In fascinating photographs, Ryan Newburn captures the depths of Iceland’s ancient icy caves.
Ryan Newburn, a photographer and co-founder of Ice Pic Journeys, has a deep connection with the ice caves surrounding his home in Reykjavik, Iceland. These ice caves provide a glimpse into the past, with each air bubble and speckle of ash representing different time periods and volcanic eruptions.
Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, Newburn moved to Iceland in 2018 and became acquainted with the ice caves after training on the Vatnajokull Glacier. He now leads expeditions into these frozen caverns, capturing their immense beauty and unique formations through his photography. His images showcase the ribbed surfaces of the arctic masses, the contours of the caves, and explorers in the distance to provide scale.
Newburn explains that capturing the experience of being in an ice cave is challenging, as it’s impossible to fully convey the trickle of melting water, the sounds of distant rivers, or the interplay of light and ice. He describes the surreal visual experience of being inside an ice cave, where the deep blue crystal walls become more saturated the longer one’s eyes adjust.
While shades of blue dominate his photographs, the walls of the ice caves also have a transparent and crystalline quality, giving the illusion of endless depth. This clarity is due to the low oxidation of glacial ice, which results from the intense pressure during its formation that forces out much of the oxygen.
Exploring these spaces is hazardous, and Newburn emphasizes the importance of proper gear and knowledgeable guides for safety. However, the experience of discovering an ice cave for the first time is truly unique, as you become the first human to enter that particular space. Newburn finds a sense of wonder and wanderlust in the ever-changing nature of the ice caves, as they continually melt and form new structures that didn’t exist before.
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