This might be a crazy idea. But it also might be quite interesting. Follow me along as I will post a little diary from my February 2023 Iceland winter workshop as I go along. Let’s see if I can keep this up on a daily basis.

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Feb. 10 (-2 days)

I have just finished a one on one online training in image editing. Now it is time to prepare gear and slowly start packing for the upcoming trip.

The forecast for Iceland seems to be ever changing. But one thing remains quite stable: heavy rainfall throughout the upcoming week is predicted. Not so nice. I don’t mind moody. But I hope the group will be treated with some nice conditions. And wet gear and clothes all of the time sometimes leaves a dent in the mood. So Daniel Laan (who is leading the workshop with me) and me better prepare for some indoors content just in case. I will bring a presentation I held, I guess.

Over at Icelandmonitor the Chief Inspector of the Traffic Division of the Metropolitan Police commented on tricky road conditions with lots of snow a few days ago, culminating in saying “..just order a trip to Tenerife.”. Hell no, we are coming.

Alright, time to prepare gear. What am I taking with? I will take my new Sony a7rv with me (first trip for the camera) and my a7riii as back-up. I will take my 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 G Master, 24-105 FE 24-105 mm F4 G and FE 12–24 mm F2.8 G Master (all Sony lenses) with me. I am still torn if I will also bring my FE 16-35mm F2,8 GM, but I have this range pretty much covered already and I don’t need that extra weight. And first and foremost it is about the workshop group getting their images, so I won’t worry about my own gear much. The Sigma 14mm 1,8 would be nice for night photography. But it is heavy and the 12-24 with 2,8 will get the job done also. And again: I will rather assist the group getting their aurora shots, in case the green lady will dance for us. I am hopeful, despite the forecast.

Gear, gear, gear. As much as I am not a gearhead, I need to admit, that tools are necessary in order to create images. Aside from the above mentioned lenses and camera bodies, you see 2 small silica gel bags. These I always put into my camera bag in order to reduce moisture that will enter the bag on trips like these. So whenever I buy something and a package comes with these bags, I keep them for trips like this one.
You also see my dust blower (in the middle) that I have been using ever since buying it back in early 2016. And you see my monitor calibrator that I am using on the top left: x-rite i1. …that one will not come to Iceland though.

Oh, and I need to hurry: what clothes to bring? Anything that is in the laundry that needs to be done today in order to dry before departure? Need to buy some cereal bars and such as emergency food for the trip. Need to download some maps for offline use, some music, ebooks and clips for the flights. Ouch, 2 days prior to departure, I am suddenly starting to feel hectic.

So, is there anything specific I am excited to photograph? Honestly, I do not have a certain image in mind. I have been to all locations that are scheduled, so I kind of know what to expect (I better do, because the group deserves that knowledge, right?), but Iceland always knows how to surprise and sometimes even disappoint with its conditions. So there’s always an element of surprise. That’s why returning is always fun and exciting. If everyone in the group is enjoying his and her thing and if time allows, I will take a few images here and there, and I will see what hits my eyes and attracts my attention. I trust in the fact that Iceland always delivers. I am looking forward to this very much.

Feb. 11 (-1 day)

Alright, let’s pack. What am I taking with?

First and foremost: my wellies. You might not have that in mind first, but my trusted partner on trips into the cold and wet north are my Muck Boots . I bought them for my first Lofoten trip 5 years ago. And they are still fine, even on longer walks (which has always surprised me the most). I know I look damn silly wearing these almost everywhere in winter Iceland. But well, having warm and dry feet beats out looking cool.

a little selfie of me with wellies and crampons out on a frozen lake at Lofoten, 2018

Crampons are needed, too. Last time in Iceland 2 pairs broke on me. So I needed to buy a new one there (and buying anything in Iceland is no fun!). And yes, we needed them a lot. I remember one time we went out to an ice lagoon and yelled after a group member to wear crampons. He replied “no, no, I am fine”, and I kid you not, like in a comedy 5 seconds later he slipped, fell on the hard ground and damaged a lens. Poor guy! So yes, crampons are a must! Period! For that matter I just got myself a new pair as spare, just in case. You can probably get anything like the ones I bought. Nothing fancy, but so important.

