What Is ‘Behind The Shot’?
To me, photographs are strengthened by having a good story to support them. At its core, photography is the art of capturing memories and those memories deserve to be told & shared. With this new concept I want to tell people that story. I want to share what effort, struggle and sometimes luck is behind the publishing of that single image you might see in your social media feed. Every month I will be sharing one photograph which has a good story, a deeper meaning or a struggle behind it.
Iceland In 30 Days
In 2015, about a year before I ended up migrating, I decided to spend a whole month travelling around Iceland. In my mind I had already made the decision to migrate at some point in the near future. Therefore I wanted to discover more of the country. There were a few places I really wanted to revisit and even more places I wanted to discover for the first time. Because the highlands had left such a big impression on me during my first visit to Iceland in 2012, a lot of the new locations I wanted to discover were hidden away in this vast untouched wilderness.
After having driven several thousand kilometres around and through Iceland in twenty something days, the time had come to visit the last location on my “to do” list: Hveravellir. This geothermal area, located between two massive glaciers, had always interested me because of its gorgeous colours and unique formations.
A quick stop at a photography classic, covered in autumn colours, before heading into the highlands again.
Always Follow Your Nose
While driving North along the Kjölur mountain road, I encountered a small road sign pointing to a nearby place called Kerlingarfjöll. This name sounded familiar to me even though I couldn’t remember why and because I had plenty of time that day, I ended up taking a right turn to follow my curiosity. I had no idea what to expect at the time and that’s what made it exciting.
After a short drive I ended up at the Kerlingarfjöll base camp. I asked myself why on earth there was a hotel located in the middle of nowhere. Above the hotel, I saw a small, steep road go even further into the mountains. This piqued my curiosity even more so I ended up following the road. At that point I was sort of assuming it would be a dead end with a mind-blowing view as a reward. While driving further up into the mountains, the wind picked up and it even started snowing. But then, I discovered the most amazing location which, to this day, is still one of my favourite spots in the whole country.
The stunning, snow-covered mountains of Kerlingarfjöll piqued my curiosity.
All The Way To The Top
At the end of the road I reached a viewpoint overlooking a strange looking landscape, which I now know is called Hveradalir. This roughly translates to ‘hot spring valleys’, which is exactly what I was looking at. In front of me were different valleys, with beautiful colours surrounded by snow-covered mountain peaks. The valleys were covered in steam clouds, rising from the geothermal hot spring in their flanks. After 30 days of seeing all kinds of incomprehensible landscapes, this spot took the cake. It was the most otherworldly place I had ever seen. It almost felt as if I was on the surface of another planet.
As the weather in the area took a turn for the worst with more snow and heavy winds blasting the side of the car, I made my way back down the mountain without a single photograph. As I arrived at Hveravellir, my actual destination for that day, I kept thinking about what I had seen and planned to revisit it the next day in hopes of getting better weather conditions.
The colours which could be seen on the valley flanks really caught my eye. It was unbelievable to behold.
Second Time’s The Charm
The next morning I met up with a friend at Hveravellir. He had been travelling around Iceland with his mom. The night before I texted him to see if we could meet up. I asked if they wanted to join along the Kjölur mountain road on the way back to Reykjavík. I explained to him that I found a very special location and wanted to take them there. The only instructions I gave them were to just keep following me, even when they thought the road would end.
As we drove higher and higher into the mountains, I could feel my heart beating faster. I started to become a bit worried that I had possibly set too high expectations for myself. But, as we arrived at the viewpoint, all I could feel was relief. The weather conditions were perfect. And to make it even better, as we arrived, the only other people there left. We had the whole place to ourselves! To this day, I still remember how my friend’s mom gave me a hug out of gratitude. She was very moved when seeing Hveradalir, just as I was the day before.
EXIF: ISO400 – F/18 – 1/640s – 17mm – Canon 6D
The mountain range of Kerlingarfjöll is one of Iceland’s biggest and most beautiful geothermal areas. I had absolutely no clue about its existence when I first visited it in 2015.
Visiting Another Planet
Together, we left the car and hiked down the steep wooden stairs onto the surface of the planet Hveradalir. And that’s when I captured the photograph that is the subject of this ‘Behind The Shot’. In it you can see a small part of Hveradalir, with my friend posing in the middle for scale. I have since revisited the area numerous times and not a single time did the conditions live up to that first impression and this photograph. The freezing cold air, together with the sun creeping between the clouds, highlighted the steam rising from the ground. The fresh snow made the peaks of the mountains look nice and crisp. Combine that with the gorgeous combination of tints of brown, yellow, green and red in the landscape. My friend described the whole place best when we were there: “Even the greatest artist could not come up with this splendour.”. I often think about this quote because I think it’s very true.
Maybe it’s the sentimental value I attach to this photograph or maybe it’s because the weather conditions at the end of September were really special. Whatever the reason may be, to this day this photograph remains as one of my favourite images. Even after 8 years, I still remember these moments vividly when looking at my photograph. And that is what photography is all about to me: capturing memories to relive them another day.
Want To Photograph Iceland’s Highlands With Me?
Places like Hveradalir and Kerlingarfjöll are exactly the kind of spots my Iceland photography workshops are built around: small groups, slow days, and time to follow your nose down side roads.
Discover Jeroen’s Photo Workshops in Iceland, Greenland & Beyond
Ready to take your photography to the next level? Join me, Jeroen Van Nieuwenhove, on unforgettable photo workshops in Iceland, Greenland, Antarctica and other exciting destinations. Whether your passion is wildlife photography, bird photography, landscape adventures, or mastering drone photography, each workshop is designed to give you hands-on guidance in some of the world’s most spectacular locations.
From puffins in the midnight sun to Arctic foxes in the wild, from glaciers and volcanoes to dramatic coastlines seen by drone – these journeys are more than workshops; they’re once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Group sizes are kept small, ensuring personal mentoring and plenty of shooting opportunities.
Looking for something specific? Check out Jeroen’s…
- Wildlife & Bird Photography Workshops (Puffins, Arctic Foxes)
- Drone Photography Workshops
- Photo Workshops in Iceland
- Photo Workshops in Greenland
- Photo Workshops in Antarctica
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All Upcoming Photography Workshops With Jeroen
Explore all upcoming photography workshops with Jeroen and take your skills to the next level in some of the world’s most extraordinary locations. From the volcanic landscapes of Iceland to the ice-filled fjords of Greenland and the wildlife-rich polar regions such as Antarctica, each workshop is designed to help you grow creatively while experiencing unforgettable moments in the field. Browse all upcoming departures below and find your next adventure!
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What Previous Participants Shared About Their Experience
Choosing the right photography workshop is about more than just visiting iconic locations. It’s about experience, safety, timing, and personal guidance. Below you’ll find honest reviews from photographers who have joined me on landscape, wildlife & drone photo workshops in Iceland, Greenland and other locations. These testimonials reflect real experiences in small groups, hands-on instruction in challenging conditions, and the level of care Jeroen aims to bring to every workshop.
Support Jeroen’s Work
As an independent photographer, Jeroen partially relies on your support to keep producing worthwhile content such as blogs, photographs, books and much more. If you want to support his work, it is possible to do so by buying his e-books & books.
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