I have been fortunate enough to visit Iceland twice now with my work as a photographer, with a third trip planned in early July this year. We travelled to Iceland this time for a pre wedding shoot with a wonderful Canadian couple called Greg and Christie, who over the 5 days we spent with them, became our friends. So much so, that they will be flying into Las Vegas to meet up with us again in a few weeks for another photoshoot in Antelope Canyon, Arizona!
Before I visited for the first time, I had not really envisaged just how beautiful Iceland would be. Whilst Reykjavik itself has plenty to offer in terms of picturesque beauty, it’s when you venture outside the city that the magic really happens. The Icelandic landscape is nothing short of breathtaking. The main route 1 out of Reykjavik that runs around the country, gets quieter, the further from the city you travel. This allows you to absorb the stunning views as you drive, with little distraction and as if you were the only people on the island. There is something undeniably uplifting about being this close to nature in its rawest form, away from the maddening crowd. Despite the low light of Winter, you cannot help but fall under Iceland’s spell once you are there..
THE BLUE LAGOON
The Blue Lagoon, as I’ve said in my previous post, is a must if you are visiting Iceland. It’s famous for its warm turquoise waters and rich minerals like silica and sulfur and is reputed to have healing properties if you suffer from skin diseases such as psoriasis.
Despite the freezing outdoor temperatures, once you’ve made the dash from the changing room, you are immediately embraced by the warm waters of the lagoon. The temperature averages 37-39°C (99–102 °F), which keeps you toasty warm as you swim or wade through the lagoon, shrouded by the rising mist off the water. The silica squishes beneath your feet with each step as you explore all the lagoon has to offer, which includes a bar and a place for you to try the various mineral masks available.
The experience is so enveloping, that several hours can slip by quite quickly, as you relax in the soothing warm water whilst sipping your tipple of choice. It’s the perfect remedy for recharging your batteries and helping you unwind.
The cost for an adult admittance to the Blue Lagoon starts at around £75.00 for a basic entry ticket and depending on the package you choose. There is also a private retreat hotel and spa which gives you a 4 hour exclusive entry to the retreat spa and Blue Lagoon with a price tag of just over £500!
The lagoon is not suitable for children under the age of 2 and children under the age of 8 can only enter the lagoon with the use of armbands, which are provided free of charge.
We stayed in the Silica Hotel when we visited the Blue Lagoon which is a two minute drive from the main lagoon and a beautiful hotel, surrounded by a lava field. It also has the added benefit of a private lagoon known as ‘silica lagoon’ which although much smaller than the main lagoon, is much quieter too.
BLACK SAND BEACH
The best way to explore Iceland outside of Reykjavik is by car. We hired a car and picked it up from Reykjavik airport when we arrived and headed out on highway 1 travelling east to Jökulsárlón which is around 380 km and roughly a 5 hour drive. If you can do the journey in daylight it’s recommended as there is just so much to see en route!
If you head in the same direction as we did, you will pass through the small fishing village of Vik. Just over a 2 hour drive from Reykjavik, Vik is a place of spectacular natural beauty. Just the other side of Vik, you can visit Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach which is the most famous black sand beach on the South Coast of Iceland and is a truly unique place to visit. Its rare black sand is formed from heavily eroded volcanic rock which turned black as it cooled and hardened. Alongside the beach are stunning basalt pillars and caves that make for extraordinary photographic backdrops like the ones we took of Greg and Christie below. You can view more images from the shoot here: Iceland Pre Wedding Photography
JÖKULSÁRLÓN GLACIER LAGOON
The Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon is one of Iceland’s natural wonders and is utterly breathtaking. A must see when visiting, it is more than worth the 5 hour drive to reach it. The large glacial lake on the edge of Vatnajökull National Park is the deepest lake in Iceland with a depth of 248 metres. The lake has expanded over time due to climate change and the melting of the glaciers. On our first visit, we were lucky enough to see seals swimming and resting amongst the glaciers, which vary in colour from bright blue to milky white. The lake sits against the backdrop of the mountains and the air feels crisp and clean as you breath it in whilst taking in the stunning landscape around you.