Add my hiking boots and some merino socks, and my feet are all set. Other than that its layers, layers, layers. I prefer merino wool over anything else. So I pack plenty of merino t-shirts, a middle layer merino shirt, merino pullover and sweat jacket. I will add a light down jacket to it, that I can pack and wrap very tight and small to go into my camera bag, to wear as extra layer when needed (especially during cold night shootings). Two outdoor pants (one with fur inside, the other one a breathable shell), plus two pairs of long merino underwear.

the best way to protect my feet during the trip and the tripod whilst in the suitcase: pack it inside my wellies. The neoprene part of the wellies can be wrapped up, so it fits nicely into the suitcase when I place my tripod inside them.

I know, I know, I always pack more than I need most of the time. Call me chicken, but its better to have than to need, no?

Add cables, some medicine (in case, I will have a bad back, like I did some trips ago), warmers for feet, hands and back from my sponsor The Heat Company and gloves from them, of course. Plus other necessities and that should be pretty much it. Oh yeah, plus tripod. I always put that into my suitcase. Look at the image to see how I cover it up.

…hoping the weight the of the suitcase will stay inside the limit. I am usually right up to the limit. Which means probably no gifts for the people back home when I return.

Feb. 12 (day of arrival, sort of)

Well, look at the image. Iceland looks a bit different than what I remember…

almost a live view out of my hotel window at Copenhagen

It didn't go as planned, unfortunately. My plane from Hanover (my hometown) didn't get cleared from the tower so we started with 45 minutes delay. That proved to be too much to make it to Copenhagen in time to catch my connecting flight to Iceland. So I missed my flight!

I was leaning from very angry to “what can I do?” and decided the latter being the healthier attitude. So I went to the info center and got booked on the first flight tomorrow morning with a stay at an airport hotel here in Copenhagen. …sans luggage… which stayed at the airport for tomorrows flight. Instead I got a little bag with necessities from the airline (SAS), which I think is pretty nice.

I am just sorry for the group having to wait for me for an hour tomorrow until I arrive. Straight from the airport into our bus and up to our first location. Not according to the original plan, unfortunately.

But well, my wonderful partner and my wonderful daughter cheered me up on WhatsApp and on the phone. And Daniel did, too, who arrived in Iceland safely today. And with that support you cannot have bad feelings, right?! Right.

With that, goodnight from Denmark. Hopeful for a positive start tomorrow!

Feb. 13 (day 1 - stormy)

The day started with the alarm of my phone at 5:10 in the morning (4:10 Iceland time). I got ready and headed over to Copenhagen airport. Sadly another delay made me arrive even later. Kudos to my workshop group, Daniel and David who not only waited for me but also cheered me up and took my 2,5 hours late arrival to the tour relaxed. I was just happy to be with them, finally.

How to put that into practise? Let’s see tomorrow, when weather hopefully improves.

a compositional test shot I took with my iPhone (like all other images here are taken by phone)

Feb. 14 (day 2 - seascapes)

A great day at Snæfellsnes peninsula. We made sure to reach our first spot of the day during blue hour before the sun rose around 9:30 a.m.. There was still wind, but nothing compared to the day before. Yet, the waves in the ocean kept crashing against the land with full force. Always a spectacle the behold especially when they explode against the rocks on the shoreline with a deep boom and a splash that does a skyscraper justice. Through rain- and hail showers the group kept its great mood and enjoyed being outside photographing. Daniel and me made sure to assist the group members with technical advice on how to take good photos, help with composition and give ideas on what to see and shoot, or simply guard gear when necessary. All while also providing space for each participant to try for oneself and enjoy the surrounding without having the feel that somebody is constantly watching over their shoulders.

that is how it should be: there is always something to photograph. But cameras needn’t all point into the same direction. Being creative is seeing opportunities.

After several hours of shooting, getting sprayed by a huge wave and having hiked along the gorgeous coastline, our guide, driver and Icelandic soul David picked us up with our comfy bus. Off to the next spot. And into the next heavy showers, but also some quick exchange of sunlight bursting through deep clouds. A great and dramatic mixture, making for great seascapes. Because like it often is in landscape photography: ‘bad weather makes for great photos’.

one of the many gems along the coast. I took this image with my phone to demonstrate a possible composition using the reflection and colours of the grass to accompany the scene.

intimate scenes can be taken with a phone, too. Why not?!

But we weren’t done for the day, yet. A short stop at one of the scenic churches of the country along the way to the guesthouse where we stay for 2 nights to have a break, before we headed to a classic location: Kirkjufell. Iceland experts who have visited the country several times might not feel much excitement for the location anymore, but it is a classic for a reason. And so it deserves to be on the workshop itinerary, even more so: lead to smiles on the faces of the group members, especially of Iceland newcomers (or is new-explorers the better term?). Still, I cannot deny the feeling that things have certainly changed at this location. On my first visit several years ago there wasn’t even a parking lot, and now there were several dozen people on location and the parking lot asks you to pay with credit card.

After the classic we headed over to the backside of church mountain, to play around with reflections and the countless compositions that can be found there. A quiet and very calm place that always gets me with its peace and beautiful appearance.

We photographed until the light left the day. So we headed to eat dinner at a restaurant and returned back to our guesthouse. …with some hope for aurora (KP4 predicted). But Iceland showed its cold shoulder (hence the name, I guess) and sent heavy snowfall instead of clear skies that we would need to see the green light. However, we made the best of it and Daniel showed a great presentation about the aurora borealis, teaching the group with all necessary info plus much more. We also gave advice on what to consider about gear and how to take good care while photographing the ‘green lady’. …which we will see later during the tour, hopefully.

But for now, it's catching some needed sleep. Not the worst thing, either. Goodnight!

Feb. 15 (day 3 - heading south and aurora)

getting ready to move on. Gear waiting to be used in tough conditions.

Change of scenery. This morning we checked out at the guesthouse we stayed at Sneafellsness. On our way south we made sure to visit another classic: Budakirkja, the black church. With the fresh snow of the night a very special location. We arrived during dawn before the tourists came in, so we had the snow all untouched. Blue hour even strengthened the mood of the scenery.

Me personally, I like the nearby beach behind the church more than the church itself. And that is actually where the group spent most of the time at, photographing the wonderful landscape with changing light and also using Tele-photo lenses to photograph the clouds hanging in the distant mountains. A sight that never gets old.

what an amazing scenery. No words to describe this.

conditions were just perfect, so again an image with the phone was just fine

After that it was a long drive with the bus. Our Icelandic guide and driver David (aka the ‘Glacier Gigolo’) steered us through snow and ice into the south of the country. The mood on the bus was fantastic, with jokes being cracked constantly (discretion is inherent, so it all stays confidential, of course). A stop to grab a snack here, a stop for a break there, until we did a brief photography stopover to photograph famous Seljalandsfoss during sunset.

A little later we arrived at the hotel. And while unloading the van we noticed a small pale light in the clear night sky. A temptation to hurry with dinner and get ready for the first aurora session of the tour. Ultimately dinner ended up being a bit more rushed than the evenings before in order to get back into the van fast: the green lady was not to be missed. …but as is often the case, was playing hard to get. When we stepped outside of the hotel the once clear sky was now sending snow flakes. That didn’t stop us though. While checking the satellite images and weather forecast, we drove further east into the next clearing of the sky, hurried out of our bus and stepped into the fresh snow with eyes pinned to the sky. There it was: the aurora borealis. Especially for the people in our group who saw ‘the lights’ for the very first time, an unforgettably great experience. And just great fun for everyone.

