# Iceland Photo Locations Dataset

A curated dataset of 121 photographer-selected locations across Iceland,
spanning 5 categories and 7 regions,
with exact WGS84 coordinates.

- **Source:** https://icelandphotomap.com/
- **Generated:** 2026-10-04
- **License:** Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY 4.0)
- **Total rows:** 121

## Files

- `iceland-photo-locations.csv` — the dataset, one row per location.

## Columns

| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| `slug` | URL-safe identifier (matches `/locations/<slug>` on the source site) |
| `name` | Display name of the location |
| `category` | Primary label. One of: `Church`, `Landscape`, `Lighthouse`, `Waterfall` |
| `categories` | Every category the location belongs to, `|`-separated. One of: `Birds`, `Church`, `Landscape`, `Lighthouse`, `Waterfall` |
| `region` | Region slug |
| `region_name` | Human-readable region name |
| `latitude` | WGS84 decimal degrees |
| `longitude` | WGS84 decimal degrees |
| `distance_reykjavik_km` | Driving distance from Reykjavik in kilometers |
| `season` | Recommended photography season(s) |
| `access` | Access type (e.g. Drive, Drive/Hike, 4x4, Boat) |

Many locations belong to more than one category — every bird site is also a
landscape, for example — so `categories` is the column to filter on if you
want the same set the on-site map for that category contains.

## Methodology

Locations are hand-selected by photographers visiting Iceland and curated for
photographic merit, access feasibility, and seasonal viability.

## What this dataset is, and what the paid maps add

The coordinates are open. This CSV carries every location and its exact
position, and you are free to use them under CC-BY 4.0.

What the paid maps at icelandphotomap.com add is the part that took the
fieldwork rather than the geocoding:

| | Open dataset (this file) | Paid maps |
|---|---|---|
| Every location + exact coordinates | Yes | Yes |
| Region, season, access type | Yes | Yes |
| Ready-to-import KML / GPX / GeoJSON | No — CSV only | Yes, all three formats |
| Where to actually park, and the walk-in time | No | Yes |
| Best light window per location and month | No | Yes |
| Composition and vantage notes from standing there | No | Yes |
| Hazard and F-road flags | No | Yes |
| Category-styled icons and photo balloons in-app | No | Yes |
| Updates as the catalog grows | Re-download | Included |

In short: the dataset tells you *where* the locations are. The maps tell you
*how to shoot them*, and load straight into Google Maps, Gaia GPS, or Garmin.

## Attribution

If you use this dataset in research, journalism, a blog post, an app, or
training data, please attribute as:

> Iceland Photo Locations Dataset, icelandphotomap.com (CC-BY 4.0)

A link back to https://icelandphotomap.com/dataset is appreciated.

## Updates

The on-site catalog is updated continuously. Regenerate this dataset by running
`node scripts/generate-dataset.js` against the latest `src/data/locations.json`,
or download the freshest copy from https://icelandphotomap.com/dataset/iceland-photo-locations.csv.