Iceland Winter Workshop
9 Days Hunting for the Aurora Borealis
Iceland in Winter Photo Workshop | Epic Landscapes & Fine-Art
Discover the natural beauty of the Icelandic South coast, as well as the Snæfellsness peninsula. This well-organized Iceland winter photo workshop offers a trek by comfortable warm car along all those great photography hotspots dotted along the roads that are still open in December.
What’s Unique about this Photo Workshop?
Unique about this workshop is that you have the chance to explore the more obscure parts of this volcanic landscape, to really develop your own vision in the most spectacular of places. That’s why the theme of this Iceland winter workshop is photographing epic landscapes as well as developing a keen eye for more nuanced fine-art photos.
Winter photo lessons in Iceland!
Accessible - Most hotspots are easily accessible by car and a mere 10 minutes walk.
Small group of like-minded people.
Includes post-processing sessions, with all the latest trends explained, including compositing.
Includes breakfast, accommodation and transfer to and from the airport!
9 days and 8 nights stay in hotels, cottages and guesthouses.
Includes *ALL* Photoshop tutorials of Daniel
Why Choose the Iceland Winter Photo Workshop?
Many iconic locations
We'll drive as far east as Vestrahorn, visit iconic Glacier Lagoon Jökulsárlón, Skógafoss, Reynisdrangar & The most iconic Icelandic mountain of them all: Kirkjufell.
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High Chance of the Aurora Borealis
There is a lot of night photography on this workshop. We're putting you in the best spots for capturing the northern lights!
Develop your Vision
Big emphasis on intimate landscapes and fine-art on this workshop. After we bagged the icons, what else is there to photograph? You will learn originality in one of the most photographed places on Earth.
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You Matter to Us
Any personal guidance you need, whether it's camera settings or finding better compositions: We are here for you.
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This Workshop in a Nutshell
Bookings:
Use the form below or contact us.
Dates: December 6th -14th 2021
Available Seats: FULL - WAITLIST.
Workshop Leaders: Daniel Laan & Kai Hornung
Language: English
Price: 3599 EURO
Single Room Supplement: 800 EURO
Registration Deposit: 800 EURO (Full amount due 30 days prior to the workshop).
Arrival: Keflavik Airport, December 6th, no later than 1 PM
Departure: Keflavik Airport, December 14th, flexible departure time (we stay near the airport on the last day).
Included: All tuition. Transportation between Keflavík international airport (KEF) and photo locations along South Iceland and Snæfellsness. All transportation between workshop locations. Entry fees where applicable. All lodging (twin beds). Breakfast. Full post-processing session. All Laanscapes processing videos.
15% Discount on F-Stop Gear Camerabags & ICU’s.
Not Included: Flights to Keflavík Airport and associated costs. Private insurances, taxes, duty and visa fees. Lunch or dinner and any personal items including (alcoholic) beverages, snacks, souvenirs and travel insurance.
Corona Virus Information
Iceland requires you to be fully vaccinated at least 14 days before arrival. You have to be able to prove that you’ve been vaccinated. Alternatively, two negative PCR tests can be done upon arrival, but a quarantine period of 5-6 days between them is required. Please note that this is your own responsibility.
Itinerary: Highlights of the Iceland Photo Workshop
We will be visiting many different (frozen) waterfalls, glacier lagoons and venture into lands that aren’t well mapped. Not all these locations are listed here though. However, we would like to introduce you to some of the highlights that are included on this workshop.
Day 1: Kirkjufell & Snæfellsness
After picking you up at Keflavik airport, we’ll spend a good portion of our time in Iceland on the peninsula of Snæfellsness, where the iconic triangular mountain is located. Kirkjufell has been featured in many different films and TV-series, including A Games of Thrones. The mountain is probably adorned in snow by the time we arrive, given the road is cleared. We’ve booked you into a great seafront hotel, where we spend two and a half days.
Day 2: Snæfellsness in Detail
Now that we’ve bagged our first iconic landmark, it’s time to pay a little more attention to the finer aspects of landscape photography. After all, we likely all have the same shot of that mountain. This day is largely spent by getting to know what makes you tick, so that we can tailor our teachings to exactly what you need to make original works of art in a landscape that has been photographed so much. Plus we will guide you to a few other not so famous locations that day. This really is a unique Iceland photo workshop!
Day 3: Reykjanes Peninsula
Recently, the Reykjanes peninsula hit the headlines as a volcano erupted and threatened the southern ring road. While we are staying in driving distance of the volcano, we cannot make any guarantees that you can catch a glimpse of an active lava flow. However, there are so many photographic opportunities on Reykjanes! It’s often been called “Iceland in miniature”, because it offers black beaches, snow-capped volcanoes and the feel of the rugged terrain of the Icelandic interior that’s closed off during the winter months. On top of that, this is a wild, wild country with little light pollution from civilization. Which means primo conditions for the northern lights!