We spent shooting away and returned to the hotel around midnight when snowfall started again and put a cloudy blanket over the lights. …and now I really need to go to sleep because next meetup is in a few hours to photograph sunrise.

Feb. 16 (day 4 - Vik)

After a not so long night everyone was a bit tired but also happy after last night’s experience. The sky was all clear and the air felt crisp and cold when we stepped out to drive to the first location. Black sand beach is a popular spot in Iceland. And it is a great spot to work on compositions. We made sure to arrive early and were treated with an untouched layer of fresh snow on the beach.

After a good 2 to 3 hours and with a sun now pretty high up in the sky we left the place. Just in time before the busses full of tourists arrived. After a hot chocolate or coffee we drove over to nearby Reynisfjara viewpoint where we looked at Arnardrangur. Although it was a great sight to see and the weather great to be out in the sun, the light proved to be too harsh for extensive photo endeavors. We wanted to have a look at Dyrhólaey lighthouse, but unfortunately the road up just got closed because of icy conditions. Ultimately we took things easy and headed towards Vik (which is becoming quite a boom town with more and more accommodations and bigger stores) for a snack.

a frosty, yet very sunny day (taken by phone)

Daniel Laan assisting with valuable input (taken by phone)

After that it was time for a short, but welcomed break at the Hotel. In time for sunset we headed back out, back to Vik again to get to the beach there and photograph the end of the day. Unfortunately, darker clouds moved in and killed sunrise. That wasn’t necessarily bad though because it made us focus on photographing with black and white images in mind, get creative with stones and lines in the black sand and also try some ICM (intentional camera movement) photography.

The church of Vik and the view across the town concluded this day of photographing.

day’s end at beautiful Vik (taken by phone)

going through the first images of the tour so far and starting to help with editing tips (taken by phone)

During dinner Daniel and me constantly checked the weather and aurora forecast (as we regularly do throughout the day) and when we had to accept that we would not see the lights today, we arranged an image critique and editing session with the group members. That lasted until about 23:30 and concluded a long and again exciting and fun day. The feeling of ‘being’ in Iceland slowly really sinking in and really getting a feel for the amazing environment. Perfect for the second half of the workshop. Together with this great group, let’s bring it on. …with the hope of a great day tomorrow. An exciting change of scenery upcoming and a predicted KP6 with a good chance for aurora next night. Well, we will see.

Feb. 17 (day 5 - iced)

The day started with bad news, as Daniel got sick and had to stay at the hotel during the morning shoot. The group was motivated and upbeat though and so we headed off to Reynisfjara viewpoint again to catch the sunrise over the ocean. The light was soft and the usually strong waves surprisingly calm. Everyone agreed on how much better this view is with some good light, compared to harsh daylight the day before.

incredible view to start the day with (taken by phone)

camera bags and tripods, a sure sign for a photo workshop going on (taken by phone)

After a short return to the hotel to check out and pick up poor Daniel, we headed east. A longer drive of 3 hours. But a scenic one as well. All in bright sunlight, as Iceland was presenting itself with the brightest smile. While driving David was giving some input about landmarks and events that happened in the past. Always mixed up with some humour. Impossible to not burst out in laugh every other moment.

what some people often forget about Iceland is how long the stretches of driving often are to get from location to location. David, our driver and scout, handling this perfectly. (taken by phone)

After eating lunch near Svínafellsjökull, we drove over to Fjallsárlón to photograph intimate scenes in the ice. Something very much to my liking, I have to admit. And for people on workshops often a surprising element how you can turn small and seemingly mundane things into something beautiful and original in an image.

This going to show how adapting to your surroundings and conditions (here using the harsh sunlight in your favour with reflections in the ice) always enables you to photograph something and keep you excited.

a close up of one of the many ice bergs on the shore of Fjallsarlon (taken by phone)

We spent quite a while at that ‘brother’ of the glacier lagoon. It was just a great time being there. And it was surprisingly warm, so that it was an overall relaxing time out in nature, with the spectacular glacier right in front of us. Well, with one major downside: one of the group members slipped and broke her camera, unfortunately. A sure bummer, although she took it light hearted.

