Damian Grela

Desolation of Elves

Everyone has heard of Iceland at least once in their life. It is a land of myths and legends, home to the entrance to the center of the Earth. Surrounded by a magical and mysterious aura, Iceland has a presence you can feel the moment your feet touch its ground. Some Icelanders believe in elves—beings that have lived here since the beginning of time. The elves are the island, the land, the air, and every stone. They are the energy that moves, breathes, sings with the wind, and whispers in your ear. You just need to close your eyes, forget everything, and listen closely. During my six months of living in Iceland and wandering its landscapes, I chose to capture my experience using only my old analog camera, a Canon A1. No gear or photograph could ever truly convey the beauty of this island—you have to see it with your own eyes. More importantly, Iceland is not just seen; it is felt. By shooting on film, I hoped to capture a glimpse of the island’s soul. That’s why I avoided the most iconic, picture-perfect locations and instead sought out the abandoned, the forgotten—the places filled with spirits. Most of the images in this collection were taken in my favorite part of Iceland, the Westfjords, though some were shot in the north and west, closer to the capital. What struck me as both fascinating and beautiful was that in Iceland, people don’t destroy things that have outlived their use. They simply let them be, allowing nature to reclaim them—letting them exist among the elves.