Videy Island and Imagine Peace Tower

Videy is an island in Kollafjordur bay, off the coast of Reykjavik, Iceland, reached by a short ferry crossing from the harbour. The island offers coastal paths, a historic house and church, and Richard Serra's basalt-column installation Afangar, as well as the Imagine Peace Tower, a memorial to John Lennon created by Yoko Ono that projects a vertical beam of light into the sky. The tower is lit on set dates between October and March, including Lennon's birthday on 9 October and the days around the winter solstice, so visitors should check the current schedule. Photographers use the island for several frames: wide-angle shots of Serra's paired columns with the sea behind, sunset silhouettes against the Reykjavik skyline using a telephoto lens, birdlife and wild grasses on the coastal paths, and long exposures of the beam on winter nights. Sunset behind the city produces the best colour, while the island is best explored from May to September, when the ferry runs most often and the days are long. The beam is a winter subject, requiring a tripod, a dark site and permission to be on the island after hours, which is generally not possible since the last ferry departs in the evening; photographers therefore often view the beam from the mainland shore. The island is quiet outside summer weekends, when families and day visitors arrive. Walking is easy but covers uneven ground, with about two kilometres around the main paths. Tripods are fine on the paths, but drones should not be flown over the island because of bird nesting areas and rules near the airport. There is a cafe near the ferry landing with restrooms in season, and ferry tickets carry a modest fee. Wind and weather can alter the ferry schedule, so a flexible plan is advisable.