23 beautiful Locations in Iceland - A Landscape Photography Guide
Iceland is one of the most amazing countries in the world, so, of course, I had to visit it four times already, and I'm definitely going to revisit it!
As a landscape photographer, you often seek the dramatic wild subject in your photographs and which country could be better than Iceland to full fill that needs?
It’s definetly one of the best countries to visit as a landscape photographer.
That's the reason why I want to share with you guys 23 of my most favorite photography locations, which I've visited all across the country. There are countless epic places in Iceland, which makes it easy to write an article about epic photography spots.
I still haven't seen everything, for example, the highlands are still missing on my list, but I want to change that one day.
I'm going to talk about why I like those places, the photographic possibilities and how to get to them.
Most of the locations are easy to access and also well known, so I'm sure there will be something for you! Every single one of those spots is amazing itself, so there is no particular order in my list.
No. 1 – Stokksnes – Vestrahorn
The coast of Stokksness is the place that I've been to the most so far. There are endless photographic opportunities, and it looks totally different during all seasons.
It's easy to get there as it's located in the southeast of Iceland close to the small town Höfn. Simply drive along the Ringroad Nr. 1 and turn right when you see the signs „Viking Cafe“ or Stokksnes.
Then drive on the well-maintained gravel road for a few miles along the coast.
After some time you'll arrive at the Viking Cafe. You have to pay a "small" fee (something like 10$) to access the coastline.
The landowner makes huge profits acting this way, but it's his private property (parts the road), so you can't do much about it.
After you have arrived, you will quickly forget the toll which you had to pay as the landscape is simply stunning!!!
You have so many photographic possibilities over there. Whether you want to shoot reflections of the stunning mountains, place some fantastic dunes with black sand in your foreground, or if you're going to shoot some seascape with incredible wave action.
You can visit this place countless times, and you will almost always get a shot, trust me.
During summer, you have the chance to shoot gorgeous lupine flowers as a foreground element with the stunning Vestrahorn in the background. It creates a contrast that seems out of this world.
And in winter, you can capture remarkable ice structures or crazy patterns created by fresh snow reacting with the black sand.
It's also a perfect spot to shoot the aurora as you're facing north when looking at Vestrahorn.
Go there; you will love it!
No. 2 – Jökulsárlón – Diamond Beach
This famous glacier lagoon is one of the most visited locations in Iceland but for a good reason. It's so easy to get there. You simply drive the ring road towards Höfn starting from Reykjavik.
It's a long drive but very easy since the main road is very well maintained.
The lagoon is part of Europes' biggest glacier, the Vatnajökull. You can see the enormous masses of ice far in the distance.
As it's slowly melting, giant chunks of glacier ice are floating around in this beautiful lagoon.
On a clear day, it can be a feast for the eyes. So many different variations of blue, simply stunning.
The glacier lagoon is streaming out to the ocean, and so the ice. The result is one of the coolest things (see what I did there), which you can photograph in our entire world.
The chunks of ice are streaming out in the Atlantic ocean where they're melting and getting cut into small pieces because of the waves and saltwater.
The Atlantic ocean washes them back ashore, where they build an absolutely stunning contrast to the black lava sand beach. You can get epic images with the right light conditions.
I've visited that place five times already and never got super lucky with the conditions, though.
The sun has the best angle during the winter months, where you can shoot the small icebergs with golden light.
No. 3 – Svinafellsjökull
If you love glaciers, then you definitely have to visit this stunning place close to the Skaftafell national park.
The bumpy road is not too hard to drive as long as you're going slow, but as soon as you're there, you will know that it was worth it.
The incredible Svinafelljökul is framed by two mountain ridges and their dark color as a fantastic contrast to the blue ice of the glacier.
You can hike along the shore of the small glacier lagoon to have a front view of the glacier, and it's reflection.
During winter, there is a high chance of finding icy foreground options for your composition.
