Iceland Workshop Summer 2019 – Land of Fire & Ice
8 DAY LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP
28 JUNE - 6 JULY 2019
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. Glaciers and waterfalls, black pebble beaches and jagged mountain peaks, the diversity is seemingly endless and it’s the kind of trip where you can’t fail to be inspired by the epic nature of the scenery. During June the golden hour, sunset, twilight and sunrise merge into each other lasting for hours, and all the elements are in place for truly unforgettable experience.
"An incredible photographic experience in the most epic arctic landscapes"
We’ve created this workshop to include Iceland’s most beautiful and iconic places and give you plenty of time there by basing ourselves at three separate locations for a couple of nights each. Our first base is on the edge of the Highlands, near the valleys of Landmannalaugar, one of Iceland’s most stunning areas with it’s orange and red rhyolite hills and volcanic lava fields. This is a truly unique part of the world with alien landscapes in every direction. We’ll also be based close to Haifoss, one of Iceland’s highest waterfalls which plunges 150 meters into a vertiginous gorge.
Our second base is in the south, from where we can shoot the famous black beach at Vík and Reynisfjara, the cliffs of Dyrhólaey, the waterfalls of Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss, and the eerie remains of the DC-3 stranded on Sólheimasandur beach. However, there’s more to the area than that and we’ll take you to lesser known waterfalls and beaches during our time here.
Finally we’ll head to the southeast where the Vestrahorn’s peaks rise impossibly from the black sand beach of Stokksnes and are mirrored in the tidal lagoons. The south east is also home to Jökulsárlón, a lagoon full of icebergs which slowly drift into the sea where many are washed up on the neighbouring “Diamond beach”. Of course, we’ll also introduce you to some of the less commonly visited gems in the area.
All our workshops are designed to ensure that you can focus on photography while we take care of everything else. Airport transfers, ideally located and comfortable accommodation as well as all your meals are all part of the package, and of course the tour is 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.
All images courtesy of Andy Mumford
Iceland Workshop Summer 2019 – Land of Fire & Ice – Landscape Photography
TRIP DATES
June 28th – 6th, 2019
PRICE
€4250
Price includes single occupancy room. Discount of €750 for sharing subject to availability
GROUP SIZE
4 – 6
Beginner, amateur, enthusiast and semi-pro photographers.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL
Easy / Moderate
Some hiking and hill walks that should be well within the capability of anyone with average fitness
WORKSHOP INCLUDES
Transport around Iceland and to and from all of our shooting locations in comfortable 4×4 SUV with a maximum of 4 people per vehicle
ITINERARY
DAY 1 (JUNE 28)
Arrive in Reykjavik.
17h onwards we’ll welcome guests to our overnight accommodation in Reykjavik, spend some time getting to know each other, and in the evening if people aren’t too tired head into town to to shoot some of the local landmarks around town like the Harpa concert hall or the Sun Voyager.
DAYS 2 & 4 - HIGHLANDS (JUNE 29 & 30)
9h – 11h After breakfast, we’ll get our stuff together to check out and head to our first base on the edge of the northern part of the Fjallabak region of the highlands. Typically, it will take us around an hour to get to and from our shooting locations. During our time here the itinerary will vary depending on weather and light but we’ll make sure we spend some time at many of the locations in the area:
- The Landmannalaugar region, including the colourful rhyolite hills and the peak of Blahnukur, the “blue mountain”
- The lava fields of Austurkròkur
- Haifoss waterfall
- Sigöldugljufur waterfalls
- Hnausapollur crater lake
For example, a typical itinerary could be:
DAY 2 (JUNE 29)
13h30 – 14h30 Arrive and settle in at the hotel and have lunch
15h – 17h30 Processing session. An introduction to post processing with both Lightroom and Photoshop to ascertain people’s levels and requirements while looking at some of the images taken the previous evening
18h – 19h30 Dinner in the hotel
20h30 – 3h30 Shooting session in the Landmannalaugar region:
- Late light on the rhyolite peaks in Landmannalaugar valley
- Last light and sunset from the peak of Blahnukur. It takes around an hour to hike to the top but the views once there are worth it offering everything from 360º panoramic views of the lakes, rivers and peaks of the entire region to intimate abstracts of the snow and colourful mountains
- Twilight and blue hour, explore the Brennisteinsalda valley and Laugahraun lava fields
DAY 3 (JUNE 30)
All morning to relax and catch up on sleep
13h30 – 14h30 Lunch
15h – 17h30 Processing session. Another session aimed at getting the best from the images we took in last night’s shoot. We’ll be putting into practice the skills we’ve picked up with Lightroom and Photoshop.
