(mix of phone, drone, and camera)
Real Iceland as my clients called it, and what a brilliant, laid-back, ultra-chill group, though all have worked with me before, this being one’s 4th Iceland trip with me, and another the 3rd.
And what incredible pristine Arctic conditions we had.
A few days back now I finished at 9 pm, which turned into 10 pm (due to early arrivals and us going out to see the Northern Lights) tour of the East Fjords & North Iceland; it inevitably turned into a full circular though as the weather and time pushed us northwest, returning to the airport via the west of Route 1.
I can’t stress enough how much I favour the far east and north of Iceland over the honey pot areas of the south, though you have to work harder creatively.
Though the less visited areas of the Snaefellsness still inspire.
Vestahorn was the only really popular spot we stopped off at, but we had to pitstop somewhere along the south road.
The first time I ever visited Iceland some 14 years back I ventured to every far-flung corner of the country, bar deep into the West Fjords, I instantly fell in love with the East Fjords, and over the last 5/6 years, the north.
Around five years back I started spending more and more time in the east and north with the intention of mixing up my tours, many of the landscape photographers I used to look to in my early years quit Iceland due to it being so busy. I decided to gamble with something different and mix the tours up (the pandemic getting in the way somewhat); my regular tours had already been run somewhat differently by not fixing location where possible.
Thanks to all the people that have booked on the circulars, and north with me over the last few years as these have taken repeat clients to get them off the ground; unfortunately, the circular I’m about to run could be the last one I run A) in winter, and B) having free movement prioritising my client’s photographic success over my profit due to the cost and lack of accommodation.
I would never try and run a circular in the winter with fixed accommodation, it would force you to drive through all kinds of hellish weather.
South Iceland really is busy now, there is a new runway, and a whole heap more planes coming in year-round; squeezing the accommodation, hence I have two workshops for the north next year, one advertised, and one has just been adjusted in line with the requests of a crazy van full of regular nutters, the next East Fjords will be listed for winter 2025/26.
