ABOUT 68 NORTH

It was a chance conversation with a stranger on the streets of Bodø that first led me to Lofoten. That was now over 10 years ago and I no longer remember all the details, save for one sentence stuck in my mind. “You must go camp at Eggum and see the midnight sun, it is magical.”

The next day I was on the ferry to Moskenes. And needless to say, any schedule I thought I had on my 10 week backpacking trip through Scandinavia was thoroughly ruined at that point. And since then, I’ve been lucky to return several times over the last few years.

To me the islands represent a mix of so many interesting elements that I find them something close to my idea of paradise. Yes, they could be a bit sunnier at times and maybe a bit warmer (I’m from southern California), but there is always a sort of restless excitement, and comfort, I feel deep inside when I see that wall of mountains first begin to rise out of the stormy sea. To wake each morning in Autumn and see the snow a little lower down the mountains, until that one morning when the snow falls all the way into the sea and the islands turn white. The twilight glow of those dark winter days or 2am hiking under the endless summer light, the islands are in constant motion and change throughout the year.

I’ve made this website to share these photos of my journeys to such a wonderful place: the Lofoten Islands.

-Cody
Santa Barbara, California.
May 2012

About Me

Though I was born and raised under the bright Californian sun, the last decade of my life has often seen me traveling to the cold lands of northern Europe, where I’m inspired by the mixture of landscape, weather, history, and culture. Since March 2016 I have lived full time on Lofoten.

Beyond photography, writing about the places I visit has taken a greater role in my life, with 7 photography and hiking ebooks published about Lofoten and northern Sweden, and several magazine articles. Though I never thought I would be a writer, it seems to be a complimentary pursuit alongside my long term photographic projects.

As I often return to my favorite places over many years and across the seasons, some locations have almost become more familiar to me than my own home. My interest in deeply exploring these areas has led to the natural progression that I offer photography tours and workshops to help others discover the landscapes which have drawn me back so many times.

My photos and articles have been published throughout the world in magazines, catalogs, calendars, newspapers, travel guides, brochures, websites, etc., including National Geographic Traveler, Sunset Magazine, Lonely Planet Traveller, Men’s Journal, BBC Country File, GEO Saison, British Airways High Life, X Journey, and more.