Starting from the parking lot, you can also hike a little path, which leads you further up and offers stunning views across the massive glacier.
It's one of my favorite places as you can still be alone there. Especially in the morning/evening. If you like abstracts, then use your telephoto and get some fantastic glacier close-ups!
No. 4 – Fjallsárlón
Another Glacier Lagoon which offers stunning views. It's almost next to the famous Jökulsárlón but less crowded. The parking lot is easy to reach from the ring road.
From there, it's only a short hike to get to the shore of the lagoon. The amazing glacier unfolds its beauty in the background and offers stunning reflections if you have the right conditions.
There are fewer amounts of icebergs in the lake, but it's still a stunning place to visit and photograph.
You can shoot it during sunrise or sunset, depending on the angle of light you're aiming for.
When I was there in march 2018, I experienced one of the windiest moments in my life.
My wife and I had to fight against wind gusts of more than 130kmh an hour. It was a funny moment for sure, as we were well prepared with proper clothing.
No. 5 - The Secret Canyon
This place is the most beautiful landscape which I’ve seen in Iceland so far (personal opinion of course), but please keep in mind that I haven’t been to the highlands yet.
It’s still a less visited location as its hidden close to Fjallsárlón.
Nobody would think that such an incredible place is over there.
You need to drive a bumpy gravel road for a couple of miles to reach a parking place where you can stop your car.
To get to the most beautiful viewpoint, you have to hike up the narrow path for about 1 hour, crossing some creeks, boulders, and rocks.
The landscape over there is so calm and stunning at the same time. Once you reached the top you will be amazed by the views, trust me!
I recommend bringing your wide-angle and your standard zoom lens to capture the whole canyon and also some detail shots of the area.
In my opinion, it’s best to go there during the late afternoon and when you have some dramatic clouds in the sky as they fit perfectly to the otherworldly landscape.
No. 6 – Lómagnúpur
Located close to the road to Skaftafell National Park is a prominent mountain that looks like a massive piece of rock! It's called „Lómagnúpur. “ If you want to get some dramatic shots, you should plan a stop and take a few pictures.
I love this location because it's so easy to get to, and it fits in most travel plans when cruising through the country.
In summer you can shoot it with lovely flowers as a foreground element, and in winter you can get some beautiful ice structures.
I also recommend using your drone (if you have one) because the views from above are simply stunning.
It can get quite windy in this area, so be careful if you want to fly.
No. 7 - Fjaðrárgljúfur
This canyon is a gem located in the south of Iceland.
When you’re on the ring road coming from Vik, you will see a sign on the left with Fjaðrárgljúfur on it.
Simply turn in there and drive the gravel road until you reach the parking lot of the canyon.
The road conditions aren’t the best, so make sure you have a proper car to get there.
I visited the place in April 2017, and the road wasn’t fun to drive with a small car, but eventually, I made it to the parking place.
The canyon itself is well worth the effort, as it’s simply breathtaking. Another stunning location in Iceland!
You can hike up the small path to get a beautiful overview of the canyon.
There are several small view points where you can get awesome shots facing the coast in the distance and the canyon in the immediate foreground.
I recommend a wide-angle to capture the entire beauty. You can shoot sunrise or sunset as the area is beautiful in any kind of light.
On my visit back in 2017, it was still allowed to fly your drone but I don’t know what the laws are now.
I didn’t have the best light on that day as it was raining almost all the time, but the view down to the canyon offered some fantastic compositions.
When you are traveling on the ring road, make sure to stop by, it’s worth it.
No. 8 – Thakgill – Þakgil
The small canyon located in the area called Thakgill is one of my favorite locations in the south of Iceland.
So far, I’ve been there only once in July 2019, but I can’t wait to revisit it.
After you left Vik, you simply drive along the ring road for a few miles until you see the sign showing the Þakgil camping. Turn left and drive on the gravel road until you reach the campsite.
I highly recommend driving carefully as the road is sketchy sometimes.
