I had the privilege of photographing Jenny and Nolan recently while they were traveling in Iceland to celebrate their engagement. From the cloudy and calm evening spent enjoying each other’s company on Reynisfjara’s black sand beach to a snowstorm in Kvernufoss and Skógafoss, this day was absolutely incredible!
Jenny had written to me months ago to book an engagement session: to celebrate their engagement, to have some beautiful memories to take home, and to use the photos on their wedding invitations and website.
Engagement Photos in Iceland: Reynisfjara Beach
Reynisfjara black sand beach is definitely one of the most popular destinations in Iceland. The gorgeous basalt columns, long black sand beach, and huge waves are something you don’t want to miss. That being said, for a photoshoot, there are some things to keep in mind.
What time of day is the best?
The beach is beautiful all the time, but if you want to take some photos on the basalt columns and the surrounding area, it gets very, very busy during the day. During the darker season, it’s best to go right at sunrise or before sunset: if you get lucky and it’s a sunny day, you get a less crowded beach and beautiful light as a bonus. During the summer months when the sun rises around 2-3 AM and sets around 11-12 PM, it’s best to go either 6-8 AM or 2 hours before sunset. This way, you might even get the beach all to yourself.
The unpredictable weather!
I’ve been to Reynisfjara beach a lot: sometimes on a sunny, calm day with zero wind, and sometimes with a storm that blows the waves so high against the basalt columns that you can see the splash from the parking lot. If you’re going to have a photoshoot at this beach, you have to know that it might not look the same every time. Sometimes you can climb on the columns because there’s a low tide and the waves are not too big. It might also happen that it’s a very stormy weather, the water gets very close to the beach, and there’s really no way to get close to the basalt columns or have a wide beautiful beach to run on—the waves at this beach are very sneaky and dangerous, and many people have died because they didn’t take it seriously.
To conclude, the beach is always going to be beautiful, no matter if it’s stormy or calm, rainy or sunny. The photos will turn out beautiful and be something you can look at to remember your amazing trip. That’s the charm of Iceland: it doesn’t always have to look perfect and pretty. This country is unpredictable, and no matter what the weather is like, you have to enjoy the journey!
Engagement Photos in Iceland: From a Calm Beach to a Snowy Waterfall
Something that the weather forecast had not predicted was a snowstorm that evening in Iceland. It was the 16th of April, and the snow had melted for some time. The session on the beach was calm and beautiful, but suddenly we saw snowfall. As we drove from the beach to Kvernufoss waterfall, the snow became thicker and thicker, creating a fairytale-like scene. I can honestly say that this was not the perfect weather for driving, but it was gorgeous and made the photoshoot so special. See for yourself!
I have to be honest, Kvernufoss in April is not as mesmerizing as it is in the summer with all the greenery, but as soon as I saw the beautiful heavy snow in front of the waterfall, I knew it was going to make for some beautiful and special photos for them. Kvernufoss is my favorite waterfall in Iceland. I remember seeing it for the first time and thinking it was the most romantic place, with the walk through the canyon and then, going around the corner, you can see the waterfall. So beautiful!
Iceland Engagement Photos- Powerful Waterfall & Lanterns
It was getting really close to sunset, so we decided to go to Skógafoss—a gorgeous, wide waterfall and neighbor to Kvernufoss that you can’t miss while in Iceland. Skógafoss is so powerful: the closer you get to the waterfall, the more you can feel the pressure of the water splashing down and getting you soaked. A good tip: go at sunset, so you’ll have the place all to yourself!
This was a perfect way to end an already perfect engagement session. Jenny and Nolan trusted me completely and did not care at all that it was cold or snowing; they just enjoyed the beauty of Iceland as much as they could!
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