Around Iceland Fall Photo Workshop

Workshop schedule

Itinerary

DAY 1 – Arrival in Reykjavík

As always, we will need to be flexible and adjust to the weather conditions to make the most out of our workshop and travel safely.

You arrive in Iceland and check into your hotel in Reykjavik in the evening we meet up in the lobby and go out for dinner in Reykjavik. We’ll go briefly through our itinerary, safety precautions, and some practical things before we start our adventure in Iceland.

If you arrive early in town, you can photograph some of the attractions in the city of Reykjavik such, as Harpa concert hall, Hallgrimskirkja church, the Sun Voyager sculpture, or Perlan.

DAY 2 – Þingvellir & Vík area

We start early in the morning from our hotel in Reykjavik and start our workshop by traveling to Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park, known for Alþingi (Althingi)—the site of Iceland’s parliament from the 10th to 18th centuries. The park sits in a rift valley caused by the separation of two tectonic plates, with rocky cliffs and fissures like the huge Almannagjá fault.
From Þingvellir, we travel to the southernmost point of Iceland in the town of Vík, where we will spend the night. The Vík area has some of the most iconic frozen waterfalls and dramatic seascapes in the country, such as Seljalandsfoss waterfall, Skogafoss waterfall, Reynisdrangar sea stacks, and Dyrholaey peninsula. We will also explore the black volcanic beach of Reynisfjara that offers brilliant opportunities for seascape photography with the Reynisdrangar sea stacks and Dyrholaey rock arch.

DAY 3 and 4 – South Coast, Seascapes & Waterfalls

After sunrise along the coastline of Vík, we continue on the road east to the glacier area of Vatnajökull National Park. We will stay in a comfortable hotel with views of the glacier, and close to the famous glacier lagoon.

For the next two days, we explore and capture glaciers from all angles. We visit Fjallsárlón glacier lagoon, Vestrahorn mountain, and many more incredible landscapes to shoot. The variety of quality locations will allow us to move around as the weather dictates, with excellent photographic opportunities in every direction.

Should the northern lights decide to make an appearance, our options for foregrounds are truly endless.

DAY 5 – East Fjords of Iceland

We head to the east fjords of Iceland. We’ll stop in ample locations to photograph sea stacks, the winding coastal roads, and the cascading streams down the steep terraced mountains and other lesser-known locations in the area. The most famous ones are Heinabergslón, Vestrahorn & Eystrahorn.

Then we’ll spend the night in a charming fishing village.

DAY 6 and 7 – Mývatn and the Majestic Waterfalls of the North

From the East Fjords, we travel north to Lake Mývatn, known as the pearl of Northern Iceland. We capture some horses and turf houses along the way. We first head to the majestic waterfall Dettifoss, where we’ll photograph sunset before we check into our hotel in Mývatn.

For the next two nights, we’ll stay at the same hotel in Mývatn, and each day/night, we head out to explore and shoot new locations. If we find ourselves with some downtime in the area, between sunrise and sunset.

We will visit and photograph many of the most spectacular waterfalls in Iceland, such as Goðafoss, Aldeyjarfoss, and Hrafnabjargafoss.

The Mývatn basin sits squarely on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and many of the enthralling sights in the area are either volcanic or geothermal. The last volcanic eruption in this area was quite recent, in September 1984 in Krafla.

This area in the north of Iceland is the perfect location for aurora borealis (northern lights) photography as there is no light pollution, and the options for beautiful foregrounds, such as the reflecting lake, are endless when the weather and conditions are just right.

Mývatn also offers wonderful nature baths that we might visit if people are interested, so pack your swimsuit! 

DAY 8 – Mývatn, Skagafjörður & Waterfalls

After sunrise and breakfast at the hotel in Mývatn, we head west along the northern coastline and travel back towards Reykjavik. Along the way, we will stop at some lesser-known locations and spend the night in Northwest Iceland.

We will go through the second-largest city in Iceland and the capital of the north, Akureyri—home to around 20,000 Icelanders. After a short stop, we get back on the road and photograph the mountain peaks of Hraundrangi, a sharp mountain peak not far from Akureyri.

DAY 9 – Hvítserkur, Borgarfjörður, Reykjavík

We begin the day with sunrise at the Hvítserkur seascape, a 15-meter high monolith or sea-stack. The legend goes that Hvítserkur is a petrified troll while others believe that it is a volcanic plug from a long time ago. Whichever you choose to believe, you will agree that it is an impressive photo opportunity.
After lunch, we continue towards Reykjavik and stop at a few waterfalls along the way. West Iceland is known for its impressive waterfalls, salmon fishing, and Viking sagas. We will also make a stop to photograph Icelandic horses before we arrive at our hotel in the capital.
Upon arrival in Reykjavik, we will check into our hotel and say farewell as the workshop concludes here.

You then have the rest of the evening to explore Reykjavik, have dinner, prepare for your flight home, or rest.

DAY 10 – Departure

Departure day. Breakfast is included at your hotel, and check-out is at 11 am. You can schedule your flight at any time that’s suitable for you.

If photographers would like to extend their stay in Iceland it is easy to arrange private day tours before or after the workshop. Popular day-trips include the Snæfellsnes Peninsula & Reykjanes Peninsula.

For cancellation and refund policy for our workshops, please visit the Terms & Conditions page.