Iceland: A Beautiful Solitude

Photo essay by Alfred Bender

With it’s starkly beautiful, sometimes eerie landscapes, Iceland is a perfect setting for photographers. Alfred Bender shares images from his recent trip — dramatic coastlines, lava fields and hot springs.

The most sparsely populated country in Europe, Iceland is approximately 40,000 square miles with almost 350,000 inhabitants. Situated just below the Arctic Circle with 10% of its landmass covered by glaciers, Iceland’s coastlines remain ice free throughout the winter, thanks to the warming waters of the Gulf Stream. Temperatures in Reykjavik, the capital city, range from mid-30s in the coldest months, to mid-50’s in the summer, when the days are long and the sun sets for only an hour or two — so, plenty of natural scenery and hours of daylight to photograph.

ICELAND’S HUMAN SIDE

Alfred Bender is a retired army officer, while Sarah is a retired teacher. The two are avid travelers and have made several trips to Europe, including Russia. They’ve also visited Japan, Thailand and have traveled extensively in the U.S., touring nearly every state. And now Iceland!