On the other side of the road there is the famous black sand Diamond Beach, another sight to behold. The beach is covered in giant cubes of ice that have been washed up from the sea and glisten like diamonds. Making another beautiful landscape for our pre wedding shoot.
ICE CAVE TOUR
Greg and Christie wanted to be photographed in an ice cave so booked us onto a tour of the glacier. We drove off the beaten track which is only accessible using a guide and travelling in special trucks with inflatable / deflatable tyres that navigate the rough terrain. The landscape itself was without question, beautiful, however the ice cave tour on this particular occasion was disappointing.
It was not so much a cave but a small tunnel of ice that was only partly covered and with so many other tourists queuing up to take their photos and walk through it, it somewhat reduced the value of our experience and certainly put us under pressure during the shoot! The tours are not cheap either and start on average at around €135 per person for a 2 hour experience, which soon adds up when there are four of you! The tours are also only available between November and March.
My advice would be if you do book an ice cave tour, make sure you do your research. Consult with the tour company you are booking through and ask for clarification on exactly which cave you will be visiting and be sure it is a cave and not a tunnel tour.
WHERE WE STAYED – GLACIER LAGOON
We stayed at The FosseHotel Glacier Lagoon, which is a fabulous hotel and a very welcoming stopover when you’ve spent much of your day outside in the icy cold! Full of contemporary Nordic design, its the perfect mix of cosiness and luxury all in one. Room rates start from around €129 per night for a double room.
ICELANDIC HORSES
If you are driving along Route 1, at some point you will drive past these adorable little horses so if you want to stop and say hello, it’s worth arming yourself with a handful of apple pieces to attract their attention! The horses are incredibly friendly and easy-going creatures and we had a wonderful few minutes with them before heading off on our journey back to Reykjavik.
WATERFALLS
Iceland is abound with waterfalls with over 10,000 in existence on the island, meaning you have endless possibilities when it comes to choosing which ones to see. We travelled to Seljalandsfoss on our pre wedding shoot this time and had opportunity to stand behind the waterfall to get some beautiful images of Greg and Christie. It was of course full of tourists too, so we had to work quickly to get what we needed, particularly as it was so cold! The spray from the waterfall and low light made for difficult working conditions as well but it was worth the effort.
If you want to photograph the waterfalls and want to achieve soft looking water as shown below, you’ll definitely need a tripod, a neutral density filter for your camera lens if shooting in daylight and set your camera to a long exposure. If you’re posing subjects in front of the waterfall as we have, they will need to stay very still indeed to avoid any blurring.
The waterfalls around Iceland really are an incredible natural wonder, all with their own unique beauty. Iceland’s location and climate are particularly suited to waterfalls and if you’re hitting the open road you will never be far from one.
We also headed to Öxarárfoss in the Thingvellir National Park. Öxarárfoss forms a part of the Golden Circle route and is one of Iceland’s more popular attractions. It is an extremely pretty waterfall and only a short walk from the car park. It’s also easy to do as a day trip from Reykjavik which is why it attracts so many visitors.
For more information on which waterfalls to visit it’s worth checking out this great guide: 25 Best Iceland Waterfalls
NORTHERN LIGHTS
Despite visiting Iceland twice in the months of November and December, we unfortunately weren’t lucky enough to see the Northern Lights either time. Late September to late March are apparently when you stand the best chance of seeing them as Iceland is at its darkest after 6 p.m. However, I would consider seeing them as being the cherry on top for your trip, as you could well be disappointed otherwise.
That said, with so much incredible natural beauty, it’s impossible to leave Iceland feeling anything but amazed by all it has to offer. I am so excited to go back in the summer when we will have a completely different experience due to amount of daylight hours!
Here is a little behind the scenes vlog of our time in Iceland:
