Photographing the glacier Vatnajokull

Vatnajökull is the second largest glacier in Europe. This giant of ice in south-east Iceland offers a wide range of landscapes for photographers.
First and foremost, you need a guide and mountaineering equipment to climb the Vatnajökull glacier. The glacier is dangerous and not to be taken lightly. For those who want to try their hand at adventure, there are a number of companies offering treks on the glacier. For the rest of us, here are a few tips for photographing the Vatnajökull glacier on your own.

Glaciers are synonymous with glacier tongues. And Vatnajökull has several of them. These glacial tongues are sometimes accessible by car, such as Fjallsárlón, where there is also a lagoon formed by the melting ice.
There is also a hiking trail to the west of the Skaftafellsjökull glacier tongue. This path runs alongside the glacier and offers some interesting viewpoints for landscape photography.

Access to the glacier tongues is the best way to photograph the Vatnajökull glacier. Especially as in some cases, such as Jökulsárlón or Fjallsárlón, thousands of icebergs and blocks of ice fall into a lagoon offering endless possibilities for landscape photography.

From a technical point of view, to photograph a glacier, you need to pay particular attention to exposure. It’s essential to set the camera to manual mode to ensure correct exposure, as cameras are often affected by the surface reflections caused by the ice.
Finally, you need to be patient and wait for the right light for the desired result. Direct sunlight will tend to reveal the deep blue of the ice, whereas an overcast sky will produce a grey/white effect.

Photograph Diamond Beach and Jökulsárlón

One of the most photogenic sites in Iceland is Diamond Beach, near Jökulsárlón. This beach is unique in that thousands of icebergs and blocks of ice wash up on the black sand. A unique sight that attracts a large number of photographers to Iceland every year.

We spent a lot of time photographing at Diamond beach, and if we could give you one piece of advice, it would be to get up early! This black sand beach is perfectly exposed for sunrise photography. The first light of day breaks through the ice, creating an incredible play of light and colour. It’s even possible to have the sun in the frame.

You should also allow time to photograph Diamond Beach. The beach stretches for several kilometres on either side, so the possibilities are endless. It’s best to get a little distance from the car park and the river that leads to the ocean, so you can be alone and avoid having people in the frame.

Photography on Diamond Beach is ideal for photographers who like to work with shapes and colours. Those who like the abstract will find a superb playground with the warm colours of the sun, the black of the sand and the blue and white of the ice. The ocean waves are an added bonus, as they allow you to compose with two elements that are the same, but in different forms: ice, frozen, and water in motion. In fact, at night, Diamond Beach is perfect for long exposures of blocks of ice in the water – the effect is quite striking.

The black sand beach of Vík

The black sand beach at Vik is perhaps Iceland’s main tourist attraction, as images of it have circulated on millions of Instagram accounts, blogs, magazines and even in series such as Vikings and the Icelandic TV show Katla. So it’s impossible to do any photography in Iceland without passing the black sand beach!

As well as its black sand, Vik beach is a melting pot of natural curiosities. First of all, you can see three rocky peaks that are reputed to be three trolls frozen by the sun. Then, at the entrance to the beach, a cave surrounded by basalt columns is quite simply one of the most beautiful natural sites in the world. Finally, on the other side of the beach, Dyrhólaey offers a breathtaking view of an arch sculpted by the ocean waves that crash against it. This vantage point offers landscape photographers one of the best opportunities to capture the fury of the elements.

The best time for landscape photography in Vik is early in the morning. The sun rises behind the three trolls, creating incredible lighting effects with the basalt columns, the reflections of the waves and the water gliding over the black sand. By taking photos in Vik at sunrise, you can also avoid the tourist crowds.

But be careful with your camera equipment. The sand on Vik beach is very thin. When the wind picks up, this sand can damage lenses. Even a camera bag is not impermeable enough to protect your equipment. It is therefore advisable to carry a bin liner in case of emergency.

Taking photos at Goðafoss

Of the thousands of waterfalls and cascades in Iceland, Goðafoss is one of the most beautiful and culturally significant. In fact, this waterfall is where the Icelanders symbolically threw down their pagan gods when they converted to Christianity. Indeed, that’s where its name comes from. Godafoss means “the waterfall of the gods”!

Photographing Godafoss is a pleasure, as this natural site offers so many different possibilities. The waterfall is shaped like a circus, and can be accessed from a number of different points for different views.

