Northern Lights, Glaciers and Ice Workshop

Highlights will include (depending on the trip format chosen)…

• Luminous icebergs floating in a surreal turquoise lagoon
• Bizarre glacial landscapes up close
• Superbly located accommodation close to Glacier Lagoon
• Sunrises and sunsets in dramatic locations
• Weird ice formations on black volcanic sand
• Ephemeral Aurora Borealis (northern lights)
• Photograph the surreal ice caves
• Drive through spectacular scenery of Iceland’s south coast
• Basalt columns and sea stacks of Vík
• Waterfalls: Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Svartifoss

Free iBook: A Guide to Photographing the Northern Lights

If you’re interested in this tour and own an iPad, you might like our free iBook A Guide to Photographing the Northern Lights – check it out!
 

“…The workshop was extremely well organised and the tuition from the leaders was the best we have ever had, even down to the processing of images using Lightroom. We were taken to the beautiful and varied locations at the best times of day and night (occasionally we were allowed to sleep!!). The leaders knowledge of the area was such that in the event of inclement conditions there was always an alternative location to visit. Thank you so much for a fabulous holiday.”

Margaret and John March 2013

Also check out some more images from this workshop taken by Steven C.

The Guardian just posted this amazing video of the northern lights recorded on 17 March.

General Summary

South Iceland has some of the most spectacular and easily accessible ice and glacial phenomena in Europe, awesome mountain scenery, Skaftafell National Park, several glacial lagoons, black beaches festooned with sparkling sea washed ice sculptures, incredible waterfalls, the famous Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, and magnificent views of Iceland’s highest mountain Hvannadalshnúkur from the Svínafellsjökull glacier. This trip will give us sunrise and sunset opportunities in well chosen locations and several chances to capture Aurora Borealis; the northern lights. The varied locations give a really diverse range of natural phenomena and remarkable landscapes. The surreal arctic environment of the Glacier Lagoon was the location for films such as James Bond’s Die Another Day, ‘A View to a Kill’ and ‘Lara Croft – Tomb Raider’. Our main base is just ten minutes drive from the Jökulsárlón.

The unusual locations are inspiring allowing participants an opportunity to produce exceptional images. Evening tutorials including image development, image presentations and night shooting of the aurora can be expected. Whether you are a beginner with your first DSLR or are considerably more advanced, this highly personalized workshop will take you to the next level of proficiency.

Brief Itinerary

For full details please download the PDF dossier

Day 1: Arrive

Transfer to Reykjavik hotel

Day 2: Locations on Iceland’s south coast

From Reykjavik to Skaftafell National Park with iconic locations en route including waterfalls Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, black beach and basalt columns on Vík beach
Hotel Vík

Day 3: To Skaftafell National Park

We travel Iceland’s south coast passing through vast lava fields and past glaciated mountains to the Skaftafell National Park where we will make a short walk accroos glacial moraine to the glacial tongue of Svínafellsjökull. Here we have remarkable close up perspectives of bluish green ice, the milky brown lagoon; a surreal icy landscape including Iceland’s highest mountain, Hvannadalshnjúkur. Sometimes we encounter a beautiful ice cave. It is worth noting that we can never predict what these natural phenomena will be like until we arrive as they are constantly changing.
En route to our accommodation we will check out the layout of Glacier Lagoon and beach for both sunrise and the possibility of aurora.
Guesthouse

Day 4-6

Our base is very well situated for all our locations. We chose our locations in conjunction with the weather and the Aurora forecasts, we have to be very flexible to get the best images and we will often revisit worthwhile locations.
Guesthouse

• Jökulsárlón beach: icebergs and sculptures at sunrise, seals are quite common here.
• Jökulsárlón Lagoon: we will photograph here on several occasions in all different light. This also makes a fine location for the Aurora as it is easily accessible from our accommodation and gives fine foreground for images; very dramatic!
• Fjallsárlón Glacier Lagoon: a remote less visited location.
• Mountain locations east of our accommodation including small lakes with great mountain reflections
• Natural ice caves beneath the Vatnajökull Glacier, Europe’s largest ice cap.
• Svínafellsjökull Glacier at sunset

Day 7 Return to Reykjavik

This morning we take a final visit to the Glacier Lagoon and beach for sunrise and morning light; basically photographers could visit this location a thousand times and never tire of its magic.
After lunch we drive back to Reykjavik arriving in time for dinner.
Reykjavik Hotel

Day 8 Homeward Flights

To Keflavík international airport for homeward flights.

Flight options for travelling to our East Iceland base in Hali

Introducing for 2014 there will be the option to either fly from Reykjavik to Höfn in east Iceland or from Höfn back to Reykjavík. This allows guests to see something of the south coast of Iceland either en route to the East or on the return journey to Reykjavík.

Northern Lights, Glaciers and Ice Workshop intensive

There will be two Northern Lights, Glaciers and Ice intensive workshops which will fly both ways and allow participants maximum time photographing in around the icy locations around our base. These dates are:

25 March – 1 April and 3-10 April 2014

“… I can’t thank you (Martin) and Geraldine enough. Between the photo opportunities, suggestions and tips, food, and just great company, this was one of the best photo trips we’ve been on.”

Jack Moskovitz, February 2012

Complete Itinerary and Full Details

This page is only a brief summary. A complete itinerary and more details can be found in our PDF dossier

This dossier is a description of our basic trip and participants choosing the intensive workshop or one way flights should take account of these differences when reading the information.

It is important that you read the full day-to-day description and further information for this holiday before making your booking.