Photo: Mid May snowfall over mountains of Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. May 16, 2020. 22:45
This week’s photo is a nice example of the duality of May – Endless days and and snowy mountains. There have been many weeks of winter in the last few years in which the mountains don’t have such a nice fresh layer of snow. So for it to happen in May is a bit more unusual, but not too out of the ordinary.
If I didn’t know the location of this photo, and that the light is coming out of the north at 22:45 in the evening, I could think this was more of an autumn image, judging by the defined snow line half way down the mountains to about 300m. Although fro the closer observer, the snow filled gullies running down to lower elevations give way that this photo must at least have been taken after a significant snowfall and colder period. And then knowing the sun is towards the north means spring is the likely timing.
Camera Info: Nikon D850 Sigma 14mm f/1.8 14mm ISO 100 f 10 1/15 Second WB Daylight
Photo: May sunset over Skrådalstinden, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. May 20, 2021. 23:33
With June and the summer hiking season just around the corner, the early season can still present significant amounts of snow in the inland mountain areas. So if you are looking for snow free routes, it is important to choose more coastal facing mountains early in the season.
Also note: Late spring and early summer is a time of increased rockfall. It is best to avoid hikes below steep terrain and stick to ridges and other open areas.
In this photo, on what turned out to be a fantastic sunset which I kind of wasted up on a mountain without any ability to change location, you can see the snowfields on the southeast face of Skrådalsdinen (770m), taken from Eltoftuva (361m). Most of the other inland mountains across Lofoten will look similar as well, especially the further east you go.
While there are still dozens and dozens of mountains accessible for snow-free hiking across Lofoten in the early season, you should be prepared for snow and ice across any inland or higher terrain. Which, if you are not planning or equipped for snow, will likely make many of Lofoten’s higher elevation peaks inaccessible until later in the year.
And watch out for falling rocks!
Camera Info: Nikon D850 Nikon 70-200mm f/4 200mm ISO 100 f 6.3 1/80 Second WB Daylight
Photo: Evening sun shines over Kvalvika beach, Lofotodden national park, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. May 15, 2021. 22:55
Lofoten’s midnight sun season officially begins next week on May 24th. But for the whole of May, there isn’t really darkness, and in the last days before the midnight sun, it is practically daylight all night long already. Photographically, I actually prefer the weeks pre/post midnight sun, as this is when the chances for colourful twilight nights are best, while there is actually less color during the midnight sun itself, as the sun is never below the horizon.
I often use mid May to visit some of Lofoten’s more popular locations before they become too busy for my liking once summer fully arrives. One of these may trips is usually to Kvalvika beach for one of the last sunsets before summer. Maybe I camp, and maybe I just hike back out, but usually I’ll spend about 4-5 hours out there, hopefully alone in the last calm before the chaos. Although in the coming years, even in May I will probably need significant luck on my side to ever have a night alone at Kvalkiva again.
As a side night, having just returned from a long overdue trip back to California, I found an old hand drawn map for Kvalvika/Ryten in my travel journal from the summer of 2006 – when I camped alone at Kvalvika for 2 nights. The old days of limited internet info, no smart phones with GPS guided hiking apps, no social media hotspots. Guided instead by word of mouth, shared knowledge, and hand written maps. How the times have changed. And I’m not sure if I would say for the better…
Camera Info: Nikon D850 Sigma 14mm f/1.8 14mm ISO 31 f 16 1/4 Second WB Daylight
Photo: Oystercatcher in evening sunlight, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. May 10, 2021. 22:11
I’ve probably written this every year for the past 10 years, and I’ll write it again now: I find the month of May a strange season on Lofoten. It is a weird balance of summer light in a (brown) winter landscape. Knowing that the lushness of summer is only a few weeks away, I often feel that the often wonderful light of may is wasted on the boring and drab landscape.
Oystercatchers are typically the first of the migratory bird arrivals, typically showing up around mid/late March. By now though, the fields are full of birds, chirping away all night long as they look for mates and nesting locations. I could probably search why oystercatchers are called so, as I never see them eating oysters and they are more typically eating in the fields around my house. Maybe if I lived at a beach I’d see them eating some oysters.
