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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Friday Photo #708 – Medskolmen sunset

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Photo: Setting sun behind Medskolmen mountain peak, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. July 29, 2020. 22:36

I can see Skolmen/Medskolmen looking out the window from my office right now as it rises like a steep wall out of the sea. It is more usually recognised as the background mountains from the famous ‘Eye of Uttakleiv’ location at Uttakleiv beach. As such an iconic part of Lofoten’s landscape, it receives relatively few hikers per year. I myself have only been up twice, as it is no easy journey most of the time.

With August around the corner, it is starting to feel like summer is winding itself down – especially with this year’s weather. But there is still plenty more long days ahead over the coming month until the September nights finally bring an end to summer for good.

This image is from a camping trip to Medskolmen a few years ago. Well, I actually didn’t camp myself, but just hung out in the soft heather of the summit ridge until some early hour of the morning when I hiked back down to my van. No need for a tent on such a summer night anyhow. I mainly waited until I could determine there wasn’t going to be an interesting sunrise as a wall of clouds had moved in from the east after midnight. From where I was standing here, I could look across the sea to my house, where my soft bed awaited me in a few hours.

Camera Info:
Nikon D850
Sigma 14mm f/1.8
14mm
ISO 100
f10
1/60 Second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #707 – Memories of the Sun

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Photo: Morning sun shines bright in sky over Nappstraumen, Lofoten Islands, Norway. July 19, 2024. 03:18

I couldn’t post another grey, cloudy images this week. Not because it hasn’t been grey, cold, and cloudy almost the entire time, but mainly because I haven’t even taken my camera out of the backpack. I’m writing this post Thursday evening as a rain cloud covers all of Lofoten and gale force winds are forecast to arrive overnight, before a windy and rainy Friday. I actually had to look at my phone to see when the last time I saw the midnight sun was, as it seems to have faded from memory. July 5.

So this week’s photo is a memory of what summer could have been, instead of what is – you can see the last two weeks’ posts for that.

The night of July 18/19 is the latest I can see the very top of the sun skimming the horizon throughout the night. This photo was taken a few hours later with the sun rising in the sky again. But in only a few more weeks, even this photo won’t be possible anymore as the sun begins its journey south, with Lofoten losing roughly 1 hour of daylight per week – or night growing 1 hour longer per week – whichever way you want to look at it.

Landscape wise, the bright fireweed is already lining the road on my way into Leknes. And with the grey, cold, and windy weather, it feels like autumn has already arrived. I’m already getting slightly hesitant about my annual September hiking plans for Sweden, as it would be no fun hiking in this, if it continues. For whatever reason, a lot of stories about people hiking the Lofoten ‘long crossing’ have been popping up on my Instagram feed. And I must say, it looks pretty miserable! I’m glad I have a warm-ish house to sit in while I can complain about the weather outside. Perhaps I’m getting too old to enjoy being wet and muddy for a week – in addition to carrying too much camera gear that won’t get used.

Camera Info:
Nikon Z8
Nikon 24-120mm f/4
75mm
ISO 100
f8
1/500 Second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #706 – Waiting for Summer

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Photo: Dark and cloudy July sky over Storsandes beach, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. July 16, 2026. 23:18

This years feels like a summer of two Norways. Down south, Norway is baking in 30˚ C temperatures and endless sunshine, while up north we’re struggling to get into the mid teens and have only a couple hours of sunshine – per week! With the 24 hours daylight of the midnight sun ending this weekend, I think I’ve only seen it a handful of times this month, and my bbq still sits unused in the cellar.

Earlier this week, it was 34˚ C somewhere in southern Norway, while Lofoten was 12˚ C. That is quite a difference. But that is often the case, that northern and southern Norway have completely opposite weather each summer. Though usually there is a bit more of a balance. This year it feels like there has been an endless cloud over all of coastal northern Norway. And it doesn’t seem like it will go away anytime soon, unfortunately.

I took this photo late last night, between passing showers of misty rain. Again, like last week, I could have posted a photo of what could have been, but again decided on a photo of what is. This looks like a photo that would be taken on an autumn photo workshop, there is nothing ‘July’ about it for me. Even with the sun still technically above the horizon all night long for a few more days, the clouds are so dark and heavy that I have to turn the lights on in my house during the evening. And this is the first summer in recent years which I’ve had to keep the heating on – And I generally prefer a cool-ish house anyhow, even in winter.

If I was on a road trip in Norway this summer, I would take a close look at the weather forecasts, and most likely remain south in the fjords. While there is that saying, ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.’ It is not really true. At least for me, there is nothing enjoyable about sweating your way in a rain jacket up the side of a mountain, only to have views of the misty clouds surrounding you.

As of now, Lofoten is still waiting for summer to arrive…

Camera Info:
Nikon Z8
Nikon 14-30mm f/4
21mm
ISO 32
f10
0.8 Second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #705 – Summer Grey

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Photo: Tourist fishing boat sits alone in the empty sea, Nappstraumen, Lofoten Islands, Norway. July 10, 2026. 13:52

As Lofoten approaches its last week of the midnight sun season, the sun, unfortunately, still remains an elusive guest in this grey and cool summer Lofoten is having. Tomorrow should be nice and sunny, before clouds then return to dominate most of next week. The high pressure that is cooking western and southern Europe is keeping the north cool and cloudy. As it goes.

I was planning to post a more colourful photo today, of what these mid-July nights could look like, but rather, here is what this year’s mid-July is actually looking like. And this was already after the weather had improved somewhat and the mist cleared away from the sea. Vestvågøy’s highest mountains should be visible in the background, but instead there is a wall of cloud.