After that we headed further east, past the glacier lagoon and Diamond beach to our next hotel close to Höfn. We only checked in, dropped our luggage and headed right back out to the final location of the day: famous Vestrahorn.

Daniel and Peter getting up close to the ice, with the glacier in the back. (taken by phone)

There we started a real aurora chase. Meaning: going out and scouting for compositions while there was still light. After that we returned to the bus to have a few snacks or whatever we had left over to eat and drink and then waited. Waited for the first aurora to show up. It got very cold, so extra layers were needed and all used. Around 8 pm we decided to have a nap, while Martin, Peter and Andrew remained outside shooting away underneath an absolutely incredible starry night sky which had a strong showing of the Milky Way (without a visible core because of being so far up in the northern hemisphere). The waiting went on. …for a long time.

Vestrahorn in blue hour, reflecting the last light of day (taken by phone)

At different times I stepped out of the bus to check if any aurora activity could be spotted. But that was not to be, unfortunately. Ultimately, at around 23:30, we called it a day and went back to the place we stay at. Everyone feeling a bit disappointed, although Daniel and me tried to put some perspective into that: it is the reality in landscape photography that despite all forecasts and predications you simply cannot guarantee the outcome (a KP6 forecast doesnt mean much. Aurora can be strong at KP2, but totally fail at KP6. Just like this night). And the upcoming question of “so what do you think, what time is it gonna start?” simply cannot be answered any other than “we will have to see”. And you know what? That is the fun of nature and landscape photography! You sometimes have to get disappointed outside, to appreciate the wonders and spectacles of nature even more. If you get into that, it is a very healthy endeavour in our world of optimised schedules and to do list, where everything has to click and work together neatly. And to put it into perspective also: we as a group were lucky to have seen the northern lights already on Tuesday. And let us see, we still have some more days to go and much more to see. But for now, it is catching some sleep.

Feb. 18 (day 6 - ice cave day)

After having spent the night mostly waiting for the northern lights, who decided not to show up, we slept in and met for breakfast at 9 in the morning. The consensus opinion about missing out on the green lady was pretty much „oh well“.

the hike to the ice cave (taken by phone)

After breakfast we got ready to head off for the ice caves. David steered us close to the glacier lagoon and down along a crazy, bumpy road. With 10 km/h we drove over holes and humps in what you can hardly call a road. After arrival we packed our gear (incl. helmets for the cave) and started the 40 minutes hike.

The closer we got to the glacier, the more we got in awe. „This is why all these movies are made in Iceland! It really looks like on another planet!“. Eventually we made it to the entrance. We put on our crampons and a helmet. Then we started the descend to the ice cave. It was like entering another world. Beautiful and bizarre. Just like nothing else. Light is being reflected from so many angles and depending on the thickness of the ice and the different layers it has, it can be just dark or bright with a blue or green tint in it. And how amazing it is to think that sand and stones that are often stuck inside the ice are several hundred years old. Incredible!

our guide David at the entrance to the ice cave (taken by phone)

May I introduce you to our coolest group member? It is Sherry from the US. She is 75 plus years old and full of passion and excitement for seeing things. So inspiring to have such a person on a workshop! Thank you, Sherry, you are doing awesome! (taken by phone)

We slowly walked through the cave and took photos. Other groups came and went. So sometimes we had to wait it out when a group of tourists came in (remarkably enough some with sneakers and even some bags that looked as if they just came out of a mall. To our amusement some of them cared more about what they saw on their smartphones and how they looked in the selfies they took, than really caring for the sheer natural wonder we were inside. What a waste really,). All in all we were just really lucky to spend a long time inside the cave and could take many, many images.

When it was time to head back to where we had left our bus, everyone exited the ice cave with a big smile on the face. What an incredible experience.

