Iceland Photo Expedition & Workshop 2026
Aurora Borealis & Highlights
10th April - 18th April 2026
This is not a sightseeing photo tour.
We run intensive landscape photography expeditions built around real technique, real conditions and real results.
You don’t just take photos — you learn how to think, decide and work in the field: composition, timing, exposure control, panoramas and complex scenes, guided step by step by a professional instructor team.
This approach is why our expeditions attract photographers who want to improve — not just collect locations.
Late-winter Iceland — extreme contrast, fast weather shifts and aurora-ready nights
10th April – 18th April 2026
📍 Iceland | 👤 Max 8 Participants | 📸 Up to 4 Instructors incl. Jan Šmíd, Master QEP
Join Jan Šmíd, Master QEP, for an exclusive Late Winter–Early Spring Iceland Photo Expedition — a focused landscape photography workshop combining Aurora Borealis, ice caves, frozen waterfalls, black-sand beaches, glacier lagoons, and dramatic coastal cliffs. A true Arctic photography experience at the perfect seasonal moment.
Why Early April in Iceland?
Because it’s the sweet spot — by design. Early April gives you what most photographers consider impossible in one trip:
❄️ Full winter look
Snowfields, frozen waterfalls, icy rivers, blue-hour frost — Iceland still feels like deep winter.
🌅 Longer daylight & more stable weather
Unlike mid-winter storms, April offers much better travel safety and more predictable light.
🌌 Real chance for Northern Lights
Despite the season shift, Aurora is still absolutely possible — some of Jan’s strongest aurora portfolios were created exactly in early April.
🧊 Ice caves (if accessible)
Many remain open into April with spectacular light.
🏔 Glacier lagoons & coastal cliffs
From Jökulsárlón to Diamond Beach, Vestrahorn, Stokksnes and dramatic Atlantic coastlines.
Early April balances everything: winter atmosphere, stable driving, dark nights, epic foregrounds, ice, snow, reflections, and dramatic skies.
📸 Iceland: The Most Dramatic Landscape in the North Atlantic
Iceland isn’t just waterfalls and black sand — it’s a world-class photography playground:
• Frozen waterfalls framed by fresh snow
• Ice chunks on black beaches during sunrise
• Glacial lagoons with reflections and floating ice
• Aurora Borealis over mountains and glaciers (when conditions align)
• Sea stacks, cliffs, and long-exposure Atlantic surf
• Mountain ridges with late-winter snow textures
• Ice cave interiors glowing in blue light
This trip is designed for photographers who want clean compositions, panoramas, long exposures, and night photography — with expert on-location coaching.
Workshop Format – Small Group, Big Attention
Like all premium Smidphotography.com expeditions:
• Max 8 participants
• Up to 4 instructors → extremely personal approach
• Multiple vehicles → flexible routing & location-based decision-making
• Field coaching on single shots, multi-row panoramas, night scenes & aurora
• Evening reviews and post-processing guidance
• Tailored workflow from field to large-format print
This workshop ensures every photographer — beginner or advanced — gets individual mentoring, real results, and portfolio-worthy images. Ready to capture ice caves, frozen waterfalls, black-sand beaches, and the last Auroras of the season?
🎥 Want a feel for our expeditions? Watch our behind-the-scenes videos on the YouTube channel for the vibe, pacing and results.
👉 Secure your place now and transform your Iceland portfolio in 2026
Who Is This Iceland Photo Tour For? ❄️🌌🌊
Whether you’re an experienced photographer or a motivated beginner, this Iceland Late Winter–Early Spring Photo Expedition is built to level you up — guided by Jan Šmíd, Master QEP, and a full instructor team.
In one trip you’ll photograph frozen waterfalls, glacier lagoons, black-sand beaches, sea stacks, ice caves (if accessible), and the last Auroras of the season when conditions align.
This workshop is ideal if you want to:
✅ Capture winter-to-spring scenes: snowy ridgelines, icy waterfalls, glacier lagoons, ice caves, and dramatic Atlantic coastlines
✅ Master single shots & panoramas — including multi-row night panoramas, long exposures, advanced metering and focus techniques
✅ Build a cohesive Iceland portfolio with one-on-one coaching in a small group (max 8)
✅ Learn location strategy — reading live forecasts, cloud layers, tide/swell patterns and aurora conditions
✅ Prepare large-format prints with clean, high-resolution workflows
✅ Photograph iconic landmarks (Vestrahorn, Diamond Beach, Jökulsárlón) and lesser-known spots that most tours skip
Trade everyday landscapes for a true Arctic field experience — and bring home portfolio images you won’t get anywhere else.
