Review of Photographic Locations: Iceland
Sunday, May 25, 2008 @ 04:51
Iceland might sound like a particularly distant location for a hobbyist photographer to go just to get some great photos, but it can certainly provide an exceptional setting for some great photographs.
Iceland is a incredible island created when two continents collided and part broke away. It has a little bit of everything: volcanic activity, geysers, fumaroles, glaciers, whales and many other types of wildlife.
Plan on taking plenty of photographs and toward that end you might want to plan to bring several cameras along, some digital and some film. Do not forget the extra film and spare memory cards. If you have a digital camcorder, you will definitely want to bring that if for no other reason than to film the wildlife in its natural habitat.
The things to photograph here are unlimited. Natural geological formations can be found everywhere you turn. There is much geyser activity, usually something at least every five minutes. You can visit a glacier by snowmobile and photograph the pristine beauty of these mammoth structures that cover such a large part of Iceland's terrain.
But, if its wildlife that suits your particular passion, you can take a short boat trip and view whales in the bay just outside Reykjavik. You can also photograph puffins in the same area, as well as all sorts of other bird life that abounds this island.
The best time to visit Iceland is in the months of June and July because of the almost continuous daylight conditions, but really anytime you can get away for the trip is a good time. Just be aware, though, that some of the interior is uninhabited and becomes unreachable during the winter months; winter weather begins around November and ends by May. You also need to know that the only thing guaranteed about Iceland weather is that it is unpredictable, so keep that in mind when planning your visit.
It is actually not a very expensive trip to make and when you consider the breathtaking photo opportunities at just about every turn, it is almost too costly to you as a photographer NOT to go.
