During September 2014 I took a trip to Iceland to photograph the Bárdarbunga volcanic eruption. I had been to Iceland a couple of years earlier and was wowed by the amazing landscapes and waterfalls, a photographer's paradise! Seeing the footage of the volcano on the news I booked the first flight I could to Reykjavik, hired a car, packed a tent and arranged to take a flight over the volcano in a Cessna light aircraft.

This was my first trip in such a small aircraft, but my anticipation of seeing the volcano so close up managed to put pay to any fears I had. I was lucky enough to get the front seat next to the pilot, giving me a fantastic view.

The journey to the volcano was about 20 minutes, with the smoke visible in the distance for much of the time. The sun was setting creating perfect light and dramatic shadows.

Once we were over the volcano it was a truely awesome sight. On the second pass in the Cessna, the pilot suggested I opened the window, and the intensity of the heat was phenomenal.

If you get a chance to go to Iceland I would recommend taking a flight in a light aircraft to get a sense of the stunning scenery from above, it is a truly amazing and memorable experience.

The next evening the northern lights gave quite a display, I'll put together a few of those shots next.

photography