18h – 19h Dinner in the hote
20h30 – 3h30 Shooting session at a range of nearby locations:
- Sunset at Haifoss waterfall. A breath-taking location where the river splits and plunges into the 150m canyon in two massive falls. We might then stop off at the interesting series of waterfalls at Gjain, further down the valley from Haifoss.
- Twilight and the blue hour in the Landmannalaugar area discovering new compositions or re-visiting any locations we’ve shot before in different lighting conditions.
- Sunset at Hnausapollur crater lake, with views over the surrounding lunar-like landscape.
DAY 4 & 5 - THE SOUTH (JULY 1 & 2)
12h We’ll check out as late as possible, have brunch in the hotel restaurant and head to our next base in the town of Vík on the south coast of Iceland. During our time here our itinerary will vary depending on weather and light, but we’ll make sure we spend some time at many of the locations in the area:
- Vík church and beach
- Reynisfjara black pebble beach and Dyrhólaey rock arch
- Skógafoss waterfalls
- Seljalandsfoss waterfalls
- Sólheimasandur beach (plane wreckage)
For example, a typical itinerary could be:
DAY 4 (JULY 1)
13h30 – 14h30 Lunch, after which people have a couple of hours to get a little more rest
15h – 17h30 Processing tutorials. An introduction to post processing with both Lightroom and Photoshop to ascertain people’s levels and requirements while looking at some of the images taken the previous evening
19h – 20h Dinner in a restaurant in Vík
21h30 – 3h30 Shooting session at a range of nearby locations:
- Late light near Vík church
- Sunset photographing the ocean and rock stacks on Vík beach
- Twilight and blue hour exploring the many possibilities for waterscapes on Reynisfjara beach and Dyrhólaey rock arch
- Sunrise at the rock stacks on the east of Reynisfjara beach
DAY 5 (JULY 2)
All morning to relax and catch up on sleep
13h30 – 14h30 Lunch
15h – 16h30 Post-processing session. Looking at getting the best from the images we took in last night’s session. This can range from Lightroom basics through to Photoshop Luminosity Masks and more advanced techniques, and will be tailored to your needs and done one-to-one
19h – 20h Dinner in a restaurant in Vík
21h30 – 3h30 Shooting session at a range of nearby locations:
- Sunset at Seljalandsfoss waterfall and the nearby Gljúfrafoss, a small waterfall hidden in a canyon
- Twilight and blue hour at the remains of the crashed DC-3 on Sólheimasandur beach
- Sunrise at Skógafoss waterfall and the lesser known waterfalls nearby at Kvernufoss
DAY 6 & 7 - THE SOUTH EAST (JULY 3 & 4)
12h After getting plenty of sleep and breakfast, we’ll get our stuff together to check out and head to our final base near the town of Höfn, on the south east tip of Iceland. It’s around a 3 hour trip so we’ll stop for lunch on the way and we’ll also be passing some impressive landscapes as we cross the vast Skeidarársandur desert at the foot of the huge Vatnajökul glacier. Once again, during our time here our itinerary will vary depending on weather and light, but we’ll make sure we spend some time at many of the locations in the area:
- Stokksnes headland beach and the peaks of the Vestrahorn
- Jökulsarlon iceberg lagoon and nearby beach
- Fjallsarlon iceberg lagoon
For example, a typical itinerary could be:
DAY 6 (JULY 3)
17h – 18h Arrive at the hotel and relax as we settle into our new accommodation
19h – 20h Dinner in a restaurant in Höfn
21h30 – 3h30 Shooting session at Stokksnes headland. The peaks of the Vestrahorn rise almost vertically out of the flat black sand beaches and there are infinite compositions and angles in this astonishing place, from reflections in the lagoon to the grass topped dunes. The location is great at sunset but is particularly beautiful at sunrise as the first light illuminates the peaks.