Day 4: Skogáfoss, Seljalandsfoss, Hidden Waterfall and other Fosses
After all those locations probably not many tourists have heard about, it’s time to get our fix for photographing a handful of icons in South Iceland. As we move east in the twilight along the ring-road in our comfy 4x4 cars, we pass a number of waterfalls that beg to be photographed. No matter how many times they’ve been imaged, the conditions in winter make for awesome twists on the jewels of photogenic Iceland. Plus the light during the short Icelandic winter days is like an endless golden hour and therefore ideal for photography.
Day 5: Reynisdrangar and Vík
Near the fishing village of Vík in South Iceland, a couple of craggy rock formations dominate the shoreline. Poking out from behind the black sand at Reynisfjara beach, these pillars are one of the coolest backdrops you could find in Iceland if you’re into photographing seascapes. But on the other side of Vík, there’s also a great place to capture them which isn’t that busy.
During blue hour, preferably when it’s raining, there’s an unrivaled spooky atmosphere here. As gulls and gannets soar from the cliffs and out to sea to catch their breakfast, you would do well to dial in a faster shutter speed to catch the waves crashing into the rocks that look like a shipwreck. The story goes that a couple of trolls tried pulling the ship out from the Atlantic, but their efforts were foiled by the rising sun, turning these poor guys and their prized ship into stone. This is Reysnisdrangar: the trollship.
Day 6: Jökulsárlón & Diamond Beach
Let’s start with one of the reasons photographers book a flight to Iceland. This iconic glacier lagoon is the setting of icebergs breaking off from the Breiðamerkur glacier and drifting out to sea, only to wash up again on “diamond beach.” In low light of winter, the light you won’t need a neutral density filter to visually slow the waves crashing into the ice.
Diamond beach, as the black beach near the famous glacier lagoon is called, is the ever-changing location that's dotted with icebergs big and small. Ice calving off from the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier crashes into the lagoon nearby and takes a few days to weeks until the ice is small enough to pass through a narrow outlet and into the Atlantic Ocean. There they will be carried away or washed back up on shore, depending on the ocean currents and the rending winds that often plague Iceland.
Diamond beach truly comes alive at night, though. Because while the ice shimmers brilliantly during the day, the mysterious green colors of the aurora will be reflected inside the most transparent icebergs. And what's more is that the shapes found on this volcanic beach are never the same.
Imagine the photographic opportunities here. Now imagine you standing here with your camera. And if that isn’t enough, nearby Fjallsárlón (the lesser known brother of Jökulsárlón) offers great perspectives on a glacier for the ones who like to use their long focal lenses.
Day 7: Vestrahorn, Stokksnes and the Glacier at Hoffell
Since we’re very close to a graphic mountain now, we might as well stop in the black sand dunes of Stokksnes. The military base here is home to tall yellow grass growing in fertile volcanic sand. It’s also the foreground of the much photographed Vestrahorn mountain. This place is a photographer’s dream destination for a reason: the iconic mountain provides a great focal point, and the rolling dunes offer plenty of compositional possibilities to photograph. But there’s more, the incoming water on the nearby shore is usually very shallow. Put on your wellies and play with longer shutter speeds to use long running streaks as lead-in lines or use the shallow water as a perfect mirror. In summer the entire place can be buzzing with other photographers. In winter it’s usually way less busy and we will find enough time and space to get creative.
A bit northeast from the famous glacier lagoon you’ll find the small community of Hoffell. It’s about 10 homes, a farm and a church. A very typical town in the land of ice and fire. A bumpy track leads you to an outlet glacier that’s part of the Vatnajökull, the largest (in volume) glacier in Europe. Here, I have found the effects of climate change leaving a profound impression on me and it’s a great opportunity to take in the awe of nature.
Day 8: Post-Processing, Northern Lights and Award-Winning Photos
As we’re nearing the end of our iceland photo workshop with tons of new photos on the memory cards, we’re beginning our drive back to the west. But it’s far from over. We have time to stop wherever we please and Kai and I find that these impromptu stops lead to the most original and award-winning images. Even if that means we stop at Skogáfoss again. Have a look at the short gallery of images below to get an inkling about what sort of “originality” is up for grabs in Iceland:
We have already spent much of our downtime giving post-processing instructions, but today is when we truly have a full on Photoshop workshop. Post-processing is such a big part of our art, that we think a new understanding of tricks and tools is at least as important as taking a memory card full of images home with you.
Day 9: Goodbyes to Iceland
So everybody writes this, right: sadly, it’s time to return home on day 9. We think there’s nothing sad about it! You’ve shot hundreds to thousands of images, gone through incredible experiences and hopefully made some new friends. Outbound flights generally leave early from Iceland and we will shuttle everyone to the airport. But our last hotel is comfortably close to the airport, which means we are there for all your questions relating to the trip, photography or life. :)
We hopefully meet you at Keflavik on December 6th!