In winter, Goðafoss partially freezes. This offers a magnificent spectacle of powerful torrents contrasting with parts frozen by the cold. Early in the morning or at the end of the day, you can take long exposures to create motion blur effects and highlight this contrast.
With a telephoto lens, you can also capture the details of the ice formations and stalactites.

In summer, Godafoss is bursting with colour. The flora around the waterfall is rich, so you can use plants or a lichen-covered rock as a foreground.
During the tourist season, however, there are bound to be more people around, which complicates things. If you want to take photos at Godafoss without having dozens of people in your frame, we advise you to go at dawn or dusk. There are usually only two or three photographers on site at sunrise.

Photography in Iceland: the Golden Circle

One of the must-sees when visiting Iceland is the famous Golden Circle. This route includes the three natural sites of Geysir, Gullfoss and Thingvellir.
The main attraction of the Golden Circle is its proximity to the capital Reykjavik. The three natural sites of the Golden Circle are about an hour’s drive away.
Unfortunately, given the high number of visitors to the Golden Circle, it is becoming increasingly difficult to take photographs there. Sometimes busloads of tourists arrive every few minutes. So it’s best to be patient and choose the right time: early in the morning, before first light, and at the end of the day.

Geysir is the best-known site in the Golden Circle. This gushing hot spring is a sight to behold. But to photograph it, you have to be prepared to spend some time there. The water gushes out of the spring every 5 minutes or so. So you need to be on the lookout for the slightest sign, usually a few bubbles, that the water is about to burst.
As for the settings, the exposure time should be short enough to freeze the water gushing out of the geyser.

Gullfoss waterfall is spectacular for its width and flow. When the sun comes out, a rainbow can be seen at the foot of the waterfall. These are the best times to photograph.
The best time to photograph Gullfoss is during golden hour, an hour before sunset. This time of day produces warm photos with golden highlights.

Finally, Thingvellir National Park is the last spot in the Golden Circle. There are several places in the park that are ideal for photography. These include the Öxarárfoss waterfall, Þingvallakirkja or Thingvellir church, and Iceland’s largest lake, Þingvallavatn.

Photographing the Northern Lights in Iceland

If there’s a unique experience to be had, it’s seeing and photographing the Northern Lights in Iceland.

The Northern Lights are a manifestation of volcanic activity on the surface of the sun. While the sun sends its rays down on us during the day, at night it sends back particles that, when they come into contact with our atmosphere, turn colours ranging from green to red to purple. Seeing the Northern Lights is a photographer’s dream, and there are a few things you need to know about photographing them in Iceland.

Firstly, as the Northern Lights are only visible at night, and it’s very cold in Iceland, you need the right clothes to be able to stay outside for several hours. See the section on equipment for that.

Next, you need to keep a close eye on the weather and aurora borealis forecast. In Iceland, it’s best to use the Vedur website. This Icelandic website offers the country’s most accurate weather forecasts, as well as aurora borealis forecasts linked to cloud cover. Vedur is therefore perfect for finding out where to go to photograph the Northern Lights in Iceland.

Setting up your camera to photograph the Northern Lights

From a technical point of view, you need to master long exposure to photograph the Northern Lights. Ideally, you should prospect during the day to find the right landscape and frame. Having a good foreground and background is the basis for successful Northern Lights photography. Once you’ve found the spot, you need to come back at night, set up and make your adjustments before the show begins. To freeze the movement of the Northern Lights as much as possible, you need to open your lens as wide as possible (to increase the amount of light entering), and increase the ISO, ideally between ISO 4000 and ISO 6400.
The final step is to adjust the exposure so that you have the Northern Lights, the foreground (a lake, for example) and the background (the mountains, for example) in your image.

Finally, patience is essential when photographing the Northern Lights in Iceland. Nature is unpredictable, clouds come and go, and the aurora can appear at 9pm, midnight or 4am. But more often than not, the 11pm to midnight time slot is the most likely to see the Northern Lights.

Photographing Arctic foxes in Iceland

While it’s possible to see and photograph Arctic foxes just about everywhere in Iceland, Hornstrandir nature reserve in the Westfjords is known for its high density of Arctic foxes. It is undoubtedly the best spot in Iceland for wildlife photography. However, the reserve is very isolated and can only be reached by ferry. So you’ll need to plan to sleep in a tent if you want to see the Arctic fox. Ideally, you should trek there for several days to increase your chances of seeing the foxes and to vary the scenery. We have dedicated an article to self-sufficient trekking equipment, which is ideal for this reserve.

