Friday Photo #711 – Sun’s Farewell

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Photo: Late August setting sun about to return behind the mountain as summer fades, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. August 19, 2026. 20:40

I have not seen many sunsets this summer. And in a few more days the sun will return to setting behind the mountain as summer begins to fade from Lofoten. Looking at the weather forecast, this image will probably be my last setting sun until it returns again in April next year. Until then, my valley will receive no more northern sunlight in the evenings.

I can already see a moderate amount of yellowing of the birch leaves beginning to occur on my drive into Leknes. They have closed the Nappstraumen tunnel again for free flow of traffic – now it’s back to a leader car with one passage per hour in each direction. And the first Northern lights have already been seen in the darkening night sky.

Summer is over and Autumn has made an early arrival. Though looking back, this year’s summer has already been over since mid June. It is just now that this is little hope it might return.

Camera Info:
Nikon Z8
Nikon 24-120mm f/4
37mm
ISO 100
f10
1/500 Second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #710 – No Eclipse

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Photo: Cloudy sky over Myrland beach during 2026 solar eclipse, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. August 12, 2026. 19:22

With the sun shining brightly in the mostly blue afternoon sky, I was hesitantly optimistic for a viewing of the solar eclipse. That optimism slowly faded as layer of clouds pressed in as the eclipse was just about the begin. I could feel the sky darkening, was it the eclipse or the clouds, or more likely both.

Nevertheless, I headed down to the beach for a quick photo anyways. Of what could have been with slightly different timing. And of course, after the eclipse had ended, the clouds cleared and the sun was hover over the sea.

Other areas of Lofoten had better luck. And of course my Instagram feed has been filled with amazing photos from Spain and other locations. Maybe in the future I should try and plan a little better, as I’ve never actually photographed a solar eclipse, and am not even quite sure I’ve seen one, at least not for the last 20 years or so.

Camera Info:
Nikon Z8
Nikon 14-30mm f/4
18mm
ISO 32
f9
1/2 Second
WB Daylight
3 stop ND filter

Photo: Using PhotoPills app to visualize what could have been. It would have an interesting shot I think.

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Friday Photo #709 – Summer Fireweed

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Photo: Late summer fireweed, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. August 1, 2026. 15:14

Already a week into August and it is starting to feel like the year that summer forgot. The last time the temperature broke 20˚c in Leknes was June 11 – though there were a couple close days in July.

I’m now starting to get that subtle sense that Autumn is soon on its way to Lofoten. Despite the cool temperatures, the fireweed feels ahead of schedule this year and mostly has already reached it peak by now and is beginning to fade away in some places. This is usually a sign to me that the last days of summer are here.

And despite being cool, wet, and grey most of the summer, it feels like there has been a shift in the weather. The light, and the clouds, and the wind move differently. It doesn’t feel like the islands are warming up for summer any longer, but preparing for winter. And indeed, the first northern lights of the season are only a couple weeks away now.

Here was some roadside fireweed from last during a quick stop on the way back from Henningsvær. I’ve actually been moderately busy with guiding this summer, but have hardly touched my camera. Since getting back from Scotland in the end of June, I’ve only taken a handful of photos on 3 separate days. Not exactly a summer spent hiking and camping in the mountains as I expected.

Between house work and weather, it has been my least photographically productive summer since moving to Lofoten 10 years ago. Though this is not to say that my photography has slowed down, I’m taking more photos than ever, but most of this is now outside of Lofoten. Perhaps it’s time to find the time to start up my old travel blog again at codyduncan.com.

Camera Info:
Nikon Z8
Nikon 24-120mm f/4
34mm
ISO 100
f5.6
1/640 Second
WB Daylight

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