Rauðanes Photography

We recently visited Rauðanes, a stunning stretch of coastline in northeast Iceland known for its sea-carved arches, cliffs, and bird-filled skies. With the summer light slanting low across the ocean, the whole area felt quietly magical—gold on the waves, shadow along the cliffs. It's a paradise for photographers, where every turn in the trail reveals a new angle, a new subject, and a fresh gust of sea air.

Fulmars glided past at eye level, their stiff-winged flight cutting through the shadows cast by the cliffs. Puffins were everywhere—popping out of their burrows with a mix of curiosity and caution, offering fleeting moments for the camera before vanishing again into the turf. The soundtrack was a blend of distant surf, bird calls, and the occasional whirr of wings passing just overhead.

One of the biggest surprises was the sheer number of purple sandpipers gathering on the rocks and beaches. They moved in tight, restless flocks—feeding, calling, and no doubt preparing for the long flight north to breed in the high Arctic. Watching them fuel up for such a journey added a sense of urgency and wonder to the day. Rauðanes is wild, remote, and absolutely alive with stories waiting to be told.