rain. It was more than a little muddy when we went up there but overall it was quite alright and we took our time to enjoy the views over Klaksvik and surrounding landscape on the way up.

There was a lot to enjoy because the views from the summit were spectacular. You get pretty much a 360 degree overview of the area around Klakkur. Mountains, cliffs, fjords, city of Klaksvik, and sheep -what else could one want? We could see a few of the other isles in every direction. It was the kind of a view that one could not get enough of. It looks great in the photos but it is just something else altogether in real life. If the weather did not deteriorate overnight and we did not have many other places to visit, we would have definitely climbed up there again.

Conditions were very much on the moody side but while it was overcast, the visibility was very good in all directions. It was also very quiet with just an odd fellow traveller around at the time we were there. Light was just teasingly hinting at bursting through the small gap over the horizon. Standing at the top of the ridge felt like I was reaching out for it but it just slowly faded away. However, the view and atmosphere were well worth the steep climb and getting dirty in the mud.

There were many composition possible from many great points on the mountain. Reaching the very end offered best views towards the north with islands of Kalsoy on the left and Kunoy right ahead. I went for wider perspective with this composition to get the foreground cliff in the frame as the anchor point, to get the entire Kunoy headland without cutting it off, and to have enough space for the clouds for long exposure to work its magic up there. With moody light and blue hour setting in, it was an easy choice for me to go for extended exposures to align with my "artistic" vision for this location.

It is amazing how much these "little" islands have to offer. This was one of the highlights from our last visit. I have more highlights coming up soon. Stay tuned!

ISO 50 | f/16 | 240 sec | 15mm

29/04/2026

Piercing Light

Something a little more minimalist today. This was the morning view from our accommodation in Gotugjogv on Eysturoy in the Faroe Islands. That was about as much sunlight as we were going to get that day. Thick clouds rolled over the Faroes during the night and darkness lasted long into the day with only brief moments when sun was threatening to break through. I took this photo from our hotel. I actually noticed very faint light and colour a bit earlier and took few even more minimalist images. I will consider posting one of them in the future. Then we sat down for breakfast when I once again noticed this scene outside our windows. The camera was already prepared with my longer lens attached, and I was able to quickly take a few more shots. Because of the brightness of the light, I exposed for the sunlight, and I was happy to keep the cliffs and foreground water silhouetted. I love this kind of a scene and light, and I like a bit of contrast and darkness in the final image to emphasise the mood of the moment.

I am taking a short break I will be back in two to three weeks.

ISO 100 | f/9 | 1/250 sec | 170mm

20/04/2026

Land of the Sheep

Hopping between various islands in the Faroes is quite simple. Distances are small even though one often needs to drive around fjords and mountains. Sometimes there is an underwater tunnel which connects the islands. This is coastal scenery with the ever present local inhabitants near Elduvik on Eysturoy island. Misty cliffs of Kalsoy are also visible in the far distance. It was a rainy and windy day. First half was completely washed out. Luckily, the conditions improved a little later on for us to head out and explore.

I remember stopping on a small headland reaching into Funningsfjordur to have a look at the views. The tip of the headland was right in the path of all the biggest winds gusts. The winds were not of the most dangerous quality but it was bitterly cold and there were odd showers passing by. I loved the view but I had to muster additional motivation to make myself get out of the car. On went my beannie and gloves and out I went. The wind was coming directly from the side I was facing to take photos. I could often see the next gust as it was travelling over the water, so I always had a moment to prepare myself for it and either turn away or steady my camera.

Did you ever have a situation when you were all good and cosy while you were busy taking photos, not really thinking too much about how cold or wet it was, only to instantly snap back into reality as soon as you finished with your camera? I find that once I set up for a photo and during the process of taking it, I am somewhat isolated from everything else. I do not feel cold or wet. I am just in my zone. Then suddenly I realise that my face is cold, my hands are almost freezing, and there is water dripping left right and centre over my rain gear. It is just such an unreal feeling. What follows is usually a very quick dash to the car, dumping of gear in the boot, and turning on the heather inside the car. It was much like that when I was taking this photo. The moment I finished I thought "damn, it is cold out here".

