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Author Topic: Iceland in May  (Read 8388 times)

gheder

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Iceland in May
« on: June 15, 2014, 02:23:52 pm »

Hi.

Going to Iceland for the first time, and staying a week. We are planning on renting a cottage which will serve as our base. And rent a 4x4. We mainly shoot landscape.

What would you recommend; Westfjords and the north, or south and east?

Thank you :)
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Paulowen

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Re: Iceland in May
« Reply #1 on: June 16, 2014, 08:14:10 am »

South and East.
May is a great time to visit Iceland but bear in mind that many roads through the interior, Westfjords and along North coast can be closed due to snow.
Have you considered staying in farm accommodation (www.farmholidays.is). They have superb accommodation throughout the island.
An example schedule for 7 days could be:

Day 1 - arrive Keflavik Int Airport and drive to Vik (numerous farmhouses around here)
Day 2 - spent day/night Vik, Dyrholaey area
Day 3 - drive to Skaftafell National Park area, overnight
Day 4 - drive to Jokulsarlon/Fjallsarlon area (stay overnight at Hali in Sudursveit - lovely farm)
Day 5 - drive to Stokkness peninsula/Hofn - return for overnight at Hali
Day 6 - return drive to Vik
Day 7 - return drive to Keflavik.

This would take in a range of landscape types etc and would give a good experience of what Iceland has to offer. Check out the schedules on my website: www.iceland-photography-tours.co.uk to give you an idea of the locations covered  :)
« Last Edit: June 16, 2014, 08:34:16 am by Paulowen »
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Kathy

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Re: Iceland in May
« Reply #2 on: June 16, 2014, 08:33:08 am »

I spent two weeks there in July 2006, the stand out places were Landmannalaugar and Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. For bird photography especially puffin and great skua then Ingolfshofdi is well worth a visit. If time is short the Snæfellnses Peninsula is a wonderful area, which can be explored easily by standard car and foot, and it offers most of what Iceland has to offer but in a very small area.
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Petrus

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Re: Iceland in May
« Reply #3 on: June 16, 2014, 10:30:24 am »

I spent two weeks there in July 2006, the stand out places were Landmannalaugar and Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon.

True, and in May only the costal region is accessible, hopefully also Landmannalaugar, which is somewhat inland but not very high. We spent 3 weeks in Iceland with our 6 kids using our own Land Rover Defender in 2001, and the highest inland roads to Askja were cleared of snow as late as July 24. So what comes to driving around July-August are the best times.
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gheder

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Re: Iceland in May
« Reply #4 on: June 19, 2014, 05:28:46 am »

Thank you for your replies.

So the safest bet would be to go south and east, in regards to the roads. We are planning on renting a 4x4 but that would be any help if the roads are closed :)

So my follow up question is:

Where to go in the south and east :)

Thanks again,

Glenn
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Paulowen

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Re: Iceland in May
« Reply #5 on: June 20, 2014, 01:08:01 pm »

Locations could include:
Reykjanes Peninsula
Golden Circle - Pingvellir, Gulfoss waterfall
Seljalandsfoss
Skogarfoss
Dyrholaey
Reynisdrangar
Vik
Skaftafell - Svartifoss, Svinfellsjokull and another couple of glaciers too
Fjallsarlon
Jokulsarlon
Vatnajokull
Hofn
Stokksnes
Eystrahorn - Lon

There are also a myriad of tracks and dirt roads that can be explored and will (usually) present something interesting to photograph

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gheder

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Re: Iceland in May
« Reply #6 on: June 21, 2014, 05:28:23 am »

You´ve given me lots of good places to check out.

We actually changed our plans, instead of renting we are camping. This way we can go all around the ring road.

Thanks again,

Glenn
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Paulowen

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Re: Iceland in May
« Reply #7 on: June 22, 2014, 03:17:16 am »

When you say "camping" is that in tents or a campervan?
Only reason I ask is that the majority of official campsites stay closed until mid June. You can use the site outside of the tourist season but there will be no facilities available (showers, toilets, cooking areas, etc).
If you plan on using tents then the option is to camp near to settlements that have a swimming pool (most do!) and use their washing, showering facilities as you need them. They don't have laundry facilities though - some of the bigger campsites offer these but not many do not.
Make sure you have first class sleeping bag and tent too - the wind in Iceland is ferocious. Expect snow storms in May too.
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gheder

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Re: Iceland in May
« Reply #8 on: June 22, 2014, 05:37:40 am »

We havent decided yet as to rent a 4x4 campervan or rent a tent. As I understand you can camp anywhere in Iceland but not in a national park. Since on a budget we are leaning towards a tent. We live in Norway so we are used to the weather and what clothes to wear and sleep in. But thanks again for your input.
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capital

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Re: Iceland in May
« Reply #9 on: June 30, 2014, 01:58:46 am »

Hope I can tag my question to this thread. I am curious to know when are the best times of year that have the longest "golden hour" in Iceland?

