Leica Photo Adventure: Iceland Aug 13-22
Join Leica Store Miami for a photographic adventure to the Highlands and the South Coast of Iceland. As many of you know, our own David Farkas went to Iceland in 2015 to review the Leica S (Typ 007). We've decided to build on his experience by offering a ten day photography trip around Iceland, which takes in the very best that the land of ice and fire has to offer. You’ll be whisked away in a modified 4X4 Super Jeep to the heart of Iceland’s remote highlands, where you’ll capture desolate scenes of natural beauty and photograph Iceland’s iconic landscapes. The trip will be led in small groups by award-winning, professional photographers, giving you the opportunity to hone your skills in the company of friendly, knowledgeable experts. Pack your camera and prepare for the adventure of a lifetime, as we venture out into the wilderness to explore Landmannalaugar, Vatnajökull and beyond.
Leica Experts David Farkas and Peter Dooling from Leica Store Miami along with local photographer and guide Brynjar Ágústsson, will be on hand to give assistance and advice. While other cameras are certainly allowed on this trip, the focus is on Leica camera systems and learning how to use them to their full potential. Current owners as well as those wanting to try Leica gear out for a week of real shooting are encouraged to attend. We’ll share our favorite tips and tricks so you can get the most out of this exceptional gear.Why this trip is differentThis is not a workshop where you spend most of your daylight shooting hours sitting in a classroom. Why travel to some of the most beautiful and picturesque locations just to be stuck indoors? Instead, we will focus on making the most of each and every day to capture as many great photo opportunities as we can.
What to ExpectThis is primarily a photography trip. We will be shooting some days from before sunrise until after sunset. We will be covering a fair amount of ground each day with many stops along the way to get out, explore and shoot. At each destination, there will be plenty of time to set up your tripod, compose your shots and get in some quality photography.
Dates:Sunday, August 13 – Tuesday, August 22, 2017Cost: $6,795 – Double occupancy lodging.
*Single room supplement: $900Size:Limited to 12 attendees
Included in the cost of the trip:
Double occupancy lodging. *Single room supplement: $900
All Meals except snacks and alcohol
Ground transportation in modified 4×4 Super Jeeps
FlyBus tickets to and from Keflavik International Airport
Use of loaner Leica S, SL and M equipment
A 30″x40″ Giclee custom print from Dale Laboratories
Signing UpTo sign up for the photo adventure, call 305-921-4433, email us or checkout here on our website. We are happy to answer any questions you may have. Book now – space is limited.We look forward to seeing you in Iceland!
ItineraryDay 1 – Arrival
You will arrive, as all visitors to Iceland inevitably do, via Keflavik International Airport. From there a quick Flybus trip will take you into the center of Reykjavik. We will meet at 7pm in your hotel lobby, before heading out to enjoy some local food. We’ll spend the evening getting to know each other, and will take a closer look at the itinerary and adventure to come. We will spend the night Reykjavik and rest well for the morning.
Day 2 – Hveravellir Geothermals, the Kerlingarfjoll Mountains & Gygjarfoss
Day two represents the official beginning of our photo tour. We will start things off by leaving Iceland’s capital city and heading into the heart of the country. The day’s highlights will include photographing the mystical mountains of Kerlingarfjoll, which are made of rhyolite and appear to glow different shades of red and yellow depending on the light conditions. The group will also visit the nearby geothermal area of Hveravellir, where we will encounter natural hot springs, smoking fumaroles and multi-coloured sinters. The nearby waterfall of Gygjarfoss fall thunderously into the Jokulhvisl river, with epic, snow-tipped mountains looming on an imposing horizon.Accommodation for the night will be in the Kerlingarfjoll area.
Days 3-5 – Landmannalaugar, Veidivotn Area & the Valley of Tears
On day three we’ll leave Kerlingarfjoll and head south towards Landmannalaugar, a stunning, mountainous area in the Fjallabak Nature Reserve only accessible via 4×4. There we’ll photograph yet more rhyolite peaks, the area’s black lava fields and the mighty Hekla volcano that stands a little to the west. Although Hekla is an active volcano with a pretty ominous nickname (“Gateway to Hell”) the area’s multi-coloured mountains and barren landscapes make it a photographer’s wonderland. Our professional photo guides will talk you through everything you need to perfectly capture the many contrasting shapes, colours and textures.
The plan is to explore Landmannalaugar for a full three days, taking in sights such as the crater lake of Blahylur, the waterfalls of Haifoss and Hjalparfoss, and the lake of Frostastadavatn. The magical crater lakes of Blahylur and Ljotipollur in Veidivotn are easily two of Iceland’s best kept secrets. Despite translating as “The Blue Puddle“ and “The Ugly Puddle” respectively, they are both a whole lot more breathtaking than their names suggest! Especially impressive is Ljotipollur, with its red sand slopes giving way to a cool blue pool. We spend plenty of time photographing the Haifoss waterfall. It’s known as “The Tall Falls” and is Iceland’s second-highest, with a torrent of water cascading down from a height of 122 meters. Haifoss falls down into a deep gorge on the Thjorsa glacier river, so there are plenty of spectacular angles, along with a watery haze, that we can use to create a perfect composition.
