Iceland Photography Workshop Trip Report

Oh Iceland! What a dream you are. In June, I had the privilege of leading two small group photography workshops throughout Iceland. Each trip was ten days long and focused on the most iconic parts of Iceland’s “Ring Road” and beyond. Both workshops included a packed itinerary of waterfalls, coastal landscapes, glaciers, puffins and Icelandic horses.

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Photography Weather

The first workshop was hit with an ominous cloud that seemed to hang over our heads for most of the trip, yet we were able to create incredible images every single day of the workshop. One of the benefits of clouds is that you can shoot all day long! The second group had a little better weather forecast but on a few days, it was almost too good. The moral of the story is that you cannot control the weather but you can make the most of what you’re given and that is certainly what we did on both photography trips.

Iceland Photography Workshop Itinerary

Both workshops more or less did the same itinerary but in opposite directions. The first group went around the island clockwise while the second group went around counterclockwise. The reason for the direction swap was for wild flower timing. I’ll touch on that more below.

Iceland Photography Highlights Trip 1

The first workshop group was greeted with rain right out of the gate. We headed out to the Golden Circle to photograph Gullfoss and Bruarfoss. Luckily for us the rain subsided and we had had some great moody photography clouds at Bruarfoss.

North Iceland Photography Highlights

During the group’s first evening on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, we captured some great pre-sunset light on Kirkjufellfoss. It was just about as perfect as it gets. The group also had great photography conditions for photographing the Ingjaldshólskirkja church in lupine.

Just a few days later the sky looked promising so we stayed out for sunrise at Hvitserkur Rock. The sunrise was well worth the wait as the morning sun painted a vibrant pink glow in the dark blue clouds that stretched across the sky. This was the best light of the first trip!

East Iceland photography Highlights

Southeast Iceland packs a mighty punch when it comes to landscape photography. That’s why we spent two days in the region. The first night we photographed mirror-like reflections of Vestrahorn as fog creeped around the edges of the mountain.

The following evening, we headed over to Diamond beach for prime conditions and Ice. Overcast conditions are often preferable at Diamond Beach because the soft light helps create a beautiful monochromatic scene. The group spent an extended amount of time on the beach because the conditions were so good.

South Iceland Photography Highlights

Continuing along our journey, I had a special treat planned for the group in Southern Iceland. I arranged for a private photo shoot of two gorgeous Icelandic Horses in a field of lupine flowers. This special shoot in the flowers is the reason why the second trip followed a reversed itinerary.

Iceland Photography Highlights Trip 2

The weather on the second trip started off the exact same as the previous trip. We got a little wet on day one but not enough to keep us from shooting.

On day two we experienced the same beautiful horse shoot in the Lupine field that the first group did. I’ve experienced this shoot many times but it is just as amazing every single time! One of the horses seemed to take a liking to one of the members of our group and kept standing right next to him. It was a very sweet moment.

East Iceland Photography Highlights

Moving on to Eastern Iceland, we had some great conditions when photographing Puffins. I have no idea how long we photographed those cute little birds for but it was a long time and there were certainly some great images that came out of the shoot.

North Iceland Photography Highlights

As we pulled into Akureyri, the weather forecast was looking rather good for a pleasing sunset. We had a delicious dinner and made our way to Godafoss as the sky began to glow in the north. We had a great time photographing the sunset over one of Iceland’s most iconic waterfalls.

The following day the group headed over to Hvitserkur Rock. Along the way we spotted a mare with her days old foul. The baby horse was surprisingly unafraid and came right next to the fence. The group had a blast photographing and bonding with the horses. We did not get color in the sky that evening, but we did get some great sand ripples and reflections which made for some excellent shots.

Conclusion

Per square inch, Iceland is the most beautiful country in the world. It’s like a fairytale with magical horses, waterfalls and so much more. The food is good and the photography is even better! Good conditions or bad, there are plenty of photographic opportunities around the island. I had a blast sharing Iceland with a couple of great groups and I can’t wait to do it again next year!

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5-Star Iceland Photography Workshop Review

"Thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of Mike’s Iceland Summer 2025 workshop. It is evident Mike put a lot of effort into mapping out the best photography locations around the island, as well as, finding great accommodations (and I mean GREAT) & places to eat.

Even though the weather didn’t always cooperate, Mike made sure we were positioned to get the best photos possible. When I was unsure of what camera settings to use, Mike was right there to provide assistance & guidance. I never felt self conscious asking for help - from Mike or the other participants. His photo review sessions were really instructional - from considerations for setting up the initial shot all the way through to post processing.

What ultimately made the trip so incredible was the dynamics of the group. The group just clicked! Mike set the tone with his relaxed and chilled out personality and the group just followed his lead. We certainly had a lot of laughs over the 10 day workshop.

In my opinion, Mike’s Iceland workshop is definitely a “must do”. If you’re looking to capture some of Iceland’s best scenery and wildlife you won’t be disappointed - regardless of weather!"

JULIA B.

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