Iceland

[Stuart Richardson]

Thanks guys. I highly recommend Iceland. Is there a better endorsement than packing up your life and moving to a country? Probably not. In any case, I would be happy to help out on a workshop if Guy and Jack decide to offer one in Iceland. If not, I am also happy to help out individuals who plan on going on their own. Either way, just contact me and we can go from there.

Stuart

 

[Guy Mancuso]

When is a good time of the year for Iceland

 

[Terry]

Summer you can shoot for hours and hours (all night) in great light and sleep during the day!

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Hmmm maybe to soon for this one although i would do it . i think it would have to be late summer for me though

 

[Terry]

Hmmm maybe to soon for this one although i would do it . i think it would have to be late summer for me though

I meant next summer generically. But in the case of a workshop summer 2009. This will take time to plan and for people to get their schedule in order. Probably needs to be longer than the typical workshop.

 

[Stuart Richardson]

Late summer or early spring are good times. The 24 hours of light in June and July is good, but it means that all the waking day is broad daylight. If you want to shoot for the beautiful light, it will mean shooting while everyone is asleep, all the restaurants and most of the shops are closed, particularly out in the country.

Yet in the spring and late summer, you still get tons of daylight along with more convenient shooting times. For example, in June and July, the good shooting times are from about 9pm until 8am or so...the rest of the time is full on broad daylight. Yet today, in late April, the sunrise is at 5:30am and sunset is at 9:30pm, so the "beautiful light" is in the early evening and early morning rather than from 12pm until 4am.
For example, this shot was taken around midnight on June 21st...ISO 100 film at F/4, so believe me, it is not dark! Slow shutter speed though...probably 1/15th or 1/30th:

That was right after the sun went down...it would be up again in 2 hours.
Anyway, the late spring and late summer area also good because there are fewer tourists. I would also recommend scheduling the trip during the week if possible...the Icelanders are big campers, and there can be traffic heading out of the city during the summer weekends.

One nice thing at least is that Iceland is only a 4.5-5 hour flight from JFK. It was quicker for me to fly from NY to Iceland that it was for me to fly from Santa Barbara to New York. Crazy, but true.

 

[Terry]

How cold is it in the spring fall if the women look bundled up in June?

Interesting, the summer seemed to have appeal because I thought there were more hours of good golden light and that instead of having two shoots a morning and night you essentially could simply be out all night and then just sleep during the day. Yes, it does cause problems with meals.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Sounds like right now is a perfect time than.

Let's think about May 1st next year for a full week. This is going to be expensive though , so start saving folks. I like this idea a lot. i will sweet talk Jack. LOL

i do want to get some fall idea's planned now though, we are cutting these a little short on announcing and we need to give folks more time to plan.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

But spring you get a nice long sunset and that is what i was thinking. We want good light

 

[Stuart Richardson]

How cold is it in the spring fall if the women look bundled up in June?

Iceland doesn't change that much...it is in the 20s-30s in the winter and around 45-60 in the summer. Spring and fall can have days where it is more like winter or more like summer. One thing to keep in mind is that there is almost always an ocean breeze unless you are far inland. This means that even if it is 55 or 60, there is a 10-30mph wind blowing as well, so it gets quite chilly. Layering and waterproof clothing is very important, because no matter what the season, there will be times when you are quite cold, but others when you get a lovely day with no breeze. Even in summer, a light wool hat and some type of gloves will help you. When it is 48 degrees and misting, you fingers will get chilly.
Summer can look like this:

or like this:

depending on the day...or even the same day.

Interesting, the summer seemed to have appeal because I thought there were more hours of good golden light and that instead of having two shoots a morning and night you essentially could simply be out all night and then just sleep during the day. Yes, it does cause problems with meals.

Don't get me wrong, summer definitely has its appeal, but I don't find too many people that actually are up for shooting from 9pm until 8am. People go with good intentions, but don't often carry it out. The light from 12:00 until 4 is not often as good as it sounds either...it is sort of like the right after sunset light. It can be good, but it is very blue and things take on a muted pallor.

 

[Stuart Richardson]

I sound like I am coming out against summer here. I am not! I am just trying to explain the characteristics to be aware of. The most important being that from very early in the morning until late in the evening, it will look like 1pm would in the US.

 

[Terry]

I sound like I am coming out against summer here. I am not! I am just trying to explain the characteristics to be aware of. The most important being that from very early in the morning until late in the evening, it will look like 1pm would in the US.

Thanks Stuart,
That's why the questions are being asked! Interesting what you read vs. what people have lived it have to say. So, spring or fall it is!

 

[Stuart Richardson]

Ok, good. I do want to make sure that I do not put off anyone from going there in the summer though! Iceland is probably nicest in the summer, but it's just that from a photographer's perspective, I think the light is better in the spring and late summer than it is in June and July. It is certainly not to say the light is bad in summer!

This is July at 9:30pm or so:

but it is more like this for most of the day...just dead on bright sunlight...it can be a bit harsh.

I do think that capturing the summer light means photographing from 8 or 9 pm until 12:30 pm, and then again from 3am until 10am. I don't think the light from 12:30 to 3am is that great, particularly if it is cloudy. All in all, I think it is easier in the spring when you can get up very early and photograph, take a break for lunch and/or an early dinner and explore the city, and then head out again to photograph from 6 until 10. It is a more sane schedule, with the same light.

Also, I am not the be all and end all of this...it would make sense to talk to other photographers to see their take on this. This is just from my perspective.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Well I like the spring idea and Jack does also and maybe even 10 days. But Stuart we would love to have you involved in planning the workshop. So folks let's start planning it for next spring. Stuart after San Juan lets start figuring it all out. I'm thinking right about this time also.

 

[Maggie O]

Spring (or Fall) is brilliant! I could probably convince my SO to go, too. Or maybe my mom.

Did y'all know that Iceland is one of the top three happiest countries in the world? It's true! It's filled with happy, geothermally warmed Vikings! (And rotten sharks, but we won't go into that.)

 

[Terry]

Yippppeeee I'm so Happpppppy

:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:



Oh, by the way count me in

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Well you twisted my arm and it hurt so you better be in . LOL

 

[Terry]

Well you twisted my arm and it hurt so you better be in . LOL

The pain you felt when it was being twisted will more than be made up for in a great trip

 

[Robert Campbell]

Spring (or Fall) is brilliant! I could probably convince my SO to go, too. Or maybe my mom.

Did y'all know that Iceland is one of the top three happiest countries in the world? It's true! It's filled with happy, geothermally warmed Vikings! (And rotten sharks, but we won't go into that.)

With those horns and red hair you must be a Viking

 

[Maggie O]

With those horns and red hair you must be a Viking

The bastard Irish/French Canadian spawn of the marauding Viking hordes on one side and Swedish/German on the other, actually!

100% American Trouble.