I'm back! After an absolutely jam-packed, INCREDIBLE summer, I am back at good ole WPP Headquarters. I thought it would be fun to catch you up on some of our adventures!
The summer kicked off with a trip to beautiful Iceland to participate in the Barkjavik dog photography workshop. Lead by instructors Nicole Begley Photography, Dog Breath Photography, Furtography and Charlotte Reeves Photography - this workshop was hands-down one of the best decisions I have ever made for my business (and myself personally). I returned home with my creative cup overflowing, new ideas, and new friends.
We photographed dogs at some of the most well-known and epic locations in Iceland. Here is a list of my Top 5 favorite spots we visited!
5
Rainbow Street + Hallgrimskirkja - These two locations are within walking distance of each other in downtown Reykjavík. Brightly colored Rainbow Street is a highly visited tourist spot, and I'd recommend that you get there early in the morning if you want to take any photos of the location with the church in the background WITHOUT 50 other people in your image. 😆 It's an iconic location, and I'm glad we visited it - although being a "nature-themed" photographer, I was much more at home in the other locations on our workshop.
🐕: Móri - White Swiss Shepherd
🐕: Laksa - Whippet
4
Skógafoss - One of the most iconic waterfalls in Iceland. "Foss" literally means waterfall in Icelandic, and this waterfall is one of the most epic of them all. We almost didn't get to shoot at this location due to hazardous winds. Thankfully, the area was fairly well protected from the wind and our models could travel safely to the location. This hotspot probably should be ranked higher on my list due to the fact that it is absolutely stunning... but since it's kind of a "one-hit-wonder" - I'm keeping it in the # 4 spot.
Also - can we talk for a minute about how unreal these models were? Whew! Talk about next level posing skills! Húgó & Kría, as well as Ragnar and Rebel (not pictured) were total rock stars!
🐕: Húgó & Kría - Border Collie x Icelandic Sheepdogs
🐕: Ragnar - Giant Schnauzer
3
Reynisfjara Beach - No trip to Iceland is complete without a trip to Reynisfjara Beach! Best known for the black sand beach and the basalt columns, the beach also has quite the view with stoney outcrops jetting from the windswept ocean. This location is dramatically stunning in every possible way.
WARNING: This beach can be EXTREMELY hazardous. Do not turn your back on the ocean at this location and make sure you always keep a safe distance from the waves. If you venture close to the waves, always have a "spotter" so they can warn you if rogue waves come crashing into the shore line unexpectedly. The waves and current can quickly turn against you!
🐕: Frosti - Labrador Retriever
🐕: Takara - Shiba Inu
2
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon - The original plan for this shoot was to photograph dogs along Diamond Beach. We met our models there, but unfortunately - the tide was out. The "diamonds", which are pieces of glacial ice from the lagoon, wash up on the shore after the tide goes out and then comes back in the following morning. That causes all of the glacial ice to wash up on the shore. Since we were there in the evening - no diamonds were waiting for us. Not to worry though! The glacial lagoon was absolutely incredible, which is why it actually beat out Reynisfjara Beach as my second favorite location of the trip.
We spent the session photographing some of my favorite models along the edges of the lagoon, the rocky shores of the ocean, and the smooth black sand beach. There was a fog that came rolling off the iceberg in the distance and into the lagoon that made the atmosphere unforgettable.
🐕: Máni - Border Collie, Cairn Terrier, Poodle
🐕: Púki - German Shepherd
🐕: Churro - Lhasa Apso puppy
🐕: Ískra - Border Collie x German Shepherd
1
Stokksness - Located at the base of Vestrahorn Mountain on the southeast end of Iceland, this location is straight out of a fairytale! The colors, the light, the landscape... it was all so incredibly magical. I had been dreaming of this location since the moment I saw the workshop announced. And on a fun note... I also had the pleasure of coordinating the model application and selection process before the workshop began. As soon as I saw this stunning Bernese Mountain Dog, Freyja, I knew I just had to see if she was able to travel to Stokksnes for the shoot. Her images did NOT disappoint (and her mom was a delight to work with)! This location is number one on my list for its variety and the overall majesty of the spot, though somehow I managed to only focus on capturing ONE "frame-able" shot at the location. Funny how that works sometimes?
I found that shooting with my wide-angle lens resulted in my favorite image from the session, but I still used my longer focal-length lenses to create some of my signature look images as well. I just wasn't nearly as happy with them as I was with the wide-angle shot from above.
Some of our models travelled 7 hours round-trip from Reykjavík to be photographed at this location. Talk about commitment!
🐕: Freyja - Bernese Mountain Dog
🐕: Nuka - Basset Hound
It was an INCREDIBLE trip!
We had beautiful dogs, wonder dog-model parents and our entire group had an absolute blast together. It's not often that you can get a group of 12 photographers together for 10 days and everyone enjoys each other - but these workshops have truly found a way to make our time together magical.
All-in-all, the experience was a 10 out of 10 and I absolutely cannot wait to sign up for the next adventure.
Until next time friends!
Amy