Day 1 - Arrival in Iceland

 

You’ll arrive in Iceland and make your way to your hotel in Reykjavík, where you’ll be able to rest or explore the city at your own leisure until the evening comes around. At 7pm, meet Dani and the rest of your group in the lobby of the hotel, before heading to one of Iceland’s best restaurants for dinner where you’ll get to know your fellow photographers and have a chance to go over the itinerary and logistics for the rest of the week.

 

Day 2 - Vík

 

After breakfast, we will begin our journey towards the stunning south coast of Iceland. Along the way, we’ll stop at two of Iceland’s most beautiful waterfalls, Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss, where you’ll have a chance to practice your long exposure skills.

 

We’ll then make our way to Dyrhólaey, a small promontory located close to the southernmost point of Iceland – the fishing village of Vík. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to photograph the 120m high natural stone arch that has eroded away from the headland. Depending on the conditions, this area makes for a host of dramatic and moody shots.

 

Our sunset location will be at the famous Reynisfjara black sand beach, where tumultuous waves from the Atlantic Ocean crash furiously against the Reynisdrangar sea stacks.

 

We’ll then retire for the night to our hotel in Vík.

 

Day 3 - Vatnajökull National Park

 

After breakfast, we’ll continue on our way towards the Vatnajökull National Park, a vast area that contains some of Iceland’s most stunning landscapes for photography. We’ll spend several days in this area, capturing it in a variety of different conditions.

 

At Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, you’ll have the opportunity to shoot the brilliant blue icebergs after they have calved away from Breiðamerkurjökull glacier, while they float around serenely in the tidal lagoon before cruising out to sea. This is also a good place to practice wildlife photography, as you’ll more than likely spot a few seals out and about!

 

Adjacent to the glacier lagoon is the famous Ice Beach, where large chunks of ice from the lagoon that have been reshaped by the sea wash back onto the black sandy shores, resembling diamonds in the sun.

 

After dinner, there may be the chance to photograph the Northern Lights at the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, depending on aurora activity and weather conditions.

 

You’ll retire for the night to your hotel in the Jökulsárlón area.

 

Day 4 - Vatnajökull National Park

 

Our sunrise shoot will be at the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon: the charm of it is that this area changes under different lighting conditions, so you’ll be able to capture some truly unique images. You will also head back to the Ice Beach to practice your long exposure action skills further.

 

The focus of this day though will be ice cave photography. We’ll make our way to a spectacular ice cave in the heart of Europe’s biggest ice-cap, the Vatnajökull glacier. The deep tunnels, thick walls of ice shining with blue hues, and unusual formations within the cave will make for some awe-inspiring photographs.

 

After dinner, we’ll hunt for the Northern Lights once again before retiring to our hotel in the Jökulsárlón area.

 

Day 5 - Vatnajökull National Park

 

On day five, you’ll have your final chance to practice your long exposure action skills with sunrise at the diamond ice beach. After that, we’ll head to the splendid Vestrahorn mountain on the Stokksnes Peninsula, where undulating black sand dunes, snow and the incoming waves of the Atlantic Ocean will make for a myriad of compositions to be captured. We’ll stay here for sunset before heading back to the Jökulsárlón area for dinner and trying our hand once again at shooting the Northern Lights.

 

Day 6 - Vík

 

On our sixth day, we’ll visit the fascinating Skaftafell Nature Reserve, where we’ll spend the day shooting waterfalls, glacier tongues, ice caps and rivers.

 

We’ll then make our way backwards on the south coast towards the fishing village of Vík, where you’ll shoot sunset at the Reynisfjara black sand beach from another viewpoint. If the Northern Lights make a show, then we’ll try to capture them but if not, you can retire to bed after a long day of shooting in accommodation in Vík.

 

Day 7 - Golden Circle

 

This will be your final day of photography. We’ll get up early and head towards the Golden Circle, on our way back to Reykjavík. Along the way, you’ll have the chance to photograph three of Iceland’s most famous sites: Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir Geothermal Area, and Gullfoss Waterfall.

 

Located in a valley between two tectonic plates, Þingvellir is a UNESCO World Heritage site where the landscape is otherworldly and surreal. You’ll be able to photograph the walls that mark the edges of Eurasian and North American continents, the snow-covered lava fields and incredible ravines filled with crystal clear spring water that have been opened by earthquakes in the past.

 

At the Geysir Geothermal Area, you’ll have the chance to capture what makes Iceland the land of fire and ice! The site sports fumaroles, hot springs and mud-pots, as well as the erupting geyser Strokkur, which can reach heights of 20-40m!

 

Your final subject on this workshop will be Iceland’s golden waterfall, Gullfoss. Thundering forth across two tiers into a deep canyon, this waterfall is encrusted with ice and snow during the winter, making for an utterly stunning landscape. If the sun comes out to play, then you’ll be able to photograph rainbows in its mist.

 

When you’ve had your fill of photographing this mystical winter wonderland, we’ll head back to Reykjavík for the night.

 

Day 8 - Reykjavík

 

This will be the final day of the tour. We’ll have breakfast, then bid one another farewell as we make our transfers back to Keflavík airport.