There are two types of Arctic fox in Iceland, the brown (or blue) Arctic fox and the white Arctic fox. Both are present in Hornstrandir reserve, but brown foxes are in the majority.
You’ll need a 400mm telephoto lens minimum to photograph the Arctic fox while keeping your distance and limiting disturbance.

Photographing Arctic foxes in Iceland is a wonderful experience. To see them hunting seabirds on the cliffs, walking along the black sandy beaches in search of food or raising their young in this extreme climate is a privilege.
For photographers with little or no experience of extreme environments, a number of Wildlife tours are available in Iceland. For example, Wildlife Photo Travel offers an Arctic fox photo tour in Hornstrandir.

Departures for the Hornstrandir nature reserve are from Isafjordur, the main town in Westfjords. There are other interesting photo spots in the area, such as the Dynjandi waterfall, about an hour south of Isafjordur.

Photographing puffins in Iceland

Puffins are the photographers’ stars! It’s impossible to do wildlife photography in Iceland without seeing puffins nesting on the cliffs.

Puffins can be seen just about everywhere in Iceland. The region of Vik is one of the closest to Reykjavik where you can see and photograph puffins. Several islands, such as Grimsey in the north and Vigur in the Westfjords, are also known to be home to a large population of puffins.
In the Westfjords, the cliffs of Látrabjarg are a paradise for birdwatchers and wildlife photographers. As well as puffins, it’s easy to spot razorbills, guillemots, black guillemots, black-legged kittiwakes, northern fulmars and parasitic jaegers. There are even populations of Arctic fox and rock ptarmigan living nearby.

Photographing puffins in Iceland is not very complicated. These small seabirds are calm and peaceful, and not at all shy. It is possible to observe them from a distance of a few metres, but it is still advisable to use a telephoto lens of at least 200 mm, ideally 400 mm, so as not to be tempted to get too close. The aim is always to limit disturbance by remaining discreet, silent and keeping a reasonable distance.

Photographing Icelandic horses

Photographing Icelandic horses is an incredible experience for anyone who loves animals and horses in particular.

First of all, horses in Iceland are not wild animals, even if they sometimes look like it. In other words, they all have an owner.

The Icelandic horse is a breed of horse descended from the first horses imported to Iceland by the Vikings. They originated in Norway, but were later mixed with Irish and Scottish horses. The breed has been protected in Iceland for 1,000 years and it is forbidden to import horses to the island.

Photographing Icelandic horses is very interesting for several reasons. Firstly, they are at home in all kinds of terrain, including the most beautiful landscapes of Iceland. To see them galloping through the mountains and facing up to the extreme elements is quite impressive. Secondly, they are fairly easy to find. There’s no need to prospect for days on end to finally get a shot. Finally, they’re the ideal animal to include in compositions such as photos in a blizzard or under the northern lights. Being calm animals, anything is possible with them.

In our opinion, it’s impossible to do photography in Iceland without spending some time with Icelandic horses. Along with sheep and Arctic foxes, they are the soul of Iceland!

Photographing wild reindeer in the East Fjords

Here’s an animal you’d never suspect in Iceland! When we think of reindeer, we tend to think of Scandinavia, Canada or Greenland. But did you know that there are wild reindeer in Iceland? These animals live mainly in the east fjords, where they have managed to adapt over the last two centuries. Their ancestors were imported from Norway to be bred in Iceland. But the attempt failed and the Icelanders abandoned the reindeer to their fate. Surprisingly, the reindeer managed to survive and a population of around 7,000 now lives in Iceland.

You can see and photograph reindeer in Iceland from the east fjords to the Vatnajökull glacier in the south-east. There’s no magic formula for finding them, just drive east along Route 1 and keep your eyes open. Reindeer are very good at camouflage, so you need to take the time to scan the landscape to see them.

Icelandic reindeer are also easier to find in winter, as they come down from the mountains where food is inaccessible and stay on the coast. It is then possible to photograph them with the mountains in the background, in the snow, in the lava fields or on the coast, with the waves as a background.

Finally, Icelandic reindeer are sometimes very shy and wary, and sometimes used to humans, depending on the individual. The best way to approach them is with a minimum of camouflage, avoiding having the sky behind you so that no human silhouette is visible. It is often possible to use rocks and mounds as a barrier to move forward without being seen.