Friday Photo #518 – Winter Moon

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Photo: Winter full moon over Kirkefjord from Reinebringen, Lofoten Islands, Norway. December 9, 2022. 11:26

Winter has finally arrived on Lofoten! After what was a calm and ‘dry’ November, the first proper storm of winter finally swept across the islands on Tuesday and Wednesday, leaving about 30-ish cm of snow from sea to summit. Luckily, the storm was a quick one and the calm and clear weather has returned. Combined with the full moon of the last days, the fresh snow now makes it possible to walk around at night without much need for a headlamp – which is good, because Lofoten is now in the period of the Polar night.

Seeing the full moon the last few days, I had ideas of a photo in mind. I missed it a couple years ago because I was too late to begin hiking, but this time I (kinda) planned a little better, or at least one part of the image I wanted! The full moon over Kirkefjord.

I only 1/2 succeeded. I got the left/right placement of the moon correct. Thanks to PhotoPills I knew the moon would be over Kirkefjord at about 11:30, and so I planned to be at the summit of Reinebringen before that. Only thing I didn’t get right is that the moon was way too high in the sky – But that part of the images is out of my control anyhow – I can’t move the moon down! Though some might use photoshop for an assist in that regard, I don’t. I saw what I saw. Better planning next time…

The weather had also been clear yesterday, so I had hoped a few people would have gone up Reinebringen before me. But as I arrived at the bottom of the 1978 steps which lead to the summit ridge, there were no footprints. So I cleared a nice trail to the top, at times though thigh deep snow drifts. Luckily I planned to arrive early, so I reached the summit in time, despite the slow progress.

Even though it wasn’t quite a success, for the image I had planned, it was still absolutely perfect winter conditions in the twilight light of December.

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 24-120mm f/4
61mm
ISO 100
f 7.1
1/40 second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #517 – Last Light

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Photo: Last December light over the summit of Skottind, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. December 2, 2022. 11:48

November has been fantastic this year! It turned out to be the 2nd driest month after September – and that’s only by 0.5mm of rain. But it looks like the weather if finally beginning to shift in the next days and Lofoten might finally receive its first proper snowfall of the year. So even with the polar night still a week-ish away, today’s clear sky will likely be my last time to see the sun for the year.

With the sun low on the horizon, if you actually want to hike in sunlight at this time of year you are mostly limited to mountains on the southern side of Lofoten. While higher peaks on the north side still also receive a bit of light, most of the way up/down will be in shade. I wanted as much sun as I could find today, so I headed to Nonstind – Ballstadheia which I knew would have all the sun Lofoten was to get.

Leaving home, I was initially worried about a quite a few low clouds hanging over many of the peaks of Vestvågøy and Flakstadøy. Yesterday and last night had also been forecast for clear sky, but in the cold and stillness, a low cloud formed over all the islands. It seems it took the arrival of a bit of wind to blow the clouds away and I was happy to see Skottind rising into the late morning twilight as I rounded the corner near Napp.

I was already partially up the mountain when the sun first peaked over the distant mountains of the mainland, at 10:46. A could wind was blowing from the south as the sun and I ascended in tandem, but the low low does little to warm you at this time of year.

Reaching the summit, clouds were blowing across the summit of Skottind. It’s already tripod light at noon these days, but I decided to add a 10 stop ND filter to capture the moving clouds, which looked slightly boring otherwise. I only brought my light hiking tripod, but finding a bit of a sheltered rock and keeping it fairly low, it seemed to hand 60 second exposures on the cold and windy summit of Nonstind better than expected.

I don’t know when/where I will see the sun again, but perhaps it will be here on Nonstind again in the first weeks of January when the sun returns to Lofoten again…

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
14mm
ISO 100
f 8
60 seconds
WB Daylight
10 Stop ND filter

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Friday Photo #516 – November Twilight

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Photo: Gentle waves flow over Myrland beach in soft pastel twilight light of afternoon in November, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. November 16, 2022. 14:41

Now with over 500 Friday photo posts going back nearly 10 years, I’m sure I’m repeating myself again when I say the current year often seems to have opposite weather from the previous. Often this involves worse weather (this July/August), but sometimes we do get lucky, and so far for November this year, that is holding out. It seems it rained so much up north this summer that the sky finally ran out.

I’ve actually only been back on Lofoten about a week now after a trip over to Scotland for the last few weeks. But in these few, and short, days, I’ve already seen more sun than the previous two Novembers combined! Lofoten has been lucky with clear and calm days this week, which if the forecast is correct, will (mostly) carry on for at least a little while longer.

With the sun low on the southern horizon, much of the day is filled with pastel twilight colors, especially so on the northern side of Lofoten where the sun doesn’t quite reach anymore. In a couple more weeks, as Lofoten enters the Polar Night, twilight is all we will have – similar to this image, taken about a half hour after sunset.

I unfortunately haven’t had much time for hiking as I’m busy catching up with work after what has been a busy autumn with me mostly out of the house since the middle of August. Normally I spend most of this time of year working on writing projects and hiking guide updates on the website. And normally the sideways November rain and wind is an aid to that process. But at the moment looking out the window is quite distracting! At least I can manage to wander down to the beach for a couple images between emails and Excel spreadsheets and image keywording…

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
14mm
ISO 31
f 10
1 second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #515 – November Sun

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Photo: Rays of light shine from behind Skottind mountain peak, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. November 23, 2020. 12:03

In mid November I usually begin my ‘last sun of the year’ countdown. While the polar night, beginning December 6, is still a few weeks away, the November weather and cloud conditions can mean that Lofoten will see its last sun of the year at any time. From my house on the northern side of the islands, which already loses the sun in mid October, I have to drive around to the southern side of the islands if I think there might be any chance of light.

Or, perhaps I just get lucky on my way to the supermarket in Leknes, where part of my drive takes my be Nappstraumen, opening directly towards the south and the noon sun, should it be there. That is the case for this image, with rays of midday sunlight shining over Skottinden. Even at noon, the light is more like sunrise/sunset at this time of year, Which it more or less is.

The sun’s location in mid November is the same as in late January, when Lofoten is known for its continuous sunrise-to-sunset lighting conditions. The same exact thing happens in November, but there just isn’t typically many photographers or other tourists around, so no one really notices. Though the snows of winter do help with conditions as well, as the often snow-less November landscape often just feels cold and dark – as opposed to the glowing snowy mountains in January.

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
20mm
ISO 100
f 7.1
1/250 second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #514 – November River

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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 #513 – Sea Eagle

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Photo: Sea Eagle sitting on rock, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. June 3, 2021. 13:56

I think with any wildlife image I post I state that I have little to no skill as a wildlife photographer – I’m far too lazy to ever get far with that type of photography and basically just look like a dude with a point-and-shoot camera compared to work I see many people putting out on a regular basis. With that being said, I will take the opportunity to try with it presents itself.

In this case, I’m typically in the habit of driving around with my old D850 + telephoto lens attached when going about on my normal daily tasks on Lofoten. And then, every once in the while on my way to or from home I might catch one of the neighbourhood sea eagles sitting on one off the coastal rocks.

I learned in my few early attempts that if it even looked like I was slowing my van down for a closer look that they would quickly fly away. So now if I spot an eagle on a rock I know to drive around the corner and park out of sight, quickly grab my camera, then do my best to sneak up on the far side of the road. This typically works with moderate success, and I’ll get a shot of an eagle, such as this one, from time to time.

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

Camera Info:
Nikon D850
Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6
500mm
ISO 250
f 5.6
1/1600 second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #512 – Autumn Mountains

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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

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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

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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

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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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