Thrainn Kolbeinsson, photographer, on the impending volcanic threat in Iceland

For the past couple of weeks, Iceland has been shaking with earthquakes as an underground river of magma moves toward the surface. Over the weekend, more than 800 earthquakes were detected in 14 hours in the Reykjanes Peninsula in the southwest of the country, and nearly 4,000 people were evacuated from the small town of Grindavík. One of the people who has had a front-row seat to these events is Thrainn Kolbeinsson, a photographer who Payson worked with on both of his island crossing films. Thrainn got his start in photography by documenting the Reykjanes Peninsula and has even lived in Grindavík alongside many of his family members. When the Fagradalsfjall volcano began erupting in the spring of 2021, he immediately went to the site with his camera and returned nearly every day for months. But this time, it’s different. With a national emergency declared and earthquakes carving canyons through roads and houses, the possibility of a disastrous eruption is more present than it’s been in decades.

Thrainn joins Payson from Reykjavik to talk about the events of the past few days, how the people of Iceland have been defined by the volcanic activity of their island for thousands of years, and ways that the community is dealing with an impending eruption. He also talks about his past as a multi-time Jiu-Jitsu national champion and child psychologist before he found his passion for photographing the outdoors. Since then, he’s worked with endurance athletes, outdoor gear companies, and tourism boards in Iceland and abroad to produce images that capture the wildness of the natural environment. 

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