As I wrote last week, this is actually perfectly normal weather for Lofoten, though perhaps just not the weather one is hoping for. For now, my bbq remains in the cellar, and my plans to paint the exterior of my house remain on hold until I see an optimistic forecast with several continuous days of sun.

Camera Info:
Nikon Z8
Nikon 100-400 f/4.5-5.6
100mm
ISO 200
f7.1
1/800 Second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #704 – After Midnight

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Photo: Midnight sun over sea, Lofoten Islands, Norway. July 11. 2025. 00:35

The Midnight Sun season is well underway here in Lofoten and the farmers are already out cutting the fields – which is a few weeks earlier than last year. Though for some reason, it feels like summer itself is off to a slow start this year. Besides a handful of days in June, the temperature has remained on the cooler side this year – no beach days yet like the previous years.

And while I might want some warm sunny evenings under the midnight sun, this cool weather is actually completely normal. And after several good summers, Lofoten is due a cooler and wetter one, which might be this year. I remember in 2021 when July was so wet, grey, and cold that I actually went north to Svalbard for better weather! Hopefully I don’t need to go that extreme this year! With many house projects needing attention, I won’t be getting far from Lofoten for a while anyhow.

Hopefully there are still more night like this, with the midnight sun hanging quietly over the sea. Though this year, with myself running some day trips for cruise ship guests, I can’t fully switch to my normal midnight sun schedule and sleep until noon each day.

Camera Info:
Nikon Z8
Nikon 100-400 f/4.5-5.6
20mm
ISO 64
f7.1
1/1250 Second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #703 – Across Værøy

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Photo: View across the mountains of Værøy from Nordlandsnupen, August 18, 2023. 19:14

Despite being only 2 hours from my front door (1 hour driving, 1 hour ferry), Værøy feels like another world, far from Lofoten. It also feels like a mini-Lofoten, with all the drama and views packed into one small island. From Nordlandsnupen, 450m, the highest peak on the island, one can see across the whole island to Måhornet, rising in the distance.

I try to make a trip out to Værøy each summer. But despite being so close, it also feels quite far.

Camera Info:
Nikon Z8
Nikon 24-120mm f/4
30mm
ISO 100
f8
1/320 Second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #702 – Midnight Glow

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Photo: Midnight glow from behind the mountains of Moskenes, Lofoten Islands, Norway. June 20, 2019. 00:11

Sunday is the summer solstice which marks the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. Although for Lofoten, where the sun has been above the horizon for nearly a month now, it has already been a long ‘day.’ What it does mark though is the sun’s highest point over the northern horizon. From now, the sun will turn and begins its journey south again.

But not to worry if you haven’t reached Lofoten yet – the sun will remain above the horizon until July 17 or so. And it won’t begin to get dark again until the second half of August. There is still plenty more summer light left to enjoy.

Often, I actually find the solstice period a bit boring for photography, as the sun remains quite high in the evening sky. Yet on this evening, some nice light managed to shine through the mountains from the back of Reinefjord as misty clouds swept across the landscape.

Camera Info:
Nikon D850
Nikon 70-200mm f/4
175mm
ISO 100
f6.3
1/40 Second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #701 – Misty Dawn

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Photo: Misty clouds swirl over the landscape after a night of summer rain, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. June 7, 2021. 06:53

This was one of those weather forecasts where it could be very good, or it could just be ‘ehh.’ It ended up more on the ‘ehh’ side of things.

I had been hoping for some nice evening light over Horseid beach while camped high on the ridge between Markan and Branntuva peaks. But what I had hoped to be some stormy-ish light just ended up being a mostly grey sky – until the midnight rains arrived and I headed into my tent.

Despite missing any evening light, the one benefit of the rain was misty clouds rising across the landscape in the early morning hours. The light was still flat and grey – the sun hidden behind thick clouds. But at least the rising low clouds added some depth and contrast to the otherwise completely flat light. Not what I had hiked up the mountain hoping to find, but it could have been worse…

Camera Info:
Nikon Z7 II
Nikon 24-200mm f/4-6.3
38mm
ISO 100
f7.1
1/250 Second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #700 – Lofoten Nightlife

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Photo: Willow Ptarmigan – Rype in Norwegian – enjoying the evening summer sun, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. May 18, 2026. 23:05

With Lofoten’s roads filling up with motorhomes and the mountains with hikers it is good to remember that most of Lofoten’s breeding birds are ground nesting. And in the case of the common gulls – sometimes this nest can be in the middle of a parking lot. Not always the best of locations.

When out hiking or camping at this time of year it is important to be mindful of where you walk. Even when I’m going out to take photos of the flowers in the fields outside my house, I have to be careful where I step, even though I’m generally aware of where most of the nest are, some can be extremely well hidden amongst the growing grass and flowers.

The Ptarmigan in this photo is just a visitor. What you can’t see because of the lighting is a common gull – Fiskemåke – sitting on a nest in the grass on the edge of the rock. Even knowing it’s there, I have to look closely. Though as soon as I walk out into my backyard, I’ll receive a close dive-bomb by one of the parents – which trade of pooping on the roof of my sauna as they keep watch from the chimney.

The Ptarmigan here was a tolerated visitor on an otherwise claimed piece of property. Had ravens or crows made a visit, they would have quickly been mobbed away. But for now, most of the birds are at peace with each other. Once the chicks hatch in a another week or two, then all peace ends and the fight for survival begins.

Camera Info:
Nikon Z8
Nikon 180-600 f/5.6/6.3
250mm
ISO 280
f5.6
1/1000 Second
WB Daylight

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