The most unbelievable light inside the ice cave! (taken by phone)

After taking the same bumpy road back to road 1, we headed to nearby Jökulsárlón, the glacier lagoon. I had been there several times in the past with varying amounts of ice bergs and chunks inside the lagoon. But I have never seen it as empty as today. A few ice bergs in the back of the lagoon and that was it. Anyways, we grabbed a snack and enjoyed the scenery nevertheless. A quick look over to Diamond beach showed us what we had seen while driving past it the day before again: the beach (on the west and east side) were completely free of any ice. Crazy actually.

So we went back to our hotel and got ready for dinner. After that we started an „image critique“ session. Some group members showed their images (really good ones btw.) so that Daniel and me could give feedback with everyone joining in about what they are seeing and thinking. A very good way to interact

Feb. 19 (day 7 - storm and rain)

The day started with dark clouds and wet snow. Since a weather alert announced an incoming storm we made sure to leave this part of the country early and get back on the road at 8 in the morning. That meant packing suitcases again and leave after a quick breakfast.

Driving along the southern coast showed how diverse and also local weather hits this country. We started in snow and after driving for 30 minutes we saw green grass and snow only on the nearby peaks. Another 20 minutes of driving we were back in snow (all at the same height above sea level).

Our first stop was Hofskirkja. A classic Instagram spot (if that is still a thing), because you drive up to the spot and photograph the scene from the parking lot. Which we did. The rain and wind was hammering us, so that I got soaking wet (a smart move of me to not put on the rain pants “nah, it will be fine these 10 minutes”.) really fast.

Svínafellsjökull glacier (taken by phone)

Unnoticed by the group I pulled down my pants in the seat behind the driver and tried to have my legs dried on the following drive. It worked sort of until we got out again to walk to Svínafellsjökull. While we walked there it wasn’t raining and the wind was decent. I demonstrated my in the field workflow to the group member Diyana when the wind started picking up again, making usage of the long lens pretty much useless. On the hike back from the glacier (a surely impressive sight), wind gusts almost knocked us from the feet. Just a regular windy day up north, I guess.

For lunch we then stopped at a restaurant and started the drive west towards the Skogafoss area. During that almost 3 hours drive I took a few images that turned into a quite nice series, actually (all taken by phone through the window of the driving bus):

Finally we arrived at our hotel. We were a bit early so we headed over to a nearby waterfall. A gorgeous one I had not known so far and that can absolutely be classified as a hidden spot. When we arrived we were happy to not need rain gear. That joy was short-lived though because very soon after we got really soaked by heavy rain fall. That did not stop us from photographing, because why would it, right?!

the group being playful at a great waterfall (taken by phone)

Full kudos to Marleny: she not only fought the heavy rain here, but she also made the best out of the bad situation that her camera broke during the trip. (taken by phone)

Eventually we checked in and got some rest inside the hotel, while a big storm (roads into and from Reykjavik got closed!) hit the area. The windows were still rattling when we met for a fine dinner and sat for an editing session after that. I demonstrated my ideas for composition on an image I had taken at the waterfall that afternoon. Then I edited the raw-image inside Lightroom and Photoshop giving the group some ideas about what can be done inside the digital darkroom.

When I went to bed I noticed several notifications about aurora activity somewhere else in Iceland. I told my room mate, colleague and friend Daniel about it and we both agreed “well, yeah, we don’t even want to hear about it”. What I hear instead while I type the last words of the day is the storm and rain pounding against the windows and hotel.

Feb. 20 (day 8 - final)

The last day started with a nice sunrise. Daniel felt much better today. After him losing his voice the day prior and leaving the talking to me for the first half of the day, it was good to see him on the mend. …and hear him, too.

what a way to start the last day of the workshop. A beautiful drive into the sunrise. (taken by phone

We left the beautiful hotel after breakfast and headed over to nearby Skogafoss. A classic spot and always beautiful. We arrived before sunrise which meant having only a few other tourists there when we started. You can call this place being photographed ‘too much’ (and I did not bring my camera out, instead helping the group members), but the waterfall is just a very beautiful one, no matter what.

