Photo and caption by Alyssa Tharp

A volcanic island with hypothetically as many elves as it has people, Iceland is a dreamscape. It's beauty was revealed in a recent National Geographic spread, among many other shows and photographs that have emerged in recent years to share this small island's unique beauty with the world. But what of its ugly side? The truth is that, yes, even that is captivating. Surrounded by steam and the stink of sulfur, I couldn't help but lose myself in a joyful photographic frenzy as I stared into the amorphous forms of the large bubbling mud pits of Namaskard. Life's beauty lies even in mud.

Location: Namaskard, Myvatn, Iceland