Camera Info: Nikon D850 Nikon 200-500mm F/5.6 500mm ISO 500 f 5.6 1/500 Second WB Daylight
Photo: Cold weather and fresh snow leaves mid May looking like winter, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. May 8, 2022. 18:08
By early May the nights are no longer dark and the midnight sun is only a few weeks away. The light says summer! The weather however might not always agree, and winter fights to maintain its old on the islands. Summer will eventually arrive, but it can take until June or even July for that to happen.
This day was particularly dreary looking. Had I been shown the image and asked when I thought it was taken, I would have guessed anytime from November to April. I probably would not have guessed mid May. Aside from the snowy mountains, the landscape itself is still quite brown and wintry looking. I’m sure if I looked closer at the scene I would have seen the first signs of new grass growing, but from this distance, it just looks like winter brown.
This is one of the reasons why I find May a slightly frustrating month photographically. I know summer is coming soon and the landscape will be green and full of flowers. But the brown, dead grass and leafless trees of late April and early to mid May I find uninspiring. Even in the nicest light – which May often has as the days to the midnight sun approach, I wish the landscape was more vibrant and alive. But the winters are long here in the north, and so summer must wait a little while longer.
Camera Info: Nikon Z7 II Nikon 24-200mm f/4-6.3 85mm ISO 100 f 8 1/100 Second WB Daylight
https://www.68north.com/content/2024/03/friday-photo-591-still-winter.jpg10001500Codyhttps://www.68north.com/content/2016/12/68north-logo-V4.pngCody2024-05-03 03:00:002024-03-29 08:37:44Friday Photo #591 – May Or Winter
Photo: Northern Lights swirl in the sky over Himmeltindan, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. January 19, 2024. 23:38
The nights are now no longer fully dark on Lofoten, and that means the northern lights season has come to an end. But don’t worry, it will be back soon as the next season begins already in late August, only 4 months away.
For Lofoten, the northern lights season is roughly: August 20 – April 20
Last year, the season started early for me and my first aurora sighting was in the early morning hours of August 19 while on Værøy. This was the earliest in the year I’ve seen northern lights on Lofoten.
Overall, I spent much of the autumn and winter traveling down south in Germany, Scotland, and Spain. So I was gone for most of the first half of aurora season here on Lofoten, and I know I missed some good nights! Luckily I was also around for some good nights, the best two being December 1 and March 3 while guiding on Senja.
It was also a difficult winter at times, with lots of cloudy weather over Lofoten, and, despite all the media hype about the approaching solar maximum, a largely quiet sun for much of January and February. So even when the clouds parted, there was not always something to see.
This image, from January 19, was one of three nights of clear sky and moderately active northern lights. I was mostly focused on getting the 5th edition of Seasons on Lofoten – Winter eBook out before the start of the winter photography season, so I didn’t travel from home. But luckily I don’t have to go too far for a decent image light this one.
Camera Info: Nikon Z8 Nikon 20mm f/1.8 20mm ISO 200 f 2 2.5 Seconds WB Daylight
Photo: Willow Ptarmigan – Rype walks across snowy field, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. April 18, 2022. 17:01
The long days of mid April bring an ever increasing level of activity to Lofoten as the migratory birds arrive and fight over mates and nesting locations. Though the willow ptarmigans – rype in Norwegian – live on Lofoten year round, they also increase in liveliness during the spring and their calls begin the fill the air.
Usually in winter, my only knowledge of their presence is a set of fresh tracks in the snow. But by April I can hear the males calling out as the fly around the neighbourhood. If I hear one near by house, I’ll often times try to sneak out a get a few photos before they fly away. Sometimes they are patient, other times not.
I still have yet to get a nice image of a fully white rype in a full winter landscape. I guess I’m not that dedicated to wildlife photography! Maybe I should try before all the snow melts…
Camera Info: Nikon Z7 II Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6 500mm ISO 500 f 5.6 1/1600 Second WB Daylight
Gentle snow had been falling all morning, brining winter back to what had previously been a dry looking Lofoten. Walking out of my cabin mid-morning, I noticed the snow had created a nice abstract patter on the roof of the cabin opposite mine.