There can be big holes in the gravel road, and the road isn’t well maintained in general.
It feels like you’re entering the highlands. The landscape over there is simply stunning.
After driving on the road for a while, you might have some doubt about how there could be a campsite in the area, but trust me, you arrive eventually. We stayed there for one night, and it’s surprisingly comfortable to sleep there.
From the campground, it’s only a short hike to enter the canyon and to get to the best photo spots to capture the iconic spire and the creek in front of it.
Take care if you’re scrambling down to the small waterfalls as it can be very slippery. The green moss on the lava rocks is a feast for the eyes and something you won’t forget.
I would only go there during summer as the road can be in really bad shape during the winter months. It always depends on your car, though. Don’t forget to bring your wide-angle lens to get the most from this location.
No. 9 Reynisdrangar
This black sand beach is really popular with tourists, and I totally understand why. It’s the beach right next to Vik, and it’s so easily accessible.
The sea-stacks Reynisdrangar are simply stunning to look at and also to photograph. I didn’t have the best conditions on my visit in April 2017 and March 2018, but it was still beautiful.
I recommend bringing a wide-angle or a mid-range zoom the capture this spot.
It looks beautiful at sunrise or sunset. When you’re lucky during winter, then you might get some snow on the black sand, which creates some gorgeous natural contrast.
You can also use the white foam of the waves to achieve similar results.
No. 10 – Dyrhólaey - Reynisfjara
When you are on the south coast of Iceland, and close to Vik, then you also have to visit Dyrhólaey and the overview to Reynisfjara.
It’s a big rock plateau with stunning views across the endless black sand beach and some epic sea-stacks.
Simply turn right when you’re driving towards Vik from Reykjavik and follow the signs until you either arrive at the viewpoint of Reynisfjara or the small road further up the hill to reach Dyrhólaey lighthouse.
The road can be a little bit bumpy sometimes, but as long as you drive slow, you should be fine. Once you’re up there, you can hike around the plateau following the well-maintained hiking path.
You will experience stunning 360degree views of the entire landscape.
I can highly recommend visiting both the Dyrholaey lighthouse and also the Reynisfjara overview. If you’re lucky with the wave action, then you can capture some stunning seascape images.
Both locations look awesome during sunrise and sunset. Bring a mid-range zoom or a telephoto to get the best shots of the area.
No. 11 - Skógafoss
Skógafoss is probably the most famous waterfall in all of Iceland.
It’s located close to Seljalandsfoss, and it’s very easy to get to from Reykjavik or any other place.
That’s probably the main reason why it’s so crowded. There’re tons of busses stopping at this location, so it will most likely be packed with people when you’re there.
The waterfall is truly epic! So far, I visited the location only two times and never got pleasing conditions during the day, but I managed to capture some beautiful aurora dancing above the waterfall.
You can use all kinds of lenses to capture the falls.
Use a wide-angle if you want to capture the entire falls or a mid-telephoto to long telephoto to shoot some beautiful close-ups of the falls itself.
If you go for the wide-angle shot, then I recommend stepping into the river to capture some reflections or to use it as a leading line.
As it’s easy to reach, I highly recommend visiting Skogafoss when you are on your way along the ring road.
No. 12 - Kvernufoss
The popular Skogafoss has an even more beautiful neighbor (at least in my opinion) called Kvernufoss.
Stop your car at the local museum, and from there, you can cross the fence using the small ladder to hike into the canyon.
Even though Kvernufoss is so close to Skogafoss, it’s way less visited, which is a good thing.
The short but beautiful hike into the canyon leads you along the river until you can see the fantastic falls.
It doesn’t matter if you shoot it at sunrise or sunset, it’s always epic to look at.
You have a couple of compositional options in the area.
You can go down into the water and shoot the waterfall from there, or you hike behind it - same as Seljalandsfoss and shoot it from the inside of the small cave.
It’s an awesome experience for sure, and the good thing is that there’re way fewer people.
