However, Heike Ollertz<\/em> and Edgar Herbst<\/em> chose a completely different approach to capture Iceland in their book, simply and without pathos titled Island<\/em> (Iceland<\/em> in English). From two different perspectives, the photographers examine this small island, lying lost at the edge of Europe, right in the middle of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Heike Ollertz<\/em> photographed with an analog Alpa 12 in 6 x 9 cm format, spending three and a half months exploring the island, traveling over 9,000 kilometers\u2014\u201cfjord up, fjord down,\u201d as she mentions in an interview<\/a>. Born in Duisburg, she studied under master teachers at the Berlin University of the Arts, worked as a freelance photographer in Berlin and Hamburg, and has been a lecturer at BTK Campus Hamburg since 2014. In this photo book, she presents outstanding landscape photographs, capturing the island\u2019s pristine essence with images that only occasionally touch upon its major landmarks. At the same time, she also depicts traces of human life\u2014aluminum plants in dense snow, weather stations, and solitary houses in a landscape defined by darkness and harsh weather. It\u2019s particularly striking that many of her photos were taken in winter, a season with far fewer images than summer, offering new impressions even of well-known places.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Edgar Herbst<\/em> also worked with analog photography, focusing on the people who inhabit this remote place in the Atlantic. He portrays the essence and unique presence of Icelanders within the context of the omnipresent nature that continually demands attention in its unsubtle way. Shooting in black and white, he highlights the distinct personalities of his subjects\u2014some perfectly fitting this solitude, others appearing grotesque, surreal, modern, and yet very normal. Born in 1961 in Bad Lauterberg, Herbst spent many years as a society photographer for major German newspapers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n That this photo book is something special becomes apparent immediately through its design and tactile quality. As expected from the mare<\/em> publishing house, it is excellently produced with an elegant linen cover. The photographs themselves are not captioned; instead, there is a directory with texts at the end of the book.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The photo book succeeds in its goal of presenting nature and the Icelanders as a unity\u2014showing how this expressive landscape shapes people, leaves its traces on them, and, in turn, is marked, teased, and claimed by them with wary reverence. Especially Heike Ollertz\u2019s photographs are remarkably powerful. Some of my favorites are her images from the Westman Islands. One example is a photograph of a dog cemetery on Heimaey Island\u2014you can almost feel the calm, the sea, and the wind.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Another photo that particularly appeals to me shows a stretch of coastline near Reykjav\u00edk with a view of the sea, where the Arctic atmosphere is almost tangible\u2014a mood that is something very special, one that always grips me, precisely because it is not meant for humans.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Edgar Herbst\u2019s images don\u2019t quite resonate with me in the same way that landscape photography does. That\u2019s understandable, as I myself am devoted to photographing landscapes and have found a special expression in the solitude of the far north. People don\u2019t quite fit into that for me. Nevertheless, there are impressive portraits that linger in memory even if you\u2019ve never met the subjects. For example, he portrays a worker aboard a freighter in \u00cdsafj\u00f6r\u00f0ur. There are also several photos of people from \u00cdsafj\u00f6r\u00f0ur, which I find fascinating. Anyone who has ever been to this remote town knows how absurd it seems to a city dweller that people actually live their lives in such a desolate place.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n But these characters often fulfill certain clich\u00e9s\u2014and sometimes they don\u2019t. When you see photos of a heavy metal concert in this quiet, isolated place, it\u2019s all the more surprising. The photo book shows many Icelanders celebrating and partying, giving the impression that the island\u2019s inhabitants truly enjoy letting loose (which perhaps only confirms the theory that people everywhere, throughout time, have always enjoyed a good drink\u2014and that this unites us all).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Conclusion<\/strong>: I can recommend this photo book to anyone who, beyond Iceland\u2019s famous natural spectacles, wants to grasp a fragile sense of the island\u2019s raw, desolate beauty and the character of its inhabitants. The photographs reveal more than what\u2019s apparent at first glance. Much of it resonated deeply with me\u2014some didn\u2019t, which I realized while viewing. That, however, stems from my own love of this landscape. Personally, I would have wished for at least twice as many photos by Heike Ollertz in the book. This is not to diminish Edgar Herbst\u2019s contribution\u2014it\u2019s simply a matter of personal preference. This book is definitely one of the most beautiful photo books about Iceland and will always remain so, because Iceland is as timeless as its people often seem.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Note:<\/strong> The book is no longer available directly from the publisher, but can still be found at many online retailers. Images reproduced with kind permission of Mare Verlag<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Book Information:<\/strong> Iceland<\/em> \u2022 Heike Ollertz and Edgar Herbst \u2022 mare Verlag \u2022 144 pages \u2022 ISBN 9783866480230<\/p>\r\n\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A steady, cool, and pure wind sweeps through the gently swaying grass, letting the refreshing, clear air brush against a face that gazes out over the infinitely wide sea with an expression of serenity. Nothing obstructs the view of these untouched, empty stone landscapes, the vast, cooled lava fields stretching far across the island, nor … <\/p>\n![\"Cape](\"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/bb2012_island_ollertz7_1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/a><\/a>
