A photographer in Reykjavík: the routes, the light hours, and how to book a local
Why the city is a better session than people expect
Reykjavík is a capital of about 140,000 people and it is small enough to photograph on foot in a morning. That is the practical argument for a city session: no drive, no gravel road, no five-hour commitment, and a plan that still works when the south coast is under a wind warning. The other argument is the light. At this latitude the winter sun barely clears the rooftops, so the whole short December day is one long low gold, and in June it never really leaves.
What the city gives you that the landscape does not: colour on a grey day. Corrugated-iron houses in mustard, teal and red, a rainbow painted up a street, a glass concert hall, boats, murals. What it does not give you: scale. If you came for a mountain in the frame, the city is the second session, not the first. See the Reykjavík location page for what local photographers shoot here.
Real shots from Reykjavík
Three routes
The church, the rainbow street and the painted lanes — about an hour
Start at the top of Skólavörðustígur with Hallgrímskirkja behind you and walk down the painted rainbow, then wander into Þingholt: Bergstaðastræti, Grettisgata, Njálsgata, Týsgata, where the tin-clad houses come in crayon colours and lace curtains. It is the most sheltered ground in the centre and the best option in wind. Go before 09:00 if you want the rainbow street without other people on it; the tour groups arrive from mid-morning and stay until dark. These are private homes, so photographers work quickly and keep doorways clear.
The waterfront: Sun Voyager, Harpa, the old harbour — about an hour
The Sun Voyager sculpture sits on the Sæbraut shore with Mount Esja across the bay; in June the sun sets almost behind it near midnight, and in winter it is a sunrise spot instead. Five minutes west, Harpa's coloured glass honeycomb is the weather-proof option — the foyer is public, warm and beautiful at blue hour. Keep walking and you reach the old harbour and Grandi: fishing boats, painted fish factories, murals and the mountain behind everything. The waterfront is the windiest part of the route, which is worth knowing before you choose the outfit.
Grótta and the shore — about ninety minutes with the drive
The lighthouse at the end of the Seltjarnarnes peninsula, fifteen minutes from downtown, is where the city runs out and the sky opens: the darkest reachable sky for aurora, an unobstructed sunset, and a shoreline of black rock and seabirds. Two conditions apply. The islet is cut off by the tide, so the crossing has to be timed, and the area is closed during the bird-nesting season in early summer to protect the birds. Your photographer will check both.
The light, hour by hour, season by season
| Season | Sunrise / sunset | Best hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Late June | About 03:00 / midnight | 21:00–02:00 | Midnight sun; empty streets, warm low light for hours |
| Mid-September | About 06:45 / 19:45 | 18:30–19:45 | Normal golden hour returns; first aurora nights |
| Late December | About 11:20 / 15:30 | All day | Four to five hours of low gold, then a long blue hour with city lights |
| Mid-March | About 07:45 / 19:30 | 18:00–19:30 | Snow likely, aurora possible into April |
The practical consequence is that a winter city session is not a compromise. Book it for the middle of the day, when in most countries the light would be at its worst, and you get gold from the moment the sun comes up. In midsummer, do the opposite: shoot at 22:00 or later, when the streets are quiet and the light is the best of the day.
What clients say about this kind of shoot
I was skeptical when visiting Iceland because I did not like the cold. However after meeting Miro and experiencing Iceland in the best way possible i cannot wait to come back! Miro is one of the best guides I have ever met in my years of traveling. He is very knowledgeable, funny, adaptable and just fun to be around. He made this trip extremely memorable and exciting. Everyday I woke up and thought what are we going to see next?! He even saved our day by meticulously checking his weather app and diverting our plans to avoid a cloudy windy day. Not to mention he is an extremely talented photographer who took the best picture of my wife and I. If anyone is ever going to Iceland I would recommend Miro every time. He has shown how beautiful Iceland really is and left me wanting to come back and visit the parts we couldn’t see.
— Chaahat D. on Miro
This. Was. Everything! This day was the highlight of our trip! We started the day with our guide Miro picking us up from Reykjavík. Miro is AMAZING! Kind, knowledgable and so good at what he does. From there we went to the Golden Circle where we encountered rainbows, horses (which we stopped to visit), geysers, waterfalls, beautiful scenery. It was so special. Miro kicked each leg off with us, but then he gave us private time at each spot as well. From there we had lunch at Friðheimar, so much more than a tomato farm in Iceland. Might I add that when I requested this lunch they were booked, but somehow Miro and his team ended up getting us a reservation. It was delicious and so unique. I was so glad we went. From there, Miro took us to some volcano spots which was so interesting to see and then we did a small photo shoot with Powder, his awesome Land Rover that we traveled in all day. We capped the day off at Blue Lagoon which again, was a great experience. When we came out from Blue Lagoon, Miro had our professional photos ready to go! My gosh they turned out better than I could have imagined. We booked a Northern Lights tour too, but due to weather it didn't come to fruition. Miro handled that perfectly. We will be back next year and we 100% will book with Miro again. If you are on the fence about booking a private tour verses the group tours, book the private. It is worth EVERY penny. Have fun!
