Young Norwegian Bathers, Blue Lagoon, Iceland

Posted by dj.tigersprout (New York City, United States) on 21 July 2008 in Lifestyle & Culture and Portfolio.

This is a detail shot of the expansive Blue Lagoon that lies just on the outskirts of greater Reykjavik, Iceland. This part of the lagoon is close to the showers / changing rooms and the cafeteria and is often where the youth tend to congregate -- while the discerning adults tend to wander further away into the vast and peaceful centers of the lake for some tranquility. The normally florescent-blue water had gone a bright milky green due to recent rain and plenty of photosynthesis sustaining sunlight. It was incredible to be immersed in such hot and relaxing water -- it was just above freezing point in the air outside but averages about 102 degrees fahrenheit inside. stay tuned -- tomorrow's pic has a more expansive view and gives a better idea of how large this lake (this chain of natural lakes) really is.

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Comments (36)

Mike from Lichfield, United Kingdom

Wouldn't you just love one of these places on your doorstep?

21 Jul 2008 5:27am

@Mike: Thanks Mike -- and yes i most certainly would! Most Icelandic towns have these baths fueled by geothermal springs -- however the Blue Lagoon is a special place altogether... :) Make sure your friend goes for a dip!

Jrask from Pasadena, United States

cold? heh...

21 Jul 2008 5:34am

@Jrask: Thanks Josh -- yes, quite cold outside... very warm, even hot inside -- a marvelous experience!

Observing from West Cheshire, United Kingdom

Thanks for sharing dj, that's one thing I do miss here in the UK, a good local Spa center.

21 Jul 2008 5:44am

@Observing: Thanks Mike! But really? No baths where you live? Not even Russian or Turkish? I thought they were everywhere! We have them here too -- but strangely i am only attracted to these places of bathing in foreign lands. If you haven't had a proper Turkish Bath -- you are missing out! ;) I learned this in Jordan!

lisa v from Gawler, Australia

The buildings are very nice too, i like the look of them.

21 Jul 2008 5:51am

@lisa v: Thanks Lisa! Icelandic architecture is quite minimal and well designed... I guess it lets the natural beauty of the landscape dominate the senses. :)

Monique from Koh Samui, Thailand

Must be sensational ... cold outside, hot inside the water! A (internet)friend of mine just came back from a trip to Iceland and its a really beautiful country, very diverse. Hope to see more of it!

21 Jul 2008 6:22am

@Monique: Cheers Monique! Yes it is wonderful place -- i have a few other shots peppered though-out my portfolio -- check them out! :) More to come!

fcofont from Valencia, Spain

Excellent compo DJ, the idea of include the towels in the foreground is brilliant!

21 Jul 2008 6:35am

@fcofont: Thanks Francisco! The towels were everywhere so they simply became part of the scene -- i love the wet spot where someone sat just before i took the pick. :)

Stephen Phillips from San Francisco, United States

DJ - thank you for another excellent page on your world tour presentation. Thanks especially for explaining about the water color. Fascinating. I look forward to more...

21 Jul 2008 6:54am

@Stephen Phillips: Cheers Stephen! I've got another Blue Lagoon shot for tomorrow... and then i am thinking i need to post some more Arctic Circle deep winter shots! :)

Mirko Herzner from Mühlheim am Main, Germany

What a nice scene here, DJ! As I like the Europe's north very much it would be really nice to be able to have a swim there soon. But this years holiday is booked to another place in Europe's north ;-)

21 Jul 2008 7:42am

@Mirko Herzner: Cheer Mirko! Where are you going? Norway? Finland? Denmark? I would love to visit all 3 of those places...! Bring some great pictures back for me! :)

saeed from ahwaz, Iran

nicely framed indeed! really interesting! well done My dear friend :)

21 Jul 2008 8:42am

@saeed: Cheers Saeed! Thanks much! :)

grouser from Ludlow, United Kingdom

Interesting. The cool colour palette yet boiling hot water. I'm suprised there is no steam.

21 Jul 2008 9:55am

@grouser: Thanks mate! Yes, there quite often is steam and lots of it! However it was very windy that day so most of it is whipped away! :)

hugo poon from hong kong, Hong Kong

What a fantastic place! Very pleasant colors... can't wait to see more!

21 Jul 2008 9:58am

@hugo poon: Cheers Hugo! I have a much more expansive shot tomorrow! :)

Laurent from Lyon, France

that must be a tremendous bath, very relaxing. It must be a strange thing to have a warm bath outside when the air is so cold.

21 Jul 2008 11:22am

@Laurent: Yes it is! But frankly -- once you are in, you forget about everything else! except maybe the camera - because you can't believe how good it is!) :)

Kylie Greenan from Richmond, Australia

This makes me look forward to the end of winter down under! Thanks for sharing DJ!

21 Jul 2008 11:45am

@Kylie Greenan: Thanks Kylie! I hope winter passes quickly! :)

Fliss from Melbourne Beach, United States

I have seen this place on TV... I don't know... with all those people in the water... makes you wonder why the water is steaming... hehehe... love the shot though - the water does look inviting.

21 Jul 2008 12:07pm

@Fliss: thanks Fliss! hehe -- when the water is this hot, and it is that cold outside -- everyone is pushing each other so they can get in! the walk from the locker-rooms to the lake was frigid! :) but once you are in, it is completely sublime!

Ekaputra Tupamahu from Malang, Indonesia

great shot!

21 Jul 2008 12:19pm

@Ekaputra Tupamahu: thanks Ekaputra! :)

bluechameleon from Vancouver, Canada

I love how your photos always take me somewhere completely different. This place looks amazing and I love how the blue towels just pop with colour!

