Iceland Landscape & Nature Photography Prints

In July of 2016 I took a direct flight from Seattle to Iceland to spend 10 days on the road exploring and photographing the amazing island and it's incredible landscapes. Packed with waterfalls, lava fields, glaciers, mountains and beautiful rugged beaches its no wonder that Iceland is a top destination for many each year. After reading a brief description of Iceland and it's history, you can see the beautiful and diverse imagery I was able to capture in a single 10 day trip to the island. I hope you enjoy this visual journey to the incredible island of Iceland.

Iceland (i/ˈaɪslənd/; Icelandic: Ísland pronounced: [ˈistlant]), is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean. It has a population of 332,529 and an area of 103,000 km2 (40,000 sq mi), making it the most sparsely populated country in Europe. The capital and largest city is Reykjavík. Reykjavík and the surrounding areas in the southwest of the country are home to over two-thirds of the population. Iceland is volcanically and geologically active. The interior consists of a plateau characterised by sand and lava fields, mountains and glaciers, while many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate, despite a high latitude just outside the Arctic Circle. Its high latitude and marine influence still keeps summers chilly, with most of the archipelago having a tundra climate.

According to Landnámabók, the settlement of Iceland began in the year 874 AD when the Norwegian chieftain Ingólfr Arnarson became the first permanent settler on the island. In the following centuries, Norwegians, and to a lesser extent other Scandinavians, immigrated to Iceland, bringing with them thralls of Gaelic origin. The island was governed as an independent commonwealth under the Althing, one of the world's oldest functioning legislative assemblies. Following a period of civil strife, Iceland acceded to Norwegian rule in the 13th century. In 1814, it came under the rule of Denmark, during which a distinct Icelandic national identity emerged. This culminated in independence in 1918 and the founding of a republic in 1944. Until the 20th century, Iceland relied largely on subsistence fishing and agriculture, and was among the poorest in Europe. Industrialisation of the fisheries and Marshall Plan aid following World War II brought prosperity, and Iceland became one of the wealthiest and most developed nations in the world. In 1994, it became a part of the European Economic Area, which further diversified the economy into sectors such as finance, biotechnology, and manufacturing.

Iceland is an incredible place to visit and to photograph. I hope you enjoy the photographs below and encourage you to visit should you have the opportunity to. You won't regret it! I will be returning to Iceland in a few short weeks and can't wait to spend more time exploring!