Woman in a Fur Coat by Amy Elkins in Grindavík, Iceland

In November in Iceland, the darkness hangs over you until nearly 11AM and the light dissolves just as quickly as it came.  My trip there was fleeting.  I had been traveling for several months and those few days in Iceland made up my last stop before heading back to the States.  This photograph was taken outside of the Blue Lagoon, where I had spent the morning soaking in the pale blue water.  I was waiting for a cab to take me to the airport and was feeling the heaviness of returning to reality when I came across this woman.  She was standing there by herself so quietly, just looking out at the bizarre landscape.  Just then it started to snow.  It was such a quiet moment.  This is one of several images I shot of her.  I shot them with a Canon Mark III.

Name:Amy Elkins

Place your photo was taken: Grindavík, Iceland

Like this photo as much as we do? Think this would look good on your wall? You’re in luck, this photo is available for sale in four limited edition sizes in our shop

Place you live: I’m a wanderlust at heart and 2013 has been a year of many fun adventures. For the past 6 months I have been based out of Ventura, CA. while most of my belongings are in Portland, OR.

Can you sum up the place you live?  Ocean to the West, mountains to the East. Los Angeles to the South, San Francisco to the North… and a ton of stars over head.

Occupation: Photographer

Preoccupation: Co-curator/founder of Women in Photography. Travel. Yoga. Dabbling in raw foods.

A perfect day in Ventura? A perfect day always involves waking early, coffee, picture making, exploring and learning to accept, embrace and be grateful for the fleeting moments the world provides.

If someone was visiting, what must they do?  Hike and explore the many surrounding mountains, eat burritos, thrift, drive down the PCH, explore the million pockets of LA and go to the beach often (at night is especially lovely).

A perfect meal? Currently I’m spending most of my time in Southern CA.  Perfect meal is usually Mexican food.  Especially with all the homemade tortillas and salsa.

What is the best thing about your spot? While in Southern CA, the weather and proximity to mountains, ocean and nearby cities (LA, San Francisco).

What is the worst? The traffic.

A little known fact about where you live? Avocados and citrus fruits seem to fall from the sky.  The state will probably eventually fall into the ocean.

Where is your favorite place in the world? After some time to process traveling to 7 countries in the past 8 months, I’d say I’m torn between the amazing food, beauty and hospitality of Turkey, the gorgeous and surreal landscapes of Iceland and the wild, amazing streets of Paris.

Who are your three favorite photographers? Off the top of my head: Rineke Dijkstra, August Sander and Irving Penn (though I have far more than three).
Photographs: amyelkins.com
Experiments: amyelkins-photo.tumblr.com
Women in Photography: wipnyc.org
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