The Descent

Frank and I spent the afternoon in Seydisfjordur.

Now, the problem with these little fjord towns is that in the winter, the sun never reaches the town because it never rises high enough. As we came up over the fjord and descended back down again, we were greeted with a winter sunset. Not only this, but we also met a very interesting character: an old Icelandic man, shotgun and ammo belts in tow and hand, hunting poultry. I asked to take his picture and he obliged. One of the old timers. se great to see him in action.

The winter light is absolutely epic in Iceland. The sun always rises, but just a bit, when it breaks through, its constant golden hour. Its really something. A sudden rain shower made for some interesting orb effects on the car windshield.

So this is just a short post about the car ride down, the next stop on our adventure led us into an exploration of Iceland's largest forest, the very beginning of which I have included at the end of this post, as a little teaser.

Photography by Joe Shutter and Rock Scissors Taper

For your enjoyment,

Joe Shutter

Tiny Town, Giant Fjord

The next step on mine and Frank's photo tour was Seydisfjordur. Nestled deep in the Eastfjords, it is the gateway to Iceland from Europe: this is where the ferry lands from Denmark after stopping in the Faroe Islands.

The town comes alive in summer not only because of the ferry arrivals  butt also because many artists come here in summer to take up summer residencies here. When you are down there, you are completely engulfed in the fjords, not in an overwhelming way, but it does give you a sense of how small you are in relation to the fjord.

When arriving from the route 1 highway, you must climb all the way over the side of the fjord and then all way down again, it is an epic ride! Especially when the road is covered in snow as it was when we did it.

Photography by Joe Shutter and Rock Scissors Taper

For your enjoyment,

Joe Shutter

Valley of Snow

For those that may be tuning in for the first time, I am Joe shutter: a blogger and photographer based in Iceland. 

I pass on what I learn out here through my  tailor-made photo workshops and tutorials. They can be as long or as short as my clients need them to be, and I always go the extra ten miles (or ten hours) to get the shots and get off the beaten track wherever possible.  

If you are interested in a photo workshop/tutorial in Iceland, pleas contact me through my email ( joeshutter101@gmail.com ) or through my Instagram handle @joe_shutter . 

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Each post on my blog describes a different "stop" that I make through my various journeys throughout Iceland, capturing the essence of the moment though portraits, landscapes and detail shots. Below tells the (short story) story of an installment of a journey with Frank from Rock Scissors Taper .

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As Frank and I moved from the sunnier fjords in the morning we came into a rather more snowy terrain: this was further inland and the sun didn't reach quite as well. We found a place to stop the car off the road and we descended into this small valley which we liked the look of. 

The lighting situation changed very little as we went down towards the river, but the open shade (cloud cover) made it easier to expose. I took a little break from the leather and went for the Icelandic Lopapeysa: this was one of the first things I bought when I came to Iceland and I have cherished it ever since.

Anyway, here they are, in all their glory, for better or for worse, the results. I sincerely hope you enjoy.

Photography by Joe Shutter and Rock ScissorsTaper

For your enjoyment,

Joe Shutter

Morning Burst

For those that may be tuning in for the first time, I am Joe shutter: a blogger and photographer based in Iceland. 

I pass on what I learn out here through my  tailor-made photo workshops and tutorials. They can be as long or as short as my clients need them to be, and I always go the extra ten miles (or ten hours) to get the shots and get off the beaten track wherever possible.  

If you are interested in a photo workshop/tutorial in Iceland, pleas contact me through my email ( joeshutter101@gmail.com ) or through my Instagram handle @joe_shutter . 

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Each post on my blog describes a different "stop" that I make through my various journeys throughout Iceland, capturing the essence of the moment though portraits, landscapes and detail shots. Below tells the (short story) story of an installment of a journey with Frank from Rock Scissors Taper .

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We woke up in the morning in a freezing church, which doubled as a hostel. It was a unique experience, and really good fun, if you don't mind the novelty of waking up with every part of you that is not encased in sleeping bag being freezing. We took it all in good spirit, and I signed the guestbook before leaving.  

We set off somewhat late, as we usually did. As we continued to follow Route 1, lightitng was quite flat for the first few shots, and then suddenly there was an incredible, violent burst of sunshine from the east. We know what we had to do. Here are the results. 

Photography by Joe Shutter and Rock Scissors Taper

For your enjoyment,

Joe Shutter

The Road East

As We continued East, we had every intention of grabbing that iconic shot at Stokksnes, you know, the with the monuds of grass and earth in the foreground and the mountain range in the background? Nope. we missed it altogether. Instead, we got up close and personal with the mountain,

The shots are in chronological order, and you can see how everything becomes more blue as the light fades. On the other side of the tunnel, we found still pools of water and beautiful reflections. And a rock, which i climbed.

The road east takes us comfortably into the East Fjords, where we settle down for the night in a repurposed church. It was very cold in the church,  but the keeper was able to heat it enough in the hour before we arrived. We collected our thoughts in the evening and signed the guest book, exhausted and delighted.

Photography by Joe shutter and

For your enjoyment, 

Joe Shutter