(If you missed it, be sure to check out the photos from part I of the Iceland journey)

And in part II of the Iceland recap, we wrap up our time in the south and head north to western Iceland (yes, north to western Iceland). First you’ll take a glimpse at the Golden Circle where waterfalls are as plentiful as the tourists. The Golden Circle is most notably home to Gullfoss, a massive multi-tiered waterfall, but it’s also home to Bruarfoss, a lesser known but spectacularly blue waterfall tucked away. (I highly recommend the hike along the river to Bruarfoss).

After a night and very brief visit to Öxarárfoss and Thingvellir (Þingvellir) National Park, we began our long voyage northwest in search of puffins in Latrabjarg, the westernmost point of the island. The road to Latrabjarg is long, windy, and merely a packed dirt/gravel road with plenty of potholes (only exacerbated by the recent rains). Seeing puffins wasn’t a guarantee, the rain was on and off, and that little campervan was giving it all it had, but thanks to Julie’s skillful navigation of the roads, we made it and we were rewarded to the spectacle of a slew of puffins and shorebirds.

Making the most of our time all the way out in the westfjords, a pitstop to the dynjandi waterfall was in order. After traversing through some snowy landscapes and getting pelted by a sudden hailstorm while we were exploring the falls, we briskly roamed through Snaefellsness peninsula before capping off our trip with a final sunset at the famous Kirkjufellsfoss and Mt. Kirkjufell.

(Rounding out the Wyoming trip trilogy, be sure to check out the first and second parts from Yellowstone if you haven't already!)

The Tetons, the staggering peaks that look like the inspiration for childrens' mountain drawings, are nothing short of spectacular. The incredible scenery, the abundance of wildlife, the lively quaint town of Jackson, WY, plus the incredible display of fall colors in September, made the area quite a sight to see.  Our time was short in the Grand Teton National Park, so we had to soak in as much of the mountains, fall colors, historical landmarks, wildlife, and star studded skies as we could handle. 

I hope you enjoy the snow dusted mountains, moose(!!), and autumn colors!

Don't forget to stop by for prints of these images and many others over in the Print Shop!

(In case you missed the last part of the series, where I showcased the colors and textures from Yellowstone, you can check it out here)

…And here we have what have Yellowstone, America's Serengeti, is most known for: the wildlife. Photographing wildlife is a true test of persistence and patience, but the experience is surreal and the results are some of the most rewarding.  I rented a behemoth of a lens for the trip, a Nikon 600mm f/4 (the heaviest lens Nikon produces), and using that monster was an experience in of itself.  Holding steady a long 12lbs is harder than it seems… as a result, it was mounted on a tripod with great regularity.

The wildlife in Yellowstone, like the landscape around it, is unpredictable and ever changing, but when the light is right, the weather is terrible, and the opportunity arises, it’s an incredible sight to see.  While we didn’t catch a glimpse of a grizzly, we were pleased to encounter quite a number of bison, pronghorns, white-tailed deer, mule deer, herds of elk, young bighorn sheep, coyotes, and a just a glance of a pack of wolves before they disappeared into the forest.  Photographing the animals was a blast and definitely something I'm looking forward to doing again.  Hope you enjoy the photos!

Be sure to stay tuned for the last segment of the trip to Wyoming featuring the spectacular and staggering Teton Range of the Grand Teton National Park.

Update: Here's part 3 from Grand Teton National Park!