Are you ready
for a life-changing adventure?
You can drastically improve your photography skills in just one week by joining the Luminar Adventure in the vast lands of Iceland. Learn from masters and your peers, boost your skills, and get spectacular photos. Perhaps it’s time to take the next step in your photography journey?
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Dates
24-31 August
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7 days price
from $6000
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Activity level
Easy
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Masters
6
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Participants
30
Your trip checklist:
Find like-minded beauty seekers
Become part of a big family where everyone loves photography as much as you do.
Approach the professionals
Meet real masters of landscape photography (perhaps ones you admire) and learn to apply their tips in practice.
Take photos from exclusive spots
Visit and take pictures of unique Icelandic spots, thoroughly scouted by the Iceland Photo Tours team especially for Skylum campers.
Feel as geeky as you want
Make friends for life and get personal attention in a team with 12 peers, 2 masters, and 2 Luminar Insiders (3 teams in total).
Take your photography to the next level
Learn with ease through informal lectures and presentations from masters in the field and in the classroom: where to find inspiration, how to manage your blog, and how to lead your business.
Iurie Belegurschi
The local master of our group, Iurie founded Iceland Photo Tours and dedicates his time to sharing the many wonders Iceland has. Become the one he will share his secrets with.
Jim Nix
Jim has a colorful and expressive style and a strong preference for shooting at the edges of the day, where soft light and shadow help create the dramatic and moody sentiments his photographs embody.
Sarah Lyndsay
Sarah Lyndsay is a widely known landscape photographer based in British Columbia. Sarah has been leading photo tours for over 4 years. Who better to learn from?
Jabi Sanz
Jabi has traveled all over the world to capture the beauty of nature in his splendid photos. During the Photo Camp, you’ll get to meet him and learn from his vast experience.
Isabella Tabacchi
Isabella Tabacchi is an award-winning landscape photographer, internationally recognized for her evocative, emotional, and dreamlike photographic style.
Vanelli
Vanelli is an educator, author, and sports and portrait photographer based in Florida. After a successful career as a three-time, Triple Crown Karate champion, Vanelli turned his attention to teaching the visual arts. As a Head of Education at Skylum, Vanelli specializes in teaching post-processing in Luminar Neo.
Iurie Belegurschi
The local master of our group, Iurie founded Iceland Photo Tours and dedicates his time to sharing the many wonders Iceland has. Become the one he will share his secrets with.
Jim Nix
Jim has a colorful and expressive style and a strong preference for shooting at the edges of the day, where soft light and shadow help create the dramatic and moody sentiments his photographs embody.
Sarah Lyndsay
Sarah Lyndsay is a widely known landscape photographer based in British Columbia. Sarah has been leading photo tours for over 4 years. Who better to learn from?
Jabi Sanz
Jabi has traveled all over the world to capture the beauty of nature in his splendid photos. During the Photo Camp, you’ll get to meet him and learn from his vast experience.
Isabella Tabacchi
Isabella Tabacchi is an award-winning landscape photographer, internationally recognized for her evocative, emotional, and dreamlike photographic style.
Vanelli
Vanelli is an educator, author, and sports and portrait photographer based in Florida. After a successful career as a three-time, Triple Crown Karate champion, Vanelli turned his attention to teaching the visual arts. As a Head of Education at Skylum, Vanelli specializes in teaching post-processing in Luminar Neo.
Meet the Luminar team
Six Skylummers will join you on this fun adventure and will make themselves available to answer questions about and offer tips on using Luminar. See you in Iceland!
