Sunday, April 15, 2018

The Accidental Selfie

I have returned from Iceland.  It was a wonderful trip, and Iceland is an amazing place.  I've been back home and back to work for just about a week now.  While I thought I had gotten off scott free in terms of jet lag, the travel gods laughed in my face this weekend when all I wanted to do was sleep sleep sleep.  
In between naps, I did have a chance to go through my pictures.  The subject matter is quite photogenic so I'm not foreseeing hours of editing, but I had to chuckle at one photo in particular.  
I am NOT a selfie taker and I don't understand the obsession with selfies.  The last thing I want are pictures of ME, but this picture is like a symbol for the entire trip.  While the trip was amazing and the country is beautiful it was was freaking cold!  Let me clarify, the temperature wasn't cold like some places are cold - it was in the low 40s each day - but the windchill was something.  We had snow the entire second day, while the remaining days were clear and beautiful, but the winds blowing off that snow were bitter.  We were dressed in many many layers which mostly had to be taken off while inside so we didn't suffocate from heatstroke and put on quickly once outside.  Photos were a struggle at times because gloves have to come off for touchscreens, but if off too long frostbite was sure to set in.  I took most of the photos on my canon but also some on the iPhone.  The switching back and forth took time and made me flustered in the cold as well.  The whole process made me feel like we were on treadmill running full speed and the fact that I took a shot in selfie mode isn't surprising.  Although I'm wondering what I was taking a picture of!  What did I miss?!?!
Anyhow, I will share some photos later.  A week wasn't long enough to see the whole country but it was all I could make happen over spring break.  We went to see the Northern Lights, and we got to see them!  So now I can go back over the summer when it isn't so cold, it's light all day and night, and I have more time available.  Northern Lights in Iceland were on my bucket list, but those have now been replaced by summer in Iceland.

13 comments:

  1. There is a classic video of a fellow who spent his entire Vegas vacation thinking he was taking videos of the sites and unknowingly taking video selfies the entire time. It is worth a chuckle if you can google it.

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  2. Even better, it was an Irish man!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GDZBXZunzM

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    1. Ha ha ha! That was hysterical. I'm so glad that you linked it and I'm also glad that my camera wasn't in selfie mode the WHOLE time. :) :) :)

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  3. I'm with you on not understanding the whole selfie craze... but yours, unintentional or not, is perfect! I'm jealous that you saw the Aurora. It's on my (very short) bucket list, too. Maybe someday. In the meantime... were you able to capture any good photos of it to share?

    iPhone batteries don't like bitter cold, either. Did you find that a problem?

    Glad you're back and I look forward to lots of photos!!

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    1. Yes! Got good shots of the Northern Lights and they are something. I'll share more about them in a later post, but yes just incredible. Worth the trip.
      I had heard about the batteries so I was prepared. With spares, but never had an issues with either. The canon shuts down after a minute of not using which helps and I broke down and upgraded my iPhone 6 to the 10 before the first of the year and the battery life on that is incredible (compared to the 6). :)

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  4. That is a great picture!
    brr.. I can't do cold on a vacation. I already have enough cold at home.

    http://www.henatayeb.blgospot.com

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    1. Yes, I know that is the norm to many so I'm definitely not complaining. It was actually beautiful weather for traveling, but the wind chill made it much worse than it showed on the thermometer.

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  5. I like taking the occasional selfie. I want to go to Iceland in summer, I'm afraid it's too similar to Maine's winter to go in winter.

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    1. Yes! I'm sure it's quite similar.
      Summer sounds heavenly with highs in the 60s (record temps are in the 70s). Plus you can see and do much more as more roads are open once summer arrives.

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  6. Look forward to seeing more pictures — this one definitely whets the appetite! I seem to hear of more and more people visiting this country which I know very little about. How long did it take you to get there?

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  7. The mountain is erupting big time on Hawaii. Your Mam is safe I hope.

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