After coming up with a spontaneous idea on a late New York night, director Ben Prince and his hot crew decided to embark on a journey into the unknown and travel together to Iceland. Famously known as the ‘land of fire and ice’, the Nordic island amazed Ben et al with its electric energy and sprawling landscape of rivers, mountains, volcanoes and glaciers. For us, Ben talks about the feelings of lightness and ease of being that surrounded the adventure and shows us some of his favourite moments captured on camera - starring Sean Ford, Teddy Quinlivan, Diego Villarreal, and more!

Why did you want to visit Iceland? Was it your first time there?

The idea for an Icelandic adventure came from the mind of our friend Teddy during a late-night offhand conversation about getting out of New York. The idea took root quite suddenly, and a few weeks later, there were ten of us on a group text booking flights to Iceland. None of us had ever been there.

What amazed you the most about the island? And what surprised you the most?

It’s hard to express just how staggering the visual landscape is. You can be told what to expect but you can never really be prepared for what you’re going to see. That said, what surprised me the most was actually not the physical environment, but the people. The first night we were in Reykjavik we were already swept up in the roar of its nightlife. Perhaps it was the midnight sun, but the people of this beautiful city carried this electric energy all through the night into the early morning.

What was your favourite location on the island?

My favorite location on the island was one that seemed almost impossibly remote: the peak of a mountain in the volcanic highlands. After a long journey from Reykjavik, fording over glacial rivers and through remote valleys, we arrived at a camp where we’d be staying the next few nights. One day, we hiked through the wilderness and along perilously steep cliffs to the highest point in the area. It felt like we hit the ceiling of the earth. An immense quiet surrounded us and a sprawling landscape of rivers, mountains, and glaciers unfolded in every direction.

What are one or two moments from the trip that you will always remember?

On the penultimate night of our trip, while we were eating dinner at a warm little pub somewhere by the eastern glaciers, news broke of a long-awaited volcanic eruption—the first Iceland had seen in years. I will never forget the excitement, in our group, in the pub—naturally, we drove that night straight to the volcano to see for ourselves.

Will you want to go back to Iceland in the future?

Absolutely. I’ve heard it’s an entirely different country in the wintertime.

What are the emotions that you hope your series of photos is showcasing?

I want my pictures to portray lightness and ease of being. So often in New York or the “big cities” to which we travel, a photo is taken as a moment of showcase—an event, a shoot. Here, in a country where none of us knew anyone, there was an ease in front of the camera that I don’t usually find elsewhere. A trust.

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Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Ben Prince

Featuring Sean Ford, Diego Villarreal, Teddy Quinlivan, Ashton Lang, McLayne Ycmat, Ryan Boscoe