Most images of the Highlands focus on its ominous lifelessness, revealing how inhospitable this region, shaped by ice and fire, really is. However, Iceland’s nature is full of surprises, and its interior is no different; many parts burst with unique flora, the abundance of which I wanted to display in a photograph.

This luscious part of the Highlands was perfect for such a shoot. Rich in the earthly colors of blue and green, it presented a primordial paradise far from human interference. The pointed mountain in the foreground made a great primary subject, surrounded by everything that I sought to include and embodying the spirit of unexpected yet ancient bountifulness.

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Against black-ash slopes, the vivid green moss is brought out beautifully, showing how it thrives in such an environment. The azure rivers, reflecting the clear summer sky, lead the eye on a journey from the striking peak in the front to the verdant landscapes further back until you reach the glacier in the distance. Veiled by an ethereal mist, its presence is both a reminder of the stark nature of this region - and a reminder of how such places of such inhospitality are essential in creating places of such bounty.