Friday Photo #248 – Haukland Beach Aurora

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Haukland Aurora - Friday Photo #248

Photo: Haukland aurora, Haukland beach, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. September 27, 2017. 22:04

Had my tour finished before this night, I already would have been content that my clients had already gotten some decent aurora photos. On this evening, they got the show of a lifetime. Perhaps one of the best nights I have seen in all my time here in the north.

With the mild September weather this year, we decided to have an evening bbq and campfire at Uttakleiv while waiting for darkness. Something a bit special, and what I would do if I was on my own. Uttakleiv is generally a good spot to wait for Aurora. And on most other years, we would likely have had the place to ourselves for the evening. But even with October just around the corner, the islands remain busy this year, and the constant buzzing of drones in the sky has been almost ever-present at every beach and even half the mountains – there were 2 drones flying on Ryten a couple nights previous!

So as night arrived, so did car after car of people. And then, the first aurora appeared in the sky over Himmeltind. Not a good direction for Uttakleiv. I knew the aurora eventually move to a more compositionally pleasing location, but as an increasing amount of headlights began to fill the beach, I made the decision to get out of there and try somewhere else.

that somewhere else is just a couple minutes away. Haukland beach. And though the main parking lot seemed full, it was mostly just campers, many of whom seemed to be sleeping already. Luckily, there was no one at my intended destination on the left side of the beach, where the river had formed a perfect reflection pool.

Shortly after we arrived, the real show began. For some moments, the entire sky was seemingly full of aurora. I often didn’t know which way to look. But I was waiting for the lights to come into the sky over the beach, giving me a reflection I wanted. Eventually they did.

Car after car drove by, continuing to Uttakleiv. While here it was just the five of us, standing in the darkness and occasionally shouting towards the sky. What a night to be in the north!

Camera Info:
Nikon D800
14mm
ISO 2000
f 3.2
5 seconds
WB Daylight

Friday Photo #247 – Aurora Over Horseid

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Horseid Aurora - Friday Photo #247

Photo: Northern lights over Horseid beach, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. September 8, 2017. 22:38

Clear sky, full moon, mild temperatures and solar storm. The aurora season this year was off to a good start! But with seemly perfect conditions for something good, I found myself stuck with option paralysis.

I knew I should go west, but where? Someplace safe and easy, where I knew I had a good shot at a decent image. Or should I gamble a bit more, go someplace new, and hope for the best. Walking up the to window to buy my ferry ticket, I said Kirkefjord. One choice less now.

With two nights of good conditions forecast, I chose first to head up a mountain above Horseid, with hopes of photographing the aurora above the beach. Unfortunately, as night arrived, so did clouds. I managed some images of mild aurora over the beach, but by the time things really got going after 01:00, that part of the sky was almost completely cloudy.

As morning arrived, I thought about staying up the mountain for another night. But my empty water bottles and strengthening wind forced me down. And so I headed down to Horseid beach for another night, and another attempt.

Almost completely opposite to the previous night, the aurora started bright and early! Once I saw the first signs of light, I quickly dressed and ran down to the beach as the sky erupted overhead. I barely had time to level my camera and focus, much less worry about keeping my feet dry as I hurried to the shore line.

The aurora danced in every direction, but I was interest in once place in particular: The view back over the pass to Kirkefjord. Almost perfectly symmetrical, it is a favorite composition of mine. Aurora overhead would make it even better.

I shot at the beach for some time, but soon, almost like a switch being turned off, the sky grew quiet. I went to another location – the place I should have actually gone to first, but it was more difficult to find in the dark – and waited. But the sky remained silent. After a while, the cold wind suggested I head back to my tent.

I lay awake for several more hours, staring at the sky. Faint aurora danced around from time to time, but nothing strong enough to lure me from the warmth of my sleeping bag.

Camera Info:
Nikon D800
Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8
21mm
ISO 1600
f 3.5
4 seconds
WB Daylight

Friday Photo #246 – Tønsåsheia Camp

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Tønsåsheia camp - Friday Photo #246

Photo: Autumn camping on the summit of Tønsåsheia, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. September 22, 2016. 18:40

The forecast had been better than reality – A common occurrence on Lofoten. What I thought would be fairly clear skies was filled with a layer of high cloud. I was a bit disappointed upon reaching the summit of Tønsåsheia and finding a place to setup the tent for the night. But as normal on Lofoten, the light changed…

As evening arrived, a soft twilight light fell over the Islands. There is always something special about standing on the edge of Lofoten, with the view across endless mountain peaks fading into the distance. The mountains here might not be that high, but they are as visually stunning as anywhere else in the world. A perfect combination of sea and summit.

