Iconic Iceland: Snaefellsnes Peninsula

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Date: Mon 27th Jan - Sat 1st Feb 2025

Price: £2,645.00

Deposit: £265.00

Group size: 6

Tutor / Guide: Robert Canis & Dirk Van Uden

Location: Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Duration: 4 nights / 5 days

Cost includes: 5 nights hotel en-suite B&B accommodation. No single supplement necessary. Airport transfer to Keflavik airport (10 minutes away) provided you are on the same flight as the rest of the group.

Cost excludes: Flights, insurance and meals not mentioned. Everyone, of course, consumes different quantities throughout the day and so lunch and dinner are not included in the price enabling you to have what you want without overpaying. Ticket entry (£5 per visit) to V

Accommodation: We will be staying in a total of 3 very comfortable hotels. One in Keflavik close to the airport, one on the north shores of the peninsula and another in the south. Everyone will have an en-suite room to themselves and, of course, breakfast is included. Each photo-base has been chosen so that we are within easy reach of the very best photographic locations.

Fitness level: Moderate. Iceland can be wild! You must therefore be of reasonable mobility and be able to withstand spending long periods in potentially cold and windy conditions and walking through snow and on ice. Therefore, should you have knee, hip or age-related reduced mobility then this tour is NOT for you. Please contact me in advance to discuss this should you be unsure.

Sunrise / Sunset: 10.15 / 17.00

Experience Level: Beginner upwards.

Equipment needed: Wide angle to telephoto, perhaps adding a fast, wide angle such as a 14mm f/2.8 for the northern lights. A tripod, of course, is necessary for those dawn/dusk/aurora shoots and although polarising, neutral density and neutral-density graduated filters would be useful, they are by no means essential. What is, however, is a clear understanding of exposure. A comprehensive checklist outlining clothing and gear as well as meet-up information will be sent out 3 months before the tour.

For photographers, especially, Iceland is one country that requires very little by way of an introduction. At just 243,610 sq km, Iceland is 2.4 times smaller than the UK but what it lacks in size it more than makes up for it in breathtaking landscapes. Just a few hours' drive from Reykjavik lies the diverse and fascinating landscape of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula whose iconic locations include the world-famous Kirkjufell Mountain, the black church of Budir and Arnastapi sea arch.

The end of January is a fabulous time to visit when the days are lengthening yet the sun is still low and warm revealing textures and producing a stunning golden glow to the surrounding landscape. By day we'll explore this remarkable region and at night head out in the hope of capturing one of nature's greatest spectacles - the aurora borealis.

Upon collecting everyone from Keflavik airport, we'll spend the night in a nearby hotel and the following morning head to Snaefellsnes's north shores. Although the majority of the locations we'll be visiting are in the south, its most famous landmark - Kirkjufell or Wizard's Hat Mountain - is in the north and by staying just 10 minutes away for one night we'll have the opportunity of photographing it both at sunset and sunrise and, with fingers crossed, with the northern lights dancing in the sky above! A further 2 nights will then be spent in the south and the last in the same hotel as on the first, near the airport.

Highlights
Small group of just 6
9-seater 4WD minibus
Expert driver
Aurora borealis
Kirkjufell / Wizard's Hat Mountain
Budir black church
Historic fishing villages
Lóndrangar cliffs
Arnastapi sea arch
Black sand beaches
Imposing mountains
Lava fields

Professional driver and co-guide
Upon meeting at Keflavik airport, you will be met by me and Dirk Van Uden whom I have flown all the way from Finnish Lapland to accompany me. Dirk (Derek in English) has been my driver and co-guide in Finland, Norway and Iceland since 2014 and is a highly experienced winter wilderness guide and driver where he drives with aplomb in whatever weather is thrown at him - from heavy snowfall to gale-force winds. Nothing fazes him! Trust me, you are in very safe hands.

Group size
As with all my workshops, the group size will be relatively small ensuring plenty of 'personal space' in which to create your images without too much bother with other photographers being in your way. It also means that since we will all be travelling and dining as one, it makes for an extremely fun and friendly group dynamic. Due to this being overseas and the day-to-day logistics involved, this is classed as a tour and not a workshop where although I will be on hand to offer advice and suggestions you will largely be working alone. Emphasis will be on getting you to amazing locations at the best times of the day.

