2024 ICELAND SUMMER PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS
(FOR COUPLES/FRIENDS/FAMILY): ONE PHOTOGRAPHER, ONE NON-PHOTOGRAPHER)
JUNE 18-21, 2024 (OPEN TO 3 COUPLES ONLY)
This workshop is currently full
PRICING: $7,250 per couple
HOW TO REGISTER: If you are ready to register for the workshop, please use the form at the bottom of this page to submit your interest. If you have questions about this workshop, please send me an email at info@zion-photography.com
PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR REGISTRATION AND CANCELLATION POLICY INFORMATION
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
A guided tour for (2) people per booking. One photographer using technical camera gear, and one tag along guest who are welcome to use point and shoot cameras or cell phones
4 nights of lodging
Transportation for photography guests to shooting locations. Transportation to Keflavik International Airport, and to our meeting locations in Iceland will be each guests responsibility.
Transportation from the town of Vik through the Highlands and back in an iconic Iceland “super-jeep”
(1) 1-hour private photography focused flight by a local aerial photographer/pilot per couple
2.5 hour guided kayaking experience in a glacier lagoon
3-4 hour hike on Icelands largest glacier
Photography guiding and customized one-on-one instruction on location.
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED:
Airfare to Iceland
Rental car
Fuel
Meals and beverages
Tips for guides on our booked excursions (Not expected but appreciated)
Throughout my years of running workshops in Iceland I have had many couples in the dynamic of one being a photography enthusiast, and the other just wanting to come out for the experience and take pictures with their phone. Up until now I haven’t had a good system figured out to accommodate this arrangement, but we’ve got it now! This works well because I have been wanting to make more workshops that are “experience based” workshops. Meaning, photography is not all that is involved, but is still the same amount of focus during the experience. On a personal level, my connection with a landscape by means of interaction through other means than simply arriving and shooting full-time helps my relationship with an area intensify and become more intimate. This immediately transfers into better and more meaningful-to-me images, and the richness of the experience is an exquisite moment in my life. That’s why I love this approach so much….. it offers a great richness to my life. I hope you will join me in this approach to landscape photography, and I hope you get as much out of it as I do.
Our workshop will be a 4-day workshop. But I would encourage you to spend additional days exploring with your companion. In addition to the workshop, I will provide information for solo time for the two of you to go enjoy Iceland by yourselves. This information will be geared towards creating a great experience for your loved one, while also providing photogenic locations to keep you as a photographer thrilled with more high quality shooting after the workshop. I would recommend spending at least 2 or more days after the workshop to enjoy more locations in Iceland that we will not visit during our time together on the workshop.
HOW DO WE BALANCE AN IN-DEPTH PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP WHILE CREATING EXPERIENCES FOR NON-PHOTOGRAPHERS TO ENJOY:
Guests registering for this workshop will be responsible for renting their own vehicles at the Keflavík Airport where you will fly into. Guests will then drive to meet me and the rest of our group in the first area that we will photograph. I will be renting a vehicle which can accommodate myself and all couples. I will have a large “super-jeep” which are iconic to Iceland. Because each couple will have their own vehicle, our tag along partners are never “stuck” being out with us throughout the entire duration of our shooting times during late night hours. For those photographers who no longer have a ride back to the hotel, I will have a vehicle to do so. The best light is during the middle of the night, so prepare for an adjusted sleep schedule as a photographer. We will be going out around 9 or 10pm each evening. The light lasts all night long and we will chase scenes until we’re tired. You can also arrange to have your spouse come back and pick you up if you don’t want to stay out as long as the rest of the group. Tag alongs will likely want to tag along to enjoy these areas with beautiful light and are welcome to join for the entire night with us out shooting, but some will likely not want to hang around the entire time while we focus heavily on learning photography techniques and take time to capture our own pieces of artwork from Iceland. Having each couple with a vehicle will provide flexibility to each participant on how they want to spend each moment during the workshop.
WHAT ARE THE PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS WORKSHOP: Participants should be able to hike on moderate level trails with a range of 3 miles round trip.
HOW ADVENTUROUS IS THIS WORKSHOP: This workshop will be moderately adventurous for my typical guest (50 years +). The most adventurous parts will be kayaking your own craft in a glacier lagoon, hiking on a glacier, and an aerial flight in a small 3 seater airplane. All of these excursions are led by guide services with seasoned professionals that are local to the locations we are visiting. They will have all of the necessary gear, and will teach us everything that we need to know in order to have a safe and enjoyable experience.
