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Friday Photo #558 – Aurora Light Pollution

Photo: Northern lights shine over low clouds and light pollution from nearby village, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. September 4, 2021. 01:01

In the image from a couple weeks ago (Friday Photo #556) I spoke about the still bright northern horizon of late August in the early part of the aurora season. This week’s photo is another type of light pollution typically found during the rest of the aurora season – low clouds and city light pollution. Personally, I prefer a clear sky and glowing horizon like in the previous image, vs. the image here today, which I just find frustrating.

This was a strong aurora, pushing beyond overhead and down towards the southeast part of the sky. Unfortunately, from my location at Storsandnes beach, it meant I was also looking directly towards Leknes. On clear nights, the light pollution would be fairly minimal, especially with such a strong aurora. But on this night, with low rain clouds passing over the islands, the city lights of Leknes illuminate the clouds over a wide area. It doesn’t look good.

Ideal would have been to pick a better location in this type of weather, where I could avoid looking towards any distant city lights. But that can also be easier said than done when there is significant cloud cover and you are sometimes lucky just to find a hole in the clouds anyhow. From this photo, I can see that I likely wouldn’t have seen anything had I gone to Haukland or Uttakeliv beaches, as the cloud cover looks more significant over there. So perhaps even with the light pollution from Leknes, I was at least in a decent location to see the northern lights in a mostly cloudy sky.

Head over to my Instagram account for (almost) daily postings of the local conditions here on Lofoten: @distant.north

Camera Info:
Nikon D850
Sigma 14mm f/1.8
14mm
ISO 2000
f 1.8
5 Seconds
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #514 – November River

Photo: River flows through mountain valley, Unstad, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. November 3, 2020. 14:31

By mid November the last of the autumn color is beginning to fade from the Lofoten landscape as the wait for winter continues. The leaves will already be long gone from the trees, but there still can be some of the grasses and smaller bushes which hold on for a little while longer until eventually being covered by the winter snows.

Usually at this time of year I’m not in the mountains as often as the days are short and the trails are often quite icy and slippery. Actually, November is perhaps my least photographed month on Lofoten. Sometimes there is special light here and there, but often is is just flat, grey, and rainy – like in todays image.

If I am out photographing, I’ll typically try and find scenes without any trees preset, which isn’t too hard in the wester half of Lofoten! And if there’s been a lot of rain lately, then usually the small rivers are flowing quite nicely and might be a useful subject.

Located just outside of Unstad, this small little creek has become a favorite of mine as a rainy day location, as it’s only a few minutes walk from the parking lot, but has a multitude of different angles it can be photographed from. I’m actually not sure I’ve ever photographed this location in ‘good’ weather, but maybe I’ll have to try one day.

Head over to my Instagram account for (almost) daily postings of the local conditions here on Lofoten: @distant.north

Camera Info:
Nikon D850
Sigma 14mm f/1.8
14mm
ISO 31
f 14
0.5 second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #512 – Autumn Mountains

Photo: Mountain peaks rise into misty clouds, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. October 5, 2022. 16:47

I was in the Flakstad ‘swamp’ on a rainy October afternoon looking to capture the last of this years autumn color, which after a few passing storms, had quickly faded from the landscape. The wind was mostly calm, but the frequent passing rain showers kept breaking up the reflections on the small ponds I was attempting to use as foregrounds.

The higher peaks were mostly in the clouds, but as the showers passed, they would become visible from time to time. Mostly having given up on reflections, I looked for something else to use as the foreground, and so I looked for a bit of colourful autumn foliage. As the peaks of Bjørntind emerged from the clouds, I thought I would give this composition a try.

Since moving to the mirrorless Nikon Z7 II last year, I’ve only had the 24-200 f/4-6.3 as my ‘normal’ focal length lens. While I love it for for its light weight for hiking and backpacking, I do wish it was a bit faster for a shallower depth of field. In this image for example, I wish I could have shot at f/2.8, for example, to have the foreground properly out of focus and just a blur of color. Here, I think there is still too much detail in the various leaves, and not abstract enough in my opinion.

Head over to my Instagram account for (almost) daily postings of the local conditions here on Lofoten: @distant.north

Camera Info:
Nikon Z7 II
Nikon 24-200mm f/4-63.3
46mm
ISO 100
f 6.3
1/50 second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #511 – Unstad Waves

Photo: Sea spray flows off crashing waves at Unstad beach, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. October 4, 2022. 18:18

I nice and clean autumn swell was hitting Unstad the other week just a few days after the Lofoten masters surfing competition – which I unfortunately missed. I arrived a while before sunset and was mostly shooting the surfers out in the nice backlit waves. Eventually though, the sun dipped into a layer of cloud on the horizon and the light soon faded.

But as the twilight approached, the offshore wind still kept blowing a nice sea spray off the incoming sets. I watched a few sets roll through, which timed with a stronger gust of wind sent the sea spray flying in a beautiful dance above the sea.

