Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
Arrive at dawn — icebergs glow orange with zero people
Low tide reveals more diamonds — check tide tables first
Walk behind the waterfall — bring a rain cover for your lens
Best timedawn, golden hour
Climb the stairs for aerial view; rainbows appear mid-morning
Best timegolden hour, sunset
DANGER: Never turn your back to the sea — sneak waves kill
Best timemidday, golden hour
Europe's most powerful waterfall — spray mist is intense, use filter
Both banks offer different angles; winter ice adds drama
Landmannalaugar
Highlands · Highland/Volcanic Rainbow mountains — go before 08:00 for solitude
Best timedawn, golden hour
Almannagjá canyon at dawn = dramatic light shafts
Best timegolden hour, northern lights
Iceland's most photographed mountain — arrive 90 min before sunset
Best timemidday, golden hour
Justin Bieber's viral canyon — now restricted to trail
Puffins nest here May–Aug; arch silhouette at sunset is iconic
Horseshoe-shaped canyon from Odin's horse — birch forest reflections
Pseudocraters and steam vents — surreal Mars-like landscape
Kirkjufellsfoss & Kirkjufell
West · Mountain/Waterfall Best timegolden hour, night
Waterfall + mountain + aurora = Iceland's holy trinity shot
Best timemidday, golden hour
Rainbow street and blue church — shoot from hillside above
Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands)
Puffin colony of 1 million birds + Eldfell volcano red soil
Blue ice caves in winter (Oct–Mar) — guided access only
Viking village prop adds drama — reflection in beach sand pools
Basalt columns waterfall — less visited than Dettifoss, more beautiful
Best timemidday, golden hour
Iceland's 2nd tallest waterfall — rim view or valley descent
Látrabjarg Cliffs
Westfjords · Cliffs/Wildlife Best timegolden hour, midnight sun
Puffins at eye level on cliff edge — midnight sun golden light
Basalt column "organ pipe" waterfall — 2km hike from parking
Steam rising over mountains — drone shot is incredible (check rules)
Moss-covered lava from 1783 Laki eruption — DO NOT step on moss
Jules Verne's 'Journey to the Center of the Earth' — ethereal foggy days
Secret canyon hot spring — crystal clear water photography
Iceland's 2nd highest waterfall — river crossing required, very scenic trail
Dimmuborgir Lava Formations
Best timegolden hour, winter
Dark fortress lava formations — Tolkien-esque, magical in winter snow
Freezes partially in winter — stunning ice formations at Þingvellir
Viti explosion crater — turquoise lake inside volcanic caldera
Best timedawn, golden hour
Between 3 glaciers — wildly beautiful, requires 4WD to reach
Best timedawn, golden hour
Erupts every 5–7 min — use burst mode, manual focus, 70–200mm
Troll stacks silhouetted at sunset — long exposure for silky waves
Steaming blue water — exterior shots allowed, interior requires ticket
Walk the rim for 360° crater and Mývatn lake views
Iceland's best puffin photography — eye-level birds at harbour
Norway-like fjord village — herring museum and colourful boats
Kerlingarfjöll
Highlands · Highland/Geothermal Red/orange rhyolite mountains with steam — the Highlands' crown jewel
Fagradalsfjall Lava Field
2021–2023 eruption site — orange lava flows frozen in time