I recommend bringing your wide-angle lens to capture the entire beauty of the area.
No. 13 - Seljalandsfoss
Of course, I also have to mention one of the most famous waterfalls located on the south coast of the country.
Seljalandsfoss is so crowded all year round but for a good reason.
Day tours are starting in Reykjavik, which brings thousands of tourists to the area.
I still highly recommend a visit because of the unique beauty the place has to offer.
When you shoot it at sunset, then you won’t see as many tourists as during the day, but there will be many other photographers.
I know I’m talking a lot about how crowded it is, but I just want you to know that you will probably never be alone there.
In regards to composition, you have a lot of options to shoot that waterfall.
The most famous is, of course, to walk behind it and shoot towards the sun, which creates some great effects when you have the right light.
I visited the waterfall only once back in April 2017.
It was my day of arrival, and I planned it this way so that I can shoot Seljalandsfoss during sunset.
I got fantastic light on that particular evening, but I was totally soaked and full of mud after finishing my shooting behind the waterfall.
It was so worth it, though. Experiencing the pure power of the falls right in front of you is simply stunning.
There are also other beautiful options to capture Seljalandsfoss, though.
You can also walk up to a small hill on the side of the waterfall. From there, you have a stunning overview of the area with the falls as the main subject.
Definitely bring a wide-angle lens as the falls are massive, especially when you’re standing behind them!
So even when it’s packed with people, I still recommend a visit as it’s just too beautiful to skip it, and it’s always a good starting point when you’re planning to drive around the country counterclockwise.
The color of the water is out of this world.
I haven’t seen many waterfalls with such blue color tones. You can shoot it all year round as it always offers something cool.
It depends on the season if sunrise or sunset is the better option, but it’s beautiful, nevertheless.
There are plenty of compositions that can be captured in the area.
You can stand on the bridge and shoot the waterfall from above, or you walk down on the left/right side of the river.
Now you get a closer perspective of the cascades to put them in your foreground, which adds some really nice drama to your photos.
I recommend bringing a wide-angle and a telephoto lens with you because the details of the blue water are also a stunning subject to shoot.
They recently changed the way how to get to this beautiful area.
You now have to park on a new parking lot far down the river and hike for about 3km on a well-maintained hiking trail to reach the waterfall.
Bruarfoss is quite close to Keflavik and other stunning places in the area, so it’s almost elementary to put it on your travel list.
No. 15 - Háifoss
Also located in the southern inland of the country is the epic waterfall Háifoss, which is the second-highest in all of Iceland.
When you’re traveling around in the southern area, it’s so worth a visit.
Please keep in mind that the roads aren’t the best. I went there in July 2019, and it was doable with a small camper van if you drive slow and carefully.
I don’t know how the conditions are during winter or after a lot of rain, but it could be that you will need a small 4x4 to get there.
I didn’t have the best conditions when I was in the area, but it was still stunning to watch the huge drop of the waterfall and the river streaming through the canyon.
There is also a small path leading you down to the bottom of the canyon.
It offers epic views of the waterfall, falling in front of you.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough time as we were about to drive back to the airport, but that’s still on my list for sure.
Bring a wide-angle lens with you to capture the entire beauty of the area. A telephoto lens can be useful as well if you want to shoot close-ups of Haifoss.
No. 16 - Kirkjufell
When you do some research about Iceland, then you most likely came across Kirkjufell on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.
It's probably the most iconic peak in the entire country. It depends on you if you want to take pictures there as it can get super crowded even during sunrise.
It's a beautiful area, though, and you also have many options to get original compositions IF you don't have other people walking through your frame.
I highly recommend using a wide-angle lens if you want to capture the entire beauty of the area in one frame.
The place is easy to get to as the parking lot is right next to the road outside of the small town Grundarfjörður.
I like it there, but I think it's not a location you have to photograph no matter what. If you are in the area anyway, then definitely go there!
