Contacting the photographer Runólfur Hauksson (aka Ronni) was one of the greatest ideas I could possibly have when I planned my itinerary, activities and accommodation in Iceland.
I stumbled upon his Facebook page, and sent him a private message. After a chat or two, I had already changed my plan: I was not heading north anymore, but east, to Höfn, to meet him and let him guide me around the beautiful glaciers, waterfalls and lagoons of the area.
Ronni specializes in Northern Lights photography, and of course my wish was to get to see them with him. With the lagoons of that area, their ice and reflections, the place looked like the perfect photogenic spot for auroras. Just look at these photos by him!
I spent 2 nights in Höfn. Ronni and his wife have a spare room in their house and they rent it out to tourists, probably at the lowest rate of all Iceland! It has a beautiful view over the glacier too.
It was great to spend those days exploring the area first, and then going home and spend time learning about how the Northern Lights work, and keeping an eye on all the different software Ronni uses to keep track of the Aurora activity and subsequently go hunting them. All those numbers and diagrams meant something in the Northern Lights’ language, and Ronni explained me what the values meant, what to expect from them, etc.
I asked him what settings I should use to better shoot the Northern Lights once they appeared, and he patiently replied with different examples according to intensity, available light, etc.
Some people asked me why I would hire a photographer, if I am a photographer myself. Well there are many answers to this question:
- You can never stop learning (which is also the rule #1 of everything on Earth, by the way).
- I never took photos of an Aurora before… the idea of messing up with the settings at the wrong time made me really nervous!
- Ronni is also an experienced guide, owns a 4×4 Jeep and could take me pretty much everywhere, and show me the local attractions, and tell me interesting anecdotes about those places. Moreover, he knows all the best spots for shooting auroras.
The Skútafoss waterfalls
- Living with an Icelandic familywas an interesting experience per se. I got to eat yummy meals with them, help cooking, listen to the people’s stories and meat more family members. I felt comfortable and pampered.
Ronni cooking pizza
- Last but not least, as a solo traveler, most of the times I don’t have any photo of me and when I do (because I ask someone to take me one) they are often very bad: out of focus, not showing the background I asked for, etc.
With Ronni, I didn’t even have to ask for photos: he was always taking great shots of me even when I didn’t notice, so not only I now find myself with great memories, but with great photos of me too! For me this is priceless.
Unfortunately, the weather was not good on those two days, but what can you do about that? Anyway, we got to visit and take photos of many natural beauties in the area:
…and this is not even all! You can see the full photo album of my trip to Iceland here.
And if all these experiences weren’t enough, I even forded a river with Ronni’s 4×4… very Icelandic! Of course, Ronni was there to take a photo of me while I did that. Sorry people, I kick ass… and I have proof!
No, I didn’t get to see the Northern Lights with Ronni, but I did have a unique experience and had a lot of fun.
I would recommend every person interested in photography at any level to do the same. Here are Ronni’s contacts in case you are interested. Believe me, you won’t be disappointed!
Homepage: http://runolfur.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ronnihauks170560
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16 Comments
It was nice to have you here Giulia…
Thanks Ronni, I had a great time!
[…] this… Ronni specializes in Aurora (Northern Lights) photography. Here's my experience. Read more at travel to Iceland – Google Blog Search Related […]
[…] Giulia has been travelling on the south coast of Iceland, posting lots of photos on her blog, like here and […]
Such amazing photos from both of you! Iceland is a dream trip of mine, and every time I see more photos from someone else who has visited, it makes me want to go more and more! Giulia, I think the sunrise photo is my favorite one of yours. Gorgeous!
Thanks Ali! I’ve been wanting to visit Iceland since ages… I had the same feeling you have every time I looked at other people’s photos… and you know what? I still do! I want to go back and think about it every day. What a place! Iceland deserves much, much more than just a week.
The sunrise photo is special to me too, because it’s a scenery I will never forget. So beautiful, made me so happy! Thanks again :)
Sounds like a really awesome experience!
Your photos turned out fabulous, and the whole “having a local experience” aspect of this really appeals to me! I’ll have to keep this in mind for the next time I’m in Iceland!
Thanks Amanda! Yes, I would say the best thing about my trip to Iceland is that I was always staying at locals’ places and this made all the difference. I will do the same next time! And I suggest this to everyone :)
[…] Traveling with the Aurora Photo Guide in Iceland – by Giulia of Travel Reportage. Iceland is so high on my list, and these gorgeous photos make me want to go even more! […]
[…] If you are looking for an affordable place to stay in Höfn, you can stay at Ronni’s (aka the Aurora Photo Guide) place. Read all about it here! […]
[…] know other people did. I bet it’s amazing. But I had my share of walking behind waterfalls in Mígandafoss. The Seljalandsfoss […]
Semplicemente fanstastico. Non ho altre parole. Vedere l’aurora boreale è un sogno che spero di realizzare presto, è come entrare in un incantesimo….
My sister and I are traveling to Iceland in early February and your blog has made me re-think exploring on our own. We are probably going to hire Ronni! I am curious, did you ever go to northern Iceland?
Thanks!
B
Yes I’ve been to Northern Iceland in late October, but with another guide. Let me know if you need info!
Your landscape image of Iceland are awesome. I really liked your Skútafoss waterfalls image and Sunrise at Stokksnes image. They are probably the best in the gallery, however all your images in this series are great.
Thank you so much Chris!