The Black Sand Beach in Iceland is a tourist destination along the main road in southern Iceland, east of Reykjavík. Here you can expect wedding photographers, tour buses, food trucks, patrolled paid parking and a few avid photographers.
Winter is a better time of year to visit the Black Sand Beach of Iceland. There are some wonderful hotels nearby. Winter is best from a photography point of view because the light is better with the sun lower in the horizon, bigger storms and larger icebergs on the beach. During the summer months, the iceberg remnants are having a contest to see which can melt away the fastest. In the winter it is a struggle of survival for the heartiest photographer. I visited in the winter of 2015. Iceland Winter Visit. Our goal in 2024 was to photograph Iceland from the air, from both an airplane and a helicopter. But first we need to travel to our tiny inland airport, photographing southern Iceland along the way.
Driving to the Black Sand Beach of Iceland
Our initial goal was to get to the Hali Country Hotel 250 miles east of Reykjavík, Iceland. Hali Country Hotel was our base while hiring a plane and a helicopter to fly us around the glaciers and river ways of Iceland, photographing sights from the air. This trip was 100% planned by my photographer friend Greg. I eagerly tagged along. Because I was dead tired from the seven hour time change and from staying awake all night watching movies, Greg did 100% of the driving for which I am most grateful. It was my second time staying at the Hali Country Hotel. I remember them having wonderful food, especially when serving in an area where we never saw a single grocery store. Hali Country Hotel . We bought our snacks at the petrol stations.
Just out of sight to the right is the farmhouse of the owners of this waterfall as well as some surrounding farmland.
There are a surprising number of very large waterfalls in Iceland which is especially noteworthy for a guy who grew up in the desert Southwest. It is likely these farmers tell others the direction to their house is: “We are at the base of the third waterfall, just after you pass the blue lagoon.”
Plants at the bottom of a large waterfall.
It is not widely known known, but giant sized so-called ‘umbilical marshmallows’ are a staple of the Iceland economy.
Harold at the Hali Country Hotel. Wonderful food and great desserts. The buildings in Iceland are built with the harsh winters in mind.
Iconic Church in Town of Vic
Most people photograph this church from a distance to include the beautiful surroundings. Here I chose to try and make it a study of simple shapes, lines and colors.
Below is the photo I took in 2015 of the same church. At its best, photography is a journey for the photographer to discover their particular style. Early on, most landscape photographers try to emulate famous photographers or take photos to please an audience. I’m now doing neither. I am much happier with the above simple photo, rather than a more common landscape style below. It is also an indication that I’m happier with abstracts.
Here is the photo I took of the same church in 2015. This was in the winter when the sunrises and sunsets last for many hours each day.
Black Sand Beach
A long exposure photograph to show the motion of the waves on Black Sand Beach. I’m always amazed how relentless and never ending the waves are. They are pounding into the icebergs right now as you read this and every minute of every day.
This is Glacier Lagoon, just a couple hundred yards upstream from Black Sand Beach.
So what causes so many icebergs to get stranded on this beach? Actually, there are two beaches, one on each side of the river that drains out from the Glacier Lagoon. The many icebergs which break off of the glacier a mile upstream float around the Glacier Lagoon for a while, eventually get caught in the river current and head out to sea. However, they now meet those relentless waves of the ocean. So glaciers of all sizes are washed back onto shore to amaze and entertain the hordes of tourists. A cycle which has likely been going on for many thousands of years.
This is a map of the Black Sand Beach area. As icebergs break off of the glacier, they eventually work their way through the Glacier Lagoon and out into the sea, only to get washed up on the beach by the relentless wave action of the ocean.
Black Sand Beach Close-ups
A few stranded, melting iceberg remains.
As is my style, I simplify the photos by trying to eliminate every part of the scene which does not add to it.
A low Black Sand Beach perspective taken with an iPhone.
I do not know what kind of creatures these are, but it did look to me like a couple of characters interacting. One thing we can be sure of is this iceberg remnant is long gone and the black sand figures have been reunited with the beach.
Looking inside the clear icebergs reveals a crazy abstract design. Small streams of water could be seen flowing within.
Another view of the innards of a clear iceberg.
Goodbye to Black Sand Beach
The blurred background allows us to focus more on the clear iceberg contrasted with the Black Sand Beach.
Black Sand Beach was just a time filler for an afternoon. We then visited the nearby roadside airport where we were to go for our first flight the following day. I believe the pilot told us his was the oldest flying commercial plane on the island. He may have said it was from the 60’s. He seemed quite proud of this fact. It made me a bit worried.
My adventure planner Greg is dressed up for cold weather. Our local pilot did not feel the cold weather warranted even a long sleeved shirt. More worry.
So what are we going to see on our two scheduled plane trips? Well, I’m not going to tell you at this time. This is not a marketing ploy. Part of the reason for not explaining this to you is even after two photography flights on two different days…. I’m still not able to completely explain what we saw and photographed. To leave you even more confused, below is one such photo taken on a flight. I can’t make heads nor tails of this abstract design. A walk along the ground may have helped a bit, but we only flew over this foreign, inexplicable landscape.
We saw numerous cars on dirt roads below us and a tour bus or two exploring the areas we were photographing. I do not think the land dwellers nor the airborne photographers get a complete explanation of this crazy landscape. I took a couple thousand photos with my camera on motor drive and would happily go back again.
An abstract design seen from the plane flying over glacier runoff. So what’s going on here?
Reminded me of a Rorschach test, especially the looking inside the ice. I might understand now why my synapse are not synapsing. My mind has been marsh-mellowed.
Thanks for the great photography.
Nice pics. As usual.
“umbilical marshmallows” now that is funny 🙂 LOL .. I must be to used to the ag world and wrapped round bales.
You were in abstract heaven 🙂
I love to see where your style has taken you 🙂
My style “is for the birds” 🙂 And citizen science ID shots at that. There is still the occasional “found shot” as I learned to call them from you.
Thank you once again Ken. My very favorite group of photographs is coming up the next two weeks. I’ve spent hours developing the photos….. and I’m still excited.