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.
Sparkling Clouds
Polar stratospheric clouds, or nacreous clouds, are extremely colourful and rare. The Icelandic name for them, glitský, roughly translates to “glittering, sparkling clouds”, which feels beautifully descriptive. Most of the time they appear over the far north of Iceland for a day or two; very occasionally they linger for almost a week, which is rare enough that the entire country talks about it.
This “Behind The Shot” is about one such moment, and the photograph that came out of it. It is not a lengthy or dramatic story, but it is a great one to explain how a single morning of glitský helped me recover my motivation and inspiration.
Creative Block
In 2020 I was in a bit of a rut, suffering from a photographic creative block. In that year I only went out to photograph a handful of times and took almost no memorable photographs. I was not feeling motivated to go out, which was a strange sensation considering Iceland was virtually all mine for the taking. Because of the pandemic the country was essentially closed, and it meant you could finally take photographs of places that had before been swarmed with tourists 24/7. Even though I went on an amazing trip through the highlands that summer, I didn’t feel as if I returned home with that many photographs I was happy with. My inspiration to create had reached rock bottom. However, that all changed at the end of December 2020 when the weather gods had something special in store for us here in Reykjavík.
These colourful and curiously shaped clouds are quite rare. They only appear in the stratosphere and are only visible under very specific circumstances which do not occur often.
Sweatpants and a Camera
That morning in December 2020 I woke up early, put on clothes and headed to the kitchen. I made myself a coffee and, as I was looking outside, I noticed a faint colour between the clouds. It struck me as odd because it was still very dark – with sunset still two hours off. After a few minutes of staring at it I noticed the colours seemed to get more intense. That’s when I realised these clouds were in fact nacreous clouds (polar stratospheric clouds) which were appearing almost directly above our house. I was beyond excited! I had dreamt of seeing these clouds for the longest time and never expected to see them in Reykjavík.
I quickly grabbed my camera with my favourite telephoto lens, put on my boots & lopapeysa (an Icelandic woollen sweater) and ran outside. In all my excitement and haste, I had forgotten it was -14 degrees Celsius outside. But I couldn’t care less because of what was unfolding in front of my eyes. I didn’t even think about the fact I was only wearing sweatpants – something I definitely regretted later on when the cold sank in!
To make it even more spectacular, the sky became illuminated in a gorgeous way when the sun finally peaked above the horizon. This created a nice layering effect in the sky.
Forced Into Creativity
Fuelled by adrenaline (I’m sure other photographers will understand that feeling) I ran up and down the area around our house like a crazy person. After all, I was finally seeing what I had dreamt of for years. Because I didn’t want to waste time driving around in a car to find a nice place to shoot from, I had to be really creative. Being surrounded by a barren construction site on one side and buildings on the other, forced me to think out of the box to get interesting photographs.
I initially crawled on top of a dirt hill, which was conveniently located right next to the building I live in, in order to get to higher ground. This allowed me to have less trouble framing the clouds as the roofs of the nearby tall buildings would not block them as much. Because the regular clouds were still dark, as the sun had not yet risen above the horizon, I could use them to frame the nacreous clouds. The contrast between the colourful and dark clouds allowed me to create meaningful compositions. After a while, I noticed some ravens that were flying around the rooftops of the apartment buildings nearby.
This brings us to photograph I chose for this “Behind the Shot”. This photograph, which I simply call “Glitský“, is what I really envisioned when I first had the dream of one day photographing these clouds. There are of course already many photographs out there that depict them, but I wanted to add something extra to give them some context. For this shot I used the dark, unlit clouds to frame the beautiful oily colour and texture behind them. I patiently waited until the ravens I saw soaring around the buildings moved in to the frame. It took a few attempts but finally they positioned themselves in such a way that the perfectly balance the centre of the image. By underexposing the scene, and essentially exposing for only the nacreous clouds, I managed to show as much as possible of their beautiful colour without needing post-processing trickery.
Being able to take this gorgeous photograph while being in these, to me, uninspiring surroundings really gave me a much needed confidence boost. This moment was the start of a reinvigoration process that culminated with the eruption of Fagradalsfjall just 3 months later. I sometimes wonder if I would have been just as inspired for that event if this wouldn’t have occurred before. I don’t believe in faith or destiny, but I do sometimes look at this as if I was being mentally prepared for what was to come. It definitely gave me a much-needed wakeup call.
EXIF: Canon EOS R6 – Canon 100-400mm EF II – ISO400 – F/14 – 1/1000s
Whenever I see other photographers’ nacreous cloud images, this is the photograph that comes back to me. The pre-dawn light layering and the sweatpants-and-coffee improvisation made it one I keep returning to.
Want To Photograph Iceland’s Winter Skies With Me?
Polar stratospheric clouds are one of the rarer winter rewards, but Iceland’s cold months serve up plenty else worth standing outside for. I run small-group Iceland photography workshops throughout the year that put you in the right place when the sky finally cooperates.
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
Spots are limited – secure your place today!
Are You Looking For A Specific Photo Workshop?
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.
These reviews are verifiable on Jeroen’s public Google Business profile.
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 or prints.
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Thank you for considering!
Is amazing to see your shot’s photographs and your stories behind them” am curious and I love the way u follow nature on photography , I like the Sky’s cloud shot’s ,so many of your work’s, from your stories I can tell you can teach what you do’ thank you ,am inspired, am encouraged to follow your instincts photographs shot’s, thanks a lots’ so grateful!!!