In the 1930's the Vatnajökull glacier reached almost to the ocean and now because of glacial retreat one must travel 1.5 kilometers by boat to the glaciers edge. As the glacier melts the lagoon grows, four fold since 1970, icebergs calve off and float through the lagoon. When they are small enough they wash out to sea under the ring road bridge where they break up in the surf and wash back up onto Jökulsárlón black sand beach as ice diamonds. Shot in September, the ice diamonds catch the beginning of the low winter light. The start of winter marks the beginning of one of Iceland's most popular times of year. When out, the sun never gets very high in the sky and photographers can experience all day long "˜golden hour', the dramatic angle of sunlight usually reserved for the hour just after sunrise or just before sunset.