Top Iceland Photography Tours Tours & Vacations 2024/2025...

Iceland Photography Tours Attractions & Landmarks Guide

The Land of Fire and Ice, Iceland is endlessly photographable. Incredible landscapes, unique natural phenomenons one on top of the other, and diverse wildlife all beckon the lens of professional and novice photographers alike. Taking a photography tour is a great way to learn the best ways to capture all of Iceland's beauty.

Iceland is a land of contrasts. Juxtaposed natural phenomenon smashed together; rain, sun, and snow in one day; a tiny island with almost no space between one adventure and another...wait, that’s the description for Neverland…

Well, Iceland is really a type of Neverland offering adventures galore and so much stunning untamed natural beauty. These contrasts are so prevalent. Of course the word “contrast” means something very significant to photographers, and not always a good thing.

While the sun can create dramatic lighting, sometimes it’s much better to shoot when there’s some cloud cover to create a natural filter. This will help capture the nuances in the many contrasts you’ll come across, especially if you’re venturing beyond the more trafficked attractions around Reykjavik and the Golden Circle.

What to pack for a photography tour in Iceland

A good, weather resistant camera bag. This will vary depending on the type of camera you use, but regardless, a bag that closes all the way and is padded will help protect against debris, as well as eliminated the frequency of your lens fogging up with changes of temperature.

You'll also be jumping in and out of cars as you make frequent stops to capture the nations beauty. Bumps are bound to happen, so always put your camera away each time to avoid harming the body or lens.

Filters. Not not the instagram kind. For serious photographers, filters are a key ingredient to mind blowing photographs.

A lens hood. Rain is common throughout the year in Iceland, and you’ll want to protect your lens from stray droplets. One popular option is a rubber hood that can fold back once the rain stops.

Photography Tips for Iceland’s Waterfalls

Waterfalls are one of the most ample and exciting attractions to be found in Iceland. Anytime you want to photograph water, you have a few choices.

To get the more ethereal, fairytale look, you would ideally use a tripod because you’ll be using a longer shutter speed to create the effect. If this is what you’re going for, you definitely need to use a filter, otherwise the entire shot will be completely blown out.

For a harsher, more frozen look, use a higher shutter speed to capture the motion in detail.

Photography Tips for the Northern Lights in Iceland

To capture the famous hues of neon green, blue, and sometimes pink, you’ll want a very sturdy tripod first and foremost. Practice with taking long exposures and time lapses before the big day, and make sure your camera can stand up to cold.

If you have the space, try to bring some weights for your tripod and make sure it’s set up far enough away from paths and people to avoid being bumped. Bring a light log to keep track of your shutter speeds and apertures so you can see exactly how and why your pictures turned out, or alternatively, be able to fix mistakes next time.

In general you’ll want a fast lens in order to get the clearest image. The Northern Lights are a tricky thing to capture effectively. It’s literally all the conditions you don’t want to deal with unless you have unlimited equipment at your disposal: dark, cold, movement (stars will look streaky as they are moving, albeit slowly, during your exposure), and a faint shifting color is what you’re trying to capture.

The most important thing to remember about photographing the Northern Lights is to use a tripod. You will not be able to capture the brilliance of the lights in all their glory if you have to hold your camera. Additionally you may want to practice using an external shutter release. This will minimize any chance of bumping your camera and ruining the exposure, and also gives you more freedom to observe with the naked eye, instead of needing to stay put looking through the lens.

Tripods come in many different forms, but the sturdier the better. If you don’t have a hard duty tripod, some tours will provide sandbags to help hold lighter models in place.

The Northern Lights are a rite of passage for photographers. Going on a photography tour is the surest way you’re going to be able to maximize your camera’s potential for great photographs.

Iceland Photography: Other Things to Keep in Mind

Even if you're a complete amateur, Iceland is forgiving in that amazing photographs can be taken without much alteration, editing, or fancy settings. If you want to challenge yourself, definitely go for manual mode, but if you're in a hurry and not sure which setting is right? Iceland will give you pretty spectacular photos regardless.

Be mindful of loose ground, and unsafe conditions. Iceland is notorious for having very little signage, so you need to depend on common sense when hiking around waterfalls and around the ocean. Even if the perfect shot is there, attempt to get it at your own risk.

Iceland is mainly about natural landscapes and wildlife, it's true, however don't discount the towns scattered throughout the country. The human history of Iceland is fascinating. Take some time to explore landmarks and meet locals who can tell you about their stories and maybe sit for a portrait photograph. Reykjavik as well offers some very photogenic architecture.

