An Icelandic Photography Expedition
Day 01 - The Blue Lagoon
Some places blow you away as soon as you step off the plane. Iceland did that to me—quite literally. The fog covered the runway at Keflavik Airport, and I could barely see anything through the biting cold and strong winds. I climbed down the stairs into the arrivals gate, made my way toward the exit, stopping briefly for a coffee, and thought excitedly, “Okay, I’m in Iceland.” My number one bucket-list destination. But… where was everything?
I eventually found the transfer park and hopped in a cab. My first stop was the Blue Lagoon. I know—so touristy. But hey, when in Rome. My cab driver was a very serious, tall Icelandic woman, but she was also super patient and easygoing.
“You have to take a cab to the Blue Lagoon because of the eruption,” she explained when I asked why the coaches weren’t running.
“Which eruption?”
“The one we had last month. The lava destroyed the road, and the Lagoon car park, as well as the nearby houses, were evacuated for safety reasons. All of them are empty now.”
We drove through what was essentially a ghost town along the road. Intense.
She made sure to mention that it was temporary. “It happens all the time—we’re used to it.” Well, thank God for that, huh? Still, because of that volcano, people were homeless, and I was down 18,000 ISK—around $130—for a single taxi ride. Thanks a lot, nature! I guess we deserve it, though.
No stress—I spent a couple of hours swimming in the hot waters of the Lagoon, right below Mount Thorbjorn, before heading to Reykjavik for a well-deserved microwaved pizza and Coke. I just couldn’t be bothered.
Day 2 - The Golden Circle
The second day was when the photographic expedition truly began. I took a van with a local guide who drove us through “The Golden Circle,” named after the landscape and boasting the famous contrast between ice and fire that Iceland is all about. I forgot to wear my baselayers for this one. So, at our first stop—Thingvellir National Park—I nearly froze to death. It was -16°C, and I was wearing just a jacket. Well done, me!
I was welcomed by pink skies, snow-capped mountains, and Polar Stratospheric Clouds—an amazing, rare event—to the hollow gap between two tectonic plates Thingvellir National Park was famous for.
From there, we continued to the Geysir geothermal area, where steaming geysers spewed fart-smelling, boiling water a dozen meters above our heads. One thing nobody tells you about Iceland: the whole country smells like fart due to the heavy amounts of sulfur coming from the lava.
We finished the first day at the bone-chilling Gullfoss waterfall, where the freezing splashes of water froze my tripod in a matter of seconds, but the jaw-dropping beauty of it made me forget about the cold. It was difficult to photograph Gullfoss and its surroundings in such little time. Even though it was 3 PM, we were already losing daylight due to the short winter days, and the full moon was stealing the show up in the sky.
Our final stop was on a frozen lake inside a dormant volcano. I know—it sounds unbelievable. Honestly, I wouldn’t believe any of this myself if I didn’t have the photos to prove it.
Day 3 - The South Coast
Can it get any better than that? Well, it did. On the third day, I joined Bjork, an Icelandic geologist, for a two-day tour of the South Coast. That’s where all the waterfalls and volcanic sand beaches are. Bjork’s insights as a guide were priceless due to his background. Not only did he know what he was talking about, but he was also incredibly passionate about it.
I also met Victor, an amazing photographer from Hong Kong. We shared a lot of photography knowledge and even took photos of each other at the stops. It was such a cool experience. The journey took us to Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach, and the Skaftafell Nature Reserve. My nerdy self was freaking out because these were locations used in shows like Vikings and Game of Thrones, and it was so amazing to see it all in person.
We were supposed to sleep in a lodge to continue our journey further east the next day, so Bjork drove us over an hour through—please don’t ask me to pronounce the name of this place—Kirkjubæjarklaustur, an immense wasteland of lava fields that spans an area the size of Madrid, Spain. There, nothing grows, and nothing is built in case the surrounding volcanoes ever decide to erupt again.
We finally reached our lodge destination, and let me just say, I’m an advocate for budget traveling. If I’m traveling by myself, you’ll rarely see me in a hotel. Naturally, I thought I had booked a hostel, but we pulled up at Hótel Smyrlabjörg. It was fancy. Stuffed animals and train models kind of fancy—like something out of The Shining, but without all the terror. And the best part? It was already paid for. They put me in a twin ensuite room, and I could even choose my bed. So spoiled. We had a nice dinner, and afterward, Victor and I sat by a fire to exchange the photos we had taken of each other during the trip.
Unfortunately, I was so tired I forgot to take pictures of the hotel.
Day 4 - Vatnajökull National Park
As I met Victor at the hotel breakfast, his eyes lit up, and he asked me, “Did you see the northern lights?”
“What?”
“I saw them last night! They showed up,” he said excitedly.
“Aw, man,” I groaned. “I fell on my bed and slept like a stone.”
“It’s okay, you’ll get to see them.”
We had a big day ahead: ice caving, hiking, more beaches, more volcanoes, more ice. I was loving every second of it. Bjork was readying the van, and we went outside, trying really hard not to slip on the frozen ground. He drove us to a meeting point filled with jeeps and off-road trucks, where we were supposed to split up to get to the ice caves. It was already 10 a.m., and the moon was still high above us.
The place we were going to was Vatnajökull National Park, and it was by far the most beautiful place I’d ever been to. Victor and I hopped into an off-road truck and made our way to the mountains, where we went inside the Blue Ice Cave. It was like an ice hole in the mountain—so cool. Then we went back to where Bjork was waiting for us. At first, I thought it was just a parking lot in the middle of nowhere, but with the sun now high in the sky, we realized it was the Jökulsárlón glacier lake. Imagine a glacier, now imagine icebergs detaching from that glacier into a lake. Now imagine that lake flowing to the sea. And now imagine the waves throwing the icebergs back onto the beach. That’s Jökulsárlón and the famous Diamond Beach. The sun was as bright as on a summer day, and I’d never felt such peace. I grabbed my phone and video-called my mom like a little kid. She had to see it.
Being the huge nerd I am, I asked Bjork if that was the glacier where they filmed Interstellar. He said it was the next one, and we would drive around it on our way back to Reykjavik. But then he pulled a massive “great guy” move and took us there for a quick peek that turned into another half-hour hike, wrapping up our day. I love you, Bjork, wherever you are.
Day 5 - Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Imagine snow. Now imagine more snow. Now imagine all the snow you've seen in your life. That doesn't scratch the surface of Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Often called "Iceland in Miniature," the peninsula packs glaciers, volcanoes, black sand beaches, and dramatic cliffs into one region, so if you're short on time for your trip to Iceland, I'd recommend going for a day tour there. Pack all your layers, your waterproof shells, and all the coffee you can drink. You will need to warm up.
It is otherworldly, truly. It feels like you're on a different planet, or at least a different time on this planet. It's like Antarctica without the penguins. Victor and I had so much fun; it's a whole field trip workshop for photographers who want to practice landscape as they never have. And if you're lucky like me, you'll get to see the northern lights on your way back.
I have never felt the Earth around me so alive. And I never felt myself so much part of it. It was a life-changing experience I will take with me forever. With the aurora perfectly wrapping up the Icelandic Expedition, I can say it will be hard to top this experience, but we're still young, and there are so many places to see.
If you want more tips on Iceland and the places listed on this page, don't hesitate to get in touch. See you next time!
