Wildlife photography on Ytri Tunga beach: the seals of Snæfellsnes

Most people come to Iceland for the waterfalls and glaciers. I came to the Snæfellsnes peninsula with a telephoto lens and one goal: to photograph seals. The little beach of Ytri Tunga on the south side of the peninsula is a place where seals laze on the rocks only a few dozen metres from you. For a wildlife photographer, it's a small paradise.

Where Ytri Tunga is

Ytri Tunga is on the south coast of Snæfellsnes, about two hours' drive from Reykjavík. A short gravel turn-off with a car park leads from main road 54 to the beach. The beach is unusual for its golden sand: in Iceland, where black beaches dominate, that's a rarity.

When to come

Seals are most often at Ytri Tunga from June to August, when they bask on the rocks and moult. Harbour seals live here, and occasionally larger grey seals. It's best to come at low tide, when the rocks are uncovered and the seals lie on them. You'll find tide tables on the Icelandic Meteorological Office's website.

How to photograph seals

• A telephoto lens is the basis: ideally 100–400 mm or longer. I shoot at around 400 mm.
• Shoot at the animal's eye level. Kneel or lie on the rocks. A photo from a standing person's height is always duller.
• A fast shutter, around 1/1000 s, when the seals move or waves break around them.
• Continuous focus with animal eye tracking, if your camera has it.

What else to see on Snæfellsnes

The peninsula is often called "Iceland in miniature", because in a small space you'll find everything: the Snæfellsjökull glacier, lava fields, black beaches, bird cliffs and Iceland's most famous mountain.

Arnarstapi and Hellnar

Basalt columns, the Gatklettur rock arch and cliffs full of kittiwakes. A lovely 2.5 km coastal path runs between the villages of Arnarstapi and Hellnar.

Kirkjufell

A mountain shaped like a witch's hat, with a waterfall in the foreground. Most beautiful at dusk or under the northern lights.

Wildlife in Iceland

Besides seals, in Iceland you'll see puffins (May–August, for example on the Látrabjarg cliffs or at Dyrhólaey), Arctic foxes, Icelandic horses and, in the north, whales off Húsavík. If photographing marine mammals appeals to you, see also whale watching near Tromsø and the sea lion colonies of New Zealand.

Faq