South Plan:

We follow the best weather and light – so if the weather is more favorable in the south of Iceland we spend our days photographing which nature phenomenon’s that have the best light:

South East Iceland idea:
6/1: Arrival and hotel in Reykjavik
7/1: Jokulsarlong glacier lagoon. Hotel Hali or Gerdi Guesthouse
8/1: Jokulsarlong glacier lagoon. Hotel Hali or Gerdi Guesthouse
9/1: Reynisdrangar, Dyrholaey,  Vik. Hotel Vik or hotel Katla.
10/1: Skogafoss, Seljalandsfoss, Thorsmork. Hotel Smaratun
11/1: An extra day at one of the locations listed above
12/1: Sunrise shoot and as much as we can before ending the day in Reykjavik.
13/1: Departure from KEF airport*
* You can extend your stay of course and/or do the Iceland Winter Workshop

Photo places: Jokulsarlon, Fjallsarlon, ice beacy by Jokulsarlon, Vik, Reynisdrangar, Dyrholaey, Skogafoss, Seljalandsfoss, Thorsmork

South + Highland Iceland idea:
6/1: Arrival and hotel in Reykjavik
7/1: Thingvellir, Bruarfoss, Gullfoss. Hotel Geysir or Gullfoss.
8/1: Hjalparfoss, Haifoss, Granni. Hrauneyjar Guesthouse
9/1: Landmannalaugar. Hrauneyjar Guesthouse
10/1: Skogafoss, Seljalandsfoss, Thorsmork. Hotel Smaratun
11/1:  An extra day at one of the locations listed above
12/1: Sunrise shoot and as much as we can before ending the day in Reykjavik.
13/1: Departure from KEF airport*
* You can extend your stay of course and/or do the Iceland Winter Workshop

Photo places: Thingvellir, Bruarfoss, Gullfoss, Hjalparfoss, Haifoss, Landmannalaugar, Ljotipollur, Vik, Reynisdrangar, Dyrholaey, Skogafoss, Seljalandsfoss, Thorsmork, Sigoldugil

See next tab for the North plan

North Plan:

We follow the best weather and light – so if the weather is more favorable in the north of Iceland we spend our days photographing which nature phenomenon’s that have the best light:

North Iceland idea:
6/1: Arrival and hotel in Reykjavik
7/1: Hvitserkur & Skagafjordur. Hotel Varmahlid or Hotel Tindastoll
8/1: Kambsfoss í Austurdalur,. Hotel Varmahlid or Hotel Tindastoll
9/1: Kálfshamarsvík and Spanskanof by  Skagastrond. Hotel Siglunes in Siglufjordur
10/1: Olafsfjordur, Dalvik and Eyjafjordur, Hraundrangar in Oxnadalur. Hotel Varmahlid or Hotel Tindastoll
11/1: An extra day at one of the locations listed above
12/1: Sunrise shoot and as much as we can before ending the day in Reykjavik.
13/1: Departure from KEF airport

Photo places: Hvitserkur, Glaumbær, Kambsfoss í Austurdalur, Hraundrangar in Oxnadalur, Kolugljufur canyon & waterfalls, Kálfshamarsvík, Spanskanof by  Skagastrond, Siglufjordur fishing town by the arctic circle, Eyjafjordur.

North East Iceland idea:
6/1: Arrival and hotel in Reykjavik
7/1: Hvitserkur & Skagafjordur. Hotel Varmahlid or Hotel Tindastoll
8/1: Godafoss & Lake Myvatn. Hotel Reynihlid or Hotel Reykjahlid.
9/1: Namaskard, Krafla, Dettifoss. Hotel Reynihlid or Hotel Reykjahlid.
10/1: Hraunfossar, Barnafoss, Thingvellir. Hotel Reykholt
11/1:  An extra day at one of the locations listed above
12/1: Sunrise shoot and as much as we can before ending the day in Reykjavik.
13/1: Departure from KEF airport

Photo places: Hvitserkur, Glaumbaer, Godafoss, Myvatn, Dettifoss, Krafla, Namaskard, Hraunfossar, Barnafoss

If your flight is in the afternoon, it’s ideal to enjoy a relaxing soak in the Blue Lagoon before flying back home.

