ICELAND PHOTO TOUR

HOW WE PLAN OUR DAYS

Here's the truth about Iceland: The weather changes every 20 minutes. Clouds roll in, then vanish. Rain gives way to rainbows. A "ruined" morning can become the most dramatic light you've ever seen.

Most photo tours fight this. They stick to rigid schedules, dragging you to predetermined locations, whether the light is good or not. You end up shooting waterfalls in harsh midday sun because "it's waterfall day."

We do the opposite.

Our base accommodations are fixed (you'll know exactly where you're sleeping each night), but our daily shooting plan is dynamic. Each morning, we assess conditions and choose locations where the weather will create exceptional photographs, not just "okay" ones. This flexible approach allows us to work like photographers rather than tourists, responding to conditions instead of following a fixed schedule.

SOUTHERN CENTRAL HIGHLANDS | 3 NIGHTS

We start our journey in the raw volcanic landscapes of the Southern Highlands, where vast spaces and dramatic terrain challenge you to simplify compositions and learn to read the landscape differently.

All participants should arrive in Reykjavík one day before the tour begins, or earlier if preferred. It's also a great opportunity to explore the city center and capture some images of the capital.

We’ll meet with the group in Reykjavík on July 10th at the meeting point specified in the welcome document you received upon registering for the workshop, and then make our way to the Highlands of Iceland.

Our first destination will be the heart of the Southern Central Highlands, where we’ll settle into our base for the workshop's first phase. This area gives us access to some of the most diverse landscapes in the Highlands, from waterfalls and volcanic craters to colorful mountains and remote lakes.

Over the course of these first days together, we’ll work with a variety of incredible landscapes that challenge different photographic skills:

• One of the tallest waterfalls in Iceland, Háifoss

• Rauðaskál, a stunning crater covered with red volcanic soil

• Sigöldugljúfur Canyon with its wall of waterfalls

• The lava fields in the Landmannalaugar area

• The colorful mountains Bláhnjúkur and Brennisteinsalda

• Ljótipollur and Hnausapollur crater lakes

• Braided rivers

• The remote Langisjór lake and its beautiful panoramas

This entire area is a photographer’s paradise, a landscape that constantly changes, where volcanic deserts, colorful mountains, and geothermal areas exist side by side. While accessing some of these locations is more challenging with some big river crossings, our modified 4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser with 35” tires will be able to get us wherever we need to go.

And that’s just a glimpse. There are plenty more hidden treasures we can’t wait to share with you. Iceland is full of beautiful places to photograph, but this part of the country is truly something special.

We’ll spend three nights here, giving us the flexibility to slow down, adapt to the light and weather, and fully immerse ourselves in the landscape before moving deeper into the Central Highlands.

NORTH REGION | 2 NIGHTS

After days immersed in remote interiors, we shift toward the northern coast, where waterfalls, ocean landscapes, and wildlife introduce a completely different energy and photographic rhythm. This change in environment often pushes us to rethink composition, timing, and subject choice.

For the next two nights, we’ll base ourselves in Northern Iceland, an area known for its powerful waterfalls, rugged geological formations, and real opportunities to work with wildlife in changing conditions.

From here, we’ll work with a variety of environments that challenge different photographic approaches:

• Whale watching from the water, photographing wildlife in changing light and unpredictable conditions

• Iconic northern waterfalls framed by basalt formations and volcanic terrain

• Remote viewpoints with wide open perspectives and unique light conditions

One of the highlights of this part of the journey will be a whale-watching experience. We’ll head out on a traditional wooden boat in the late evening, when the light is softer and often more interesting for photography.

Being out on the water gives you a completely different perspective compared to shooting from land. As we slowly move through the bay, we’ll be looking for whales surfacing around the boat, sometimes at a distance, sometimes surprisingly close. You’ll have the chance to photograph wildlife in a real and unpredictable environment, working with movement, changing light, and quick reactions.

Even if wildlife photography isn’t your main focus, the experience itself is memorable: the open sea, the quiet pace of the boat, and the feeling of being surrounded by Iceland’s northern landscape. On the way back to the harbor, after our shooting session, we’ll warm up with a tasty hot chocolate, a simple but welcome moment to relax, chat together, and enjoy the atmosphere before returning to land.

This part of the journey often becomes a highlight not only for the photographs, but for the experience itself; a moment that adds a different layer of storytelling to the workshop.

REYKJAVÍK | 1 NIGHT

The trip back to Reykjavik is quite long, so we'll have breakfast at the hotel and check out. We'll pack up our gear and board the 4x4 to drive back to Reykjavik with a stop along the way for lunch.

Depending on where we’ve been on previous days and if we’ve got time we might be able to stop at a couple of locations on our way back.

We'll arrive back in Reykjavik in the late afternoon, where we'll check into our hotel and freshen up. We'll then have a group dinner together to celebrate the end of our photography workshop.

The following morning, we’ll enjoy our last breakfast together before saying our goodbyes.

DRONE PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE HIGHLANDS OF ICELAND

EXPANDING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY: CAMERAS & DRONES

The Icelandic Highlands offer exceptional conditions for aerial photography. With wide-open landscapes, dramatic glacial veins, and volcanic craters, this terrain invites us to explore perspectives that simply aren't possible from the ground.

Whether you’re new to drones or an experienced pilot, this workshop is designed to help you integrate the drone as a powerful compositional tool. We’ll focus on how height, perspective, and movement can help you simplify compositions and discover new ways of seeing the landscape.

EXPERT GUIDANCE IN THE SKY

With over a decade of experience flying drones in Iceland, we’ll guide you through both the technical and creative aspects of aerial storytelling. We don’t just "fly"; we look for the same sophisticated compositions in the air that we seek on the ground, focusing on shapes, texture, and light.

PERMITS & SAFETY

To ensure a smooth and stress-free experience, we take care of all the necessary permits for the areas we visit. We strictly follow local regulations and safety guidelines, so you can focus fully on the experience, knowing everything is handled responsibly and with respect for the environment.

Drones are entirely optional, but they offer a unique way to complement your traditional portfolio with perspectives that few ever get to see.