21 Jul 2008 12:24pm

@bluechameleon: Thanks BC! :D The place was surreal! But some of the best visual stimulus was the copious amount of blue towels lying around in all sorts of bio-morphic shapes! :)

gbe from kansas city, United States

i agree that the forground makes the pic of this extraordinary place - just great

21 Jul 2008 4:23pm

@gbe: Cheers Grant! The octagon platforms that allow visitors to meander to different parts of the lake by foot were quite graphic with beautiful symmetry, line and texture -- the blue, brightly hued towels folded and twisted into bio-morphic shapes really contrasted well and then occasional darker wet spots, where someone had left the lake made the place, in my opinion, very visually captivating indeed! :)

zOOm from Paris, France

Oh ! I'm dreaming of a bath in such a place ! It really must be great !

21 Jul 2008 4:32pm

@zOOm: Thanks Florence! It is beautiful! Take a long weekend and experience it! I highly recommend Iceland for all of its natural beauty and splendor! :)

Howard F. from South Pasadena, Calif., United States

This reminded me of onsens in Hokkaido. Though the color scares me a bit (apple green suggests too much chlorine) but I think it will be VERY comfy where the temp is near 0.

21 Jul 2008 7:15pm

@Howard F.: Cheers Howard! Luckily i doubt there is any chlorine -- this is a completely natural setting. The green is from algae that naturally live in the water and begins to photosynthesize due to the sunlight and fresh water rains. The water is quite sulfuric. :)

Graham Russon from Cape Town, South Africa

Stunning shot, this could be in a travel brochure for this location. Nice one

21 Jul 2008 7:39pm

@Graham Russon: Hehe -- i think i might ask someone at Iceland Air to see if they want to use it for their brochure -- they are already using some pics of me and a friend for their website and 2008 catalogue! :)

Alun Lambert from cheshire, United Kingdom

looks like good fun

21 Jul 2008 7:43pm

@Alun Lambert: Cheers Alun -- it was a fantastically good time! Worth every penny! :)

Isao from isère, France

trés sympas le lieu, la composition et les couleurs : ça me donne envie d'y être et de nager...

very nice venue, composition and colors : it makes me want to be there and swim ...

21 Jul 2008 7:58pm

@Isao: Merci Isao! :) Just looking at the photo makes me wish i was there again! :) It was a marvelous time!

Querques from Palleja, Spain

I like it. It's a good compsition. i like also the colours. blue towels, green water. Ok, i think i gonna buy a plane ticket right now to Iceland.

21 Jul 2008 9:01pm

@Querques: Hehe -- Cheers mate! And yes -- Iceland is wonderful! Go and get a plane ticket! :)

Monique from Netherlands

Looks like a marvelous spot!

21 Jul 2008 11:57pm

@Monique: Thanks Monique -- it certainly is! :)

Richard_Irwin from Belper, United Kingdom

Now that looks great, I would love to visit Iceland one day.

22 Jul 2008 12:20am

@Richard_Irwin: Thanks Richard! You really should! There are so many reasons, many quite surprising and exotic for going! :)

Steven from Chicagoland, United States

It was interesting to see what a recent rain can do to a blue lagoon. The water is almost fluorescent. Nice capture!

22 Jul 2008 2:21am

@Steven: Cheers mate -- At first i was visually disappointed... i wanted the water to be bright baby blue -- like all the pictures i had seen! but after i hopped in i forgot about all of that! :) it was simply divine!

Michael Skorulski from Cigel, Slovakia

A great composition, Jaycee. I feel relaxed just reading about it.

22 Jul 2008 2:41am

@Michael Skorulski: Cheers Michael - I await the upcoming day i return... :) It is going to be wonderful!

Monique from Koh Samui, Thailand

Thank you so much for your compliments on my pictures at my old blog, really appreciate it ... you've made my day! ;) Btw ... where'r you from? Can't seem to figure it out ... Have a nice day!

22 Jul 2008 4:08am

@Monique: You are very welcome Monique, it was a pleasure! You have a wonderful sight with a diverse range of faaabulous pictures! I will check back again soon as there are still many more categories i haven't seen! :) I was born is Saigon and raised here in California -- so i am 'very' American in someways and very 'not' American in others...!! :) I consider myself a world citizen!

Hooman from Mashhad, Iran

good compostion.

22 Jul 2008 4:50am

@Hooman: thanks mate! :)

linerberry from New Zealand

This reminds me of the hot pools in Hanmer South Island NZ! Great shot.

22 Jul 2008 6:42am

@linerberry: Thanks Linerberry! :) I have yet to get to NZ... i have heard and seen marvelous things!

Mirko Herzner from Mühlheim am Main, Germany

Hej DJ. No Scandinavia for me this year. I am going to the Isle of Islay for a week. This will be a pure photography holiday with small whisky breaks ;-) Map?

22 Jul 2008 6:54am

@Mirko Herzner: Sounds glorious! Can't wait to see pictures! :)

Aditya from Rewari, India

Man that thing is actually Bright green!! Thats soo cool.. looks like fun

22 Jul 2008 1:07pm

@Aditya: It is certainly a fun swim! I loved it! Thanks!

willow from Chelsea, United States

Love the colors - the bright blue towels in the foreground perfectly match the windows in the background and it really ties the photo together. Great composition!

22 Jul 2008 2:34pm

@willow: Thanks Willow! I don't think i noticed that before! Very cool! :)

Twelvebit from Victoria, United States

That's one gigantic hot tub, but the babe count looks to be a little low. I'd love to try it but I suspect I wouldn't be too anxious to get out of the water.

23 Jul 2008 11:05pm

@Twelvebit: Hehe... :) Yes, getting out of the lagoon when the temperature is just above freezing is quite hard! As for the female ratio -- you needn't worry. ;)