Iceland 2025 Aurora Tour

Iceland – February 2-8, 2025

Iceland - February 2-8, 2025

Experience the best of South Coast of Iceland on this epic Aurora photography adventure! You'll have all the time in the world to capture spectacular photographs of Iceland from frozen waterfalls, beautiful landscape, glaciers, and amazing northern lights.

Iceland’s South Coast

Experience the best of South Coast of Iceland on this epic Aurora photography adventure! You'll have all the time in the world to capture spectacular photographs of Iceland from frozen waterfalls, beautiful landscape, glaciers, and amazing northern lights. Seize this incredible opportunity to shoot the icebergs of Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon with the Northern lights circles overhead when it gets dark. Not to mention miles upon miles of pure raw nature along Iceland’s famous black sand beaches. Whether you are a novice, an aspiring amateur or a professional photographer, this workshop in Iceland is sure to advance your landscape photography skills and to expand your portfolio.

No doubt the most popular part of Iceland, the south coast is home to spectacular landscapes and a host of photographic opportunities that will excite any photographer. From thundering waterfalls, black sand beaches and stunning sea stacks to the massive icebergs at Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and its neighboring ice beach, this is an area that overflows with natural beauty.

Workshop Cost

  • To keep our group small we will be taking 6 participants on this workshop. Total Cost: $4,500 per person.

  • PLEASE NOTE: This workshop will be confirmed in October 2025 or as soon as the minimum number of participants is met.

The Instructors

Marc Rassel: Landscape Astrophotographer. Outdoorsman. Space Nerd.

Marc is an award-winning and exhibiting landscape astrophotographer and workshop leader based in Minnesota, USA with a particular interest in astronomy. He has traveled to many locations around the world both professionally and personally, and has extensive experience photographing these landscapes and the wonders of the night sky in a wide variety of conditions. Through the experiences of owning and running an advertising and design firm, and formal training in graphic design and fine arts, he has amassed an array of skills that allow him to apply both a technical and aesthetic approach to his work and that of his students. When not leading workshops, Marc spends much of his time in the outdoors exploring and photographing the deep Northwoods of the Midwest and the mountainous landscapes of Colorado.

Mark Bouldoukian: Wildlife and Landscape Photographer.

My name is Mark Bouldoukian, I'm a wildlife & landscape photographer based in Fresno, California. Been always inspired in photography since I was a kid. Spent most of my time traveling and teaching photography courses, workshops, post processing...

My work has been featured on Discovery, natgeoyourshot, instagram, canonusa, beautifuldestinations, and many more... I want to show the world and encourage people to go out and explore what our planet has to offer! Life is too short, enjoy every moment of it.

Recommended Equipment

  • Sturdy tripod with ball head

  • Digital SLR and/or mirrorless camera body with full manual control, preferably full-frame sensor (although cropped / APS-C will work)

  • Wide angle lens(es) with fast aperture (f2.8 or better). Some great lenses for night sky photography include the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L III, Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 (or 24mm), Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8

  • Zoom of approximately 24-105mm

  • If you have a telephoto (200mm+) and it’ll fit your travel plans, bring it along – you never know what we might find out in the field

  • Polarizing filters if you have them

  • Basic headlamp

  • Remote shutter release or basic intervalometer

  • Memory cards

  • Extra batteries (at least 3 fully-charged batteries per night)

  • Camera / lens cleaning supplies

  • Laptop / Lightroom and Photoshop software + file transfer accessories if you’d like to follow along during post-processing sessions

  • Hard drives and file backup accessories

If you don’t have everything you need, please contact me, I may be able to rent you the gear you need.

Trip Includes

  • Transportation from Hotels to all our photography destinations 

  • Lodging (Single Rooms)

  • Ice Cave Tour

  • Access fees associated with trail access will be included 

  • 2 Instructors: Marc Bouldoukian and Marc Rassel. We will be working with each attendee, making sure you're not only going home with photos that are proud of, are learning and growing during the trip.

  • Editing techniques on photoshop and Lightroom.

  • Tips and tricks to help you get better quality images out of your camera 

  • Understanding light and composition

Trip Does NOT Include

  • Airfare

  • Lunches, Dinners

  • Insurance 

  • Alcohol, snacks and beverages

  • Camera Gear

Itinerary

Arrival in Iceland, and where to meet:

  • I recommend arriving to Iceland a day before the workshop, that way you'll have time to relax and get ready for the non-stop adventures for the coming several days.

  • We will meet at (Courtyard by Marriott Reykjavik Keflavik Airport) 8:00 A.M Sunday, February 2, 2025. From there the adventure begins!

Details of Itinerary to be announced soon and will include:

  • Auroras every night that weather and conditions will allow

  • Ice Caves

  • The Black Church at Budir

  • Kirkjufell

  • Beautiful Icelandic horses

  • Visit a Hidden waterfall

  • Seljalandsfoss waterfall

  • Skógafoss waterfall

  • Sunset Reynisdrangar rock formations

  • Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon (sunrise and sunset)

  • Vestrahorn (sunrise and sunset)

  • Diamond Beach

Suggested Packing List

  • Layered, warm clothing (We are likely to experience a very cold, wide range of temperatures, potentially from -20°F to 30°F)

  • Warm base layers for legs and torso, gloves, hat, jacket, shirts, snow pants, wool socks, face mask / balaclava and footwear / snow boots suitable for extremely cold weather. (**Avoid cotton in favor of wool fibers whenever possible!)

  • Water bottles / hydration packs

Important Workshop Information

By attending this workshop, you agree to hold Marc Bouldoukian of Mark bouldoukian photography and Marc Rassel of Hand Forged LLC harmless for all personal injury or loss that may occur during or in connection with this trip.

This is a self-led travel trip. You are responsible for your safety in the car you choose to travel in, with the roommate you select, and as you move in Iceland.

Do not push your physical abilities past what you are healthy enough to do. You are in charge of deciding if a location is safe for you to travel to.

Travel insurance as well as insurance for your photo gear are both highly recommended. Marc Bouldoukian’s and Marc Rassel’s roles in this workshop is to teach photography in Iceland and guide you to great locations.

You are responsible for your safety as you travel. Marc Bouldoukian and Marc Rassel makes no effort to vet the other attendees of the trip and you need to make sure you are safe in their companionship. In the event of extraordinary events, governmental instability, extreme weather, pandemic, or other condition, Marc Bouldoukian and Marc Rassel reserves the right to reschedule or cancel this trip and either return all workshop fees or apply paid fees toward a future workshop

Weather: Winter weather can be highly variable and unpredictable in Iceland and temperatures can be very cold.

Cancellation Policy: We reserve the right to cancel the workshop if minimum participants are not met or in the event of an emergency. If a cancellation does occur, participants may either use the fee towards a future workshop or receive a full refund. We highly recommend Travel Insurance to cover any non-refundable fees or medical coverage during the workshop.