By now it was slightly too dark for a fast shot to freeze the motion, and the light had been better when the sun was still visible. But going in the opposite direction, I tried a slightly longer shutter speed to capture a bit more of the flow of the waves and wind.

Like most things to do with the sea though, it seemed I watched the best waves pass by, and by time I pulled out the camera the conditions had changed slightly. Or perhaps its just the difference between watching the real motion of the wind and waves vs. trying to capture the moment in a still image. Either way, I think this image is a good attempt, but not really representative of the moment I was trying to capture.

Head over to my Instagram account for (almost) daily postings of the local conditions here on Lofoten: @distant.north

Camera Info:
Nikon Z7 II
Nikon 24-200mm f/4-6.3
115mm
ISO 50
f 13
0.3 second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #510 – Reine Autumn

Photo: Olstind mountain peak reflecting in Reinefjord in autumn color from Reinehalsen viewpoint, Reine, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. October 2, 2022. 08:42

It felt like an early autumn this year in Lofoten and by now the October winds have stripped nearly all of the trees bare. But it also was a bright and colourful autumn while it lasted, with the birch trees much more vibrant than the previous couple years. And finally, after a mild finish to September and start to October, the first dusting of snow finally arrived last weekend.

It was also somewhat of a backwards autumn this year, at least in regards to September, which experienced fantastically mild and sunny weather with many days over 10˚c and cloudless night after cloudless night of dancing northern lights.

It was also a poor summer as well, so maybe it finally rained itself out by the time September arrived. August should normally average 55mm of rain. This year Lofoten received 190mm! Making this August the 3rd wettest month (in total precipitation) in the last year. Yet in the opposite direction, September should Normally receive 128mm or rain. This year only 50mm of rain fell. This actually makes this September the driest month in the last year.

So it was a terrible summer followed by a fantastic start of autumn this year on Lofoten. By now though, the ‘normal’ autumn weather seems to have taken hold as regular spells of rain and wind sweep across Lofoten and most of northern Norway. With the sun lower on the horizon each day, the islands now wait for winter’s arrival.

Head over to my Instagram account for (almost) daily postings of the local conditions here on Lofoten: @distant.north

Camera Info:
Nikon Z7 II
Nikon 14-30mm f/4
30mm
ISO 100
f 7.1
1/80 second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #509 – October Snow

Photo: Dusting of October snow on Slettinden, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. October 19, 2021. 14:31

The first dusting of snow over Lofoten usually arrives sometime from late September to mid October. Though these first snows are never permanent and there can still be plenty of mild weather and rain as the calendar creeps towards the new year. But the first falling snow is always a reminder of the cold months ahead as the mountains slowly begin to freeze.

I often find hiking at this time of year somewhat tedious, as the autumn rain and mud begins to freeze and ice over on many of the hiking trails, making the mountains quite slippery! Light snow like in this image can be quite treacherous hiking over long sections of rocks as well. So in such conditions I will usually choose routes or areas which are less affected by the ice and snow – typically routes that are somewhat off trail, as the grasses and heather are safer and easier than muddy and rocky trails.

The light was flat and grey this day and usually in such weather I wouldn’t go hiking. And had there been no snow, I probably wouldn’t have. But as I was leaving for Scotland in a couple days, I wanted one last ‘autumn’ hike before I likely returned to a more wintery landscape in mid November.

Even with the flat light, the mix of snow and rocks added enough contrast to the scene for it to work somewhat decently. Had it been a full winter scene with more snow, then I don’t there there would have been enough contrast. And without snow, I think the image would also have been quite flat and dull with such a sky.

Head over to my Instagram account for (almost) daily postings of the local conditions here on Lofoten: @distant.north

Camera Info:
Nikon Z7 II
Nikon 24-200mm f/4-6.3
75mm
ISO 100
f 10
1/500 second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #508 – Light and Shadow

Photo: Rays of evening light shine across the distant mountains of Moskenesøy, Vareid, Lofoten Islands, Norway. October 7, 2021. 16:44

This weeks photo is more or less the exact same location and focal length (200mm) as last week’s photo – Friday Photo #507 – yet quite different light conditions and mood. As I wrote last week, the autumn (and late winter when the sun is setting in the same location) is often a nice time to shoot sunsets out on the coastline near Vareid and Vikten.

I usually find it more beneficial go well before sunset, as it will be setting behind the mountains, so it’s best to be there with the sun higher in the sky so it can interact with the mountains better. In this case, sunset was at 18:00, so this photo is taken 1:15 before sunset. With the sun too low in the sky, all the mountains seen here will just be shadow and the scene will be relatively boring under conditions such as this.

With the sun higher in the sky and shining in from the west, it really shows the mountain layers of western Lofoten, with the 1029 meter high Hermannsdalstinden (hiking guide) rising in the far distance some 25km away.

