10 Day Circle of Iceland Photo Workshop in the Summer

On day two, your adventure begins as you depart Reykjavík for Iceland's South Coast, a stretch of land rich in natural beauty and iconic sights that Iceland for which is so well known. Your first subjects will be two beautiful waterfalls. First up is Seljalandsfoss, a narrow cascade that tumbles from a height of over 60-metres. What is particularly unique about this feature is that it falls off of a concave cliff, meaning it is possible to walk behind it for some breathtaking perspectives. Its neighbour, Skógafoss, is less unusual, but equally as mesmerising; it falls from the same height as Seljalandsfoss and is much wider, measuring up to 20-metres across after heavy rainfall. If the sun is shining, it is common to see many rainbows arching from the clouds of thick spray, which rises from where the waterfall thunders against the earth. A staircase beside the falls will let you approach it from a unique angle. Thereafter, you will head to the black sand beach of Reynisfjara. Reynisfjara was once voted one of the most beautiful non-tropical beaches in the world and it is an eerie and spectacular place. The endless stretches of black sands are haunting, the power of the Atlantic ocean dramatic, and the surrounding geology fascinating. Particularly of note are the Reynisdrangar sea-stacks, which rise tall from the surface of the sea, said to be ancient trolls petrified by the rising sun.They make for excellent subjects; just remember to keep a good distance from the water’s edge, as the sneaker waves here are dangerous even in still weather. Considering that this is a summer photography workshop in Iceland, you will no doubt be hoping for a moment where you can shoot puffins, and at Dyrhólaey, you will find plenty. These adorable little birds nest here in the thousands and are surprisingly unafraid of people. They will allow you to get close enough to capture their charming faces and clumsy, endearing behaviour, making for the perfect subjects for any aspiring wildlife photographer. You will also have an opportunity to photograph Vík, a beautiful, quiet village surrounded by nature, including seemingly endless stretches of purple lupine fields. With your memory card no doubt much fuller than it was in the morning, you will retire in comfortable accommodation here at the end of the day.

Today, you will head to two of the most spectacular sites in all of Iceland, located right beside each other on the eastern side of the South Coast, both within the Vatnajökull National Park: the Skaftafell Nature Reserve and Jökulsárón glacier lagoon. Skaftafell has often been referred to as a 'hiker’s paradise', though it has just as much to offer the avid photographer. Many of the landscapes and features that make Iceland internationally famous as a natural haven can be found within its borders. Glacier tongues, lagoons, waterfalls, forests, rivers, volcanoes and lava landscapes will all present themselves to you, one subject after another. You will spend a considerable amount of the day here, before continuing onto Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon to photograph the massive icebergs that fill the great lake under the midnight sun. The opportunities to capture great images here are endless; each berg is different, each ray of light will change the composition of your pictures, and the ice is ever on the move. It is not just landscape photographers who will find this site a delight; wildlife photographers will, more than likely, have plenty of chances to capture the lagoon’s resident seals. You will also head to the Diamond Beach, a stretch of black-sand coastline adjacent to Jökulsárlón where the bergs wash ashore after finally reaching the ocean. The contrasts between the blue ice, white surf, dark sands and vivid summer sky will make for some excellent additions to your portfolio. You will retire to your accommodation in the surrounding area.

Day four will be your final day in Iceland’s south-east, and you will use it to return to any sites your group wants to photograph better. No doubt this will still include Jökulsárlón and the Diamond Beach, as the opportunities here are so numerous and unique. Your photo guides, however, will also use today to take you to lesser-known spots only they and very few others know about. These will largely be in Vatnajökull National Park and tailored to allow you capture unbelievable panoramas of South Iceland and of the largest glacier in all of Europe.

On your fifth day, you will leave the south-east of Iceland, and head North. This journey will take you through the little-travelled, breathtaking Eastfjords, where you will stop for many photo opportunities to capture its beautiful seascapes, its peaceful villages, and its abundant wildlife. After all, seabirds, seals and even reindeer can all be found in this region. Early in your journey, you'll visit the mighty peaks of Mount Vestrahorn as you make your way to the east. Jagged, barren and grey, it is one of the few gabbro mountains in Iceland and stands out dramatically because of it. It can be pictured against the surrounding black sands, over dunes, or with epic seascapes, so you will spend a chunk of your day travelling around the Stokksnes Peninsula, finding the perfect spot to capture it from. Thereafter, you will head into the magical Eastfjords, where you will have some time to explore the splendid coastlines, black beaches and stunning mountains before retiring for the night.

On your sixth day, you will leave the south-east of Iceland, and head North. This journey will take you further into the little-travelled, breathtaking Eastfjords, where you will stop for many photo opportunities to capture its beautiful seascapes, its peaceful villages, and its abundant wildlife. After all, seabirds, seals and even reindeer can all be found in this region. The drive will be rather long, but the surrounding scenery will be ever-changing and impressive, and your destination, Lake Mývatn, is well worth the hours on the road. The Mývatn region has a wealth of incredible sites for you to photograph beneath the Midnight Sun; there are geothermal areas, geological wonders, notorious volcanoes and beautiful stretches of water, to name a few, but worry not that you won’t be able to get through them all this evening; you will have all day here tomorrow as well.

Day seven will be spent better exploring all of the wonders that the Mývatn region has to offer. The lake itself is both serene and unusual; basalt pillars rise tall from its waters, and you never need to look far before you discover a new geological subject to shoot, making for some unique landscape photographs. Wildlife photographers will also find themselves catered for, as dozens of bird species frequent the lake in summer. Pseudo-craters and lava fields dot the landscape, as do impressive structures of lava, none greater than those at the Dimmuborgir fortress. This dramatic site was used in the HBO Series Game of Thrones, and it has quite the same appeal to photographers as cinematographers.  Not far from the lake, you will find the steaming geothermal areas of the Námaskarð Pass. Here you will have the chance to capture churning mud pools, seething fumaroles and colourful contrasts in the earth. There are also many incredible waterfalls in the surrounding area, such as the historic Goðafoss and the tumultuous Dettifoss, the most powerful falls in all of Europe. Today will be packed with shoots beneath the midnight sun, and no doubt by this time in the workshop, you will be noticing a marked development in the quality of your photographs.

On day eight, you'll have the opportunity to return to any sites that you may want to capture beneath different light, such as Goðafoss waterfall or Dettifoss. Your photo guides will also use this day to take you to some lesser-known locations in the region, as you capture the beauty of Mývatn beneath the Midnight Sun. This is also a great place to practice aerial photography, so if you have a drone, be sure to bring it along to capture extraordinary craters from above!

This will be your final full day of shooting on this Midnight Sun photography workshop in Iceland. You will leave Mývatn after an early shoot and slowly make your way back to your hotel Reykjavík, no doubt exhausted but invigorated by the events of the last week. Although the drive will take approximately six hours, there will be many stops along the way to stretch your legs and to capture the surrounding scenery.

Sadly, this will be your final day in Iceland. If you have time in the morning, you could use it to utilise your new skills with some urban landscape photography; Reykjavík has a fascinating culture, a long history, and unique architecture, so you will find many last subjects to fill whatever is left on your memory cards. When it is time, you will take an airport transfer back to the airport, and depart home or onto your next destination, having had a once in the lifetime experience touring and capturing Iceland beneath the Midnight Sun.