— Lindsay N. on Miro
I am a part of a choir in Iceland, and we played a part in a JCS (Jesus Christ Superstar) production at Harpa in Reykjavík, Iceland. I asked my friend Johann Smári to attend the dress rehearsal and feel free to take some photos. The outcome was amongst these 4 photos here on the site and many more outstanding shots, which we use on posters and ads for our choir. And on top of it, Jóhann Smári is a good man and nice to have around.
— Gísli F. on Johann K.
We had an absolutely amazing experience with our guide, Miro! He was incredibly kind, professional, and attentive throughout our 14 hour tour He helped me plan the perfect marriage proposal, carefully coordinating every detail and timing everything perfectly to make this special moment unforgettable. We were also lucky enough to see the Northern Lights, which made the experience even more magical! Everything went flawlessly, including the beautiful photos that captured such an important moment in our lives. Thank you so much, Miro, for going above and beyond and making this one of the most memorable days of our lives! We couldn’t have asked for a better guide. Highly recommended!
— Alexander S. on Miro
I have done a few photoshoots with Smári and always have had a great experience. He is a great photographer and has such a good eye for great locations for the kind of photoshoot I had in mind. I am always surprised at how good the photos come out. If you are looking for someone with great experience on the best places to take photos, have worked in many events and all around great at bringing art to life, through lenses, then Smári is your guy.
— Marly G. on Johann K.
We absolutely love the photos Johann Smári took of us! He is professional, friendly, and made us feel so comfortable. We're so happy with the beautiful memories he captured. Highly recommend him!
— Kara & Gummi on Johann K.
Pairing the city with a day trip
Most visitors have three or four days and want one session. The combinations that work:
- City morning, Golden Circle afternoon. Þingvellir is 45 minutes out; the rift walls give you shelter and a real landscape without committing to the south coast.
- Blue Lagoon on the arrival or departure day. It is 40 to 50 minutes from the city and about 20 from the airport, so it slots into the day a flight already owns. Entry is ticketed and the venue sets its own photography rules, so ask your photographer what is possible before you plan around it.
- South coast full day. Seljalandsfoss is roughly two hours away, Vík about two and a half. That is a day, not an afternoon, and it is worth doing properly rather than squeezing.
- City session as the weather backup. Book the landscape session for early in your trip and hold the city as the plan B; a storm on the coast is rarely a storm downtown.
If you want the spot-by-spot detail on the city itself, the best photo spots in Reykjavík goes through nine of them with the hour that suits each.
Booking a local
Photographers here are concentrated in the capital, which is the one part of Iceland where you have real choice and short notice is often possible. Browse the photographers, look at whose galleries show your kind of weather, and read the package rather than the price alone: the number of edited photos, the delivery time and whether a second location is included vary more than the totals do.
A city session is typically 60 to 90 minutes, which suits solo portraits and small families as well as couples. Payment is by card at booking and is held until your gallery is delivered; the gallery is private, downloadable in high resolution and stays open for about 90 days. Weather rescheduling is free, though downtown it is needed far less often than on the coast.
One small thing that improves every city session: decide in advance whether you want people in the background or not. An empty Reykjavík exists, but only before 09:00 and after 22:00, and it is the single easiest thing to plan for.
Frequently asked questions
How much time do you need for a photoshoot in Reykjavík?
An hour covers one route — the church and the painted streets, or the waterfront — at a walking pace with time to stop. Ninety minutes lets you link two routes or add Grótta, which needs the drive out to Seltjarnarnes and a check of the tide. Longer than two hours in the city usually means you would be better off spending the extra time on a day trip to Þingvellir or the south coast.
What is the best time of day for photos in Reykjavík?
In summer, late: 21:00 to 02:00 gives you low golden light and empty streets, because the sun sets around midnight and never gets far below the horizon. In winter, the middle of the day: with sunrise near 11:00 and sunset by 15:30 in December, every daylight hour is golden, and blue hour with the city lights follows straight after. In spring and autumn it is the ordinary golden hour before sunset.
Can you photograph the northern lights in Reykjavík?
You can see them from the city on strong nights, but streetlights wash out anything faint. The realistic option within reach is Grótta lighthouse on Seltjarnarnes, fifteen minutes from downtown, which is dark enough for a portrait under the aurora when the forecast and the clouds cooperate. No photographer can promise the lights on a given night — sessions are booked as a night window rather than a fixed hour.
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