How to Photograph Iceland | 12 Easy Tips to Improve Your Shots

2026-01-27 - 17:22

This article is brought to you in partnership with Viking International Phototours Iceland is one of the most rewarding places on earth to photograph, but it sure does have a way of humbling visitors. The light changes quickly. The wind tests your patience. Even well-known viewpoints can feel completely different depending on conditions. That’s why many travellers choose to explore with a photography-first operator like Viking International Photo Tours, the delightful sponsor of this article, whose guides build itineraries around timing, light, access, and shooting time. (In other words, the things that matter most when your goal is to come home with strong images, not just memories.) Below, we’ve compiled what we consider 12 grounded, field-tested tips to help you get more from your Iceland shoot, whether you’re travelling independently or joining a guided workshop. Photo: Viking International Phototours 1) Treat Iceland’s weather as part of the composition Clouds, fog, sleet and sudden bursts of sun are not necessarily setbacks in Iceland. In fact, they are often what gives the landscape its character, providing a wealth of photographic opportunities for those willing to make the most out of their environment. While a grey sky can feel flat, certainly, shifting weather and dramatic cloud edges often add much needed depth, scale and mood to a photograph. As specified on their website, Viking International Photo Tours plans shooting locations around these changing conditions, using weather windows to time key stops. It’s an approach that makes all the difference between a straightforward record shot and an image with atmosphere and tension. 2) Prioritise light over landmarks With limited time, and limited memory cards, it’s easy to chase famous places and end up shooting them in harsh midday glare. Therefore, it’s wise to be aware that here in Iceland, the same location can look completely different depending on what the light is doing. Again, photo tours are particularly useful here because they reduce much of the guesswork that comes with trying to capture images abroad. As such, tours ran by Viking International Phototours are often organised around specific golden-hour stops rather than improvised on the go. Photo: Viking International Phototours 3) Use a tripod even in daylight Even if it isn’t as quick or carefree as shooting handheld, a tripod earns its place in any serious photography kit. In Iceland, it helps you lock in composition and sharpness in strong wind, and it makes long exposures possible at waterfalls, rivers and coastal scenes. It also gives you more control when mist, fading light, or sudden weather changes start to affect conditions. 4) Bring (and actually use) lens cloths This tip may sound simple, but it is one of the most useful habits you can develop in Iceland. Anywhere in the world you can bring a camera, in fact... Mist from waterfalls, sea spray, and fine rain can settle on your front element without you noticing, softening contrast and leaving entire photos unusable. Carry a few microfibre cloths and switch between them so you are not wiping with a damp one. If you are photographing on the coast in strong wind, expect to clean your lens repeatedly throughout the shoot. 5) Learn one waterfall technique and repeat it Photo: Viking International Phototours Iceland has no shortage of waterfalls, and it is easy to come away with dozens of similar frames if you treat every stop the same way. With that in mind then, a more effective approach is to slow down and shoot with intention. This goes for all types of photography, including when using a drone. (On that note; Iceland is very drone friendly, though there are certain places where it is forbidden to fly, or you will need permission beforehand. Viking International Phototours actually runs drone workshops, both in Iceland and abroad, where you can learn more about the art of aerial photography.) Decide what you want to emphasise, whether that is movement in the water, crisp detail, scale, or the surrounding landscape, and then build your composition around it. Small choices such as adjusting shutter speed, adding a foreground element, or including a person to show scale can help each image feel distinct. On photography-focused tours, guides can be useful in helping you develop a repeatable approach, so your waterfall shots look consistent and considered rather than rushed and interchangeable. 6) Shoot the “in-between” locations Yes, it’s worth photographing Iceland’s iconic locations, but some of the most memorable images often come from what happens between them. Roadside pull-offs, quiet bends in the highway, lone farms under low cloud, or steam drifting up from the earth can produce photographs that feel more personal and less predictable. A photography-focused tour works best when it leaves space for those unscripted moments. Viking International Phototours places emphasis on time spent shooting rather than simply moving between stops, which can make it easier to respond to changing weather and light and to capture scenes you might otherwise drive straight past. 7) Pack for wind, not cold Photo: Viking International Phototours Many visitors underestimate Icelandic wind. Those of us who have been here a while know that it’s the wind, not the cold, that is the true enemy. The wind, after all, can knock over tripods, shake long lenses, push rain sideways, and turn an otherwise simple shot into an exercise in stability. A few small adjustments make a big