Jan Gustafsson
Luminar Photo Camp in Iceland was an amazing experience which improved my photography so much. Everything was perfectly organised and the instructors were fantastic. Show more Hide
Dave Chandler
It was such a great experience that I signed up for the upcoming August trip! I am excited to shoot the new locations as well as some that I have already visited in the winter. The masters were extremely helpful, and local expertise in photography in Iceland insured that we were at the right place at the right time. To anyone considering a photo adventure, I highly recommend this camp! Show more Hide
Tom Joseph Iyoob
This was truly a trip of a lifetime. I came back a better photographer with a better eye to create photos that tell stories. Show more Hide
Debra Hamilton
The Luminar Photo Camp held in Iceland of 2020, is a highlight of my amateur photography journey. Amazingly, despite the numbers of Photo Campers enrolled, we were cared for as individuals, and never felt that we were vying for a good spot from which to take our photos. The Skylum staff was fun, easily approachable, incredibly organized, and brought in the best professionals available to support and train us on-the-spot in the field. We had been hoping to see the Aurora and the last evening, after the tour buses had been released, Iurie realized we had a good chance at seeing the Northern Lights. He personally ordered several dozen city cabs to transport our entire group to a great location...paying for this additional expense out of his own pocket. That is going the extra mile -- and because of his generosity I did indeed, get a nice image of the Aurora. Show more Hide
Dave Stern
Amazing trip, highly recommended. This was my first photo tour, and the Luminar team did a fantastic job! Entire trip was very well run, had great people on it and fantastic photo experts and guides. Tons of opportunities to take amazing photos, including some I now have displayed in a local gallery. I would not hesitate to recommend this trip, it's a great opportunity to learn from others, share photo stories, meet new people, and take some amazing pictures all while experiencing Iceland and its natural wonders! Show more Hide
A plan is the key to a great adventure:
Day 1. N-ice to meet you!
- Arrival at Keflavík International Airport.
- Bus or taxi transfer to Grand hotel Reykjavik
- Initial introductions in the evening.
- Meeting with your colleagues and artists, a small networking session.
- Plan overview, logistics, and locations you’ll be shooting.
- Warm welcome dinner.
Day 2. Snaefellsnes peninsula
Practice on many wonders of the Snaefellsnes peninsula in West Iceland:
- Arnarstapi fishing village. We’ll witness its fantastic nearby beach, ravines, columnar basalt, caves and rock formations, as well as the strong waves of the North Atlantic Ocean. A central attraction there is the Gatklettur natural stone arch and nearby lava field, Hellnagraun.
- Budakirkja – a charming old black church of the 19th century. It stands in a moss-grown lava field surrounded by an old turf wall with a mountain ring around it. Nearby you’ll see remnants of an old farm and rare golden sand beach.
- Mount Kirkjufell, a landmark of the fishing town Grundarfjörður. The mountain is distinctive for its pyramid-like shape and is renowned for having appeared in HBO's Game of Thrones series.
- Londrangar sea stacks and Svalþúfa Hill, a crater that has mostly fallen to erosion. At Þúfubjarg cliff, you will also be able to enjoy the magnificent birdlife of the area, including puffins, kittiwakes, common murres, northern fulmars.
Day 3-4. Landmannalaugar
Bus ride to the lovely highland oasis of Landmannalaugar. With its hot springs and natural baths, its colourful rhyolite mountains, its spectacular rock formations, vast lava fields and lush vegetation, the area is one of the most popular and photogenic oases in the country. The list of the locations we’ll visit will depend on the weather, but we plan to see the following Iceland wonders:
- Frostastaðaháls area, including Frostastaðavatn lake.
- Waterfalls of the Sigöldugljúfur canyon. While not as well known as many of other Icelandic attractions, Sigöldugljúfur canyon is a marvel in its own right, sure to result in stunning photos. The contrast of the green moss, the water and the dark rock make for a particularly pleasing effect.
- Landmannalaugar natural baths. These relaxing hot pools make for the perfect way to relax at the end of a busy day.
- Veiðivötn area and further explore and photograph its many beautiful highland lakes, craters and lava formations.
- Iceland‘s second-highest waterfall, Háifoss.This stunning feature drops 122 meters into a deep river gorge. We will also photograph the nearby waterfall, Granni. Both of these waterfalls are part of the river Fossa, itself a tributary of the Þjórsá glacier river, the longest river in Iceland. Photo set at the third waterfall on the river, Hjálparfoss in case of favorable conditions. Arriving at this destination, you'll quickly realize the waterfall will be another valued contribution to your expanding portfolio.
Day 5. Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
Visit to the Vatnajökull National Park, a vast area that contains many of Iceland’s greatest subjects for photography. You can expect a range of subjects throughout the first part of this day, including lava landscapes, glacier tongues, waterfalls and desert-like stretches of black sands.
- Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. Jökulsárlón is a truly beautiful place, where vivid blue icebergs break from the retreating glacier tongue Breiðamerkurjökull and slowly float across the lake towards the ocean.
