Most people don't realize just how impressive the mountains can be on Vancouver Island. Views like this do come at a cost which is payable in sweat. After just 15 minutes of sleep I almost decided to stay shivering in my sleeping bag but somehow managed to drag my old bones up and out to find this magnificent scene.

It's hard to take a bad photo of this majestic waterfall if you know when to arrive. We showed up just before midnight during the early July sunset to watch the spectacle and it was totally worth the drenching.

If ever there was a scene that epitomized the essence of Iceland I'd say it's this. Towering mountain peaks, a plunging canyon of vertical green walls and multiple waterfalls carving a path to the ocean. This for me was bliss.

After photographing a lupin field I felt a tickle on my neck only to find a hitchhiking caterpillar. I decided to pull over near this pond to let him out. While placing him on some shrubs I noticed the light painting this mountain in gorgeous golden hues so I just had to take a moment to make this image. Thanks hitcher.

Skógafoss needs no introduction and honestly I did NOT intend to photograph this iconic location but during a quick visit I simply could not resist. The sky began to erupt during the slow sunrise and I made this image while taking in the deafening roar of the falls and trying not to look at the totally naked 3AM flasher.

It was actually closer to 1AM when I made this image. As the only person at the lake I relished the absolute silence occasionally disturbed by ice bergs slowly rolling over or calving into the lake. This was such a surreal experience and I hope I managed to reflect that with this photo.

I'm not ashamed to admit a certain level of puckering when I stood on the lip of this cliff. You can just see a brave tourist edging closer to get his phone shot. I don't know who was stupidest, him or me?

The famous sea stacks in the town of Vik offer one of Icelands most iconic scenes but the risks are high. I had to wait for low tide in the middle of a stormy looking day for a very short window of relative safety in order to make this image. This is definitely one of those 'don't do this at home kids' moments.

I reckon the toughness of ducks is underrated. These cute little quackers were frolicking in this glacial lake while I stood shivering in my multiple layers of insulation to capture this handheld shot.

Waterfalls inside canyons all have one thing in common, spray. There's no escape from the water particles flying through the air but I couldn't be happier feeling that cool spray on my face while the river chills my toes.

I almost ended up wandering the misty highlands of Iceland for the rest of time on this misadventure. Not long after creating this image the fog crept in and I was caught in a total white-out with no clue where I'd parked the car. By pure luck I was led back to safety by a small group of sympathetic sheep that took pity on this clueless Yorkshireman.

I'm very lucky to have a wife that is willing to spend date night on top of a mountain with the meagre comfort of a padded down jacket to get her through the coldest hours. We hiked up for sunset and stuck around for this sunrise just a few short hours later. Just us, the cliffs and some distrusting sheep.

Just after sunrise the clouds began to take on this lovely texture almost emulating the turbulent waters below. I stood ankle deep on this small ledge and did my best to capture the enchanting colours and mesmerizing motion of this deceptively powerful river.

These spectacular cliffs in Iceland actually had old trails to the edges of the cliffs but they were blocked off. I'm not one to shy away from a sketchy cliff edge but the chance of slipping on the mud was enough to ensure I did not jump the fence.

Who said you can't get great images during terrible weather? For me, the grey moodiness of this day makes the image much more atmospheric than those blue sky days. The puffins and gulls didn't seem to mind either.

Printed area for mounting is 7.75"″ x 9.75″ (19.69 cm x 24.77 cm)

Printed area for mounting is 7.75"″ x 9.75″ (19.69 cm x 24.77 cm)

Printed area for mounting is 7.75"″ x 9.75″ (19.69 cm x 24.77 cm)

Printed area for mounting is 7.75"″ x 9.75″ (19.69 cm x 24.77 cm)

This print is signed by Gavin Hardcastle and has a […]