The Mud Pits of Myvatn, Iceland

The Namafjall geothermal field is located in Northeast Iceland, on the east side of Lake Myvatn. This area is off of the ring-road 1 and is sometimes called Hell's Kitchen due to the boiling mud pits.

This high-temperature geothermal area with fumaroles and boiling mud pools is fueled from a depth of more than 1,000 meters with temperatures reaching above 200 degrees C.  What looks like an inviting landscape to explore and photograph, one must use extreme caution when walking about.  Steam vents are constantly releasing sulfur and other gasses into the atmosphere, so don’t stay in this area very long, or at least stay upwind and pay attention to the changing wind conditions.

With boiling mud pits abound and steam rising from freshly opened vents in the dirt around the walkway, a respect for mother nature is a must.

The colors and shapes in the landscape are something that I would call, other worldly, and remind me what it would be like to be on another planet and I think that is the real draw for me when it comes to photographing this area.  If you want the best photographs, you must arrive before dawn and begin your work just as the sun rises.  With the rising of the sun, the colors across the landscape will begin their change from cold blue to warm tones that reflect an out-of-the-world view.  Within two hours the entire area will be filled with wonder-seeking tourists.

Take a walk through this landscape with me: