Iceland is surely near the top of almost every photographers bucket list of places to shoot, and rightly so. The landscape here is utterly unique and offers the kind of scenes that you simply can’t witness anywhere else on earth. Jagged mountain peaks and waterfalls, black sand beaches and glaciers, the diversity is seemingly endless. It’s the kind of trip where you can’t fail to be inspired by the epic nature of the scenery, and in winter, with the landscape blanketed in white snow, the country is even more breath-taking. There’s an almost monochromatic nature to the landscape with smooth white snowscapes interrupted by black volcanic rocks or black sand and almost every where you look the view is ripe with photographic possibilities.
When we created this workshop we wanted include not only some of Iceland’s most iconic locations, but also to take people to spots that are rarely seen at this time of year, and to do that we base the workshop in two locations
Our first base is on the south coast of Iceland in the town of Vík with it’s pretty church and towering rock stacks just off the coast. We’ll spend a two nights here in 4 star accommodation and we’ll head out to shoot the famous black beach at Vík and Reynisfjara, the cliffs of Dyrhólaey, and the waterfall of Skógafoss, surrounded by snow and ice. However, there’s more to the area than that and we’ll take you to lesser known locations during our time here. We’ll spend one day travelling into the southern Highlands in specially converted 4x4 Super Jeeps with huge tyres that can comfortable drive us across deep snow. We work with highly experienced drivers and guides who’ll take us to Thorsmork valley and Stakkholtsgja canyon. In the summer months being up here feels other-worldly, but in winter time there’s a feeling of remote beauty that is indescribable.
From here we’ll head east along the coast to our next destination in the Skaftafell national park. Once again we’ll stay in 4 star accommodation close to the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon. During our time here we’ll spend some time at the lagoon where we’ll hear the eerie sound of the ice creaking as it moves across the lagoon, as well as the neighbouring “Diamond beach” where many of the icebergs wash up on the black sand. We’ll also visit an ice cave beneath the Vatnajokull glacier here. Our group will have a private guided tour, getting to the ice cave hours before other tour groups arrive to give us plenty of time to shoot these incredible caverns.
Next we’ll head to the southeast to our last base near Höfn where the Vestrahorn’s peaks rise impossibly from the black sand beach of Stokksnes and are mirrored in the tidal lagoons. Vestrahorn isn’t the only incredible peak in the area though, we’ll also spend time at the neighbouring Eystrahorn, where waves crash against the rocks infront of the jagged peaks.
Finally we’ll head back to Vík for one more night as there’s still so much to see in that area making it the perfect place to break the long journey from Höfn in south eastern Iceland to Reykjavik.
Throughout all of these locations we’ll be constantly amazed at the scenes that unfold with every kilometre of the road. Tiny waterfalls frozen into ice and unnamed peaks covered in snow, every few minutes brings a new and incredible view. And of course wherever we go there’s always the possibility of the aurora appearing at night, and if it does we’ll be ready.
All our workshops are designed to ensure that you can focus on photography while we take care of everything else. From the ideally located and comfortable accommodation, dinners in our favourite restaurants and of course a tour that’s structured to maximize your opportunities to get great images whilst improving your skills as a photographer. We use all our experience and knowledge to get you to some of Iceland’s most beautiful locations in the best light, and in the field we’re on hand to provide as much support, advice or guidance as you want.
PRICE
€7150
(price includes single occupancy room. Discount of €400 for couples or friend sharing subject to availability)
GROUP SIZE
8
EXPERIENCE
Beginner, amateur, enthusiast and semi-pro photographers.
PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY
Some walking in snow that should be well within the capability of anyone with average fitness
WORKSHOP INCLUDES
Landscape photography and shooting in unforgettable wild locations
Two professional photographers & guides who know the area
Transport around Iceland and to and from all of our shooting locations in comfortable modified 4x4 sprinter with plenty of space inside
Transportation in specially modified 4x4 vehicles to get us into the Highlands, a part of Iceland that very few people see in winter
Post-processing workshops in Lightroom and Photoshop
All accommodation in local hotels, most of which are 4 star
Dinners on first and last evening
NOT INCLUDED
Lunches, snacks or alcoholic drinks
Dinners on days 2 to 7
Insurance
Flights to/from Iceland
ITINERARY
We tour the country basing ourselves at four locations, and while the dates that we’ll be in the bases are fixed, our time at each is flexible so we can decide which locations to visit while we’re there depending on the local weather and conditions. We will however ensure that we visit all of the locations in each area. At this time of year the sun is low all day so it’s possible to shoot many of the locations throughout the day. This being the case, we don’t always structure the days around golden hour and sunrise/sunset sessions, but rather often have long sessions in which we visit multiple locations with a sunset session at the end of the day. For example, waterfalls are great to shoot on overcast afternoons. Other days though will see us out at sunrise and again again at sunset. Sunrise at this time of year is around 8h and sunset around 19h, although there are variations throughout the week depending on which part of the country we’re in.
DAY 1
Arrive in Reykjavik.
17h onwards we’ll welcome guests to our overnight accommodation in Reykjavik, spend some time getting to know each other over dinner and drinks.
DAY 2 & 3 THE SOUTH
We'll arrive in Vík on Iceland’s south coast some time in the afternoon and check into our hotel. The hotel here is wonderful and perfectly located to give us access to many wonderful location along the south coast of Iceland. We’ll stay here for two days and once again, during our time here our itinerary will be kept flexible and vary depending on weather and light, but we’ll make sure we spend some time at many of the locations in the area, and again be ready to shoot the aurora if it appears.
Vík church and beach
Reynisfjara black pebble beach and Renisdrangar
Dyrhólaey rock arch
Skógafoss & Kvernufoss waterfall
Thorsmork and Stakkholtsgja canyon
After settling into our hotel we’ll head out again to shoot in the local area. There are a lot of options here so we’ll base our choice on the conditions. The different locations here offer a wide variety of shooting, and are also different from what we’ll been doing on the previous days in the Snaefellsnes peninsula. Nearby we have the black sand beach at Reynisfjara with it’s iconic sea stacks standing just off the coast offering. We can shoot wide to capture the whole scene with the waves rolling up the beach, the white surf contrasting with the black pebbles, or we can use a telephoto to pull the rock stocks closer and make a more minimal composition with them surrounded by waves. We can play around with exposure times, blurring the water as it races up the beach, or faster shutters that freeze the waves in action.
During our stay here we’ll also spend a full day in the southern Highlands around Thorsmork. Iceland’s Highlands are one of the last significant wildernesses in Europe and very few people get to see them in winter as access through the deep snow is so challenging so we’ll use specially converted 4x4 trucks with experienced guides and drivers to access the area. This is one of the highlights of the trip, travelling though the vast open expanses of white cut through with black rivers running from the nearby glacier is a truly unique and unforgettable experience. We’ll have time here to walk through the deep snow of Stakkholtsgja canyon to the frozen waterfall at the end, and weather permitting, up to Valahnjúkur with its incredible views along the river valley.
Other locations in the area are the waterfalls of the south coast. At Skógafoss the water crashes into a shallow river allowing people to walk really close the bottom of these incredibly powerful falls, and neighbouring Kvernufoss has multiple different ways to capture it. Also close to our base is Dyrhólaey, a kind of plateau with wonderful views across the coast, as well as Hjörleifshöfði with it’s incredible cave, and a giant rock stack.
During our time here we’ll always do a sunrise session if the weather permits as at this time of year as the sun rises above the ocean often creating moments of really dynamic light. We’ll have a beak after breakfast for some rest and then on at least one day do another post processing session in the hotel. In the afternoon we’ll head out for our second session of the day, shooting through to the sunset before returning for dinner in a local restaurant, which also happens to be one of our favourite places to eat in Iceland.
Kvernufoss
Hjörleifshöfði rock formation
Stakkholtsgja canyon
Stakkholtsgja canyon
DAY 4 & 5 - VATNAJÖKULL
We’ll arrive here sometime in the afternoon depending on how many times we stopped to take photos on the way here. Once again the accommodation here is in superb a 4 star hotel which gives us easy access to some incredible locations for our two nights here
Jökulsarlon iceberg lagoon
Breiðamerkursandur “Diamond beach”
Ice caves beneath Vatnajökull glacier
Fjallsarlon glacier lagoon
Svinafellsajokull glacier
While we’re here we’ll visit Jökulsarlon ice berg lagoon which give us a range of choices to shoot. We can visit the lagoon itself, where we can play around with creating abstract shots of the icebergs or shoot the scene wide angle, or we can head behind the beach to capture shots of the vast expanse of snow covered hills leading towards the mountain and glacier. We can also visit Breiðamerkursandur, the black sand beach next to the lagoon where much of the ice washes up. Here we can create wide angle sea scapes or change the pace entirely and focus on close up abstract shots of the pieces of ice. Every piece of ice is different, and the more you look the more you see countless abstract compositions.
We’ll also spend one of the mornings here inside one of the magnificent ice caves in the area. The trip will be exclusive for our group and we’ll be meeting early, which will get us to the cave at least an hour before anyone else arrives allowing us to have the place to ourselves. Our experienced guide knows the caves really well and can quickly point out compositions as the caves are different each year which means unless you go there every day it’s difficult to know exactly what to expect. Being beneath the ice is an incredible experience, the blues and turquoises the filter the light are absolutely incredible and we’ll switch from wide angle shots (an ultra wide angle lens is essential here) to take in the whole scene to more intimate abstracts of the different patterns in the ice. It’s a wonderful place to spend time and offers some truly unique photography opportunities.
Other locations we can visit during our stay here are the smaller glacier lagoon of Fjallsarlon, and the stunning Svinafellsajokull glacier, which works particularly well with a drone.
Jokulsarlon Icecave
DAY 6 - THE SOUTH EAST
We’ll arrive in our hotel around lunchtime and get something to eat while having a little time to settle into our rooms. Once again the accommodation here is in superb a 4 star hotel which gives us easy access to some incredible locations.
Stokksnes headland beach and the peaks of the Vestrahorn
The peaks of the Eystrahorn
After a short break we’ll head out to one of the nearby locations. In this part of Iceland there are two stunning locations with mountain peaks to shoot. We’ll decide when to shoot each depending on the weather conditions. Nearby we have the incredible peaks of Vestrahorn which rise seemingly out of the ocean and black sand beach at the very south eastern tip of Iceland. Here we can find a composition with the ocean infront, or see if we can make reflections of the peak in the wet sand caused by the retreating waves. We can head up into the dunes, topped by grass which the days first light turns golden, and look for shapes and lines to act as a foreground. We can shoot the whole scene capturing the whole sweep of the peaks, or narrow our focus to capture just a part of the scene.
Not far away we have the lesser know sister peaks, the Eystrahorn, which again seem to rise up on the above the waves. Here we’ll focus on shutter times and capturing moving water with the peaks in the background, or look for compositions that capture the long lagoon here. In this area we also have some wonderful views of the other side of the Vestrahorn peaks and some wonderful snow covered mountains near the road which make beautiful austere winter scenes.
While we stay here we’ll have dinner at another of our favourite restaurants and the after the sunrise shoot we’ll have breakfast before starting off on our drive back to Vík
DAY 7 - THE SOUTH
We'll return to Vík on Iceland’s south coast, arriving there around lunch time. This is a great place to break up the long journey back from the south eastern tip of Iceland and there will be lots to see here that we didn’t catch in our previous two days earlier in the workshop. From sunrise on Reynifjara beach, to the waterfalls of Skogafoss and Kvernufoss and the dramatic rocks of Dyrhólaey we’ll do a sunset shoot here before dinner at one of my favourite restaurants in Iceland,
DAY 8 - REYKJAVIK
On our last day in Vík we’ll still have plenty of time for a final sunrise session before breakfast and checking out. We’ll also have time to stop on our way back, either of scenes we see as we drive or portraits of Icelandic horses
We’ll arrive in Reykjavik later in the afternoon, check into our hotel and have a final dinner together. In the evening there should also be time for an informal review and talk about some of our favourite images from the trip
The following morning we say our goodbyes and drop people off at the airport.
Reynisfjara beach
Skogafoss waterfall
WHAT WE DO (AND WHAT WE WANT YOU TO GET FROM OUR WORKSHOPS)
Our aim is to take you to beautiful locations and give you every opportunity to get great images while improving your technique over the course of the workshop. From the beginning of your time with us we’ll aim to identify your photographic level and what you’d like to focus on, and attempt to tailor the workshop to your precise needs and provide each participant with plenty of one-to-one tuition both in the field and in the post processing sessions.
We’ve carefully timetabled this workshop to ensure that while you get to experience some the most beautiful locations the country has to offer, from the iconic spots on the south coast to visiting the Highlands, one of Icelands most beautiful regions, which few people get to visit at this time of year. We’ll make sure that you get plenty of time in the field with long sessions you’ll quickly get into a shooting rhythm where you can put into practice new skills as they are learned. November is a great time to visit Iceland as we get all the best of winter, the snow covered landscapes and ice caves, but the days are long enough to enable us to have longer shooting sessions and drive from one base to another and still have plenty of time to go out shooting when we arrive. There’s also a very good chance of seeing the aurora in November
Our timetable is highly flexible and having a number of fantastic locations all very close to our base of accommodations means we can adapt to the weather and go where the conditions are best for shooting. This adaptability also extends to the post processing sessions. We believe that editing is an integral part of getting the absolute best out of an image but we understand that the range of participant’s skill levels and familiarity with post processing techniques varies greatly. Because of this we make the most of having small groups to provide 1-to-1 editing sessions in the morning that are tailored to each participant's skill levels, and which can potentially range from the basics of editing a RAW files in programs like Lightroom to more complex techniques like using layers and luminosity masks in Photoshop. We also do screen recordings of our editing sessions, which are then shared with all the group so you go home with a record of all the post processing techniques we used, and if we don’t have much time during the workshop to focus on editing we’ll set up a Zoom session after the workshop has ended to go over some of the techniques Andy uses to edit his images from the workshop.
Finally, we want to share with you our passion for nature and landscape photography in this incredible place. Travelling in such small groups means we can quickly build a great learning environment where people feel comfortable together and at ease with asking questions and making the absolute most of the trip. We aim to make your experience here in the beautiful landscape of Iceland a memorable one and a trip from which, as well as getting some great images from amazing locations, you’ll also go home having had a true adventure with great company in a very special place.
SOME OF THE PHOTOGRAPHY TECHNIQUES COVERED IN THIS WORKSHOP
IN THE FIELD:
Understanding the light and choosing the best exposure
Composition. Balance and harmony, leading lines and creating depth.
Lens choice. From the wide-angle vista to shooting landscape abstracts with a telephoto lens
Long exposures for blurring moving water and clouds and using neutral density filters
Shooting waterscapes, waterfalls and mountain peaks
Shooting the night sky (and the aurora if we're lucky)
Shooting multiple image panoramas
Controlling light in scenes with a wide dynamic range using graduated filters and/or multiple exposures
Shooting in the blue hour and overcast weather
Shooting ice caves
Creating abstract images and intimate landscapes
PROCESSING:
Deciding which direction to take post processing according to the mood of an image
Using Lightroom to apply contrast locally
Using Photoshop layers to build up image adjustments
“Shaping” the light using contrast tools in Photoshop and Lightroom
Using luminosity masks in Photoshop
Different techniques for blending multiple exposures of the same image
Using CaptureOne for RAW conversion
Stitching multiple panoramas together
Finishing touches for processing to give images dramatic punch
Sharpening images
ACCOMMODATION & TRANSPORT
Freezing cold weather and some long days in a vehicle mean that we want people to be really comfortable when we are back in the hotel. For this workshop we really wanted to stay at some of the best hotels available in the areas where we’ll be based and make this workshop even more memorable. In Reykjavik, Vík, Vatanjökul and Höfn we’ll stay in 3 or 4 start hotels where each participant has their own private room, in hotels which are located close to where we’ll be shooting to cut down the amount of time we spend in vehicles.
And speaking of vehicles ,we’ll be covering a lot of distance during this tour as we cross pretty much the entire south of the country, so it’s important that we have a comfortable and reliable vehicle. We’ll be using a converted Sprinter van with 15 seats, which means everyone has a seat for themselves and the seat next to them for their camera bag.
WHAT TO BRING
A dSLR or mirrorless camera
The criteria for the kind of work we’ll be doing is a camera that can be operated completely manually to ensure we get the best exposure with interchangeable lenses allowing us to cover a range of focal lengths
A wide angle lens
For some of the locations a wide angle lens really is essential if you want to get those epic landscapes with a foreground that feels you can almost step right into it. 16mm or 17mm on a full frame camera (10mm or 12mm on an APS-C sensor camera) is ideal.
