Iceland
Iceland the dreamland for any landscape photographer and nature lover, I was finally going to see it for myself.
It was coming to the end of my time living in London. So before I hopped across the ocean once more back to my old life in Toronto I set off for 2 weeks in Iceland then another week and half in Sweden, Hungary and Spain.
A year ago me and my best friend Laura were sitting in a coffee shop in Toronto when we decided I needed to come with her to this beautiful country. Now here I was getting on a flight from Manchester to Reykjavik.
As I emerged from the airport doors with my yellow raincoat and a oversized backpack that weighed more than me, I spotted Laura. We immediately started planning the next few days on the road. But after spending the evening at home I quickly realized Laura was definitely sick and unable to start the trip the next day. On day 3, Laura still slightly sick we decided we couldn’t lose more time and that we needed to hit the road.
The first day we did the golden circle, although it was really nice it was too touristy for us. Once we finally hit the road we did the ring road. Most people choose to rent a car and it is probably the best way to see the country. Be prepared to want to stop at every corner with waterfalls, Icelandic animals, and breathtaking views.
Before hitting the road for the next 10 days I managed to set up a shoot with a local model and fellow adventure seeker. This was probably the most beautiful backdrop I have shot with and will be forever engraved in my memory. Thank you Kolbrun for sharing stories of your beautiful home and exploring with me till it was completely dark outside.
The following day we embarked on our road trip across Iceland. Our first stop was Hellissandur a 2 hour drive from Reykjavik. We stayed at a campground with a view of the North Atlantic Ocean from our tent. We cooked our dinner with some fellow Canadians that night and enjoyed the scenic surroundings. My first day in Iceland was so far breathtaking, every corner of the island was astonishing.
The next morning we ended up driving on a 200 km detour until we realized our GPS guided us the wrong way. We circled back and raced against the clock to find a place to sleep that night before it was dark out. We ended up that night sleeping off the beaten path with not a person in sight, only the sheep as our company. The following morning we drove towards Ísafjörður to see the fjords and the beautiful Dynjandi waterfall.
After seeing some of the most beautiful fjords of north Iceland we headed back down south towards the main road that would lead us to east Iceland. After spending the night in a nearby town called Dalabyggð we awoke in the morning to find out our car would not start. Thankfully Laura's dad drove to us and brought his friend to fix our car so we could continue our trip. Putting this setback us a day behind we took the remaining hours of daylight and drove to Akureyri where we arrived just as the last light set against the mountains. We explored the city and continued to drive on to a new destination. Along the way we stopped at a few mega waterfalls, hiked and drove into the icelandic highlands. That night we camped in one of the most remote areas of the highlands as the temperature dropped to a chilling -3 on a August night.
As our trip was coming to a halfway point I still couldn't believe what I was seeing and experiencing in this beautiful country. Our next stop was the small town of Seydisfjordur known for its artistic community. As you descend down this hilltop on a 90 degree angle you see a small town surrounded literally by mountains from every angle and the ocean trying to merge with it all. I was instantly attracted to this town and by the end of the 48 hours I spent there I was in love with it. Some photos I took here and near Vik were later published by a British magazine (!).
Our final stop was the town of Vik and the surrounding area. The drive from Vik to Reykjavik was particularly beautiful and full of me screaming "stop the car!" moments. I'll just let the photos say it all below. Spent my final day exploring Reykjavik before heading back home to London. Iceland was definitely one of my favourites places and I can't wait to go back one day. Put this place on your bucket list!