- Diamond Beach, a stretch of black-sand coastline where icebergs wash ashore after finally reaching the ocean. Here, you will have the chance to capture sun stars and golden glints hitting each iceberg.
Day 6. Skaftafell Nature Reserve and Vik Village
- Visit to the spectacular Skaftafell Nature Reserve. This area is so beautiful that it was once a national park in its own right. You will spend the majority of the day shooting its many sites, continuing to practice your landscape photography. Your subjects will include glacier tongues and lagoons, mountains, ice caps, forests, river systems, and waterfalls.
- South Coast exploration. Windswept peninsula of Dyrhólaey is home to an abundance of birdlife as well as a historic lighthouse that makes for wonderful compositions. You’ll have the opportunity to photograph the cliffs from above and below, where the black sand beach extends all the way into the horizon.
- Trip to black sand beach of Reynisfjara, where columnar cliffs meet the roaring waves of the North Atlantic Ocean. You’ll be able to spot puffins swooping down from their nests atop these basaltic columns to catch fish in the ocean. If the tide is out then you’ll be able to explore the naturally formed cave that sits by the shore, as well as get closer to the Reynisdrangar sea stacks that rise from the water.
- After dinner, you’ll have the option to explore the fishing village of Vík í Mýrdal as the Midnight Sun circles overhead, and there’s no spot more magical than the beautiful church that overlooks the village itself. Surrounded by purple lupines, it makes for a truly romantic scene, set against the backdrop of the Reynisdrangar sea stacks in the distance. You’ll then retire to your accommodation in Vík í Mýrdal.
Day 7. Editing Party in Reykjavik
- Return to Reykjavik, where we’ll have post-processing sessions, photo reviews, photography lectures, and, of course, the farewell party.
Day 8. Departure
This is the final day of our Skylum and Iceland Photo Tours Camp. No doubt you’ll have countless images of the northern lights and ice caves saved to your memory cards, as well as a wonderful range of new photography skills under your belt to practice into the future. When it’s time, you will take a transfer back to Keflavík International Airport, where you’ll be able to catch your flight home or onwards to your next destination.
Snaefellsnes
Gatklettur
Budakirkja
Kirkjufell
Londrangar
Landmannalaugar
Sigöldugljúfur canyon
Háifoss
Hjálparfoss
Jökulsárlón
Diamond Beach
Skaftafell
Dyrhólaey
Reynisdrangar sea stacks
Reykjavik
Reykjavik is the country's capital and largest city. You’ll have a chance to explore the city on the arrival day before the official start of the tour.
Snaefellsnes peninsula
Snaefellsnes peninsula is known for its diverse landscapes, including a volcano, glaciers & black-sand beaches. We’ll be exploring it on the second day of our trip.
Arnarstapi
Arnarstapi is a small fishing village on the southern side of Snæfellsnes.
Gatklettur
Natural stone arch, set over the water with bird-rich cliffs in Arnarstapi.
Budakirkja
A famous black church located on the Snaefellsnes peninsula. It stands in a moss-grown lava field surrounded by an old turf wall with a mountain ring around it.
Kirkjufell
A landmark of the fishing town Grundarfjörður. The mountain is distinctive for its pyramid-like shape and is renowned for having appeared in HBO's Game of Thrones series.
Londrangar
Beautiful sea stacks located on the southern side of Snæfellsnes.
Landmannalaugar
Landmannalaugar, or the 'People's Pools', is a vast area of stunning and unique beauty in the heart of Iceland's southern Highlands. Throughout the summer, it is one of the most popular places for hiking – either over one day or several – and for natural hot spring bathing.
Sigöldugljúfur canyon
Sigöldugljúfur used to be a river way, but when the hydro electric damn Sigölduvirkjun was built, the water from the waterfall Sigöldufoss was directed into the damn, forming the "Valley of tears" where countless waterfalls meet and fall together down the cliffs and into the river below.
Háifoss
Háifoss, or the 'High Waterfall', is a waterfall in Fossárdalur valley, innermost of Þjórsárdalur valley, in South Iceland. It is the country’s third tallest falls.
Hjálparfoss
Hjálparfoss is a waterfall (or, officially, a pair of waterfalls that conjoin) in South Iceland.
