5 Day Winter Photo Workshop in Iceland | Aurora and Ice Caves

On the morning of day two, you’ll get up early for a sunrise shoot at the black sand beach. From the opposite side, the Reynisdrangar sea stacks take on a different form. 

Freezing the motion of the waves as they crash against these incredible natural shapes is an exciting feat, and you’ll have all the time in the world to do so. From there, we’ll make our way towards the Vatnajökull National Park, reaching the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon in time for sunset. 

Jökulsárlón is where icebergs calve from the majestic Breiðamerkurjökull glacier, floating about serenely in the calm waters before making their way out through a narrow waterway towards the sea. There, they are pounded by the waves, reshaped and deposited back upon the black sand, where they resemble diamonds glistening in the sun. 

You’ll have ample time to capture the immense serenity of these natural wonders as the sky takes on an ethereal winter glow. Watch closely as you might even spot a seal or two, fishing in the deep waters of the lagoon. After dinner, you’ll head out once again on a hunt for the Northern Lights. If the conditions are favourable, then you will shoot them dancing above the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, with large icebergs making for a truly enchanting foreground.

You’ll retire for the night to your accommodation in the vicinity.

The tour is always dependent on the conditions, as the Icelandic weather can be highly unpredictable. Therefore, the itinerary on days 3 and 4 will remain flexible to allow our guides to ensure that you will be in the right place at the right time for stunning landscape photography in Iceland.

Generally speaking, the third day of your adventure will begin with a thrilling sunrise shoot at the Diamond Ice Beach. With our specially-provided rubber boots, you’ll be ready to capture the movement of the waves as they circle the icebergs on the beach, making for wonderful drawn-out long exposure effects. 

Each iceberg brings with it a myriad of different compositions, so you’ll spend a good part of the morning perfecting your technique. The highlight of the afternoon will be when you take a super-jeep ride closer to the largest glacier in Europe, where you’ll disembark and walk upon the glacier to a stunning ice cave. 

Ice caves are dynamic, constantly melting and reshaping over time, so what you photograph now might not be entirely the same in the future. 

Be prepared to practice your low-light photography skills as you make the most of the available light bouncing off the crystal blue walls, capturing memories of a lifetime. After all this excitement, the only way to top it off is to get off the beaten track on the southern end of the Vatnajökull glacier.

You’ll have the chance to explore the lesser-known Fjallsárlón glacier lagoon, which is just as beautiful as its larger counterpart. Filled with icebergs and hidden away from the crowds, it’s a wonderful place to further hone your skills as the sun begins to set.

Once again in the evening, you’ll set out on a search for the elusive Northern Lights, before returning for the night to your accommodation in the vicinity.

On this day, you’ll revisit the Diamond Ice Beach and the adjacent Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon for another exciting sunrise shoot. There’s no doubt that many of you will relish in the possibility of honing your skills and trying out different compositions beneath the ever-changing light.

In the afternoon, you’ll head further east into the wilderness of Skaftafell Nature Reserve, well-known for its rugged landscape and inspiring views. It is home to Svínafellsjökull glacier, a sight not to be missed. Your sunset location will be at the foot of the mighty peaks of Vestrahorn, where undulating black sand dunes hide a number of frozen pools that make for endlessly compelling compositions.

This mountain makes for an enchanting backdrop, particularly at night, when the Northern Lights swirl across the starry sky overhead.

You’ll retire for the night in the vicinity of the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon.

This will be your final day of photography and you’ll have one last chance to capture the beauty of the Diamond Ice Beach and the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, before heading towards the west. It will be a long drive back to Reykjavík but there will be a lot to photograph along the way.

Depending on the conditions, you may stop at the Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon, made famous by a Justin Bieber music clip! Carved out by glaciers, this canyon takes on the form of a feather when seen from above. On foot, the scenery is just as astounding, seeming like an adventure back in time to when nature ruled supreme.

As you get nearer to the country’s capital, you’ll have the opportunity to experience Iceland’s most famous route – the Golden Circle. Here, you’ll get a taste for why this country is sometimes described as the “Land of Fire and Ice”! Geothermal features such as the exploding fountain geyser of Strokkur at Geysir will have you sweating with surprise, while the frozen cascades of the glorious waterfall Gullfoss will cool you down as they plunge into the snowy canyon beneath your feet.

Your final shooting location on the Golden Circle will be at Þingvellir, an impressive area marked by the remnants of volcanic activity. Here, you may witness the effects of the continental drift between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.

You’ll have the opportunity to capture your final sunset at the small waterfall Oxararfoss, with its bright blue water surrounded by layers of ice and snow. You’ll reach Reykjavík in the evening, no doubt with a treasure trove of stunning photos, fantastic new landscape photography skills and memories to last a lifetime.

Please note that your hotel in Reykjavík is not included in the price of this tour and you will need to arrange this yourself.