No. 17 - Anarstapi and Lóndrangar
The west coast of Iceland is not all about Kirkjufell, guys.
The small village Anarstapi offers some fantastic photo options as well.
I visited the area for the first time in March 2018, and I can’t wait to come back.
The coast is simply stunning with some epic basalt cliffs, beautiful sea-stacks, and arches.
I didn’t have the best photography conditions when I was there, but it was still an awesome time.
When you drive a bit further, then you’ll reach another popular spot called Lóndrangar.
You can stop at the parking lot, and after a short hike, you arrive at an absolutely epic coastline with huge sea stacks and basalt formations.
When you’re lucky enough to have a high surf day, then it’s tough not to get a good image from that place!
No. 18 - Snæfellsnes Peninsula
The Snaefelsness peninsula is a fantastic area for landscape photography in general.
It’s not all about Kirkjufell or Lóndrangar. The coastline is stunning, and it’s so easy to get around by car to explore the area.
You can find many random waterfalls along the road which just wait to be captured in an image.
During summer, you have a high chance of seeing tons of lupine flowers all across the peninsula, which is an incredible contrast to the dramatic mountains in the distance.
The volcano Snaefelsness is the most prominent subject you can photograph in the area.
No. 19 - Westfjords
I visited the Westfjords in July 2019 to shoot the stunning waterfall Dynjandi in the far west of the peninsula.
The drive to the spot is simply breathtaking as you will experience the incredible and wild landscape of the Westfjords.
There aren't many villages in that area, so you have a lot of nature in front of you.
The roads are well maintained, but I don't have any experience of how it is during winter, though.
Many beautiful sights are along your way to Dynjandi, so plan enough for your trip.
I did only see a small part of that area, so I can only write about Dynjadi itself.
You can stop your car right next to a stunning fjord on a big parking lot.
From there, you walk up the path towards the giant waterfall.
There are many nice compositions on your way up, so make sure to capture the waterfall from various angles.
I didn't have too much time shooting the falls because that's the place where I got engaged with my long time girlfriend.
I highly recommend visiting it during the might night sun because we had the whole place for ourselves!
Camping is not allowed at the parking lot, so you have to drive back to the campsite.
No. 20 - Goðafoss
One of the most iconic waterfalls in all of Iceland is situated in the far north of the country.
It's a long drive from the south (6 hours from Reykjavík) but so worth it, in my opinion!
It's worth the entire trip to Iceland alone! I visited Goðafoss five times already, and I always loved it.
Whether during sunrise/sunset or at night, it doesn't matter.
I only recommend shooting it at night when you have a strong moonlight.
There are some small villages around, and the light pollution kind of destroys the feeling for me. But that's personal taste, of course.
With the full moon, you avoid the light pollution effect at least a little bit. The intense natural light of the moon creates a mysterious look to your shots.
You can shoot it from both sides of the falls and also from the bottom, which offers quite a lot of compositional options considering its always the same waterfall.
Personally, I like the view from the ground the most closely followed from the west side of the falls.
If you get close to the stream (be careful), you can shoot really dramatic and stunning images.
There are parking lots on both sides, and it's only a short walk to get to the right spots.
Because of its beauty and popularity, it can be very crowded over there, but when you plan to shoot sunrise, you might have it for yourself or meet only a few other photographers.
Godafoss is one of my most favorite photography locations in Iceland.
No. 21 - Aldeyjarfoss
The second iconic waterfall in the north is not too far away from Goðafoss, and it's even more beautiful, in my opinion.
You simply take the gravel road next to the parking lot on the eastside of Goðafoss.
You have to follow the road for about 25km until you reach a bridge where you cross the river.
After another 20km, you make a left turn heading to the parking lot.
If you have a good 4x4 which is allowed to drive on F-roads, then you can go almost all the way towards Aldeyjarfoss.
I'm talking about summer, though. During winter, it's impossible to drive there with a normal car/4x4.
