THE STORY. . . According to Instagram, Iceland is a nation of vast wilderness where solitary hikers perch perfectly on pointy mountain tops amid the setting sun. Unscathed landscapes stretch as far as the eye can see and not a single human can be found for miles. Unfortunately, the reality of Iceland could not be farther from the truth. While the natural wonders of this tiny nation are quite nice, they are absolutely trampled with stampeding tourists.

Waterfalls like this one are especially popular. Starting at about 7:30am, the tour busses roll in and turn this location into a swarm of activity. On any given day, this scene is home to about 700 people walking around snapping selfies.

So, how does a photographer get a place like this all to himself? Three words: Get. There. Early.