I first shot a wider angle version, but switched to a telephoto lens for a more detailed shot, which I like better – as there is too much visible in the wider shot. Its a bit more abstract than what I usually post here.
As the snow continued to fall, the gaps between the tiles became filled in and the roof was eventually entirely white, and uninteresting.
Camera Info: Nikon z8 Nikon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 290mm ISO 100 f 6.3 1/250 Second WB Daylight
https://www.68north.com/content/2024/03/friday-photo-588-roof-snow.jpg10001500Codyhttps://www.68north.com/content/2016/12/68north-logo-V4.pngCody2024-04-12 03:00:002024-03-29 08:31:40Friday Photo #588 – Snow On The Roof
Photo: Snow blows across Haukland beach, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. March 24, 2024. 08:59
There is somewhat of a joke about Lofoten actually having 12 seasons during the year, instead of 4. And you can probably guess already, that most of the additional seasons are due to the long winters, and our optimistic hope that a nice and calm sunny day might mean winter is finally over. But nope, it isn’t over…
The 12 seasons of Lofoten are: Winter Fool’s Spring Second Winter Spring of Deception Third Winter Allergy Season Real Spring Summer-ish Actual Summer False Autumn Second Summer Actual Autumn
Today’s photo of a snowy Haukland beach at the end of March is when Second winter made a return. Just a few days earlier the landscape of Lofoten looked hopeless and dry, and largely barren of snow. On the calmer, sunny days it was even enough to walk around in a sweatshirt most of the time. Fool’s spring.
Now the temperatures have dropped and the coldest day of the last month was -9.5˚c on March 28. Good news for all the ski tourists here for the long Easter holiday week. Bad news for everyone else that is waiting for the first signs of green and the long days of summer.
Now with the long days of April, Winter is long from over here on Lofoten, and the snow will likely continue to fall for the next weeks and into May. Eventually the snow will stop falling and we’ll have Spring here in the north, yet never quite sure if another Winter is waiting around the corner.
Camera Info: Nikon z8 Nikon 14-30mm f/4 16mm ISO 200 f 8 1/200 Second WB Daylight
Photo: Last workshop aurora of 2024 winter season, Gimsøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. March, 24, 2024. 22:44
After 7 back to back workshops starting on January 31st, my winter guiding season has finally come to an end as I dropped off my last guests at Evenes airport of Tuesday, narrowly missing a multi-hour road closure on my drive home due to a truck stuck on the road in heavy snow around the Lødingen area. Now I can sleep!
As usual, this winter gave us all the varieties of weather. The most significant of which was the storm ‘Ingunn’ on the 1st of February, the most powerful storm to hit Lofoten in decades. My group was supposed to drive from Tromsø to Senja on this day, but we delayed the drive day, as it would simply not be safe to be on the roads in a full blizzard.
The rest of the winter was also filled with the occasional delayed or canceled flights from the ‘normal’ winter conditions, some closed roads here and there, snow, rain, more snow, and more rain and a seemingly endless amount of clouds. There is no predicting the winter weather and some groups got lucky with a full week of ideal winter weather, while other groups were stuck with wind, sideways rain, and a flat grey sky.
The northern lights were also somewhat shy this year – though this is largely related to cloudiness of this winter. While I managed to get every group a glimpse of the aurora, with one group it was down to the final hours before departure. Other weeks were more lucky, particularly my Senja group in early March, which had some amazing dancing auroras on several nights. Again, no predicting, just luck…
Despite a not-great weather forecast, my last group was on the lucky side, with aurora on 4 nights out of 8. Though only one of these nights was fully clear. On this last night, we headed out to GImsøy to hopefully find some clear sky as it had clouded over in Kabelvåg where we had started the night. Luckily a nice hole in the clouds opened up just as the aurora began to rain a curtain of light down on us. Shortly after the aurora faded and the clouds closed in.
Camera Info: Nikon z8 Sigma 14mm f/1.8 14mm ISO 1600 f 2 2 Seconds WB Daylight
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