difference: keep your tripod low, weight it carefully with your camera bag if it has a centre hook, use a remote shutter release or a two-second timer to avoid camera shake, and use your body as a windbreak where possible. On guided photography tours, instructors will often also help with safe positioning in exposed places, particularly on cliffs, headlands, and beaches where gusts and surf conditions can change quickly. Photo: Viking International Phototours 8) Use people strategically (or remove them entirely) Over the years, crowds have become a reality at many of Iceland’s most photographed locations, particularly during peak travel seasons. One option is to incorporate people deliberately by placing a single figure in the frame to provide scale and direct the viewer’s eye. The other is to photograph in a way that removes distractions, using tighter compositions, lower angles, or longer exposures that smooth movement and reduce the presence of passers-by. Small-group photo tours can also help, since you are more likely to spend longer at each stop and have time to wait for quieter moments between groups. Photo: Viking International Phototours 9) Don’t overpack lenses. Choose a simple working kit You don’t need an endless selection of lenses to photograph Iceland well. A simple, practical kit is usually enough for most trips. Many photographers find that a wide-angle lens is ideal for big landscapes and foreground-heavy compositions, while a mid-range zoom covers everyday scenes, details, and more controlled framing. A telephoto can be useful, but mainly for compressing distant mountains, picking out patterns in the landscape, or isolating light breaking through weather. If you are travelling with a guided operator such as Viking International Photo Tours, it can also help to get gear advice in advance, so you arrive with equipment you will actually use rather than carrying unnecessary weight. Photo: Viking International Phototours 10) If you want aurora photos, plan for them properly If we are being honest, Northern Lights photography is where travellers most often feel disappointed, not because the aurora is absent, but because the practical side catches them out. The display can begin suddenly and it is easy to miss it if you are slow to set up, using the wrong settings, standing in a poorly chosen location, or if cloud cover moves in. A dedicated Northern Lights workshop can help. Viking International Photo Tours runs aurora-focused trips where guides monitor conditions, adjust plans as needed, and choose viewing areas with a better chance of clear skies while also explaining the basic technique. As a starting point, many photographers use a wide lens, an aperture of f/2.8 or faster, ISO somewhere between 1600 and 6400, and shutter speeds of roughly one to six seconds depending on how quickly the lights are moving. 11) Edit with restraint Iceland’s landscapes often look dramatic straight out of the camera, with strong contrast and naturally rich colour. Black sand and dark lava to bright snow, waterfalls and the green glow of the aurora. Because of that, it’s easy to push an edit too far and end up with images that feel unnatural or overly processed. A better approach is to keep things simple and controlled. Start by getting the exposure and white balance right, then make small adjustments to highlights and shadows so details aren’t lost. Build contrast gradually rather than in one big jump, and be careful with greens; moss and Northern Lights can quickly become too intense when the saturation is pushed. Sharpen gently, especially in areas like snow and sky where heavy sharpening can create an artificial texture. If a workshop includes editing guidance, it’s most useful when it helps you refine images cleanly and consistently, rather than forcing a dramatic style onto every photo. 12) Slow down. Iceland rewards patience One of the most effective ways to improve your photography in Iceland is to slow down and spend longer in fewer places. When you give a location time, the conditions often improve on their own. Light softens, crowds thin out, skies shift, and new compositions reveal themselves as the landscape changes. This is also one of the main benefits of travelling with a photography-focused operator. Viking International Photo Tours plans its routes around time on location, so the schedule supports the act of photographing rather than rushing from stop to stop. Photo: Viking International Phototours A practical way to photograph Iceland If you’re visiting Iceland with photography as a priority, Viking International Phototours offers guided tours, Northern Lights workshops, itineraries and tailored photography journeys designed around what matters most: light, conditions, access, and time to shoot. For beginners, the structured guidance helps build confidence quickly. For more experienced photographers, it removes logistical friction and improves the odds of coming home with real portfolio images. Beyond Iceland workshops It’s also worth mentioning to local photographers here that Viking International Phototours also runs photography workshops outside Iceland. In previous years the company has led trips in destinations including Colorado and Cyprus, and its 2026 programme is set to expand further with workshops planned in Greenland and Africa. These tours are designed for photographers who want the same mix of travel planning and practical guidance in new environments, with itineraries built around light, landscape and time on location rather than rapid sightseeing. Photo: Viking International Phototours