🗺️ What Will We See During the Iceland Photography Expedition?
This Iceland workshop doesn’t follow a rigid schedule — we go where the conditions are best. Every day we chase the strongest light, the cleanest snow and ice, and the most dramatic atmosphere. You’ll experience frozen waterfalls, blue-ice glacier lagoons, black-sand beaches with heavy surf, rugged Atlantic cliffs and late-winter mountain passes. When conditions allow, we also enter selected ice caves for unique interior shots.
Between golden hour and night sessions we balance Iceland’s headline icons with quieter, off-the-radar areas — no crowds, no rush, just space to create clean compositions.
Optional extras may include ice-cave photography, glacier viewpoints or coastal ridge lines, depending on access and safety.
Iceland is pure photographic power — this expedition shows you why. ❄️🌌🌊📸
🟢 Physically Accessible Photo Tour — Adapted to You
This expedition suits all fitness levels. Most photo locations require only light to moderate walks. But if you want demanding viewpoints, we can take you there. If you prefer accessible shoots near the road, no problem — with multiple vehicles and up to 4 instructors:
✅ No one is left behind
✅ Daily plan adapts to weather & fitness
✅ Personalized approach — every participant gets the shot
📍 Location: Iceland
📅 Dates: 10th April - 18th April 2026
👥 Participants: Max 8
👨🏫 Instructors: up to 4 – Jan Šmíd (Master QEP), Martin Strouhal (QEP), Pavel Drexler (Adobe Certified Professional), Michael Prouza
✈️ Flights: Group support available
💰 Price: 5990 USD
(🇨🇿 orientační cena pro CZ účastníky: 89 990 Kč — USD price applies to international bookings; CZK rate reflects local currency & local services)
💼 Deposit: 1490 USD
🏠 Accommodation: Higher standard villas or high-end apartments (twin rooms as standard; single room available on request for an additional fee)
🍽 Meals: self-catering or restaurants
🌐 Language: English (🇨🇿 český lektor k dispozici)
❄️ Why Join This Iceland Photo Expedition (Late Winter → Early Spring)?
🌋 A unique seasonal crossover — Iceland in early April is a rare mix of real winter (snow, frozen waterfalls, ice textures) and the first hints of spring light. You get both worlds in one trip — something almost no other workshop offers. And one of the key reasons to join our 2026 expeditions is the exceptional aurora activity expected during the peak of the current solar cycle — explained in detail in this article.
✨ Aurora season isn’t over — despite the date, early April still delivers strong Northern Lights. Some of my best aurora shots were taken exactly at this time of year.
📸 High-end guidance for demanding landscapes — frozen cascades, blue-ice lagoons, black-sand coasts with heavy surf, mountain passes, ridgelines and (if accessible) ice caves. Perfect for single frames, panoramas, long exposures and nighttime work.
🚘 4×4 fleet, multiple teams — we operate several cars with up to 4 instructors, so groups split by skill level, light conditions or mobility. Maximum flexibility, zero compromises.
🗺️ Dynamic, conditions-first planning — no rigid timetable. Every day is shaped by snow, cloud cover, aurora forecasts, wind and tide. We move fast to where the best shooting actually is.
🏔️ Icons + quiet places — Jökulsárlón, Vestrahorn, black-sand beaches… but also lesser-known cliffs, hidden bays and inland spots most tours skip entirely.
💡 Full workflow transparency — composition strategy, exposure control, bracketing/stacking, night techniques, panorama capture, multi-row logic, color control on snow/ice, and clean RAW-to-print workflows.
🤝 Friendly, focused atmosphere — small group, expert team, one-on-one mentoring, and real support whether you're a motivated beginner or an experienced landscape photographer.
📸 Recommended Photography Gear for Iceland
To get the most out of your Iceland Late Winter–Early Spring Photo Expedition, we recommend bringing a DSLR or mirrorless camera, a solid tripod, and a mix of wide-angle to telephoto lenses — perfect for frozen waterfalls, glacier lagoons, black-sand beaches and night-sky work. But don’t worry: even if you shoot only on a smartphone, you’re absolutely welcome. We adapt our mentoring to your gear, skills and shooting style.
🎒 Not sure what to pack?
