By Maddie Smith
The class hiking on Sólheimajökull glacier
Edgewood College students had the opportunity to combine photography and environmental studies by visiting Iceland this summer as part of their class, Exploring Iceland: Art and Science.
The class taught the basics of photography, as well as environmental topics such as climate change and landscape ecology. Students were able to directly use what they learned in the classroom while on their trip in Iceland by capturing the environment of what they saw through independent photography projects.
The class visited many of Iceland’s natural landscapes, providing students with plenty of photo subjects. Natalie Lenoch, a student who attended the trip, said, “Getting to practice photography in such a picturesque landscape was incredible.”
“I gave a presentation in class about glaciers, so actually getting to hike Sólheimajökull Glacier was life changing,” Lenoch said. “Water has carved its way through the land over time and created some beautiful natural landscapes that serve a purpose, beyond being famous tourist destinations and photo opportunities.”
Seljalandsfoss waterfall
By seeing the visible effects of climate change in Iceland through the receding glaciers and reduced accumulation of snow, students were able to understand how the global issue effects all parts of the world. Students also kept personal journals.
Carrie Firman, one of the professors who taught the class and helped guide the trip, said she hopes that “students will be confident in their travel experiences, as well as have a widen perspective that comes with global study.
She said she also hoped that students “will think more critically about the relationship between humans and the environment, and be able to take higher quality, more compelling photographs.”
There is a reception with FREE FOOD Thursday, September 20 from 4-6 P.M. in the Stream Atrium. All are welcome to come see selections from the class’s final projects (on display through September).
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