A Midnight Portrait Session at Iceland’s Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck
Some portrait sessions happen in golden hour. This one happened at midnight, two miles into the Icelandic wilderness, at the site of the famous Sólheimasandur plane wreck.
The hike to the wreck
We hiked about two miles out across Iceland’s black sand beach to reach it, the kind of walk that leaves your legs burning and your breath visible in the cold night air. By the time we arrived, the sky had settled into that strange, soft glow Iceland gets instead of true darkness in certain seasons, wrapping the wreckage in an eerie, beautiful light. There’s nothing quite like rounding a bend in the dark and suddenly having the hulking fuselage of the Sólheimasandur wreck rise up out of the empty landscape in front of you.
Fast, cold, and unforgettable
It was bitterly cold out, so we kept things quick, about fifteen minutes of shooting Lindsay in and around the plane, using that strange light to its full advantage. Quick, simple, and stunningly unique is exactly how I’d describe it, and honestly, some of the best portraits happen exactly like this: fast, a little uncomfortable, and completely worth it. We didn’t overthink a single frame, we just chased the light while it lasted and got out of the cold as soon as we had it.
Why I love shooting portraits in Iceland
Iceland has this way of turning an ordinary portrait session into something otherworldly. Black lava fields, dramatic skies, and locations like the Sólheimasandur wreck give portraits a mood you simply cannot recreate anywhere else, which is exactly why I keep coming back.
If a moody, adventurous portrait session in Iceland sounds like your kind of shoot, I would love to plan the trip with you.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Iceland plane wreck?
It’s the Sólheimasandur DC-3 plane wreck, sitting on the black sand beach on Iceland’s south coast, about a two-mile hike from the nearest parking area.
How long is the hike to the Sólheimasandur plane wreck?
It’s about a two-mile hike each way, so plan for sturdy shoes, warm layers, and enough daylight, or in our case, midnight glow, to make the walk comfortable.
Do you travel to Iceland for portrait sessions?
Yes, Iceland is one of my favorite places to shoot, and I love planning adventurous portrait sessions there for clients who want something truly unique.
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