From a top-down aerial view, landscape images take on a new level of beauty and intrigue. However, even from this unique angle, few locations offer the striking beauty of Iceland, a dream destination for many landscape and travel photographers. In a new series titled “Icelandic Paintings from the Sky,” Dutch photographer Albert Dros reveals otherworldly aerial images of Iceland that look more like paintings than photographs.

His Tool Kit

Surprisingly, these are NOT drone photos.  Dros relied on his Sony a7R III, and he switched between a Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 and a Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM lens.

In order to document a terrain full of mountains, rivers, mud and glacial streams that can prove as harsh to navigate as it is beautiful, Dros took to the sky in an airplane. While it’s popular to send up drones for aerial images, Dros comments,

“The advantage of using a plane is that you can quickly fly everywhere and your perspective is much higher as opposed to using a drone.”

The Images

The Challenges

According to Dros, capturing Iceland from the sky presented an unusual challenge:

“Photographing top down is not easy. The landscapes look completely different than you’re used to. It’s like seeing a whole new world. New views go by every second and you have to be quick to capture them properly.”

More About Albert

You can find more of Albert Dros’ work on his website and social media channels (Facebook & Instagram).

All photos are displayed with permission from the photographer. Do not copy or distribute without direct consent from the photographer.