Top Photo Ops in Reykjavik, Iceland

The great north offers wonderful photo opportunities for amateur photographers, because there is so much natural beauty. Iceland may not seem like the stereotype for study-abroad, sightseeing or travel in general, but it offers many lesser-known places to take outstanding photos. In this article, I will offer some tips that are both common and uncommon.

We all like to have the typical photo. It's impossible to stay in Paris and not try to capture a shot of the Eiffel Tower or stroll through Manhattan without at least one snap of the Empire State Building. Even Reykjavik, Iceland has its postcard shot. Hallgrimskirkja Church (Hallgrim's) is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Reykjavik. If you take a cheap elevator ride to the top tower, you get a picture-perfect 360° view of Reykjavik. Photo ops include mountains, the sea and city skyline. There is little creativity left, but it's a great way to capture the typical image of the city.

For something more unique, I'd recommend heading down some of the lesser-known narrow streets. Reykjavik has an intricate web of small streets, houses and seaside apartments. If I advised you to go down a specific street, then your photo would be at risk of looking like mine. Part of the joy of Reykjavik, for me, was wondering in and out of the small streets, trying to find interesting architecture, people and street signs worth snapping a shot of.

Another great photo op, is again, something seen on most postcards. The Viking boat sculpture sits on the shore and is easily accessible by foot from the city center. The boat sculpture is a skeletal structure in front of a backdrop of sea and mountains. Though almost everyone who goes to Iceland has one of these photos, there is certainly room for creativity. The boat is pretty easy to climb on (and nobody told me to get off). I was able to capture some pretty unique shots of me on the structure.

I'd been to Iceland in both August and February, and found that the climate was mild in both cases. It was much cooler than New York City in summer, but much warmer than New York City in winter (not to say that they don't have their cold days). In my opinion there are photo ops in both seasons. Tourism is much higher in summer, and things are much greener. Also, for parts of the summer, the sun is out just about all night, making for some great night shots. The midnight sun can offer photo lighting for those photographers who enjoy playing with different lighting.

In the winter, I enjoyed the snow that was constantly dusting the mountains. Something to consider in winter with the lighting is that contrary to the summer, the sun stays hidden for most, if not all, of the day. However, the lack of tourism and cool, crisp constant breeze seemed to transfer into a photograph. Many of my winter photos had a desolate, Nordic, timeless feel to them.

Overall, I'd recommend this lesser-known hotspot for photographers at any level!