The area surrounding the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon is world-famous for its incredible opportunities to photograph large, crystal-clear icebergs, either floating in the lagoon or washed up in the surf, as seen here.
The lagoon is fed by the glacier tongue Breiðamerkurjökull, one of the many outlet glaciers of Vatnajökull, Europe's largest glacier. Vatnajökull is so vast that, while driving along Iceland's Ring Road, you can spot its numerous glacier tongues again and again for more than two hours.
However, this region also offers fantastic opportunities for wildlife photographers. In previous posts, I have already featured European Golden Plovers, Great Skuas, Whooper Swans, Common Eiders, Arctic Terns, Grey Seals, and Reindeer photographed here. But there is much more wildlife to discover. Harbour Seals are almost always present, and Arctic Foxes can also be seen on a regular basis.
For bird enthusiasts, the area has plenty more highlights to offer. It is well worth exploring the surroundings on foot, as the landscape around the glacier is far more diverse than just barren volcanic plains. Beautiful tundra habitats can be found here, along with extensive patches of lupines if you're willing to drive just a few minutes farther.
This year, I dedicated an entire series to the birds of this remarkable region. My personal highlights were the encounters with Long-tailed Skuas, the charming Snow Buntings, and the magnificent Red-throated Divers.
One particularly memorable session took place early in the morning. After enjoying a beautiful sunrise at Diamond Beach (photos coming in the next part), we crossed over to the glacial lagoon. For almost another two hours, the light remained absolutely stunning, illuminating the brilliant blue icebergs. Harbour Seals and birds kept passing by, and we constantly switched between telephoto and wide-angle lenses to capture the ever-changing scenes. It was a wonderful photographic experience, and you'll find several images from that morning in this collection—as well as in the next two parts. 😊
I hope you enjoy the photos!
Best wishes,
Thomas
P.S. Parts 3 and 4 will be coming soon...
I hope you enjoyed the series 😊👋
Kind regards,
Thomas