Another waterfall to discover in this part of Iceland’s highlands is the Hjalparfoss on the river Fossa. The unique, twin basalt structure means that the river is split into two for a matter of seconds before falling into a calm oasis. The whitewash of the falls gives a fantastic splash effect for our photographs, with the (hopefully) blue sky and rolling hills offering a wonderful backdrop. We will also get the chance to visit the highland region of Landmannalaugar. This area is one of the most popular and photogenic resorts in Iceland, with hot springs, natural baths, glittering rhyolite mountains, rock formations, lava fields and rich vegetation. We will take our time photographing the vast array of scenes, and there will be two specific visits that we will make to some of the famous local sites. The first is the ridge over Frostastadavatn lake, which offers wondrous views of the water and surrounding landscape. The second is Sigoldugljufur canyon, where countless waterfalls meet and fall together down the cliffs and into the river below.
All that photography is hard work, so we’ll make sure there’s time for a visit to Landmannalaugar’s natural baths. Accommodation in Hotel Highlands.
Day 6 – South Fjallabak Highlands
On the sixth day of our Icelandic highlands adventure, the group will head along the South Fjallabak highland route to the north of Myrdalsjokull glacier. The ice cap covers the active volcano Katla, and as you might expect we will encounter a diverse volcanic landscape with plenty of opportunities for great photography.
Among our subjects will be the otherworldly black lava sands, the deformed lava statues that have stood for thousands of years, and the imposing mountain of Oldufell. With the right light and weather conditions, Oldufell’s cone-shape and the green valleys at its base look like something out of a fairytale.
Our next stop will be the Axlarfoss waterfall, which pours over basalt columns into the Holmsa river. A photogenic contrast here is provided by the vivid green landscape and the volcanic cliffs that jut to either side of the falls.
The final stop on day six will be a quick exploration of the world’s largest volcanic canyon, Eldgja. To gaze down the canyon is almost to see the world itself splitting into two pieces. The canyon is 600m wide and 270m deep, stretching from the Myrdalsjokull glacier to peak of Gjatindur. Accommodation: Kirkjubæjarklaustur.
Day 7 – Vatnajökull National Park
Day seven will begin with another incredible Icelandic canyon: Fjadrargljufur may not be as deep or as wide as Eldgja, but the spectacular rock formations that run along its border make it an irresistible subject for landscape photography.
After, the tour will head further east to the mystical Vatnajokull National Park. Here we will skirt the boundaries of volcanoes and glaciers, taking in the natural wonders of Skaftafell and visiting the Svartifoss Waterfall. Svartifoss is known as the “Black Falls”, which will make more sense as we get closer to the dark, foreboding stone columns that surround it. Accommodation: Vatnajokull National Park
Day 8 – Vatnajökull National Park & Jokulsarlon Ice Beach
On day eight we have one simple mission: to see and capture as much of the Vatnajokull National Park as possible. Unsurprisingly, the park is one of Iceland’s most photographed places. This is largely because of the interplay between ice and fire that has become the country’s trademark. On the one hand you have enormous glaciers and monumental mountains, while ground level is populated with slender blue rivers, ice caves, lush valleys, and black sand beaches.
Having said that, for the majority of today we will target the park’s most famous attraction: the glacier lagoon of Jokulsarlon. We will stroll along the beach famed for its black sand and the ice crystals that wash up on the shore, and capture the interplay between light, dark, ice and water. After a visit to the lagoon, the group will turn east to Stokksnes Beach. There we will photograph the rugged peaks of Mt. Vestrahorn, which appears to emerge from the Atlantic Ocean itself. Accommodation: Vatnajokull National Park.
Day 9 – South Coast
Day nine will mark the beginning of our journey back toward the capital. We will drive along Iceland’s picturesque south coast, which is dotted with dramatic shorelines, (more) impressive waterfalls and rock formations sculpted by time and the elements. The south coast is full of engaging scenery and photographic opportunities, so we will choose our locations according to the preferences of the group, the conditions and the time we have available. Accommodation: Reykjavik.
Day 10 – Departure
On day ten we will wake in Reykjavik and say our goodbyes. You will then take the FlyBus back from your hotel to Keflavik International Airport, laden with memories, photographs, and photography tips from an unforgettable adventure.
PaymentA 50% deposit is due at the time of registration. Withdrawal and Refund PolicyEnrollment is limited to 12 participants, and once you sign up we are counting on your attendance. If you need to withdraw from a workshop, this is our refund policy:
Withdraw on or before Tuesday, June 13th and we will refund your entire deposit. We will need to be notified in writing (email is acceptable).
Withdraw after Tuesday, June 13th and we will keep your deposit but you will have the opportunity to apply it toward a future workshop with Leica Store Miami.
Course Cancellation
We rely on your attendance to make important arrangements, so if for any reason you need to withdraw from a workshop, please notify us in writing (email is acceptable) at least 60 days before the start of your workshop. Leica Store Miami reserves the right to cancel a reservation if full payment has not been received by Tuesday, June 13th, 60 days prior to the start of the workshop.
In the event that a workshop must be canceled due to inadequate enrollment, all fees and deposits will be refunded in full or may be transferred to another workshop within 24 months. Leica Store Miami is not responsible for cancellations due to medical emergencies. We highly recommend purchasing travel Insurance. Leica Store Miami is not responsible for reimbursement of non-refundable airline tickets in the event of a workshop cancellation.
Transfers
If for any reason you wish to transfer your deposit, please notify us by email. You must register and complete a new workshop within 24 months of the withdrawal. We reserve the right to accept or deny any transfer.
There are no exceptions to our Cancellation and Transfer Policy.
VenueLeica Store Miami
StartsSun Aug 13 2017
EndsTue Aug 22 2017