I traveled to Iceland with one main goal: to photograph Mount Vestrahorn, a striking mountain in the eastern part of the country. While I captured much more along the way, Vestrahorn was the focus. I wanted to spend an entire day with it—seeing it in every kind of light: dawn, midday, cloudy, bright, sunset. And I did. I took countless photos, planning to compile a set documenting the experience. I thought I was done.
Then, the lights came on.
It’s hard to describe the scene. This mountain is massive, and what looks like a puddle in the foreground is actually the ocean. The photo above, along with the full one below, are panoramic shots—each composed of 12 images stitched together because even my wide-angle lens couldn’t capture the entire scene. The bands of green were so vast at times that they felt almost surreal.
I spent more time standing in awe than pressing the shutter. It began as a faint glow over my hotel, and I figured I’d snap a few pictures before it disappeared and then head to bed. But instead, it grew. So, I jumped in the truck and drove to a better vantage point. It grew again. That’s when I decided to head back to Vestrahorn, hoping to catch the full display. It kept expanding, overtaking the sky in a way I had never seen before. For the next 30 minutes, it put on an unforgettable show.
I’ve often joked that, despite traveling to Iceland multiple times, the best Northern Lights I had ever seen were at a park near my home in Medway. Well, that joke is officially retired. I doubt I’ll ever top this. A snowy Vestrahorn under a sky glowing green—this was my peak Northern Lights moment. And I wouldn’t change a thing.
tr/trp
“More time in awe then pressing the shutter …” spoken by a professional and student of the world.
Wow!! Breathtaking!!