See previous tab for the south plan or the next tab for the west plan

West Plan:

We follow the best weather and light – so if the weather is more favorable in the west of Iceland we spend our days photographing which nature phenomenon’s that have the best light:

West Iceland Idea:
6/1: Arrival and hotel in Reykjavik
7/1: Magnificent West Iceland and Glacier. Hotel Reykholt
8/1: Snæfellsnes – south side. Hotel Olafsvik or Stykkisholmur
9/1: Snæfellsjokull National Park. Hotel Olafsvik or Stykkisholmur
10/1: Snæfellsnes – north side. Hotel Olafsvik or Stykkisholmur
11/1: An extra day at one of the locations listed above
12/1: Sunrise shoot and as much as we can before ending the day in Reykjavik.
13/1: Departure from KEF airport

Photo places: Hraunfossar, Barnafoss, Budir, Arnarstapi, Hellnar, Djupalon, Vatnshellir, Snaefellsjokull, Kirkjufell, Kirkjufellsfoss

Photo Workshop

We focus on helping participants on an individual basis and at their own level. If you’re an advanced photographer we are happy to help or stay out of the way. We are always happy to go into discussions on equipment, exposure, metering, filters and personal tips.

This is a workshop environment and the guides are present to aid in the field and teach techniques for landscape photography as well as helping process images during down times.

The guides can assist you with:
Exposing for the Northern Lights
Exposing the foreground
Processing images of the Northern Lights
Composition
Capturing the most ideal RAW-file for later digital optimization
Panorama techniques, both shooting and processing
RAW image adjustments and retouching techniques in Photoshop

Gear List & Equipment:
Interchangeable Lens DSLR Camera capable of shooting in RAW format
Tripod
Cable release
Laptop computer
External hard drive
Card reader
Photoshop
Hot-shoe mounted bubble level (if your camera doesn’t offer a built-in electronic level)
Circular Polarizing Filter
Neutral Density Filters
Headlight

Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis)

The Northern Lights exist in the outmost layer of the atmosphere. They are created by electrically charged particles that make the thin air shine, not unlike a fluorescent light. They can be seen in aurora belts that form 20-25 degrees around the geomagnetic poles, both the north and the south. The Northern Lights are also called Aurora Borealis. Named after the Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora, and the Greek name for the north wind, Boreas. They are one of the most spectacular shows on this earth and can frequently be seen in Iceland from September through March on clear and crisp nights. Away from the glow of the city, we hunt for the elusive Northern Lights but please note that the Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon and sightings cannot be guaranteed. Photographing the Northern Lights is a worthy task best taken in winter. (In the summer there is daylight all day and all night and no Northern Lights – which creates a whole other dimension of great photo safaris. Take a glance at our ideas on the left menu.)

The Northern Lights occur high above the surface of the earth where the atmosphere has become extremely thin, at an altitude of 100-250km. The source of the auroras are tiny particles, protons and electrons caused by electronic storms on the sun (solar wind), that are trapped in the earth’s magnetic field and they begin to spiral back and forth in a circle around the magnetic pole. While dancing around endlessly in their magnetic trap, some particles escape into the earth’s atmosphere. They hit molecules in the atmosphere which cause the molecules to glow, thus creating the auroras.

White and green are usually the dominant colors but sometimes there are considerable colour variations, as the pressure and composition of the atmosphere varies at different altitudes. At extremely high altitudes where the pressure is low, there tends to be a reddish glow produced by oxygen molecules when they are struck by the tiny particles of the solar wind. At lower altitudes, where there is higher pressure, their impact-irritated oxygen molecules may glow with a greenish tinge and sometimes there is a reddish lower border created by particles colliding with nitrogen molecules in the immediate vicinity.

Northern Lights (Aroura Borealis) outside Reykjavik

If your group is serious about photographing the Northern Lights, why not consider Iceland and have us help you plan an exciting adventure. Please do not hesitate to contact us on info@NatureExplorer.is. Please include information on the size of your group and proposed length of stay.

Interesting Northern Lights links:
http://sec.noaa.gov/pmap/
http://en.vedur.is/weather/forecasts/aurora/