Gljúfrabúi

Right next to the famous Seljalandsfoss, a second waterfall hides behind a crack in the rock - Gljúfrabúi, reachable only by wading through the stream into a narrow cave canyon.

From the outside you barely see more than a split in the cliff face, water and spray pushing out through it. I climbed over the wet stones with camera and tripod, feet in the cold stream, and then suddenly you are standing inside the canyon - the waterfall above, damp moss-covered rock all around, and a fine mist hanging in the air that settles on lens and skin alike.

Right there, I set up a photo shoot. The light falling through the crack overhead is soft and diffuse, almost like a natural studio - a strange contrast to the raw, thundering force of the water just a few steps away. Few places give you the feeling of having found something hidden as quickly as this one does.

Gljúfrabúi sits within sight of the crowds at Seljalandsfoss and still goes unnoticed by many. Anyone willing to get their feet wet is rewarded with one of the most intimate places in Iceland.