Vesturhorn Mountain – landscape photography

Vesturhorn mountain

Vesturhorn mountain is perhaps the best beach and mountain combination ever. The landscape at Stokksnes provides rich foregrounds in the sand dunes, tussocks and shore.

The beach has a combination of smooth black sand and well shaped rocks. The sand dunes and tussocks provide rich lines and little reflection pools. The rocky East Iceland shoreline can add movement and drama to sea-scapes. The smooth sand can provide great reflections of Vesturhorn mountain in most conditions.

Blue Hour Beach

Take advantage of the short winter days with some low-light photography.

As long as the mountain is visible, great landscape photographs can be made in most conditions.  Although the mountain peaks are obscured by clouds, the distant peaks of Brunahorn Mountain are clear.  Here I am making good use of the foreground rocks on the beach at Stokksnes Peninsula The waves of the North Atlantic and Norwegian sea creep a long way up this flat shoreline.  My long exposure capture a large wave as it retreated down the black sand beach.

Chocolate Mountain

Fudge beyond your wildest dreams.

If you are lucky enough to have unspoilt, wet sand, the sand flats can provide valuable Landscape foreground. It is possible to photograph reflections of Vesturhorn mountain in windy weather.

Blue Pool

Little reflection pools can be found after heavy rainfall or melting snow.

After heavy rains or melting snow, the sand dunes are worth exploring thoroughly for these little pools.  My tripod was on its lowest setting and I managed to capture a tiny mountain peak reflection.  It can be a challenge to find sand that doesn’t have foot-prints sometimes.  After a wind storm is probably the best time to visit.

Vesturhorn Light

Sunlight hits the face of Vestrahorn in the mid afternoon before 16.30.  The light dusting of snow creates a nice texture in parts of the soft light on the mountain.  Without the interest of a flash of winter light, the foreground would have been too much.  In my opinion, the light o the mountain face competes well against the foreground for attention.

Although the sand dunes have some really cool textures for dynamic foregrounds, I am a sucker for the beach.  Having big ocean surges interacting with the rocks on the beach is something I can photograph all day.  If you are lucky, you could get a slither of light on the mountain to make the photo complete.

Vestrahorn Nights

Vesturhorn can be a fantastic location for Northern lights. As you face the Vestrahorn mountain from Stokknes, you are facing North East.  With a clear sky it can be worth a nigh time visit.  I didn’t capture Northern Lights here often enough.  My obsession with the Glacier lagoons meant that I only tried Vestrahorn a couple of times after an evening meal in Hofn.

Shooting Northern Lights at Vestrahorn