Friday Photo #655 – Summer Harvest

Photo: Norwegian Marshmallows – Plastic wrapped hay bales from late July grass cutting, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. July 23, 2025. 03:16

The grass cutting in my area was late this year, not occurring until this week. Though reading the local news, it seems the cool and wet start to this year’s summer led to a smaller yield than normal. So perhaps they waited a little longer for a bit of extra growth. Or perhaps they were just busy during the week+ or sunshine and 20˚c summer days Lofoten has experienced recently. Though now as August approaches, it looks like the weather may be shifting with more rain and wind on the forecast.

I don’t know why, but I like to photograph the hay bales each year. By the time the cut the field the wildflowers and grasses are already too overgrown for the field to looking very nice as a photographic subject itself – This from late may until late June, after which the grasses grow taller than the flowers.

I usually go out at sunrise – 03:16 in this case, and wander around the fields. There has also been a lot of fog in my area the last week, which would ebb and flow throughout the day, but occasionally clear during the very early morning hours – the ‘clouds’ in this image are from clearing sea fog, not actual clouds.

Summer still has a long way to go on Lofoten – at least another month hopefully! But with the cutting of the fields, and now the setting sun as well, it begins to feel like the inevitable turning of the seasons is upon us, and the first autumn storms are not far away. Which I’m not quite sure why, as before I moved here, August was when I usually preferred to visit, as there was at least a bit of darkness for camping. And still for some weeks, the days are longer here than anywhere on the continent during midsummer, so it’s not like it’s really dark now. Perhaps it is just the observing the slow change of seasons and light, and knowing the summers are short here in the north – so you want to hold on to the sun for a little while longer.

Camera Info:
Nikon Z8
Nikon 24-120mm
39mm
ISO 100
f11
1/50 Second
WB Daylight