Hvítserkur in the north of Iceland. Photo by Paulo Pereira who has been photographing Iceland in winter and summer.
Paulo Pereira is a Portuguese photographer, photo educator, and travel leader. As you can see on his Facebook page, he is one of those lucky people that has a special gift for photography. Paulo has visited 27 countries. But he has an impressive portfolio of photographs from Iceland. His photographs are beautiful but I have to say, I was especially impressed by his photos of waterfalls.
I contacted Paulo on Facebook and he was gracious enough to give himself time for an interview about photographing Iceland.
Hey Paulo – thank you for taking the time for the interview. Can you please give us a little background information about yourself.
Hey Jon. Thank you for your invitation. It’s a pleasure to be featured in your magazine.
I’m an electrical engineer, 49 years old based in Portugal and I have loved photography since I can remember. I am fortunate to be able to spend a good amount of time on personal projects, traveling and photographing. Sometimes I travel alone or with my family. Occasionally, I travel with small groups of photographers. I have been photographing for about 20 years now. Along the way, I have shared many moments with several other photographers that helped me to evolve in photography. Since 2014 I have been trying to pass this passion on to other photographers. I do this by teaching and leading photo tours in several places around the world. I think of Iceland as my second home and it’s always a pleasure to spend time there.
You have photographed the landscapes of 27 countries and you have an impressive photo collection from Iceland. Can you tell us about the first time you came to Iceland?
My first time in Iceland with the aim of doing photography was a terrible experience. In 9 days I had 7 days of rain and strong winds, but still, I left Iceland with the certainty that I would return. This trip was in midsummer, in 2014 and I also had planned to camp along the ring road (road no. 1). I had two great days with fantastic light. The rest of the time was a real terror. I was always driving with rain, fog and trying to visit places in the worst conditions for photography. Despite that, I saw a lot of places and just imagined those with good light conditions. However, I brought home the best photography of Hvitserkur that I have achieved so far.
How often have you been to Iceland?
I have been to Iceland for 5 times but still would like to go back every year.
What are your favorite places in Iceland and why?
It’s a tricky question because Iceland has a lot to offer, especially for a photographer. If I had to choose one place, I think that I would choose the Fjallabak Nature Reserve in the Iceland Highlands. The area around Landmannalaugar is stunning and uniquely beautiful. It has multicolored mountains, streams, lava fields, blue lakes, and hot springs. I am considering to plan a trip exclusively to the highlands to scout this place in more detail.
What is unique about photographing compared to other countries where you have worked?
When you think of Iceland you’ll think of glaciers, waterfalls and the blue lagoon. But Iceland has a lot more to offer. Iceland has iconic landscapes. It has fabulous canyons, multicolored mountains, lava fields, and a diamond beach. This is not seen in other places in the world and you also have the northern lights.
Nowadays, there is a lot of talk about over-tourism in Iceland, especially in the summer months like July and August. During the summer, Reykjavik is full of people, there are tourists everywhere. But Iceland is not only Reykjavik. As you get far from the capital, you find the places where you can be all by yourself. Especially if you are a photographer and you visit during the best shooting hours.
Iceland it’s still a very peaceful country and a very easy country to drive in. After all, it’s an Island. So, sooner or later you get yourself on the starting point.
Iceland is perfect for photography, both in summer and winter
In Iceland, you can photograph during the summer and winter. I use to say that summer and winter make Iceland two different countries. Both are fantastic to photograph and you should do both. Of course that in winter you cannot do the same route that you do in summer, but still, it’s amazing and it’s worth the trip.
Because of Iceland latitude, the sun never goes very high in the sky even during the summer days, so you can shoot without harsh light most of the day.
During summer, the sunset and sunrise are awesome for photographers. For somebody from the South of Europe, the first sunset is a total surprise because we are not used to having sunsets that last for hours. If you plan things well, you can shoot the sunset with plenty of time to frame, to check, to reframe, to do different compositions. Then you can move around to other places to shoot the sunrise two or three hours later with continuous light on the horizon.
What are the main challenges inherent in photographing Iceland?
The weather is the main challenge when you are photographing Iceland. The climate can change dramatically in just a few minutes. The strong winds are terrible for a photographer. I have faced terrible wind while photographing. That makes it very hard to concentrate and do long exposures. This is especially true if you are in places like Stokksnes with sand storms.
In strong wind conditions, don’t leave your equipment alone. Most likely you will get a damaged camera and/or lenses.
During the winter, you should go very well prepared for subzero temperatures. As a photographer you will stay a lot of time on the same spot, waiting to shoot in the best light or catch the northern lights. If you are not warm, you’ll feel uncomfortable and you will not be able to achieve the best results.
Waterfalls are huge in Iceland and so it is the spray from them. You should clean your lenses after every shot.
The most iconic landscapes in Iceland have been photographed thousands of times. It’s hard to get away from the most common compositions. My advice is to do the shoot. Do the same shoot that everyone does, at least you can say that it’s been done by you, then move around and try to find some different frames. Who knows? maybe you can bring some unique photographs and inspire others.
What advice would you give to those who are photographing Iceland for the first time?
Reykjavik is awesome and vibrant but there is no need to spend all your time there.
After all, nature is the main postcard from Iceland. Enjoy unique and beautiful sights all around the country.
Rent a car and drive the ring road. You can easily find accommodations along your route if you plan it. If you plan to go in the summer months, plan ahead because the guesthouses and hotels get fully booked very early.
Rent a 4×4, you will appreciate that to visit some places. There are a lot of places that only with a 4×4 vehicle you are permitted to go there and they worth the visit.
Most important, follow the laws and respect the environment. In Iceland, the largest attraction is nature itself, so leave it the way you found it.
Icelandic nature can be very dangerous, there are a lot of places unguarded that you should be careful and don’t put yourself at risk for a photograph. After all, Iceland is called “the land of ice and fire” for a reason. This is how you stay safe in Iceland.
Are you planning more trips to Iceland and if so, what places are you planning to visit?
Yes, for sure I will be back for photographing in Iceland. The next trip will be in late February/ early March 2021. I will do some winter photography and I will try to do all the ring road and Snæfellsnes Peninsula if the weather and road conditions permit.
As I said before, I would like to plan a full week exploring the highlands. Maybe I will go in late June with the midnight sun, I want to have almost 24 hours of light.
Can you tell us about the equipment you use when photographing Iceland?
Yes. My current photography kit is:
Camera
- Nikon D810
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Nikon D5300
Lenses
Other equipment
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FLM Ballhead with RRS release plate
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Haida M10 filters, ND, GRAD, CPL
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Terrascape Filter Bag
