By Alex
The epic fantasy series *Game of Thrones* gained immense global popularity, with many of its filming locations becoming hotspots for fans (related report). An aerial photography competition even featured a special category themed around locations from the show. This year’s winning entry in that category was shot at one of the ice caves in Vatnajökull, Iceland’s largest glacier, which also served as the backdrop for the “lands beyond the Wall” in the series’ Westeros continent.
Vatnajökull is the largest glacier in Iceland and even all of Europe, covering an area of 8,100 square kilometers. Within this vast expanse lie numerous ice caves of varying sizes. Photographer and filmmaker Snorri Thor Tryggvason used equipment including a DJI Phantom 4 Pro drone, a Sony A7S II camera, and a Dolly Slider to capture the blue ice cave as a surreal world.
For safety reasons, Snorri chose not to disclose the exact location of the ice cave. In fact, these blue ice caves only form naturally in winter, and their locations, sizes, and shapes change—or even disappear—each year. The ice in these caves comes from glacial meltwater, and its unique mineral composition absorbs all visible light except blue, resulting in caves composed of varying shades of blue. Additionally, exploring ice caves involves certain risks and must be conducted with the guidance of professional guides and proper safety equipment.
Source: Snorri Thor Tryggvason, Guide to Iceland