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Despite fast-flowing lava trickling down from the crater just 15 metres away, a cameraman has captured the dramatic aftermath of Iceland's volcanic eruption.

Valdimar Leifsson, 61, risked his life to get these stunning close-ups of molten lava flowing from the Bardarbunga volcano.

A giant burning mass of molten remains can be seen smouldering in the foreground as the lava continues to spurt from the Holuhraun eruption's crater behind.

'You feel very, very small in a moment like this in front of a 100m-high melted lava fountain,' said Valdimar. 'I realised acutely how small and insignificant we are, compared to the awesome power of natural forces. The heat emanating from the lava is much more visible during the night. 

'Standing close to the margin of the lava field, one realises the unbridled force of the eruption.'

Validmar - who along with his son Arnar Steinn and wife Bryndis - has captured many eruptions on the island, added: 'The lava is flooding towards you over the endless black sand and is glowing in the dark.

'You can hear a constant hissing sound from the crater. It is like you are watching the creation of the earth. And sometimes you think the earth is going to open up under your feet.'

Valdimar travelled from the nearest civilisation to get the eruption, from a small farming village in Modrudalur three to four hours away.

'One sees almost nothing but black sand, and at times, you have to rely on small road markers,' he said. 'It's like being on the moon.'

Too close for comfort? The fearless cameraman ventured within 15 metres of molten lava to capture these apocalyptic scenes from the Icelandic eruption's aftermath

Despite fast-flowing lava trickling down from the crater, Valdimar Leifsson, 61, risked his life to get the stunning close-ups

The lava glows in the dark as it rolls along the black sand towards the cameraman and his equipment

Leifsson travelled four hours from the nearest settlement to capture the photographs with his son Arnar Steinn and wife Bryndis

Ready for your close up? The photographer has captured volanic eruptions many times before and is seemingly unafraid of the phenomenon

A giant burning mass of molten remains can be see smouldering in the foreground as the lava continues to spurt from the crater behind

The set up:  Leifsson aims his camera at the volcano still smouldering away to capture the stunning shots

'It's like you're watching the creation of the earth,' says Leifsson of the incredible sight

View from above: The volcano Bardarbunga first began violently spewing lava and molten ash in August

Setting up: 'The heat emanating from the lava is much more visible during the night,' explains Leifsson, who set up his equipment specifically to capture it in the dark

As Leifsson braved the heat metres from the volcano, a geologist and teacher trying to photograph the Northern Lights by a lagoon in south east Iceland 90 kilometres away captured these equally stunning shots which he said reminded him of 'Lord Of The Rings'.

In just eight degrees, by the lagoon Jokulsarlon in south east Iceland, Orn Óskarsson from Selfoss town in south west Iceland, said: 'We were meant to be photographing the Northern Lights using the lagoon and the ice blocks in the foreground but we got the red glow from the eruption of Bardarbunga instead.

'The eruption on the north side of the Vatnajokull glacier started two weeks before, so we knew about it but we did not assume we would see the glow.'

Red sky at night: The clouds in the sky reflect the erupting volcano of Bardarbunga. The glow is created by a pool of lava lying in the volcano's crater

'I was born in Iceland and I'm 59 years old, so I have seen a lot of eruptions in my lifetime. But this was totally new for me,' said photographer Orn Óskarsson

Only reflect: A lack of wind, clear sky and temperatures of over eight degrees celsius allowed Óskarsson to capture the bright reflections

The glow is created by a pool of lava lying in the volcano's crater and reflecting in the sky above. And as it bounces back down onto the waters of a lagoon, pictured in the foreground, the red glow stretches to become a rippled red pillar. 

The noise and sights of the eruption were blocked by small intervening mountains and Europe's largest glacier - Vatnajokull - which stands at 1000 to 2000 metres high. Yet the lack of wind, a clear sky and temperatures of over eight degrees celsius, allowed Óskarsson to clearly see the bright reflections.

The photographer said: 'As I was born in Iceland and I'm 59-years-old, I have seen a lot of eruptions in my lifetime. But this was totally new for me. It was more like a scene from Lord of the Rings - I have never seen a reflection like this from other eruptions.'