Iceland

Land of fire, ice, and moss

My story is a nod to my new friend

Karen May

at On the Outside (Looking in). Karen’s recent trip to Iceland reminded me of my trip to Iceland 10 years back, a life-changing event. I've tried to the best of my ability to recall my experiences and time there, but most of all, it was about photography and connecting deeply with Iceland.

My trip to Iceland had been on my radar for several years before committing the time and a generous chunk of money to a ten-day Photography Tour led by Daniel Bergmann, a native of Reykjavik, and David Ward of the UK, both full-time professional photographers.

I had decided on an Iceland Photo Tour based on the many photographers whose work I admire, who had stated when asked that Iceland was often among the top places in the world to which they had traveled. Iceland was my first such trip to an exotic locale, and I meticulously planned and labored over what photography gear to bring and what clothes to wear. Even though this was a summer trip, our itinerary recommended that we have appropriate clothing, as we would be experiencing some variable weather, including wind, rain, and cold weather, especially in the highlands. We would travel to various locations in Iceland and stay in hostels, inns, or the equivalent.

The amount of planning required for a trip like this can’t be underestimated, especially for someone like me who frets over such things. A primary concern was deciding what camera gear to bring. I was equally concerned with traveling alone, as I do it so infrequently that the airport check-in requirements have entirely changed each time I go. Mix all this in with my HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) traits, and you might imagine how this would quickly overwhelm me.

Travel day and flying were as difficult, or more so for me, with an 8+ hour layover in New York’s JFK International Airport. The fight was non-eventful, thank God, and 5 hours later, I was at the Keflavik International Airport. After picking up my luggage, I found Daniel and David with big smiles, waiting by the van to load me up and drive to a hotel in Reykjavik where our group would stay the first night. It was also a time to meet all the other participants, get to know each other a bit before beginning our 10-day photo tour, and discuss our travel plans.

The following day, we headed out, and Daniel, as you might guess, knew the island like the back of his hand. He transported us via a unique Mercedes Van with the most impressive off-road capabilities and oversized tires I had ever seen. We were soon driving through streams, small rivers, and over the roughest terrain while pulling a small trailer with all our gear. The adventure had begun. I had never seen such a beautiful and mysterious place; this was just the first day! There would be many more sights to come that would continue to hold me breathless. 

 After each stop to photograph, David and Daniel were available to answer any photography questions or give us more information about the geological features or any other tidbits of information about the area of Iceland we were in. At each destination, the group would split up and be given a time to return to the van. I would always be back before the others, and the first time I did this, Daniel and David looked a little puzzled, like I was having some issues or wasn’t having a good time. They were delighted to hear that I was having the time of my life and had found what I wanted and photographed it. Having shot film for many years, I learned how to be intentional with my photography, and as soon as conditions weren’t conducive to photographing, I would return to the van. This additional time with Daniel and David was one of my favorite parts of the trip. We would have deep conversations mixed with lots of laughter. I loved the music Daniel was playing in his van. The music, as it turns out, was by the Icelandic artist Ólafur Arnalds, and it was our soundtrack for most of the trip.

It would be impossible (for me, anyway) to describe the scenery meaningfully. How do you describe glacial lagoons with icebergs, the size of houses breaking up and going out to sea, with some returning like irregularly shaped diamonds to the stark black sand beaches? How about waterfalls tumbling from incredible heights to the valley floor below or hiking into the highlands to see Landmannalaugar with its spectacular snow-covered peaks or volcanic valleys with steaming fumaroles within inches or feet of a trail? What about glaciers whose scale boggles the mind? With my deep love of moss, as you may have discovered in my previous articles, Iceland has some of the most beautiful greens and gray mosses I have ever seen. I was so excited about them that they called me Moss Man after the first day…which I took as a great compliment.

My trip to Iceland was more of a journey of the mind and heart; even ten years later, I still process it. The word magical is often misused but perfectly describes Iceland and the overall experience. I have distilled some of my favorite photos from the trip. Selecting the images is daunting, considering I made nearly 1,000 photographs in those ten days!

For those interested in photography workshops, here are the links: David @ www.davidwardphoto and Daniel @ www.danielbergmann.com