Weather and fitness
There's no escaping it, Iceland can be wild and yes, at times, challenging but it is these unpredictable conditions that more often than not make the most compelling photographs. Temperatures can range from -10 to +10. Most likely there will be snow but we could also have rain, blue skies and/or gale-force winds. If at the time you don't like the weather, wait five minutes! Although very little 'distance' walking is involved, it is important that you are of reasonable mobility and able to withstand spending long periods in potentially cold and windy conditions and walking through snow and on ice. Therefore, should you have knee, hip or age-related reduced mobility then this tour is NOT for you. Please contact me in advance to discuss this should you be unsure.

Northern lights
The dates have been specifically chosen to coincide with a New Moon affording us the darkest skies possible for northern lights photography. Each evening we will keep a close eye on the forecast and if there is the faintest chance of a showing we will be out!

Will there be critique sessions?
As this is a tour and not a workshop where the emphasis is on the logistics of getting you to great locations, no time for critique sessions will be factored in. However, appraising your images can just as easily be done through me reviewing them on the back of your camera which I will be doing, anyway, from time to time while we are out photographing.

How much tuition will I receive?
Although not a workshop I will, as others will testify (just read the testimonials!), always be on hand to offer advice and encouragement. Once arriving at a location, for example, I will direct you to where I think are the most productive spots for photography and give suggestions on composition, lens and filter selection. We will then disperse and immerse ourselves in the landscape, during which, I will, intermittently approach each of you and see how you are getting on. This, over many years of running tours, I have found to be the most effective way since it allows everyone to grow and create their own style of images.

Finally…
Thank you very much indeed for considering this tour and should you have any questions - however small or insignificant you think they might be - then do drop me a line. I’m here to help and provide you with an incredible experience!

Itinerary

Come our visit, the winter days will have begun to lengthen but, as you can see, they are neither too long nor too short. Perfect for a full day of exciting photography!

Below will give you an idea of the daily schedule, though, of course, this is subject to change due to weather conditions. As with all my tours, it will be of a 'fluid' nature.

Sunrise: 10.15
Sunset: 17.00

08.00 – 08.30: Breakfast
09.00 – 12.00: Sunrise/morning shoot
12.30 – 13.30: Lunch
14.00 – 18.00: Afternoon/sunset shoot
19.00 – 20.30: Dinner
21.30 onwards. Northern lights

Day 1
You will be met by me and Dirk in Keflavik airport arrivals where we will travel, by minibus, to our nearby hotel. Once settled, we will enjoy dinner together and should there be clear skies we will grab our cameras, don warm clothes and head out in search of the northern lights - as indeed we shall be doing over the coming evenings, too!

Days 2
Following breakfast, we drive to our accommodation on the north shores of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula - a journey of around 2 1/2 hours though with a photo/cafe stop it will more than likely take close to 4. It's probable that we will still be a little early for check-in and if that's the case we'll explore a number of nearby locations. including the nearby Kirkjufjell Mountain.

Days 3/4
Following breakfast and a morning shoot, we'll make our way to Hotel Langaholt in the south where we'll be staying for the following 2 nights where the majority of the best locations lie including the black church of Budir and Arnastapi sea arch.

Day 5
Upon checking out and loading up the minibus, we'll head out for sunrise and continue until we've had our fill. Reykjaviks's just a couple of hours away, and with time on our hands, we'll spend a while exploring this delightful city before making our way to the same hotel as on the first, just a short distance from Keflavik airport. Later that evening, we'll have dinner in the hotel's restaurant where, no doubt, we'll relive moments of the amazing adventure we've all just experienced.

Day 6
Depart. Presently, with Easyjet to Gatwick, flights are departing around midday which will give us ample time to have breakfast and pack. Providing we all catch the same flight, airport transfer will be included in the cost.

Testimonials

"I echo Phil, in saying what a brilliant group leader you are; your attention to detail is surely unparalleled!! Your speedy response to emails was so good and your care for us all, for our health and safety and well-being was a real joy!"
Hilary Musk

"I can honestly say that I enjoyed every second of my trip to Iceland. Rob and Dirk got us to the most amazing locations including a lagoon full of icebergs, black beaches, mountains, waterfalls, rivers and an ice cave in a glacier. There were peaceful, icy cold sunrises overlooking waterfalls and wild, windy beaches (sometimes with horizontal snow!) The Vesterhorn mountains were a stunning backdrop for the black sand dunes and the Jokulsarlon ice lagoon has to be seen to be believed. The conditions for photography were challenging at times but Rob was always on hand with help and advice. As always with Rob’s tours it was a very well planned trip with comfortable hotels, plenty of time at each location and lots of laughs. It is without a shadow of a doubt the best photography tour that I have ever been on".
Jill Denis

"After a good few years of badgering, Bob finally weakened and agreed to take a small 'guinea pig' group to a place he'd never visited before. I know he normally likes to plan meticulously ahead of a trip so he was definitely out of his comfort zone. That said, he made certain our safety and comfort was paramount at all times and we were in the capable hands of an excellent driver, Dirk. He had clearly researched the trip to the best of his ability and left nothing to chance. No change in the 'Canis O'clock' starts for sunrises either!

