This was our second visit to Iceland, having gone once before in 2013. The last time we rented a small car and camped in our backpack tent as we drove all around the island. This trip we upgraded our rental car to a small campervan and it was much cozier in that given the sometimes harsh Iceland weather.

Most tourists just take the Ring Road around the island, 621 miles. We did a lot of side road exploring and ended the trip at 1,700 miles over nine days. I like to try and find the out-of-the-way places usually off the tourist radar. Being a professional outdoor photographer/filmmaker I can always find many great subjects for my lens in this country. This trip I specifically wanted to document Iceland from the air, and was excited to bring my drone and show this raw and vast landscape from above.

We decided to drive clockwise around the island this time, and headed north toward the Snæfellsnes Peninsula and then into the west fjords as far as Hólmavík. Traveling east, looking for waterfalls, wildlife, and vast vistas, we ended up in Raufarhöfn, one of the most remote and northernmost villages in Iceland and checking out Arctic Henge, which is a Stonehenge-type structure recently constructed to serve as an ancient sundial.

Swinging southward we had to pay a visit to what I think is the most scenic town in Iceland, Seyðisfjörður. Placed at the end of a beautiful fjord, this town is a photographer’s paradise.

Always on the lookout for reindeer herds, we found some in the Hamarsa River plain along the south coast. I also feel Iceland is a great place for birders. Many species of waterfowl abound, especially eider ducks with their interesting calls. We even managed to see an arctic fox. No visit to Iceland should leave out the scenic town of Vik and the nearby Reynisdrangar Seastacks and the black sand beach to the west.

The last area we visited was Þingvellir National Park, with the Mid-Atlantic Rift visible from many areas, and you can even walk in between the two tectonics plates, one on each side.

No matter where you go in Iceland, there is the raw, wild, untamed power in your face at every turn.

About John Gussman

Gussman has been shooting photos for decades. His first darkroom was the closet in his apartment bedroom, which had tin foil over the window.

After getting a degree in photography, he became a staff photographer for a newspaper. He moved to Washington in 1979 to be closer to wilderness and began photographing Olympic National Park.

In 1982 Gussman founded Doubleclick Productions. He photographed architecture and other commercial location work. These days he focuses most of his attention on capturing landscapes, people and adventure, wildlife and the outdoor lifestyle, according to his website, dcproductions.com.

Since 2015 Gussman has used UAV drones for both stills and video, as well as aerial mapping work. He is FAA licensed.

About Traveler’s Journal

Traveler’s Journal is an adventure presentation speaker/photo series presented by the Peninsula Trails Coalition to raise funds for Olympic Discovery Trail projects. Two of this year’s four presentations remain. They are:

Feb. 20: “Iceland,” by John Gussman

Feb. 27: “Siberian Arctic,” by Leslie Saxon West

Time: 7 p.m.

Location: Dungeness River Nature Center, 1943 W. Hendrickson Rd.

Admission: Suggested donation of $10

Photos by John Gussman Professional outdoor photographer and filmmaker John Gussman shot these photos last year during his second trip to Iceland, where he visited places off most tourists’ radar. Gussman’s first trip to the Nordic island nation was in 2013.

Photos by John Gussman Professional outdoor photographer and filmmaker John Gussman shot these photos last year during his second trip to Iceland, where he visited places off most tourists’ radar. Gussman’s first trip to the Nordic island nation was in 2013.