Thank you.
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mlewis

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Re: Iceland in May
« Reply #10 on: June 30, 2014, 03:07:29 am »

Hope I can tag my question to this thread. I am curious to know when are the best times of year that have the longest "golden hour" in Iceland?

Thank you.
That will be around the longest day of the year.  As Iceland is just below the Arctic Circle the sun will just set but the sky won't get very dark and it isn't a long time between sunset and sunrise.  When I was there in the Myvatn area it was odd seeing the sun fall below the nearest hills at 23:20 and sunset was still some time off.
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sdwilsonsct

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Re: Iceland in May
« Reply #11 on: June 30, 2014, 09:30:47 am »

Hope I can tag my question to this thread. I am curious to know when are the best times of year that have the longest "golden hour" in Iceland?

Thank you.

The higher the latitude, the shallower the angle of intersection of the sun's path with the horizon all year round. In addition to endless arctic summer days, I have enjoyed the light in midwinter. At that time, a continuous, 8-hr sunrise--sunset happens at a more civilized time of day.

capital

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Re: Iceland in May
« Reply #12 on: July 01, 2014, 03:32:01 pm »

mlewis & sdwilsonsct,

Thank you both for your replies.

I am wondering if the color of light through the bulk of the day during the summer solstice is less ideal (i.e. more harsh light) than perhaps a month or so before or after the summer solstice.
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Eric Myrvaagnes

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Re: Iceland in May
« Reply #13 on: July 01, 2014, 06:27:22 pm »

mlewis & sdwilsonsct,

Thank you both for your replies.

I am wondering if the color of light through the bulk of the day during the summer solstice is less ideal (i.e. more harsh light) than perhaps a month or so before or after the summer solstice.

My one trip to Iceland was in late June 1974 for two weeks. The light was never harsh at any time of day. Most days had some or many clouds, much wind, and often rain, but of short duration. There wasn't a day or night that didn't have some excellent light for photography.
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Kevin Raber

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Re: Iceland in May
« Reply #14 on: July 01, 2014, 06:46:04 pm »

In the next few days Luminous-Landscape / Rockhopper Workshops will announce a June 2015 Iceland Workshop with Daniel Bergmann and myself.  We plan to do some very special things to make this a different kind of workshop.  Look for an announcement soon. 

Kevin Raber
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sdwilsonsct

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Re: Iceland in May
« Reply #15 on: July 02, 2014, 12:20:53 am »

I am wondering if the color of light through the bulk of the day during the summer solstice is less ideal (i.e. more harsh light) than perhaps a month or so before or after the summer solstice.


At high latitudes the sun never gets too high. Day to day variation in weather might be a bigger variable than May to June sunlight. I agree with Eric.

Paulowen

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Re: Iceland in May
« Reply #16 on: July 02, 2014, 01:12:59 pm »

Some of the "best" lighting conditions I've encountered have been during the late winter months between February and April. On the occasions when I've visited during the short summer I seem to have been plagued with lots of low-lying cloud, fog and rain/drizzle - especially on the south coast.
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mlewis

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Re: Iceland in May
« Reply #17 on: July 03, 2014, 04:34:01 pm »

mlewis & sdwilsonsct,

Thank you both for your replies.

I am wondering if the color of light through the bulk of the day during the summer solstice is less ideal (i.e. more harsh light) than perhaps a month or so before or after the summer solstice.

The light can be harsh in the middle of the day.

I was there in late June last year.  You can look at some of my photos.  They have full exif data available so you can see the time of day & date: https://www.flickr.com/photos/meredithlewis/sets/72157634796088707/
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Walt Roycraft

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Re: Iceland in May
« Reply #18 on: July 03, 2014, 04:52:13 pm »

In the next few days Luminous-Landscape / Rockhopper Workshops will announce a June 2015 Iceland Workshop with Daniel Bergmann and myself.  We plan to do some very special things to make this a different kind of workshop.  Look for an announcement soon. 

Kevin Raber

Where would I look for the announcement?

Never mind, found it.
« Last Edit: July 03, 2014, 06:10:39 pm by Walt Roycraft »
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capital

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Re: Iceland in May
« Reply #19 on: July 04, 2014, 09:19:01 pm »

Thank you Eric, Paulowen, sdwilsonsct, and thank mlewis for the link to your photos.

Thank you all for the additional information.
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