Although this was my third visit to Iceland it was such a luxury to spend quality time photographing the variety of stunning locations, some well known and other hidden gems off the beaten track. Such a delight to spend time again with this very capable and talented chap. I would have no hesitation in recommending an Iceland tour with Bob".
Wendy Kennett LRPS

"The most wonderful aspect of a Rob Canis Photo Tour is how much photography there is. It may sound obvious, the clue being in the title, but not all photo tours are equal. Rob really does his homework, he has worked out the optimum time to be there, considers sunrises, sunsets and tides (if appropriate) and then ensures you arrive comfortably, have ample time to enjoy the scenery and get that shot and then nearby food and lodging.

Iceland turned the whole jaw dropping scenery up to eleven. The geysers and waterfalls are a must see. There was always plenty of time to try and capture a bird in flight, the surreal blue icebergs, and the abstract juxtaposition of the white sneaker waves breaking onto the black volcanic beaches and melting the snow. Or if you wanted to, sit on a rock and just enjoy the moment. Rob is always happy to offer advice and encouragement and at the end of another fabulously photogenic day, it's wonderful to kick off your crampons and rustling trousers and enjoy a meal and drink (though not many at Icelandic prices) and discuss our day. And then perhaps don balaclavas and head torches, with hot hands and feet tucked in gloves and boots and head out Aurora chasing! This was photography nirvana, cannot wait for my next Rob Canis photo tour".
Jo Tinning-Clowes

"As always, thank you for everything you did to ensure we could get the best out of our visit. Your quiet and calm approach towards supporting our photographic needs inspires confidence and is greatly appreciated. The daily planning of the trip ensured that we could visit a series of sites that had huge photographic potential. As always, your planning was exemplary and the choice of accommodation was ideal for our needs. You always adopted a flexible approach to each day's plans which ensured that we could advantage of weather conditions or natural phenomena. The awesome experience of photographing the Aurora Borealis on the last night exemplified your ability to steer us to record such a spectacular display. For all this and so much more, many thanks, Robert".
Nick Nicholas

'Planning is crucial to the success of any photo-trip, and this is something that Robert is extremely good at. Throughout, Robert planned and adapted according to the weather conditions, culminating in some great shots of the Northern Lights".
Ian Stone

Another very well organised and enjoyable trip to Iceland's Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Robert always finds great photo opportunities in a variety of settings and the best light. We were stunned by the amazing landscapes and an incredible northern lights display. He and Dirk are a great team who work well together to give us variety, challenges, and great memories.
Rachel Dunsden

Workshop info

Thank you for dropping by and considering attending a workshop. I love nothing more than to pass on to others the knowledge I have gained over the last 30 years as a professional photographer and 15 as a workshop and tour leader. My group sizes are always small ensuring a fun and friendly group dynamic, lots of 'personal space' in which to photograph without too much fear of others getting in your way and as much tuition as you would like or feel that you need. I hope you can join me!

Although under the 'umbrella' of Workshops, please note there is a difference between the three types that I offer. To avoid any confusion, please see below.

Workshops

Those taking place in the UK are classed as Workshops where learning is the primary aim, and in the case of those which are multi-day residential, very often include image critique and post-processing sessions.

Tours

Overseas trips are classed as Tours where the logistics are all taken care of and where the emphasis is on getting you to great locations at the best time of the day. Since these may include hide photography and working in cold, windy conditions where one-on-one tuition isn't practical, these are less hands-on. However, prior to the hide session or upon arriving at a location, I will give advice and suggestions on composition, lens selection and exposure.

Creative Visions

Creative Visions is a new concept that I have designed to specifically nurture your artistic growth. They can take place in either the UK or abroad combining both workshop and tour principles. There will be critique and post-processing tutorials and, most importantly, you will be encouraged to go beyond the record and representational and instead produce more intimate creative interpretations.

Iconic Iceland: Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Workshops

Tours

Creative Visions

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