3 Day Photo Workshop in the Icelandic Highlands
Description
Summary
Description
Capture the raw beauty of the incredible Highlands of Iceland beneath the Midnight Sun on this three-day photography tour. Whether you are a novice looking to learn some new skills, or a professional seeking to widen your portfolio, this tour will hone your craft while exposing you to mind-blowing landscapes.
This tour will be conducted under the watchful eyes of experienced and award-winning photo guides who are intimately familiar with the Icelandic landscape and how to capture it perfectly in this country’s ever-changing light and weather conditions. They will be on hand throughout to help you find the best subjects and create the best compositions under the midnight sun.
This workshop will focus on the spectacular Landmannalaugar region in Iceland’s southern Highlands and its surroundings. This is an otherworldly place, of brightly coloured rhyolite mountains, steaming river systems, bubbling hot springs, azure lakes and massive waterfalls, surrounded by mighty glaciers and ominous volcanoes.
Many of Iceland’s hidden gems and places of unbelievable raw beauty are nestled in the remote Highlands, far from the crowds, making for perfect, unique subjects in your shots.
This tour includes two nights of accommodation in the highlands and all transportation in a comfortable, spacious minibus.
Explore one of the most far-flung and fascinating landscapes Iceland has to offer on this photo expedition of the Highlands. Check availability by choosing a date.
Included
Map
Attractions
Landmannalaugar
Háifoss
Ljótipollur
Bláhylur
Sigöldugljúfur / Valley of tears
Frostastaðavatn
IcelandActivities
Daily itinerary
Day 1 - Into the Wild Icelandic Nature
This three-day photo tour starts early when you will be picked up in Reykjavík; you will get to know your group and guides as you make your way along the South Coast towards the highlands.
The drive promises to be just as thrilling as the destination as you pass waterfalls, glaciers and stunning rock formations. Although weather and road conditions will dictate the route a little, you are likely to start by visiting two stunning crater lakes: Bláhylur and Ljótipollur.
Bláhylur translates to ‘the blue lake’, and it is named for its vivid azure colouration, whereas Ljótipolur means ‘the Ugly Puddle’, in spite of its unreal beauty and impressive contrasts between its red slopes and sapphire waters.
After making the most of these unique, fascinating subjects, you will head to a hotel in the Highlands. With the Midnight Sun overhead, however, you can continue shooting long into the night; just make sure you will be refreshed for another full day of shooting tomorrow.
Day 2 - Landmannalaugar
On day two, you will head into the Landmannalaugar region. This awe-inspiring highland oasis is packed full of amazing subjects, so you will have countless photo opportunities throughout the day.
You’ll shoot geological and geothermal wonders, vividly coloured mountain ranges, and the area’s surrounding glaciers and volcanoes. While you could spend all day wandering around, snapping at whatever inspires you, your guides will make sure that you get to the highlights of the area where you are sure to acquire some unique pictures.
The first of these is the Frostastaðaháls ridge, where you will attain otherworldly panoramas of Iceland’s interior. This pass will also grant you great views over the serene crater lake of the same name.
Secondly, you will head to the valley of Sigöldugljúfur, which is lined with many unique and beautiful waterfalls.
Before retiring for the night, you will be able to bathe in natural hot pools beneath the Midnight Sun at Landmannalaugur which literally translates to 'People's Pools'.
Day 3 - Highland Waterfalls & Desert
In spite of day three being your final day, it will still be packed with adventure as you visit new, incredible subjects. You will, for example, head to the third tallest falls in Iceland, Háifoss, which plummets from a height of over 120 meters into a dramatic ravine.
Nearby you will find the charming waterfall, Granni, before arriving at Hjálparfoss waterfall. This feature tumbles in two tiers, and it is surrounded by rare basalt columns, so perfectly formed that they hardly seem natural. The darkness of these columns contrasts beautifully with the verdant moss, blue waters and white spray.
Hjálparfoss translates to 'Help Falls', and it was named so as it is the first water feature after the treacherous Sprengissandur desert, a barren and inhospitable stretch of lands known for laying waste to many a horse and traveller brave or stupid enough to try to cross it.
After shooting these sites, you will return to the minibus, and head back to Reykjavík, arriving late in the evening. By the end of this tour, you’ll have made new friends, learnt a wealth of new skills, extended your portfolio dramatically, and seen some of Iceland’s unique and incredible sites.
What to bring
Good to know
The maximum group size for this tour is 12 guests, allowing for a closer relationship with your photography guide and better photos at more remote sites. You will also receive post-processing videos from award-winning photographers worth over $1,500 and highly informative and easy-to-follow photography and post-processing lectures. The vehicles you travel in and the hotels you stay at are some of the best in Iceland. Crampons and rubber boots are free to all guests throughout the tour.
Disclaimer
We highly recommend that you get a travel and medical insurance. Your own domestic medical insurance and private health scheme will not cover you whilst you are overseas.
The tour is always dependent on weather, as the Icelandic weather can indeed be highly unpredictable. Likewise, visits to ice caves are dependent on favorable conditions, and indeed the ice caves themselves are not permanent. When it comes to the Northern Lights, while they are most likely to be seen between September and April, there is no guarantee that they will appear on a given day.
Departure Schedule
24-26 July 2025
13-15 Aug 2025
24-26 July 2026
13-15 Aug 2026