A telephoto lens
In the highlands we’ll often find ourselves shooting distant landscapes or abstracts, which a telephoto is ideal for. A telephoto also compresses the landscape and is great for mountains when shooting from elevation. A range that covers 70-200mm (55-135mm on a crop sensor) is ideal.
A mid-range zoom lens
While these lenses are often the least useful for shooting landscapes, for the kind of locations we’ll be encountering in Iceland there will certainly be many occasions when the zooms listed above are too wide or too long and a mid-range zoom in the 24-70mm (18-55mm on a crop sensor) is perfect.
Tripod
We’ll often be shooting in low light so a tripod is an absolutely essential piece of equipment. A lightweight carbon fibre model is ideal for this kind of trip.
Filters
We’ll be shooting at least a couple of waterfalls and a neutral density filter of at least 3 stops will help slow down the exposure to blur the water. There may also be times when a graduated filter will help control the brightness of the sky.
A cable release
This allows us to trip the camera shutter without touching the camera, avoiding movement blur during longer exposures.
Comfortable waterproof walking boots
While we won’t be doing any long hikes we’ll certainly be doing some walking over uneven ground, walking through snow and often find ourselves standing in the snow. It’s very easy for cold feet to completely ruin your day, so good boots with thick warm socks are vital.
Insulated jacket, water and windproof shell and warm clothes
At this time of year Iceland can get very cold, particularly in the Highlands, and with the strong winds blowing you should be prepared for temperatures with a real feel of -18C. Layers are the way to go with a base layer and mid layer and then a fleece on top. An insulated jacket on top of that and also a waterproof or windproof shell as a final layer to keep the worst of the weather out. Insulated long-johns/leggings below windproof hiking trousers to keep your bottom half warmer.
Gaiters and crampons
During our time in Iceland we’ll often find ourselves walking over icy surfaces or in deep snow, particular in the Highlands, so gaiters which can keep the snow out your boots (helping your feet stay warm and dry) and crampon which you can fit over your boots when we’re walking on slippery ground are a great idea
Camera Backpack
When moving your camera gear for any length of time a backpack can really save your back. A good backpack, one with sturdy hip straps, can safely distribute the weight of your gear and really save you from aches, pains and potential injury.
Laptop with Adobe Lightroom or Camera RAW and Photoshop
We’ll be shooting RAW, and as part of each day will be dedicated to post processing images a good RAW converter like Adobe Lightroom or Camera RAW is essential. Other converters like Capture One are also fine. Adobe Photoshop is great for more advanced processing as it allows us to be much more subtle and creative in it’s use of layers.
If you have any questions about what to bring, don’t hesitate to contact us.
THE GUIDES
ANDY MUMFORD is a Lisbon based professional landscape and travel photographer. Andy grew up in the UK loving nature and travel and took up landscape photography over fifteen years ago. Since then he has travelled extensively photographing all over the world and his photography and articles have featured in publications and books worldwide. He is a passionate photographer teacher and has been leading both group and one-to-one workshops for over five years.
He is a Fuji X Photographer and a brand ambassador for Fujifilm in Portugal, although he also has extensive experience with Nikon and Canon cameras.
Jeroen Van Nieuwenhove is a Belgian nature photographer who specialises in photographing wildlife and landscapes with great passion. He has been living in Reykjavík, Iceland, for several years, using it as his base to explore and capture the raw beauty of the land of fire and ice and the Arctic region in its entirety.
Jeroen found his passion for photography very early on when he found an analog Canon SLR in his parents’ attic at the age of 10. Learning how to use it, caused him to be immediately fascinated by photography. Being fortunate enough to travel with his parents to distant countries in his childhood, it developed his respect and admiration for nature tremendously. Years later, after discovering the raw and unspoilt beauty of the Icelandic nature, it reinvigorated his passion for nature photography. He kept travelling to Iceland in search of the next captivating moment he could capture with his camera. After a few years, he decided he had enough of travelling back and forth several times every year and started preparing the next chapter in his life: migrating to Iceland. He sold all his belongings, jumped into a plane with a few suitcases and started a new life in Iceland. There he continued to explore the many hidden corners and secrets the island has to offer.
READ TESTIMONIALS FROM MY WORKSHOPS BELOW
REGISTRATION
To register for the workshop we require a 20% deposit. Please complete the form below to sign up or for more information