Mount Kirkjufell; the Pyramid Peak; the Mountain Shaped Like an Arrowhead; Iceland’s most photogenic feature: however you know it, this feature of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula is one of the world’s most magnificent subjects. Its unique formation, the fact it stands alone on the edge of a spectacular bay, its verdant color and towering scale all add to its appeal, but this very intrigue poses a unique problem for landscape photographers; how can one take an image of it that isn’t overdone?

It was this question that I was eager to solve on this late-night summer shoot. The weather could not have been more perfect. At this time of the year in Iceland, the sun never fully sets, providing a magical golden hour when it reaches its lowest point. The cloud cover was not enough to dim it, but enough to become illuminated in hues of pink and gold.

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Furthermore, there was not a whisper of wind, something very uncommon in Iceland. This incredible alignment of factors meant that both the vivid sky and dramatic mountain reflected without a ripple in the surrounding seas. The mirror-like illusion was unlike anything I had seen here before, with my own eyes or in any other image, providing me with the ethereal, unique moment I was looking for. When taking the image, I had to take care to capture the green shades of Kirkjufell in spite of the sun gleaming behind it, both in reality and in the reflection.

As I was balancing this, I noticed that the perfect composition would have the coastline run horizontally through the middle of the frame. Not only did this allow a symmetrical display of light, but also meant that the image became completely identical no matter which way if it were hung correctly or upside down.