Payment & Reservation
We’re booked full, but we can put you on our wait list in case someone drops out. Since it’s so close to starting, we accept payment all at once to reserve a seat in the car. For workshops, we accept bank transfers, payment requests for European banks and PayPal or credit card. Contact us directly to be put on the wait list.
Cancellation and refunds
Unfortunate things can happen to anyone. Therefore we handle a refund policy when you have made reservations for this workshop but can’t make it in the end due to whatever the circumstance. Based on the full fee of the workshop, we strictly handle this schedule to cover the costs made on our end.
Cancel 60 days before the start of the workshop or more: Full refund minus € 200 service charge.
45 days or more: 75% refund
31 days or more: 50% refund
Less than 31 days: No refund
Iceland’s Weather and Volcanoes
In 2010, Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull (hey without spelling correction!) volcano ground European air traffic to a halt. In 2019 - about halfway into our workshop in autumn, hurricane-force winds prevented air travel altogether too. Luckily that did not happen upon arrival or departure. Iceland is notorious for its ever-changing weather. So while we do have our fingers crossed for the northern lights, or indeed for these dates, we are at the mercy of the old Norse gods.
The dates are subject to change if weather or natural disasters prevent our workshop from happening.
Physical requirements for the Iceland Winter Photo Workshop
Most of our destinations are easily accessible by car and on foot, but snow and ice can make any terrain treacherous and physically intense to traverse. You don’t have to be a marathon runner, but we do ask that you are in reasonable physical condition to be able to keep up with the group and deal with the cold and demanding climate of the arctic.
Please do not come on this trip when you have a heart condition, suffer from epilepsy or severe asthma or when you have a bad leg. This will hinder our ability to show you everything we have in store, but more importantly, it will jeopardize the positive experience of your fellow participants.
What to Bring
We provide an extensive checklist of what sort of gear to bring to prepare you for the workshop. As for photography equipment: any camera with interchangeable lenses will do. Bring two lenses: a wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens. We primarily use focal lengths of 14-24 and 70-200mm. Should you want to bring additional lenses, then we first recommend to bring additional focal length. A super telephoto of 150-600 is excellent to capture details of glaciers, waterfalls and misty mountains. That’s already a heavy bag, but should you want to bring even more, then fill the gap with a 24-70 or prime lens. Also bring a rain sleeve as a barrier against snow and waterfall spray; a plastic one would suffice.
Kai and Daniel are f-stop ambassadors and you can get a 15% Discount on all f-stop Gear Camerabags & ICU’s if you book this workshop. You can bring your new bag to Iceland!
Additionally, a tripod and big memory card and extra batteries are mandatory. Contact us for clothing or other equipment suggestions.
Required Photography Level
As long as you can control the basic settings of your camera and know how to swap lenses, you’re more than welcome to join us. We’ll teach composition primarily and want to focus on taking pictures, not talking about cameras. Cameras are tools to us, so if you’re struggling with your camera, bring your manual!
Indemnity Waiver
All participants are required to sign this standard document before the start of the workshop. Find it here.
Your Instructors:
Daniel Laan ~ The Netherlands
Moody, ominous landscape photography is as much my passion as it is my career. For more than a decade now, I've had the mindset of developing a specific dark and moody style of photography that shows a part of myself through my images. I have a deep appreciation for the landscape, the weather and find something of beauty in trivial subjects. You could say that I have an instinct for inbound northern lights, having captured the Aurora Borealis successfully as far south as the Netherlands.
With a degree in design and visual communication and over 15 years of experience in Photoshop, it's my goal to train you to look at the landscape differently. While explaining everything from pre-visualizing to exporting for the web or for print, we uncover a truth. That the stunning landscape of Iceland, isn't there to take home with you. The most important aspect is not to bag the best locations, but to appreciate your surroundings; to become aware of things that others walk straight by.
It is with this mindset that I will make you a better artist; and that is something you can take home with you.
Kai Hornung ~ Germany
I am a landscape and fine-art photographer from Germany. My images show a diversity of intimate and abstract scenes of nature, up to wide and dramatic vistas. Best described as landscape photography art, my work has won several international awards (with the International landscape photograph of the year 2020 being the most prominent one) and been published worldwide in various magazines and online media outlets. I share my knowledge by speaking at conferences and on prominent podcasts about the art of photography, writing articles for different magazines and teaching my students in workshops. I have judged in photo contests and work on assignment for different companies.
I have been to Iceland many times and love the endless possibilities of photographing by adapting to the ever changing surroundings. My background in teaching adults and my desire in helping you improve your photography will not only make for having an unforgettable week full of creativity but will also have you return home with images you will be proud of.