“Hey! Stop taking images of me, while I photograph”, sorry, Peter. Wish not fulfilled. He took it with a laugh as he did being great sport throughout the tour. (up front Diyana) (taken by phone)

After that session we drove just a few meters further to go to Kvernufoss. One of my favorite walks and waterfalls because going into that canyon is just so special. I was surprised that they made the path to the waterfall all prepared to walk on now. I remember being there the first time 5 years ago and it was actually a bit sketchy here and there scrambling along the small river that comes from the waterfall. So, it’s positive the path is well maintained now and much safer, and that people stay on the tracks more, but it certainly makes this place feel more touristy than before. Anyways, all of us had a great time there and especially the view from behind the waterfall is really unforgettable. When we headed back to the bus, more and more people arrived at this spot. So for the 2nd time that day our timing was literally spot on, arriving before the masses did.

a special view each and every time: walking behind the waterfall of Kvernufoss. (Taken by phone)

People who know me better probably laugh when looking at this image as this is not exactly my kind of design. (taken by…you know it already)

After a hot chocolate at the cafe from the museum where we had parked our bus, we went back west. First picking up some stuff from the hotel, where one of our group members forgot it in the morning, and then go to some waterfalls that are not on the maps of Iceland visitors. Some hidden gems so to say. All much to the liking of the group. Also to the liking of Daniel and me because the first waterfall (location will not be shared, sorry guys) he didn’t know, and the second one we both never went. Thanks again to our great driver and guide David.

In the end, I believe it was the perfect mixture for any Iceland workshop member: some classics (especially for people who visit Iceland for the first time), but also hidden spots that are new even to seasoned Iceland travellers. Exactly how we had planned (and adjusted to depending on conditions throughout the week). Diyana from our group, for example, came to Iceland for the 7th time and told me how happy she was to see so many new places. Much to her happy surprise.

21 seconds countdown until my last image during this trip was taken (by phone)

After we were done photographing waterfalls and got out of the driving snow back into the driving bus, we went all the way west to Reykjanes peninsula to witness the sunset. A perfect ending for our workshop. So when we arrived at the spot you could sense a feel of melancholy.

We took a group image (will upload when I get it from Daniel) and then photographed the huge waves crash against the huge sea stacks. I guess I was not the only one watching the sun go down with a bit of a sigh later, reflecting the last 8 days that seemed to go by so incredibly fast. When I packed my camera for the last time and looked around I saw happy faces everywhere. What a week!

one of the very few moments David did not have a big ol smile on his face (taken by phone)

We entered the bus for one final time and went to Aurora hotel at Keflavik airport. Then we said goodbye to David, who did (once again) an amazing job throughout the entire week. Being a great guy with amazing humour and input at the right times.

The group then met for one last dinner together, sharing memories of the week and - what was the case all of the time: lots of laughter. After dinner it was hugs and goodbyes and wishing each other: see you again!

A huge thank you to everyone of this great group! Thank you for traveling the world (we had 4 people coming from the US, 1 Belgium, 1 Germany, 1 Denmark, 1 Netherlands) and thank you for being such great and passionate people the entire time. And thank you to Daniel, my friend and colleague, for another wonderful workshop together.

the last moments of photography during this workshop (taken by phone)

Announcement:

you can now pre-list for the next Iceland workshop!

As I am sitting at Amsterdam aiport during my layover to travel back home, I would like to respond to the questions that I have received throughout the last days of the workshop: yes, I have a new Iceland workshop in the planning.

It is too early to tell the date and details. But I am working on it. And while I do, you can already pre-list and save your spot. Just follow the link above. I would be happy to have you in Iceland with me next time!

(This article might include links to the gear I talk about that will take you to Amazon. It is to help you find more information about it. And they are also 'affiliate links'. This means if you use these links to purchase any item from there, Amazon will give me a small commission. Doesn't do anything for you but helps support my work. So thank you!)

Iceland workshop diary