I still maintained hopes for northern lights on this night, but alas, the clouds came in too thick. And so it was a night of sleep for me. Maybe next time.

Camera Info:
Nikon D800
Nikon 70-200mm f/4
116mm
ISO 200
f 7.1
1/40 second
WB Daylight

Friday Photo #245- Midnight Glow

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Midnight Glow - Friday Photo #245

Photo: Midnight sun shines between mountain peaks, Helvetestind, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. June 14, 2017. 00:17

On my second trip to Helvetestind in two weeks, Conditions were totally different on this night. A heavy fog was blowing in from the north. Bunes beach has been completely concealed and was invisible from above.

As we descended at midnight, I could see this glow of light shining between Mereflesstind and Kråkhammartind over Kirkefjord. I light layer of fog was blowing in, glowing in the low light of the midnight sun.

I found a place along the ridge that I though gave a nice separation to the layers of mountains ahead of me. Rather than shooting wide, I switched to my 70-200 so I could focus just on the light coming from behind the mountains.

Camera Info:
Nikon D800
Nikon 70-200mm f/4
120mm
ISO 200
f 9
1/400 second
WB Daylight

Friday Photo #244 – Olstind Twilight

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Olstind - Friday Photo #244

Photo: Olstind mountain peak reflects in fjord, Sakrisøy, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. June 14, 2017. 02:11

My fried Olaf dropped my tour group off at Sakrisøy after a midnight trip up Helvetestind – my second time to the summit in two weeks.

A sea fog had been covering all the land to the north but back on the south side, the world was calm. Tired after a long day, we decided one more shot was needed.

I’ve photographed Olstind hundreds of times by now for almost every possible angle. But it is still a peak which I never grow tired of. And so I pulled out my camera and tripod for yet another photo of this iconic mountain.

I like the softness of the light here. It was ‘sunrise’ but it doesn’t really appear so. If the fjord was not perfectly calm, perhaps I wouldn’t have taken the image. But it was so quiet out, just us standing at the edge of the sea – and a few birds making some noise in the distance.

Camera Info:
Nikon D800
Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8
24mm
ISO 200
f 10
1/80 second
WB Daylight

Friday Photo #243 – Bunes View

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Bunes Beach - Friday Photo #243

Photo: View over Bunes beach, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. July 21, 2017. 22:08

Another weekend in the west. The original plan had been a somewhat ambitious climb above Vindstad. But as we made the first moves up the route, it was evident that it was more than we bargained for on this day – something to come back to in early winter when the grass is frozen and we can use ice tools.

Not wanting to head back to camp totally defeated, we headed towards some unknown peak on the opposite side of the ridge. And what a view it turned out to be! I had never even heard the name of this mountain before, nor even given the slightest thought to hiking it, it is not the easiest place to reach though. But wow.

A golden eagle flew from the summit as I made the final approach up the rocky steps.

Heading down, we decided to stay on the ridge. Where this view is from. Always looking forward to the future, I spotted a few places where a tent might be possible. This view with northern lights above!

Camera Info:
Nikon D800
Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8
16mm
ISO 125
f 10
1/40 second
WB Daylight

Friday Photo #242 – Kirkefjord

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Kirkefjord - Friday Photo #242

Photo: Kirkefjord clouds, Rostad, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. July 16, 2017. 19:39

The rain was pounding my windshield as I headed west towards Reine. We had made plans to borrow a friend’s boat and to do a bit of exploring in the fjord, but I wasn’t very optimistic.

The rain was still falling as I pulled the boat to shore and figured out how to work everything. Good I brought my rain clothes! From Reine we headed towards Rostad, a small village on the east side of the fjord. Despite all my time on Lofoten, I had never been there before.

We moored the boat at the only empty spot on a small pier. But as we walked towards the village, we met someone on the balcony of a house who informed us that we shouldn’t park there, as another boat was coming. Luckily, our fiend in Reine had told us to say hello to a friend in Rostad, the man we were speaking to. Suddenly it became okay for us to leave the boat, and he could move it if necessary. Good to know the right people!