ITINERARY
(subject to minor adjustments)
Day 1 - We will meet in the town of Vik, Iceland. Vik is approximately 3 hours from the Keflavik international airport. Today we have arranged a private flight with a local pilot and aerial landscape photographer in order to capture the magic of Iceland from the sky. Each couple will have a private 1 hour flight with a window that will open so you are not photographing through glass. We will do this flight before golden hour hits. This more “mid-day” light is perfect for photographing the artistic rivers of glacial runoff that makes for stunning abstract images. After our flights, we will have dinner then head out to capture some iconic, and less than iconic scenes from the area of Vik. The local historic church which will likely have fields of purple Lupines, then we’ll photograph seastacks and basalt columns along the black sand beach. After that, we will drive to a location where Puffins are known to nest, so we can photograph these adorable little creatures during golden light. Depending on the time, there are no shortages of scenes to photograph in this region, and we may continue to chase more depending on tiredness levels and conditions.
Day 2 - After sleeping in and resting up, we travel to our next lodging arrangement which is at the “Highland Center” in our super-jeep which can accommodate all of us. This is a unique lodging opportunity as it gets us into the interior of the island which is accessible only by gravel roads that wind through the mountains of Iceland and through deep river fjords. It is off the beaten path, requires a burly 4x4 vehicle and the experience of a seasoned off-road driver (that will be me), and because of the difficulty of access, it immediately cuts down on any crowds. We will have more of a wilderness experience, but at the same time we will have access to nearby and very cozy accommodations. Don’t worry other people are way out here also, just not nearly as many. It is this portion of our journey that I have rented the “super jeep” for. It has 4x4 high and low, massive tires, and a snorkel so we can safely and confidently cross the river fjords without drowning the vehicle. It also makes for a pretty cushy ride with those fat, low pressure tires. For this day, we will go out and hike in the “Highlands” of Iceland on easy to moderate level trails. We will have camera bags and tripods and will enjoy many hours of great mountain photography. Be aware, that on this day couples will not have their own personal vehicles as this place requires the capable off-road machine. On this day we will make a decision as a group of photographers to decide how long we will stay out, that way our tag along partners can make a calculated decision on whether they will want to be out that late or not. I would recommend it highly though, the aesthetic is unbelievable!
Day 3 - After sleeping in yet again (get used to that), we will leave the Highlands and make the drive to our destination of Jokulsarlon, which is a stunning lagoon with cotton candy blue ice blocks which have fallen off from Vatnajokull, Icelands largest glacier. The first activity that we will do on this day will be to take a 2.5 hour kayaking excursion into the lagoon. Photographers are encouraged to bring a camera body with one lens, or 2 camera bodies, one with a wide angle and one with more of a mid-range/telephoto. We will snag dinner at an appropriate time, then will meet back up for golden hour shooting. We will photograph the Lagoon, the “Diamond Beach” and other beautiful locations nearby.
Day 4 - After getting a night of rest, participants will get some solo time to enjoy some of the mid-day hours how they want. As we get later in the afternoon we will meet up with our glacier guide to go out and hike on the Vatnajokull glacier. We will be using crampons, Ice axes, and will be wearing helmets. If this sounds intimidating, don’t worry. Picture walking on fairly flat ground, with occasional small staircases. It’s that, but on ice. The crampons are aggressive and you won’t be slipping. There may be sections where we are wearing harnesses and roped up for extra safety. These guides are pros, and this is an easily accessible activity for most people. I have arranged a private guided trip for us in order to enjoy the area photographically at our own pace, and we will be on the glacier for 3-4 hours. After this, dinner, then out for more shooting. Depending on conditions, this will dictate where we go. There are so many options in this area with glaciers, lagoons, mountains, Icelandic country scenes, and those cute Icelandic horses. We will go out and photograph well into the middle of the night.
Day 5 - At this point, our workshop is officially over, but we will likely grab something to eat together so we can all say goodbye to each other.
FAQ’S:
Can solo travelers sign up and be teamed up with another solo traveler: I will not be taking any bookings for single participants on these workshops in order to create a specific atmosphere for this experience. If you are interested in a summertime workshop as a solo traveler, please send me an email to info@zion-photography.com as I may offer summer workshop experiences for individuals and couples that are both wanting to shoot with technical camera equipment.
How many hours of shooting do we end up doing each day: Count on approximately 6 + hours of shooting each day
What sort of vehicle should I rent for myself and my loved one to participate in the trip: You need nothing fancy. A small sedan works just fine as you will not need to drive any dirt roads. The small car rentals out there are quite inexpensive. There is no ice or snow during this time of the year either so you will not need 4x4 or studded tires.
What is cell service like in Iceland: It is good more or less everywhere. We may get spotty reception in brief moment, but overall it’s excellent.