Top 10 Things to Photograph in Iceland

1. Icelandic Horses - Iceland’s famous wild horses are a classic sight, and the perfect subject for your photographs. With their hues of brown, tan, and beige and their thick fur and white manes they are the perfect complement to the open green expanses in Iceland. Use a manual focus setting to made them stand out even more and capture the personality they bring to Iceland’s landscape.

2. Blue Lagoon - The Blue Lagoon is a favorite destination for travelers to Iceland. It’s a bit of an open secret to visit here right before your flight home. The healing waters help relax muscles and help you prepare for a long airplane ride. But the Lagoon is also a fantastic place to photograph, especially in winter when it’s less crowded and you can get beautifully mysterious shots of steam rising off the bright blue waters.

3. Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon - The Glacier Lagoon is one of Iceland’s most popular spots for viewing and photographing the Northern Lights, though it’s just as beautiful during the summer months. A wide expanse with hundreds of floating icebergs and ice sheets that have broken off the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier. It’s the perfect location for wide shots as well as more tight shots of the bergs and ice.

4. Latrabjarg - Along these massive cliffs, you’ll get very close to the birdlife, who are used to humans, allowing for incredible photographs. This is the westernmost point in Iceland, and home to literally millions of birds. Several different species can be found living among the cliffs, but the main attraction is the puffins.

5. Seljalandsfoss - This waterfall is one of the main sights in Iceland, attractive for the fact that you can walk a full 360 degrees around the water. This allows for amazing photographs from directly underneath as well as directly through the falls.

6. Black Sand Beaches - Black sand beaches are incredibly haunting and often look like other worlds - since we’re used to seeing beaches depicted as friendly and relaxing, with smooth white sands. Two of Iceland’s best black sand beaches for photographing include Ryenisfjara near the town of Vik, and Stokksnes Beach a little further northeast, near Höfn.

7. Northern Lights - The Northern Lights are the pinnacle of Arctic photography. Stunning neon green and pink hues light up the sky in this incredible natural phenomenon, only observable in winter, and only in certain locations. To photograph the lights, make sure you use a tripod and are comfortable with taking long exposures. Also invest in a pair of photographers gloves - it will be cold, and you won’t want to fiddle with taking large cumbersome gloves off and on if you need to change your settings.

8. Waterfall Ice Cave - If ever there was a magical atmosphere on earth, this is it. Straight out of a fairy tale, this environment is like no other. It is a bit of a challenge to get to, especially in winter when the ice is at its most dramatic, if you have difficulty walking this may not be the best location.

9. Dettifoss Waterfall - Obviously most of Iceland’s waterfalls make for spectacular photographs. But Dettifoss, with its enormous thundering and intimidating falls, is quite the subject. Waters flowing with extreme force from the Vatnajökull glacier and plummeting 144 feet and 328 feet across, it is truly a sight to behold.

10. Gjábakkahellir Cave - Iceland has many volcanoes, but just a few that you can explore inside. This lava tube cave, just outside of Reykjavik, was formed 9000 years ago, and is distinctive for the ability to walk straight through from one end to another. This creates incredibly dramatic shots from multiple angles. It’s also one of the few caving experiences in Iceland where you can be upright for most of the way, rather than crawling through tight spaces - very useful when carrying camera equipment.

Travel to Iceland: Before You Go

When packing for Iceland, layers are key. It never gets incredibly warm, even during 24 hours of sunlight in the summer. Temperatures will be comfortable but not hot. In winter, you’ll get snow and rain, and it will be chilly.

Iceland is expensive. No if, ands, or buts about it. Prepare to pay higher prices when eating and drinking out.

Visas

You do not need a visa to travel to Iceland if you are planning to stay less than 90 days. Your passport must be valid for up to 3 months after your intended travel date.

Iceland is a part of the Schengen cooperation, so if you have a Schengen visa, this is valid for Iceland as well, and you don’t need additional documentation.

Safety

Iceland is one of the safest countries to visit. People are generally friendly, and although tourism has rapidly increased over recent years, they are welcoming to people keen to explore their country.

The increase in tourism has led to busier roads, especially the famous Ring Road that circles the country. With more travelers renting cars these days, be sure to practice caution when crossing streets and when walking around the popular natural attractions. Be very careful driving in icy conditions, and avoid it if possible. Ice is difficult to see and can cause spinouts without warning.

Also be mindful of Iceland’s lack of safety signage. Hiking up around waterfalls, and in windy conditions, or around ocean shores with riptides, Iceland can be dangerous. Especially if you’re distracted with your camera out and not looking at your footing.

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Iceland Photography Tours Tours & Travel Packages 2024/2025

Our 10 most popular Iceland Photography Tours trips. Compare tour itineraries from 8 tour companies. 0 reviews.

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