Godafoss Under a Waking Sky

Godafoss revealed its full character during our Autumn Iceland Photo Expedition 2025. Conditions were close to ideal — dramatic clouds, clean air and perfectly timed sunrise light. While another photography group arrived at the waterfall at the same time, their workshop leader clearly misread the location and positioned them on the wrong side. As the colour appeared, they were watching it from behind — turning around repeatedly, searching for compositions that simply weren’t there.

Thanks to our knowledge of this location and many previous visits, our expedition stood exactly where the light was meant to be seen. Facing directly into the sunrise, we had the entire colour show unfolding in front of us — the sky, the river and the falls working together as one coherent scene. We were completely alone at our viewpoint, calm, focused, and fully immersed in the moment, while the other group struggled to react.

This image is a reminder that strong photographs are not about luck or being first, but about knowing where to stand before the light arrives. We’ll be returning to Iceland again in April 2026, when spring conditions bring a very different atmosphere. If you want to experience locations like Godafoss with planning based on real field knowledge rather than guesswork, the Spring Iceland 2026 photo expedition is now open.

Panorama compiled from total of 360 frames (5-level exposure bracketing of 72 frames in four rows).

Equipment: Sony Alpha A1, Zeiss Loxia 25mm f/2.4

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