The adventure behind the art : Emma Willets’ Iceland collection

Some landscapes are so remarkable that they need to be captured and appreciated for years to come.

Seen from above, Iceland's braided rivers look like huge abstract paintings. Glacial water moves over volcanic sand plains, forming patterns, colours, and textures that are always changing. Thin lines cross black sand, and silver streams split and join again. Whole scenes appear and vanish as the water moves.

It was this vastness and remarkable interplay between water and land that drew photographer Emma Willetts to Iceland.

(Two works - Left: Luminescence and Right: Emergence from Emma’s new Iceland series)

Capturing the collection

This new collection of 16 aerial photographs reveals a side of Iceland rarely experienced from the ground. Shot during autumn through a small open window of a Cessna 207 aircraft with a Sony A7RV and G Master lenses (super fancy!), the series documents the constantly shifting designs created as glacial rivers carve their way across Iceland's volcanic landscape. 

These are scenes that may never exist in quite the same way again. Imagine the adrenaline and excitement of holding your camera out an aeroplane window, freezing air on your hands and still managing to snap the right shot. Most would be too sidetracked by the beauty. What Emma manages to preserve in her photos deserves to be printed and admired.  

(Emma Willets stands with the Cessna aircraft she used for her aerial photography. She utilised a small window flap, just large enough for her camera lens to fit through, to capture the images from above)

An evolution of the focus

For those familiar with Emma's work, this collection is a natural evolution of themes she has explored for years. Emma is best known for her aerial photography of New Zealand and Australia, celebrating abstract beauty in nature. Her images focus on patterns, textures, and subtle details that aren't readily seen from the ground. She invites viewers to see familiar landscapes in new ways.

The Iceland Collection takes that vision even further, showing it on a bigger scale.

(A detail from Shapeshifter –  a work from Emma Willett's new Iceland collection)

Emma's unique way of seeing the world has earned her significant recognition. She has won many photography awards, including being named NZ Geographic Aerial Photographer of the Year in 2020. The Iceland Collection shows why collectors love her work: she preserves the beauty, order, and emotion of landscapes in a way that blurs the line between reality and abstraction.

(Emma's new work brings power and awe to a room, especially when displayed at large sizes)

Explore the Collection

The size of these works is part of what makes the collection special. The bigger the print, the more of the landscape you can see. From far away, the images look like elegant abstract art. When you get closer, new details appear. Looking at them feels less like viewing a photo and more like exploring a living landscape on your wall. You can order these prints in sizes up to Super A0, so you can really experience the beauty and complexity of Iceland up close. 

These are more than just photos of a landscape.

They capture moments of awe from above.

Take a look at the collection and bring the stunning beauty of nature and Iceland into your home.