I was born and raised in Iceland and developed an interest in photography as a teenager. Combined with a strong interest in nature and travel it soon led me into the field of nature photography, which has been my passion ever since. Over the past two decades I’ve build my reputation as a nature and landscape photographer and in 2009 I was invited to participate in the distinguished Wild Wonders of Europe project. I’ve authored four books and the latest one, Iceland Landscapes, is a collection of landscape photographs with text that is written with photographers in mind.
About ten years ago I started guiding photography tours and workshops in Iceland. Due to growing demand it has become my main occupation. While anyone can come to Iceland and travel on his/her own to some of the main photography destinations the experience is more relaxing, rewarding and productive with local guidance. And I enjoy nothing more than introducing travelers to this country that I’m continually so fascinated with.
My photography tours and workshops are run by Natura Travel, a fully licensed travel agency by the Icelandic Tourist Board.
The following text, which includes some thoughts about my country and photography, is an excerpt from Iceland Landscapes, which was published in June 2011:
Iceland’s nature is remarkable. Probably nowhere else on the planet is there such a diversity of geological features in such a small area. It’s a young land in geological terms and its vibrant energy can be clearly felt. We are regularly reminded, with earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, that this is a landscape in the making. By living here one learns to respect the forces of nature. When travelling in the mountains a sunny day can be transformed into a blizzard within a matter of minutes. A glacial river that is just a stream in the morning can grow so enormously during a warm summer day that it’s impassable in the afternoon. Travelling in Iceland, especially in the highlands, requires awareness and preparation. But at least you are very unlikely to get lost in the woods. In fact what I love about the Icelandic landscape is how vast and open it is, and even in the most desolate places there is immense beauty and a very powerful spiritual presence. It is this that inspires me to be out in the wilderness, and while many of my most powerful nature experiences have involved contact with wild creatures, some are simply about emotions associated with walking in the wilds, or just from sitting and taking in the beauty of a certain place. Quite often the simple act of just being in the wilderness with a still mind is the most rewarding experience. Such moments come to me while the camera is still packed away. Once it’s out a different kind of meditation begins – the intuitive process of photography. When I arrive at a location, and start wandering, I respond with intuition to what’s around me; light, form, shape and flow capture my attention. I also feel I need to emotionally connect to a landscape in order to photograph it successfully and such connection often only comes with repeated visits.