Then you simply stop at the first „parking lot“ where you see a warning sign about rental car companies not covering any damages caused on the road to Aldeyjarfoss.
If you don't want to risk anything even during summer, it's only a +/- 50 minutes walk to reach Aldeyjarfoss from the first parking lot.
It's easy to hike during summer but I highly recommend bringing crampons during winter because the whole road was covered with thick ice when I visited Aldeyjarfoss for the first time in January 2017.
After you've arrived at the second parking lot either by 4x4 or by walk, you now have to walk down the hill to get to the viewpoint.
Be careful because it can be slippery during rainy weather.
All the effort was well worth it as soon as your eyes get the first glimpse of this truly magnificent piece of art that mother nature created!
You have many different composition possibilities at this wonderful spot.
You can shoot straight towards the waterfall or a little bit from the side when you walk up the small hill.
I highly recommend using a wide-angle lens to capture the full beauty of the waterfall and the area around it.
Of course, you can also use a telephoto to get some nice details of the basalt columns and the waterfall itself.
When you hike down the hill to the bottom of the falls, you will have the beauty right in front of you.
It's not so easy to get down there, though. You have to scramble across some rocks and boulders.
Please watch out for slippery sections.
Don't go down there when you don't feel secure!
All in all, a truly stunning place which is not so easy to get too but definitely worth it, and you can easily combine it with a visit to Goðafoss.
It's best to get there during spring, summer, and autumn because of the road conditions.
Think twice if your car is big enough when there is a lot of snow in the area.
No. 22 - Dettifoss
When you're in the north, then I highly recommend visiting Dettifoss as well.
It's located a bit further southeast but still far enough up in the north.
To get to the waterfall, you have to drive on a bumpy gravel road for about 30km through the middle of nowhere.
I can only talk about the east side of the waterfall though since that is the only one I visited and which is the more epic one, in my opinion.
As soon as you arrive at the parking lot, you'll find some signs showing you the way down to the waterfall.
You have to hike for like 15 min to get to the best spots, and it's so awe-inspiring as soon as you see how massive that waterfall is.
You will instantly understand why it's Europe's biggest waterfall.
It depends on you how close you want to get to the cliff edge to get a photo.
Your own safety is the most important part which you should care about the most!
I recommend looking for a foreground element like a plant or flower to add some interest.
You will need a wide-angle lens to capture the whole waterfall.
When you shoot straight at the falls, you might not deliver the intense power of the place.
You can, of course, also place yourself in the frame to add scale to the image.
I visited this stunning place in July 2019, and I was lucky to witness some dramatic clouds in the sky, which fitted perfectly to the epic waterfall.
I've never been there in winter, and I wouldn't recommend doing so.
The road might be closed or bad to drive on, and it will be super icy around the cliff edge of the waterfall.
Summer is an awesome time, especially when you visit it during the midnight sun.
We were there at around 1 am and had the whole area to ourselves self which was terrific but spooky at the same time.
No. 23 - Folaldafoss
There are thousands of waterfalls in Iceland, and a lot of them are really famous and a huge tourist attraction.
Folaldafoss is a less-visited fall as it’s located in the east, where most people are only driving by on their tour to get to other locations in the north or south.
It’s easy to hike down towards the falls from the parking lot.
You have to cross some boulders and maybe even the small creek, but that’s not too hard with the right footwear.
I visited the area in July 2019, and I didn’t regret it as I got stunning clouds and light in the late afternoon.
Make sure to bring your wide-angle to capture some interesting foreground elements to add interest.
Alright, that’s it, guys! I hope you enjoyed the location tips and maybe you got some useful information for your own travel plans.
Please keep in mind that I only mentioned the places which I visited and photographed myself.
There are still so many more spots to be discovered as Iceland is simply a photographer's paradise!
What is your favorite photography spot, and where have you been so far?
Let me know down in the comments, and if you have any questions, I’m always there to help!
Cheers,
Daniel