Guided 11 Day Midnight Sun Photography Workshop in Iceland’s Westfjords

It is time for your photography adventure to begin. Starting with a hotel pick up in the morning, you will be heading west in a specially modified jeep towards the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. The area is often referred to as “Iceland in Miniature” due to its eclectic and exciting collection of natural attractions.

You will have the opportunity to capture one of the best sights in Iceland, the extraordinary Kirkjufell mountain which has a unique and fascinating shape making for the perfect photography subject. Explore your surroundings through your camera lens and indulge in the dramatic landscapes Iceland is so famous for.

Kirkjufell is just one feature amongst many that you will be able to capture, as the midnight sun allows flexibility and longer hours to explore features such as sea stacks, dramatic cliffs and basalt columns.

Another notable stop is the black church at Búðir, a 19th-century building which draws into stark contrast human-made structures alongside striking natural beauty.

You'll spend the night at accommodations on the peninsula. 

Your first subject of the day will be the dramatic and aptly named sea cliffs at Svörtuloft which translates to ‘black ceiling’, where you can photograph the Atlantic Ocean pounding against the cliff face. 

Moving on, you will be transported to one of Iceland's countless waterfalls, Klukkufoss. Under the supervision of your expert guide, you'll be advised in the arts of capturing such natural wonders in preparation for many more to come.

Rumoured to be haunted, your next stop is the captivating beach Djúpalónssandur. Littered with pieces of a historical shipwreck, you will inevitably be inspired by the smooth black pebble beach contradicted by the sharp, shadowy nature of the surrounding lava fields.

After an exploration of the peninsula, passing through cozy villages and wild landscapes, you will return to the multi-faceted Kirkjufell mountain with a new and perhaps more experienced eye. 

Contrast and compare your photos from yesterday before retiring to your comfortable accommodation for the night.

From the charming and quintessential harbour town of Stykkishólmur, you will be ferried across the fjord Breiðafjörður to reach the enigmatic and remote Westfjords. The boat, Baldur, will make a quick stop on the island of Flatey during this voyage revealing an otherworldy far-flung community where birds outnumber people. Keep an eye open for puffins!

Upon reaching the Westfjords, your first destination will be the Garðar BA 64 shipwreck, a vessel originally built in Norway in 1912, making it the oldest steel ship in Iceland. This antique makes for a fantastic subject, the first of many in the Westfjords.

Next, you’ll be driven up the craggy mountainous route to Látrabjarg, the most western point of Europe. This infamous cliffside is a renowned puffin gazing hotspot, just be careful on the cliff's edge as the burrowing habits of the puffins render the ground unstable.

After honing your wildlife photography skills, you will then descend to admire the infinite beauty that is Rauðissandur beach (the Red Sand).  The mind boggles how you are still in Iceland as you admire a vast expanse of golden sands shimmering in the glow of the low set midnight sun. You will spend the evening in the idyllic town Breiðavík.

Anrnarfjörður fjord is the second largest of the Westfjords and makes a legitimate claim for being one of the most beautiful in the region. The epic inlets and towering mountainscapes cannot help but spark a wonder unparalleled by anything you may have encountered before. Rich in historical and cultural landmarks, your passage through this dramatic landscape will not cease to inspire you and your camera.

There will be some historical and cultural stops along the way, visiting the home of famous Icelanders as well as a small idyllic farm. In Icelandic folklore, Arnarfjörður is said to be home of many monsters and sorcerers from the sea.

The highlight of the day is the magnificent, cascading spectacle that is Dynjandi. This waterfall thunders down many shelves collectively measuring 100-metres and it promises to leave you truly dumbstruck. Not to worry, your guide will oversee your progress and technique to make sure you are able to immortalise this majestic force of nature whose name literally means 'thunderous'.

You will stay in the town of Þingeyri for the night.

It is time to ascend the highest peak in the Westfjords, the incredible Kaldbakur mountain. On this route, your photography skills will be focused around abandoned farmhouses; their weathered and time-beaten rustic character pair romantically with their wild and rugged surroundings.

Another valley that you will want to immortalise on camera is the Keldudalur valley which is characterised by glacial ponds and towering mountains. This rocky terrain is reflected in the rough road conditions but you won’t have to worry as your driver will expertly navigate you through the winding landscape. You will return to Þingeyri for the evening.

Ísafjörður is the capital of the Westfjords and boasts the largest population in the region of 2600 people. You will spend the day exploring the town and photographing interesting locations found nearby. 

You will then move to Bolungarvík, the second largest town in the Westfjords, where you will have the opportunity to climb as well as photograph the impressive 638-metre high mountain, Bolafjall.

The evening will be spent in the beautiful valleys Korpudalur and Ingjaldssandur to capture the beautiful warm sunrays. You will then head back to Ísafjörður where you will spend the night.

Today you will set off to explore the remote landscapes of your surrounding fjords, providing no end to photo opportunities. There are many abandoned buildings in the area, reflecting the harsh nature that one has to cope with to survive in the remote Westfjords,

Travelling around, you will come to a place highly populated with birdlife and seals, presenting the perfect chance for you to practise your wildlife photography skills. There is very little human activity in these parts which make for an immersive experience in the quiet nature of untouched beauty.

A favourite subject of photographers in the Westfjords is the Arnarnesviti lighthouse which is marvellously symmetrical and striking in its bold yellow and red against the dramatic backdrop of the wilderness surrounding it.

The evening will be spent in Hólmavík where it is highly recommended you go visit the Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft which hosts a fascinating exhibit on the occult.

Today you will be off to sea again! Board a boat and head to the beautiful island of Grímsey, home to a huge puffin population in case you had begun to miss the ‘Clowns of the Sea’.

Once back on the mainland, you will have the opportunity to photograph the rocky monolith Hvítserkur which resembles an elephant especially in the warm amber glow of summer. Not only is Hvítserkur bathed in the midnight sun but it is also steeped in folklore.

You will spend the evening at accommodations in the area.

Waterfalls will be your main subjects for today and firstly you’ll be taken to the Koluglúfur canyon featuring the Kolufossar waterfalls where you can exercise your now well-honed nature photography skills.

Next, you will stop at the magnificent Hraunfossar waterfalls which are made up of many different rivulets running out of the water basin of the surrounding lava fields. These gently flowing falls are contrasted by the powerful churning waters of the adjacent waterfall Barnafoss.

As you make your way back to Reykjavík you can roll over your collective experiences from the last 10-days and maybe review some of your pictures. Dinner will be with the group once more at a restaurant in Reykjavík where you can say your goodbyes to your fellow photographers and guide.

Time to leave already! You will make your way back to Keflavík International Airport to continue your adventures or go back home with a stack of memories and a full memory card. Consider coming back in the winter for an entirely new, yet still mesmerising, adventure on this fascinating island.