Iceland is a land of fire and ice, but what if it wasn’t? Travel plans may change at the last minute due to many factors, weather changes, other lost luggage. So, how do you adapt and make a short trip memorable? Do you push your creative boundaries and try something new or do you just step back and enjoy each new adventure?
Planning ahead
When the second volcanic activity occurred in August, we, like many other photographers, jumped online to see if we could book a plane ticket to see the new land form. . However, due to flight prices at the time, we decided to look further into the calendar, hoping that the new rift in the Meradalir valley would remain active around the end of September. Fast forward to late September, no there was volcanic activity and everything was booked, we had to rethink what we were going to do and be quick.
This didn’t seem like a daunting task considering it was Iceland, but since we had placed everything within a short distance from the currently dormant crack, our plans had to change. I’m almost certain you’ll have to at some point if the focus of your trip is affected by weather conditions or other factors.
Keep it simple
We stripped everything down at once and brought only minimal gear with us this time, deciding that we would slow down and not try to cram as much as possible in such a short time. Instead, we’ll just plan a few places and spend our time taking in whatever we can.
We no longer need to use longer focal lengths, choosing instead to use only two lenses per camera, one filter each and of course our tripod . Doing this allows us to keep things simple and pack only a minimal set of accessories for each camera, which includes:
Slow down
Landscape photography is a fun experience, a time to slow down and enjoy all that is around you. Sure, we wanted to have that beautiful space with bright lights, but sometimes, when the weather conditions aren’t as expected, you have to appreciate what’s around you and enjoy the experience.
We have been very fortunate to have been to Iceland and have visited many times, and this time, we have had the opportunity to really appreciate, as if we had not, much more of what is going on around. us, to enjoy it all and spend time just observing instead of trying to get to every conceivable photo spot. That’s the beautiful thing about Iceland: everywhere is photographed. It’s like Scotland on steroids. 
Focus on details
This is something I do a lot of but still shoot in a wider range, so this time, I made a conscious effort to take a quick shot of the location and then spend time looking for the more intimate aspects of the scene. . Bruarfoss was our first destination, but as you travel along the 3.5km stretch you’ll come across Midfoss and Hlauptungfoss, with the latter being the largest of the two. The waterfalls are fed by the Bruara River, a glacier that melts from Langjokull Glacier, and the color is something to behold.
After a few shots of Bruarfoss herself, I put down my camera and just sat and looked around, not because the shots weren’t pretty, though they weren’t, but because I decided to focus on the things that I normally do. admire. for a while and then automatically revert to capture a wider scene. I make this mistake in newer locations, because I want to capture the entire surrounding area, while in familiar locations I tend to do the opposite and pick out the details that appeal to me.
Bruarfoss has a lot to offer, with its intimate waterfalls cascading over the rocks, vibrant green moss covering them, and glacial blue waters all around; it is a symphony for the eyes. I have no illusions that these are beautiful images in any way, but I left here to understand more about the landscape and the details that make it up.
Take pictures and record
Recording your trip allows you to reflect the light at the time and the compositional elements around your main focus, allowing you to plan future trips. Yes, a lot of the images you return are quickly deleted, but others provide a reference point for composition that you may have missed or really just serve as a narrative of your experience. friend. I really find that having this kind of image helps when giving presentations or explaining to students what to avoid when taking pictures; A physical example is better than an explained one.
On this trip, I chose to shoot only with the X-T4 instead of the Nikon Z 7II. I did this for two reasons, the first reason being the 18-135mm lens, which I think is one of the best lenses I’ve ever used, and the second reason being that I never spent all three days to shoot with Nikon.
I document everything and anything that catches my eye, from the people in the landscape, the electric scooters waiting for the next tenant, to the colorful houses in Reykyavik. This is something you should do, but sometimes I feel like I’m feeding pigeons myself, so again, I find this quite comforting and quite amusing when I catch a glimpse of the confused expression. my partner’s confusion when I photograph something rather blurry.
Enjoy the experience
This ultimately goes without saying, but wherever you go, don’t beat yourself up because you’re not getting the right lighting or weather conditions. There may be other opportunities to do that in the future. Leave something out of your trip, whether it’s the whole experience, more understanding of the landscape, or what not to do if similar circumstances arise again.
From our last two trips to Iceland, I think I have two photos that I especially love, one is a white one in the snow taken on my phone and the other, the image below, not that image is anything to write home about. About. Maybe it’s comforting to be in the landscape and watch the rain clouds move. I will have to wait and see.
Carried away
Wherever you go to take pictures, whether it’s closer to home or further away in another country, just enjoy the experience and don’t let the lack of gorgeous lighting get in the way of your experience. Adapt to your changes and enjoy what the experience gives you and what you can take away from it.
For myself, the biggest takeaway from this trip is that when things don’t go as planned, change your plans and don’t despair. I’m a pretty positive person anyway and view most things as positive experiences. I really wanted to see the formation of new land with cracks, but that didn’t happen. The opportunity may appear again in the future, but then again, it may not. At least I’ll be happy with the knowledge I’ve tried.
Any of your planned trips don’t go as planned. What have you done to adapt to the changes? I want to know.