Vatnajökull National Park
A vast area that contains many of Iceland’s greatest subjects for photography. You can expect a range of subjects here, including lava landscapes, glacier tongues, waterfalls, and desert-like stretches of black sands.
Jökulsárlón
Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon is one of the most famed and visited attractions in Iceland. Floating on the lagoon are enumerable icebergs that have broken off the resident glacier, creating an ever-changing scenery of incredible allure.
Diamond Beach
The Diamond Beach is a strip of black sand belonging to the greater Breiðamerkursandur glacial plain, located by Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon on the South Coast of Iceland.
Skaftafell Nature Reserve
Scenic landscape, favorable weather conditions and a selection of hiking trails make Skaftafell an ideal destination for those who like to enjoy outdoor activities in Icelandic nature.
Dyrhólaey
Dyrhólaey is a 120-metre high promontory, not far from Vík. The place got its name from the massive arch that the sea has eroded from the headland. (The name literally means "door-hole"). When the sea is calm, big boats can sail through it.
Vík
On day 6, you’ll have the option to explore the fishing village of Vík as the Midnight Sun circles overhead, and there’s no spot more magical than the beautiful church that overlooks the village itself. Surrounded by purple lupines, it makes for a truly romantic scene, set against the backdrop of the Reynisdrangar sea stacks in the distance.
Reynisdrangar sea stacks
Reynisdrangar are basalt sea stacks situated under the mountain Reynisfjall near the village Vík í Mýrdal, southern Iceland which is framed by a black sand beach that was ranked in 1991 as one of the ten most beautiful non-tropical beaches in the world.
Your Trip Includes:
Accommodation for 7 nights, from check-in on August 24 through check-out on August 31, based on double occupancy
All meals from dinner on August 24 through breakfast on August 31.
Transportation along the whole camp route in a comfortable bus.
A welcome kit full of goodies from Skylum and partners.
Chances to win gifts from Skylum and camp partners.
Extra activities you’ll do on the island.
Additional pleasant surprises.
Education from some of the world’s leading photographers.
What’s Not Included:
Flights to/from Iceland.
Transfer to/from the airport.
International medical and travel insurance.
Alcohol, snacks, and beverages (including your room mini bar consumptions.)
In partnership with Iceland Photo Tours — the leading local photo tour operator.
Do I need to be an expert photographer to join the tour?
The primary purpose of the camp is to learn and get experience, so you don’t need to be concerned about your skill level. We welcome ALL photographers, regardless of their level of experience. Every day we will travel, work with various scenarios, and explore the true beauty of mother nature through our cameras. If you love taking photos and are passionate about photo art, this camp will bring you a lot of joy and dramatically boost your skills.
Will I be able to see the northern lights?
We will hunt the Aurora every night, as it’s a sight to see! The northern lights can be seen in Iceland from late August until the beginning of April if the sky is clear and aurora activity is forecasted, so the chances are high.
What should I pack, and what gear should I bring with me?
We will send you a complete clothing and camera equipment list in our welcome kit after you book your spot. Our general recommendation for dressing in Iceland is to wear layers and to stay away from heavy cotton clothing. Lighter alternatives like Merino wool are warm, wrinkle-free, and will serve you well.
How do I book my spot at the tour?
To book your spot at the camp, you need to:
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Provide your contact information through the booking form on our website.
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Look for an email from Skylum and confirm your booking by sending a 50% deposit.
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Pay the remaining 50% of the total trip cost by June 15, 2023.
Do you have a cancellation policy?
Yes, we have a cancellation and refund policy.
You can cancel at any time before the camp begins. If you cancel and we are able to fill your spot and all other spots by the time the camp begins, we’ll refund you the full amount paid minus a $300 service fee.
If you cancel and all spots are not filled by the start of the camp, you will be refunded according to the following schedule:
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Cancellation by June 1: full refund minus $300 service fee
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Cancellation between June 1 and July 15: 50% refund minus $300 service fee
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Cancellation after July 15: no refunds given (unless all spots are filled by the start of the tour)
All refunds will be given after the camp has begun and we have determined refund amounts as per the policy stated above. Refunds will be paid through the same method in which the original payment was made. We strongly recommend that you obtain trip cancellation and travel insurance after booking your trip. If you must cut your trip short for any reason once it has already commenced, you will not receive any refund.