I am quite claustrophobic, so confined spaces such as tunnels, lifts and ship cabins can be difficult for me. We wanted to experience a country that was as different from Australia as possible without venturing to Antarctica or some of the northern European countries where long, deep tunnels are more commonplace. Iceland seemed an ideal choice, and in late April and early May we circumnavigated the country.

We deliberately chose to travel after the depths of winter, but before spring had really begun. This transitional time of year is reflected in the colours and character of many of the images.

I have also had to remind myself that the images I captured were the best I could make within the circumstances of the trip. Although I travelled with a good-quality, lightweight tripod, many of the landscapes were photographed hand-held. We could not always be in the right place at the best time of day, or in the most favourable light. Fortunately, the time of year provided wonderfully soft light for much of the day.

I am also not a commercial photographer, so I did not need to consider what a potential client might want to buy. My objective was much simpler: to make the best image I could, with the camera, or drone, I had under my control at that particular moment, using the available light, conditions and environment to their best advantage.

For me, that is an important part of photography. The challenge is not always to create the theoretically perfect image, but to recognise the opportunity that is in front of you and make the most of it.