There are several mountains out of Rostad that have been on my ‘to do’ list for some time. However, as waves of rain still passed us, we decided just for a bit of easy exploring.

Eventually we made out way up to the lake below Segltind, seeing if there might be a possible route of from this side. The hours grow long and it was time to return to Reine. Back in Rostad, The clouds were blowing over the peaks above Kirkefjord. I walked out on some rocks and took a final image for the day.

Camera Info:
Nikon D800
Nikon 24-70mm f/4
62mm
ISO 50
f 16
30 seconds
WB Daylight
10 stop B+W ND filter

Friday Photo #241 – Summer Flowers

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Summer Flowers - Friday Photo #241

Photo: Field of summer flowers, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. July 6, 2017. 14:37

From mid June until early July the fields of Lofoten are filled with endless color of an infinite amount of flowers. Even the farm fields, such as this, can provide endless photo opportunities. But one has be be quick.

Farming on Lofoten is mostly simple: Let your field grow, cut it, let it grow again, cut it again. For the first growth, beginning in late May, the fields explode with color. But as the flowers peak, soon the farmers will bright out the mowers and cut everything to the ground to store for the winter.

I had driven past this field two days prior, and all was fine. Driving past on this day, in early July, the farmer had already partially cut the field. Knowing the opportunity would probably not survive the following day, I stopped for a quick photo. Maybe not the best light, but this is what Lofoten looks like at its peak: fields of gold.

Camera Info:
Nikon D800
Nikon 70-200mm f/4
125mm
ISO 100
f 5.6
1/500 second
WB Daylight

Friday Photo #240 – Storskiva Camping

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Storskiva - Friday Photo #240

Photo: Camping on the summit of Storskiva, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. July 22, 2017. 23:57

After 239 previous Friday photo posts, I can’t always remember what I have written previously, so perhaps this might be a bit of a repetition, or maybe something new.

I like to camp on the summit of mountains because I know that I’m a bit lazy. When I tell this to others, they say sleeping on mountains is more work than just hiking. But to me, its not.

I want to get the best light when on my mountain trips. But I also like my sleep. So when camping on summits, while maybe a bit more work to get there, once at the top, life just becomes a waiting game. I can sit around, drink a bit of whisky, eat a good meal. And then, if the light comes, I’m already there! None of this hiking down in the dark crap, or getting up 5 hours before sunrise.

I can sit around and be lazy, then shoot sunset. Wake up, roll out of the tent, and shoot sunrise. Simple! To me, it makes perfect sense. Two photo possibilities for the effort of one.

Camera Info:
Nikon D800
Nikon 70-200mm f/4
92mm
ISO 100
f 8
1/8 second
WB Daylight

Friday Photo #239 – Bunes Beach

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Bunes beach - Friday Photo #239

Photo: Summer light over Bunes beach from Storskiva, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. July 22, 2017. 22:40

In October last year I made my first attempt to camp on the summit of Storskiva. It didn’t go so well and high winds forced me down from the summit. But I do not give up so easily. And even with dozens of other mountains to hike on Lofoten, a night on Storskiva remained a priority coming into summer 2017.

In late July, a good weekend forecast (for my friends to come along) finally led to the the realisation of a night on the summit.

The original plan had been to go up on Friday night, but a delayed ferry to Vindstad due to the summer crowds, and some other planning issues meant we saved the mountain for Saturday. The forecast wasn’t as reliable, but as things turned out, it was near perfect – for camping that is, the light itself might have been a bit on the boring side.

With no trees or shade in sight, I was cooking under the near 20˚ temperatures and powerful sun. Only carrying 2.5 liters of water, I was on the low side for the temperatures. And I had to setup my tent to have a bit of shade to hide behind throughout the afternoon, which I mostly lazed about and took a bit of a nap.

Finally, in the late evening the sun was approaching the horizon to the north. The light was a bit on the hazy side, but there was a warm glow across the granite peaks of west Lofoten, fading endlessly into the distance.

Bunes itself was quite crowded down below, but up here, there was only 3 of us, with the entire mountain for ourselves. Finally, a bit after midnight and after plenty of wine and whisky, it was time for bed. Maybe in previous years I would have stayed up through the night shooting. But I think I have become a bit spoiled, or perhaps just lazy. I enjoy the moments I have, and when it has been enough, I am content.

Camera Info:
Nikon D800
Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8
20mm
ISO 100
f 10
1/20 second
WB Daylight