I took the photo hand held. I did not really get a chance to get my tripod out (and there was not need for it anyway). It was not easy taking it against the wind with my eyes watering up constantly because of it. There were also water drops floating about to contend with. I had to wipe the lens often to be able to take a clean frame without drops visible. I had to also pick the moments between wind gusts to press the shutter button when my camera was at its steadiest. A couple of times I was about to press or even already pressing the shutter when wind would push the lens up or down unexpectedly.

I am glad I persevered though because this was one of my favourite spots in the Faroes outside of the iconic locations. I repeated the dose next day at the same location when taking a photo of a town on the other side of the fjord in opposite direction. We stopped by this place again, in fact, to see whether I could improve on the current photo with different light and conditions but this was the mood and light I liked the most. Another bonus of making the decision to come out of the car a day earlier.

ISO 200 | f/8 | 1/50 sec | 24mm

14/04/2026

Just Around the Corner

Back in 2024 we visited Faroe Islands for about two weeks which gave us a chance to thoroughly explore these small volcanic islands in the North Atlantic. I was especially keen to discover all the coastal spots accessible by roads, and there was much to find there indeed. Weather can be quite fickle in this region so having two weeks gave us enough time to wait out any adverse conditions, and that extra time was definitely needed.

At the beginning, we stayed in the capital, Tórshavn, on Streymoy island and it was only natural that we would start our exploration around there. When we went to Streymoy previously in 2019, weather was very dreary and we only skimmed the main parts of the island before moving on elsewhere. Later on weather improved and we did manage to return, but still there were places which we had to leave for another time with a solid promise to return. Small village of Sydradalur was one of these locations and this is the road leading up towards the settlement which is hiding somewhere ahead between the sharp edges of the mountains.

The road was not frequented by vehicles on the day so we had the freedom to stop almost everywhere to take in the sights and a few photos as well. Every corner and every bend in the road would bring a new perspective and something different to discover. It was windy with passing showers with the odd moment of sunlight as the light pushed past the clouds. I liked the atmosphere that these conditions created. When I think of Faroe Islands, this is what first comes to my mind. Cliffs rising over the fjords into the distance, cool air, clouds hanging over, and also feeling of peace and silence. Very much like it was on that day.

When we saw this view, I immediately knew we had to stop.There was a little bay on the side just up the road where I was able to safely get my camera out and walk down the winding path to find an interesting composition. This scene offered good leading lines, as well as wonderful depth created by the light and shadows over the mountains. Because the clouds were moving fast, I had to wait for the right light. I was especially looking for a bit of sunlight on the distant mountain just to provide nice separation between the cliffs. No tripod or multiple exposures were required here. Beautiful landscape and light did most of the work for me in this instance. Then it was time to get back on the road and find out what the next corner would reveal.

ISO 400 | f/8 | 1/400 sec | 63mm

10/04/2026

Outback Encounters

You might have seen some photos of Australia with a caption "there is a thousand things hiding in this scene that can kill you" or something to that effect. This is in reference to belief that every insect and animal in Australia is out to get you. Somewhat of a misconception but still, the outback remains an unforgiving and dangerous place to the unprepared. I thought this photo was somewhere in that category. Plus, I just always wanted to post an image like this but never really had a chance as it is a bit of a cliché :-)

ISO 200 | f/8 | 1/320 sec | 24mm

07/04/2026

Underworld

Gloomy and damp afternoon seemed like a perfect time to divert from lakeside scenery and visit the Cathedral Quarry in the Lake District in England. We spent the morning driving between the lakes to explore this beautiful area. We had heard a lot about it and seen a lot of great photos before visiting, so we were looking forward to seeing it with out own eyes. It was only a short visit, on the back of our Scotland trip, but it gave us a good idea what Lake District is all about.

The weather cleared up in the morning, however, it became more gloomy and wet as the day went on. I remember stopping on the shores of Derwentwater and checking out local maps to see where we could head out in these conditions. We really did not want to go back to the hotel half way through the day. As I was looking at the maps, I spotted a place marked as 'Cathedral Cave'. The name stirred my interest immediately and we proceeded to find out about it. When it turned out is was a complex of tunnels and caves in an old slate mine, we decided to go straight there.

