For most people, say “Let’s go to Iceland in the winter,” and they’ll think you’re nuts. Photographers, of course, aren’t most people. For them, the possibility of rain, wind and clouds is outweighed by the opportunity for some incredible photos. So when my group of eleven hardy souls met in Reykjavik on February 17 for a week-long Iceland photography trip, we were prepared – both gear-wise and mentally.
Our second day out was the worst weather we encountered, with almost relentless rain and strong wind. That didn’t stop Bob, or the rest of the group, from venturing out to photograph waves pounding the coastline at Reynisfjara viewpoint. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 3200, 1/320 at f/5.6 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 34mm.
Still overcast? No problem. In fact, the lack of hard, contrasty light lets us show even more detail in the chunks of ice that were washed up onto the black lava sand at this glacial lagoon. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 200, 1/40 at f/13 in Matrix metering, -1.3 EV, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 14mm.
Despite the name, Iceland has lots of green, and even in winter the temperature stays relatively mild thanks to the gulf stream. The average at that time of year is usually around freezing. But thanks to the mountains and ocean, it can also be windy, rainy and cloudy. So what’s the draw photographically? Well, for one thing, that time of year means less daylight. Sunrise during our week was around 9am, sunset around 5pm. You might think that would be a drawback for photographers, but we appreciate the value of low-angled light (around sunrise and sunset). And in the summer, Iceland’s sunrises are VERY early and sunsets VERY late, which can make for VERY long days.
Our first visit to Diamond Beach was on the fourth day. Despite being cloudy at sunrise (9am), by 10am the sun poked through enough to help us make pictures like this. In the summer, we’d need to be there around 4am to have the sun this low on the horizon. When we did get occasional sun on those cloudy days, we made the most of it! Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 64, 1/60 at f/13 in Matrix metering, -0.7 EV, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 14mm.
Second, winter’s colder temperatures mean great opportunities for photos of ice both in the glacial lagoons and on the famous black-sand beaches (like the shot above).
With the cold comes ice, of course, like this broken pattern around a rock at the edge of a glacial lagoon we visited. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 400, 1/40 at f/16 in Matrix metering, -1.3 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 145mm.
Third, those colder temperatures also mean it’s safe to go in the ice caves that are created inside glaciers during summer months by meltwater. In summer they’re unsable and dangerous to enter, but not in winter.
It’s a surreal experience being inside an ice cave beneath a glacier, with daylight filtering in from above. The light streaks are from headlamps worn by people leaving the cave. The warmer temperatures Iceland was experiencing (thus rain, not snow), washed out the gravel that normally is underfoot and left ice below us (in addition to what was above), which made for a better picture. Of course, we were wearing ice cleats, so we could safely walk both there as well as on top of the glacier (how we entered and exited). Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 400, 6 at f/5.6 in Matrix metering, -1.3 EV, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 14mm.
Einar, our guide, exits the ice cave at the end of our visit, stopping to check out the nice sunset. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 250, 1/320 at f/5.6 in Matrix metering, -1.0 EV, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 21mm.
And finally, early sunset and late sunrise, paired with the country’s northern latitude means the odds of photographing the beautiful northern lights are much better than in the states (excepting Alaska).
As I mentioned above, the possibility of seeing and photographing northern lights is one of the big draws to visiting Iceland in winter. Since we’d had only one night during the week where they were visible, I arranged for an extra tour our final night, after returning to Reykjavik. The sky forecast was promising, as was the aurora forecast. And they were right! Nikon Z6III, Manual exposure, 4350K white balance, ISO 4000, 6-seconds at f/1.8, Nikkor Z 20mm f/1.8 S lens.
So did we get the feared wind, rain and clouds? Oh yes, more than we would have liked. Out of our seven days there, only two were sunny from beginning to end. Did that mean we couldn’t make pictures the rest of the time? Oh no. We’re photographers, so a little wind and rain won’t stop us. And we know that good pictures can still be made, regardless of the conditions. Plus we had a secret weapon – a great guide. Knowing the country like the back of his hand, Einar was able to keep a close eye on the weather radar to find places where it wasn’t raining, and even patches of sunshine. And he would also take us to places that regular tourists either wouldn’t know about or wouldn’t be able to get to, thanks to his 4WD Sprinter van with BIG tires. If you decide to visit Iceland and want a great guide, drop a note to Einar Ólafur Matthíasson, at einaroli@othericeland.is. Or, join me next summer (more on that below).
You could park off the main road and walk a couple of miles to get to this area, or just ride with Einar, fording streams that crossed a very sketchy gravel track. In overcast conditions, I’ll often suggest my group try shooting black-and white, and show them a custom setting I use to do that (I wrote about that here). Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 400, 1/40 at f/14 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 16mm.=
Einar also took us to this waterfall off the main road, so we could see something uniquye happening. With the right conditions, meaning strong winds, the water goes up! Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 2500, 1/160 at f/8 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 400mm.
Any time of year you visit Iceland, you’re going to see waterfalls, and Einar made sure we visited the most famous along the southern coast. And even if it was sunny, mist from the falls, like here at Seljalandsfoss, could mess with you. While I regularly wiped water off the lens, I actually ended up liking how this one looked, with the water. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 100, 1/40 at f/13 in Matrix metering, -0.7 EV, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 14mm.
Don’t get me wrong. Iceland is great in summertime too, and offers other unique photo opportunities (puffins, anyone?). In fact, I’ll be returning in the summer of 2026 to explore more of this beautiful country led once again by Einar (my fifth time working with him). If you’re interested in joining, let me know.
Here are a some pf the other photos we made during our week there:
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Reed, A Great story , impressive photos & a wonderful trip! But oh those winds! Einar did a great job literally keeping the van on the road despite 70mph wind. And many thanks to you, Einar & Christian for arranging a final night of superb northern lights!
Challenging situations, but there is such beauty in these photographs. And, I felt a sense of relief where I read that everyone had ice cleats. (I hate falling on ice.) Thanks for sharing these images.