![<\/a> The Blue Lagoon; Ollertz_25 (page 94) \u00a9 Heike Ollertz \/ Agentur Focus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe photo book succeeds in its goal of presenting nature and the Icelanders as a unity\u2014showing how this expressive landscape shapes people, leaves its traces on them, and, in turn, is marked, teased, and claimed by them with wary reverence. Especially Heike Ollertz\u2019s photographs are remarkably powerful. Some of my favorites are her images from the Westman Islands. One example is a photograph of a dog cemetery on Heimaey Island\u2014you can almost feel the calm, the sea, and the wind.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAnother photo that particularly appeals to me shows a stretch of coastline near Reykjav\u00edk with a view of the sea, where the Arctic atmosphere is almost tangible\u2014a mood that is something very special, one that always grips me, precisely because it is not meant for humans.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nEdgar Herbst\u2019s images don\u2019t quite resonate with me in the same way that landscape photography does. That\u2019s understandable, as I myself am devoted to photographing landscapes and have found a special expression in the solitude of the far north. People don\u2019t quite fit into that for me. Nevertheless, there are impressive portraits that linger in memory even if you\u2019ve never met the subjects. For example, he portrays a worker aboard a freighter in \u00cdsafj\u00f6r\u00f0ur. There are also several photos of people from \u00cdsafj\u00f6r\u00f0ur, which I find fascinating. Anyone who has ever been to this remote town knows how absurd it seems to a city dweller that people actually live their lives in such a desolate place.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBut these characters often fulfill certain clich\u00e9s\u2014and sometimes they don\u2019t. When you see photos of a heavy metal concert in this quiet, isolated place, it\u2019s all the more surprising. The photo book shows many Icelanders celebrating and partying, giving the impression that the island\u2019s inhabitants truly enjoy letting loose (which perhaps only confirms the theory that people everywhere, throughout time, have always enjoyed a good drink\u2014and that this unites us all).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nConclusion<\/strong>: I can recommend this photo book to anyone who, beyond Iceland\u2019s famous natural spectacles, wants to grasp a fragile sense of the island\u2019s raw, desolate beauty and the character of its inhabitants. The photographs reveal more than what\u2019s apparent at first glance. Much of it resonated deeply with me\u2014some didn\u2019t, which I realized while viewing. That, however, stems from my own love of this landscape. Personally, I would have wished for at least twice as many photos by Heike Ollertz in the book. This is not to diminish Edgar Herbst\u2019s contribution\u2014it\u2019s simply a matter of personal preference. This book is definitely one of the most beautiful photo books about Iceland and will always remain so, because Iceland is as timeless as its people often seem.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nNote:<\/strong> The book is no longer available directly from the publisher, but can still be found at many online retailers. Images reproduced with kind permission of Mare Verlag<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBook Information:<\/strong> Iceland<\/em> \u2022 Heike Ollertz and Edgar Herbst \u2022 mare Verlag \u2022 144 pages \u2022 ISBN 9783866480230<\/p>\r\n\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A steady, cool, and pure wind sweeps through the gently swaying grass, letting the refreshing, clear air brush against a face that gazes out over the infinitely wide sea with an expression of serenity. Nothing obstructs the view of these untouched, empty stone landscapes, the vast, cooled lava fields stretching far across the island, nor … <\/p>\nContinue reading “Iceland \u2022 Heike Ollertz, Edgar Herbst”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1573,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"slim_seo":{"title":"Island \u2022 Heike Ollertz, Edgar Herbst - lesestunden","description":"Ein stetiger, k\u00fchler und reiner Wind streicht durch das sich sanft wogende Gras und l\u00e4sst die erfrischende und klare Luft \u00fcber das Gesicht s"},"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27,20],"tags":[29,28],"class_list":["post-228","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-illustrated-book","category-reviews","tag-edgar-herbst","tag-heike-ollertz"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/ollertz_island.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=228"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1573"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=228"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=228"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=228"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}](\"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/bb2012_island_ollertz5_1.jpg\"){kind=link}