After registration, you’ll receive a detailed Iceland gear checklist plus personalised advice based on your experience level.
🧭 Still deciding about your equipment?
No problem — as part of your expedition package, we offer:
Pre-trip equipment consultations
Tips for optimising your current gear
Guidance on choosing tripods, filters, warm clothing & weather protection
(Limited) access to test gear during the expedition
Whether you're a seasoned pro fine-tuning your kit or a motivated beginner building a reliable setup, we’ll prepare you for Iceland in every detail — from ice caves and snow-covered ridges to aurora nights over glacier lagoons. Full-frame, APS-C or mobile — you’ll be ready for clean compositions, long exposures, panoramas and night photography in Iceland’s dramatic late-winter conditions.
✅ What’s Included in the Price ❌ What’s Not Included
📸 Full photo instruction (up to 4 instructors incl. Jan Šmíd – Master QEP). Techniques for
single shots, panoramas, seascapes, aurora borealis/stars, bracketing, stacking, and editing.
Personal mentoring & daily image reviews
🛌 8 nights in Iceland — villas or high-end apartments (location-dependent).
Private terrace/balcony, full kitchen, laundry, premium amenities. Double occupancy standard;
single room for an additional fee (subject to availability — request in advance).
🚘 All transport incl. airport pickup & local transfers
✈️ Flight assistance — route advice and group coordination (flights not included).
🎒 Extras — pre-trip gear & clothing consult, printable packing list; optional Sony gear test
(subject to availability — request in advance).
Flights to/from Iceland
Meals & drinks (self-catering/restaurants)
Travel/medical insurance
Entry fees (if applicable)
How We Work: Flexible, Real-World Shooting (what about the itinerary)?
There is no fixed day-by-day itinerary. Each shooting day is planned based on real conditions — light, weather, wind and aurora forecasts. This flexible approach allows us to always be in the best possible location at the right moment, whether it’s for sunrise, sunset or night photography.
Thanks to long-term experience and deep local knowledge of Iceland, we adapt quickly and focus on what matters most: strong landscape and Aurora images, not ticking boxes on a schedule.
🎯 Our mission is simple: To help every participant create the best images possible — every single day.
This photo expedition is designed as an intensive field-based learning experience, where photography is taught directly in real landscapes and changing conditions. If you want to understand how expeditions, private courses and mentoring connect into one complete education system — and how individual formats complement each other — you can read a detailed explanation here.
For those planning more premium workshops in 2026–2027, explore our Alaska Fall Landscape & Glacier Photo Expedition 2026 and Alaska Fall Photo Workshop 2027 — two high-end adventures focused on tundra colors, glaciers and the Aurora Borealis (fotoexpedice Aljaška 2026, fotoexpedice Aljaška 2027, fotoworkshop Aljaška).
❓ FAQ: Iceland Late-Winter / Early-Spring Photo Workshop 2026
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Absolutely any level is welcome. From motivated beginners to advanced landscape photographers, everyone receives individual mentoring — from single-shot composition, exposure control and focusing techniques to panoramas, nightscapes and aurora shooting.
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Most locations require only short, easy walks on snow or compacted paths. Optional hikes to viewpoints are available, but not required. With multiple instructors and 4×4 vehicles, we adapt each session to your fitness and comfort level.
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Expect late-winter landscapes: frozen waterfalls, glacier lagoons with drifting ice, black-sand beaches with long-exposure waves, rugged Atlantic cliffs, and (weather permitting) Northern Lights. April often delivers stable, clear nights — ideal for aurora photography.
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If you want to continue with premium, high-impact expeditions, the perfect follow-up is Alaska Fall Landscape & Glacier Photo Expedition 2026 and the equally powerful Alaska Fall Landscape & Glacier Photo Expedition 2027. Both offer fiery tundra colours, massive glaciers, dramatic mountains, and excellent aurora potential — the ideal next step after Iceland.
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Ano. Ačkoli je stránka primárně v angličtině, čeští a slovenští fotografové se účastní velmi často. Vše vysvětlíme jasně, srozumitelně a v češtině — techniku, terénní postupy i práci se světlem. Český lektor je vždy k dispozici.
📅 Limited spots available – Book your place now!
👉 JOIN THE EXPEDITION
(You’ll be redirected to the registration form / contact section)
💡 Got questions? Reach out directly and we’ll help you with flights, equipment, or anything you need to prepare.