DAY 7 (JULY 4)
We’ll have all morning to relax and catch up on sleep
13h30 – 14h30 Lunch
15h – 16h30 Post-processing session. Working one-to-one we’ll look at how we can increase participant’s knowledge and skill with Lightroom and Photoshop. Afterwards we’ll have a couple of hours to get some rest
19h – 20h Dinner in a restaurant in Höfn
21h30 – 3h30 Shooting session at a range of nearby locations:
- Sunset at Jökulsarlon lagoon and the nearby beach.
- Twilight and blue hour at the neighbouring iceberg lagoon of Fjallsarlon
- Sunrise at the Jökulsarlon beach.
DAY 8 - REYKJAVIK (JULY 5)
12h After getting up and having breakfast we’ll begin our journey back to Reykjavik. We’ll stop for lunch along the way to break the journey and be on the look out for Icelandic horses so we can stop and do some portraits.
19h We’ll arrive in Reykjavik later in the afternoon, check into our hotel and have a final dinner together. In the evening there’ll be time for an informal post-processing session before we head out for a final shooting session at some of the local Reykjavik landmarks like the Hallgrímskirkja church or the Sun Voyager sculpture.
The following morning (July 6), we say our goodbyes and drop people off at the airport.
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, you won’t have to sacrifice comfort or sleep despite the fact that we’ll be travelling at a time when there’s no night. We’ll make sure that you get plenty of time in the field when the light is at it’s absolute best and when there are few tourists around, and with long sessions you’ll quickly get into a shooting rhythm where you can put into practice new skills as they are learned. The dates of our workshops are carefully selected to try and make sure we are in each location at the time of year when conditions for photography are at their best. Late June/early July gives us the best chance of good weather and also gives us the opportunity to experience the long hours of golden light, sunset, twilight and then sunrise which northern latitudes experience at this time of year.
Having a number of fantastic locations all very close to each of our three bases means we can adapt to the weather and go to where the conditions are best for shooting. Also, having three bases from which we can access these locations means we spend less time checking into and out of accommodation and avoids the stress of constantly moving on to a new hotel every day.
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 afternoon that are tailored to each participant’s skill levels, and which can potentially range from the basics of editing a RAW file in programs like Lightroom to more complex techniques like using layers and luminosity masks in Photoshop.
Finally, we want to share with you our passion for nature and landscape photography in this incredible place. 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.
Iceland Workshop Summer 2019 – Land of Fire & Ice – Landscape Photography
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 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
PROCESSING:
- Using Lightroom to apply contrast
- Using Photoshop layers to build up image adjustments
Photoshop masks for local adjustments - Using luminosity masks in Photoshop
- Different techniques for blending multiple exposures of the same image
- Using Nik Color Efex Pro, Silver Efex, Exposure X3 and Adobe Camera RAW on Photoshop layers
- Sharpening images
Iceland Workshop Summer 2019 – Land of Fire & Ice – Landscape Photography
WHAT TO BRING
A dSLR or mirrorless camera
A cable release
This allows us to trip the camera shutter without touching the camera, avoiding movement blur during longer exposures.
A wide angle lens
Comfortable waterproof walking boots
We’ll certainly be walking over rocky and uneven ground, as well as some scrambles up the side of hills. We’ll also often find ourselves in muddy conditions so warm boots with good support and grip are essential.
A telephoto lens
Insulated jacket, water and windproof shell and warm clothes
Even though it’s summer it can still get quite chilly in Iceland so warm clothes will help keep you comfortable while we’re out shooting. It’s best to layer, with a base layer next to the skin and then a fleece or thicker layer on top. An insulated jacket on top of that will keep you warm, and also a waterproof or windproof shell as a final layer in case the weather turns bad..
A mid-range zoom lens
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.
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.
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.
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.
QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions about what to bring, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Iceland Workshop Summer 2019 – Land of Fire & Ice – Landscape Photography
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 a decade 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 six 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.
ANDREA LIVIERI is a Venice based professional photographer, educator, musician, and a spirited adventurer. He started exploring the photography medium by capturing images of fellow musicians, their families, and other friends and acquaintances in the music industry. As he continued honing his craft, he merged his love for photography and exploring the outdoors, amassing a body of photographic work featuring exhilarating landscapes and rugged mountains capes from around the globe, He also leads photography courses, workshops & tours to teach other photographers his method and help them to bring out their own vision.
His work has been published in Landscape Photography Magazine, Outdoor Photographer, Photo Plus Magazine, Digital Camera, Popular Photography and Fuji X Passion Magazine, among others.
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