It turned out to be a great decision. Short walk through the countryside to the quarry was lovely and exploring the old mine site was even more interesting. The main chamber which you can see in this photo was spectacular. It is about 12 metres tall and there is an 80 metre tunnel which leads into it. There were a few other people around but the atmosphere was very quite and peaceful. I had plenty of time to take out my camera and take a few photos inside the cave. Because it was rather humid, there was a think veil of mist around which created a haunting mood inside the cave. I also loved the soft light seeping through the main opening in the rock.

The contrast between the bright light out side and the dark rocky walls was significant and I ended up taking multiple exposures. I later combined them through Lightroom's merge to HDR feature to achieve an exposure which allowed me to process it further from there. Composition wise, I tried a couple of different angles to see what would work best. The big pillar was the main feature of the chamber but I also like the rocks on the right hand side with the light illuminating them nicely. That added nice depth to the scene.

I was not aware of this location prior to visiting Lake District, so it was a wonderful find along our journey. I was quite glad for poor weather in the end, as that allowed us to looks for alternative places to visit. Otherwise, we might have missed the Cathedral Quarry altogether.

ISO 800 | f/8 | 1/4 sec | 15mm

31/03/2026

Light Will Find a Way

Autumn in al its glory in a woodland near Krakow in Poland. We went for a walk through the Prądnik Valley with some friends on a lovely autumn's day. It was more of a casual stroll through a very picturesque area, knows for its streams and forests, as well as for some stunning rock formations and caves. On this day, we were just happy to enjoy open areas as the weather was just about perfect.

Of course, no stroll through autumn woodland would be possible without me taking my camera along for the rise.There are possibilities along the way to sneak off the beaten track to see if anything interesting can be found in the woods. This spot immediately resonated with me. I loved the filtered light coming through the trees. I also liked the fantastic array of colours on the forest floor. Greens, yellows, oranges, and reds as far as the eye could see. As usual in a forest, there was a certain degree of chaos with stray branches and tree trunks scattered everywhere. However, I did manage to find a composition and minimised the clutter which allowed for the light and colours to find their way.

I did not really plan for the sun star but I did position the sun in the gap between the two trees, and I am glad that it came out the way it did. I remember checking the settings as I was working on the photo and I was expecting to find f/11 or f/16, thinking I must have stopped down quite a bit. However, it turned out to be f/4, which makes it even more surprising that it worked out so well. From memory, it was quite dark in the woodland and a bit windy too, so I was looking for a fast shutter speed to counter these conditions. I do not have the most steady hands with a camera and I did not want to keep my friends waiting by setting up a tripod in this instance.

It really was an amazing autumnal display and I am hoping to visit this area again in the future during autumn for further exploration and photography. I have been missing this kind of colourful autumn where I live, for a number of years, but recent travels gave me wonderful opportunities to enjoy the golden season in various locations, including here in Australia. Hopefully, more autumn photography awaits for me down the road.

ISO 1600 | f/4 | 1/800 sec | 24mm

24/03/2026

Highland Citadel

Time for a black and white photo. I have looked at this image of Castle Stalker in Scotland a number of times when going through in my collection and kept thinking about doing a black and white conversion. When I was choosing a photo to post today, I came across it again and finally I decided to work on it for a bit, and this is the resulting impression.

It was a spot which we missed visiting a few years earlier and we allocated more time to be able to stop there when we went back. It was high on my list of places to photograph. We planned an afternoon/evening session and also went back again in the morning. Today's post comes from the afternoon visit. There is a number of different spots from which to photograph the castle and having the extra time allowed us to explore a few. Some are tide dependent and that also had to be taken into consideration. Having good side light was also an important factor as it allowed to add dimension and depth into the scene.

There were two main options for composition which I considered given the light and conditions which we encountered. One was to find a spot closer to the castle, and try to use the foreground as the leading element. Second was to find a composition which would set the castle against the mountains in the background and use a telephoto lens to photograph the scenery. The latter option was what I went with here and we decided to explore the areas to the south and east from the castle. While we did that, we spotted a small wooden bridge which cut across the inlet, and discovered that it offered good views of the castle with mountains in the background. This photo was taken from that location, just past the bridge on the south end.