Head over to my Instagram account for (almost) daily postings of the local conditions here on Lofoten: @distant.north

Camera Info:
Nikon Z7 II
Nikon 24-200mm f/4-6.3
200mm
ISO 100
f 8
1/320 second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #507 – September Rain

Photo: Autumn rain sweeps across distant mountains of Moskenesøy, Vareid, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. September 24, 2018. 17:43

It is the autumnal equinox today marking the beginning of the sun’s journey to the south. For Lofoten, this is the time of year where one can really feel the days begin to shorten as the islands lose approximately 1 hour of daylight per week. For the northern side of the islands, this is also the time of year when the mountain shadows begin to grow as the sun sinks lower in the southern sky. For my house, the 20th of October will be the last brief moments of direct sunlight before it returns again on February 19th – 4 long months in the shadow of the mountains.

This was a stormy and blustery September day, just on the edge of being too stormy. Luckily, The clouds were broken up enough to allow some rays of light shine through as the next wave of snow flurries swept across the landscape. I was out on the coast between Vareid and Vikten, which often works well for sunset at this time of year as the sun shines across the distant mountains of Moskenesøy, often creating interesting patterns of light and shadow.

Head over to my Instagram account for (almost) daily postings of the local conditions here on Lofoten: @distant.north

Camera Info:
Nikon D850
Nikon 70-200mm f/4
200mm
ISO 320
f 6.3
1/640 second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #506 – Silence

Photo: Autumn rainbow over Vestfjorden, Lofoten Islands, Norway. October 14, 2019. 16:12

Autumn is a quiet period on Lofoten. The hustle and bustle of summer has gone and the winds of the winter storms have yet to arrive. Often is it a somewhat gradual change in which I eventually notice that one day the world suddenly feels quiet. But not this year.

I spent the second half of August traveling with my brother and friends along the north coast of Spain. Fun, but hot! Without even returning home, I arrived back at Harstad-Evenes airport and immediately drove to Sweden to hiking 140km along the northern section of the Padjelantaleden trail and a middle section of the Kungsleden trail, back to my van which had been parked in Kvikkjokk. It was a pretty quick transition from 30˚c of Spain to several nights below freezing in the mountains of Sweden. From Kvikkjokk, it is a long 10 hour drive home.

Waking up in the morning after my arrival I immediately noticed the absolute silence of the land. Even the sea was silent. It was eerie. Like I was in some sort of post-apocalyptic movie and everyone and everything had suddenly disappeared. Some wind and rain has passed during the last week, brining a bit more life to the islands, but it is still quiet. Having been long overdue with mowing my lawn, it felt like I was making a great disturbance in my valley on a Tuesday afternoon.

So, after a month of travel, I haven’t taken a single photo of Lofoten in the week that I’ve been home. The weather has been little on the grey side, but there has still been some nice light to find if one has been willing to put in the effort – which I have not – as I’m mostly stuck behind the computer catching up on overdue work.

This weeks photo is from back in 2019. I thought I had posted it already, as I quite like the simplicity of it – just a rainbow over the sea. I was with a group out on the southern coast of Flakstadøy near Nesland waiting for the clouds to clear over some distant mountains when I sensed the light changing and this bright rainbow fell from a rain shower over the Vestfjord. From my position I knew there wasn’t anywhere I could get in time to use the rainbow as part of some other composition, as it was too far out at sea and away from any nearby mountains or coastline. So I switched to a 70-200 telephoto lens and simply used the rainbow and cloud as the only subjects – which they were. I usually like to include a sense of place in my images, I don’t think it was necessary.

Head over to my Instagram account for (almost) daily postings of the local conditions here on Lofoten: @distant.north

Camera Info:
Nikon D850
Nikon 70-200mm f/4
82mm
ISO 100
f 5
1/400 second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #505 – September Rain

Photo: Autumn rain showers fall over Narvtinden, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. September 13, 2021. 14:57

Compared to last weeks photo (Friday Photo #504) of somewhat boring and flat autumn rain, this week’s is a more dynamic version when bad weather should be embraced for the light it brings.

Lofoten’s weather changes quickly in the autumn. Two days previous to this it had been cloudless blue sky, the day before flat, grey clouds, and the evening after northern lights were dancing in once again clear sky. Four days with four completely different moods and photographic potentials. This is one of the reason that autumn is one of my favourite seasons on Lofoten; it is a dynamic time of year.

On days where I can see the rain is broken up in passing showers, as opposed to just one giant rain clouds covering Lofoten, I like to look for backlit showers in the late afternoon while looking west. Typically a day like this, if conditions remained the same, is unlikely to have much of a sunset if at all, as there are too many clouds concealing the lower horizon. Then it is often better to shoot mid mornings or mid afternoons with the sun higher in the sky, giving it more of a chance to shine through the gaps in the clouds. Although if you’re lucky, this type of weather might also produce epic rays of light near sunset of all conditions line up correctly.

Head over to my Instagram account for (almost) daily postings of the local conditions here on Lofoten: @distant.north

Camera Info:
Nikon Z7 II
Nikon 24-200mm f/4-6.3
75mm
ISO 100
f 10
1/500 second
WB Daylight

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