I already mentioned the light and its direction which was another consideration when composing the photo. While the view from the bridge was great as well and it could work nicely, I wanted to catch the light illuminating one of the walls of the keep. I felt that it would add a bit of additional separation between the castle and the mountains. Final composition took a few fine adjustments as I was working out how much of the surroundings and mountains to include in the frame, as well as the angle which would work best for my vision. I think I quite liked that shadow line in the background pointing towards the structure. Keeping the castle set against the shadow part of the mountains further enhanced the depth in my view.

Sunset and sunrise did not produce anything overly exciting and I also did not get foggy conditions which I was hoping for, but it was still a fantastic experience to visit and discover this area. Afternoon light was great and it sculpted the landscape beautifully. I thought of a black and white image immediately but it took a bit of time at home for me to finally give it a go. I think it just took time for my mind the settle and a specific vision.

ISO 400 | f/8 | 1/500 sec | 200mm

16/03/2026

Awakening of Light

A different perspective on the wonderful morning we spent at Quiraing on the Isle of Skye a couple of years ago. Rather than the traditional view towards the Trotternish Ridge, this is looking east towards the Isle of Rona and mainland ridges in the distance. I mentioned in my write-up for the previous photo from Quiraing that I was running a two camera setup and today's photo comes from the second camera. It was pointed to where the real show in the sky was happening. I was lucky enough that light and colour was present in both directions so I cam with a handful of great images from that morning.

Both compositions had their challenges with wide dynamic range in both scenes and the need to balance highlights and shadows. The main consideration here was waiting for the sky to become bright enough to shine a bit of light on the hills to reveal a bit of detail and enhance depth effect. For most of the dawn the foreground here was juts a dark patch while the sky went through a wonderful progression from darkness to fiery sunset tones. Once the sky started turning to gold, it generated enough brightness to give the foreground a bit of life without overpowering it. I was looking more for subtle light rather that direct sunlight. I wanted to photograph that pre-sunrise mood where you could feel it was still dark but just about reaching the peak of colour before it started to dissipate. Keeping the colour saturation under control was another challenge as it was pure eye candy display without dialling anything back. I hope I got the balance right here.

ISO 100 | f/8 | 1.6 sec | 24mm

03/03/2026

Sunset Waves

Sunset over the coast of Norfolk Island in Australia. I took this photo not long before I went to explore the little canyon from the previous post. In fact, I was about to start heading slowly back right then but I noticed a glimmer of colour starting to appear in the clouds, just when I thought it was all over for the evening. There was promise of good things earlier in the day with nice cloud cover and good weather conditions. When I arrived at the location, however, the clouds closed up over the horizon which meant that chances for a colourful sunset just got a lot slimmer.

My initial composition turned out to be something of a disappointment as I was predominantly counting on the skies to provide the main interest with the foreground more of a finishing element. Low tide did not help much in this case. Wave action was much further out to sea and I decided to explore further in hope of findings a better or more engaging composition. I was was definitely looking for waves and some nice swell action, and I was able to find it on the other side of the headland. The coast was quite rough on this side and I could not get in right over the water, so I walked out as far as I could and was rewarded with sizable waves crashing over the rocky ledges in front of me.

Now that I found a good spot, I was hoping that the sky would cooperate as well. It had a moody feel to it already and I took a number of photos to catch the waves but I felt that it needed something more. This was another occasion which showed that patience in photography is often rewarded. I resisted the temptation to pack up early, or to look for other photo options, and almost right at the very end the light did come through and clouds illuminated with beautiful red tones. What I also liked is that the light brought out wonderful texture and layers in the clouds. Up until then the clouds were just bands of various shades of grey with not much detail visible to my eyes.

In the end the, all the elements came through to complete the scene for my vision. Once the light and colours faded away, I made my way back but there was still one more surprise before I reached the carpark. That was the canyon which you saw in my previous photo. From a slow beginning, it turned out to be a great evening for photography and for coastal explorations.

ISO 200 | f/8 | 1.6 sec | 24mm

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