Summer | 68 North

Photo: Vågakallen summer twilight, viewed from Stamsund, Vesgvågoya, Lofoten Islands, Norway. July 28, 2010. 23:23

A true night never comes to the Lofoten Islands in the weeks following the end of the midnight sun season. Instead, the sun remains just below the northern horizon and the islands glow in a magical twilight around the midnight hours (actually, 01:00 am is when the sun is at its lowest – Daylight Savings Time). Day after day, the twilight increases until late August when the sun finally loses its hold on the North.

The ‘Arctic Twilight’ of Lofoten is perhaps more famous and recognised in the Spring due to the popularity of Terje Sorgjerd’s amazing timelapse, ‘The Arctic Light.’ While Spring is merely a reverse of late Summer, increasing days as opposed to shortening, I find I prefer the Summer twilight for several reasons. First, The islands are at their fullest in late Summer. The hillsides are green and grasses grow tall while wild meadows are filled with wildflowers. In Spring, the islands are yet to wake from their Winter’s sleep. Trees will be leafless and the hillside remain mostly brown and ‘tired.’ The benefit of the Spring twilight is that the weather is more active as winter storms still sweep across the islands. For me, it just a personal preference for late Summer due to the type of images I like to take and other activities such as hiking and camping where I’d rather have warmer temperatures and more settled weather.

The hostel at Stamsund has long been my favourite accommodation on the Lofoten Islands. And it is from the hills and shoreline behind the hostel that I have taken countless images over the years. From Northern Lights and Winter snows to moments like above, a nearly perfectly calm summer evening, I have never witnessed the same scene twice. I often find myself wandering around the coastline late into the night, when the best light exists.

Camera Info:
Nikon D700
Nikon 85mm f/2.8 tilt-shift
85mm
ISO 200
f 13
121 sec
WB Daylight
3 Images – top, middle, bottom. For square format
Filer – B+W 6 stop ND

Photo: Golden evening light shines on Kvalvika Beach, Moskenesøya, Lofoten Islands, Norway. Aug 26, 2012. 20:04

There were only two of us camping on Kvalvika Beach this day in late August, myself and a young German guy. It is thanks to him that I took this photo.

I had been wandering around the beach taking a few photos in the afternoon light. I had hiked a little bit up a trail to get a slightly higher vantage point which I thought was nice. He I some him come walking across the beach in my direction and when he got to me, he mentioned the he was going to hike up the mountain, Ryten, and asked if I wanted to come along. Sure, why not.

Only wearing a light fleece and with no water, I found myself heading up the mountain. As we got higher it became apparent that we wouldn’t be remaining dry much longer as we could rain showers quickly heading out way. But by now it was too late to head back down, so I continued on.

A cold rain hit fast and hard. The drops seemed huge, even by Norwegian standards. I did my best to take some shelter behind the biggest bolder I could find, which managed to keep me about 3/4th dry. 15 minutes of this and then the sun finally began to reemerge, creating a rainbow so close I could almost find my pot of gold. A few more minutes and the rain had past, leaving me soaking wet in the chilly wind high up the mountain. But now, an even brighter golden light now shone over the landscape.

Wet and cold, the light was too good to leave. Over the next hours I made some of my favourite images of this trip. I wouldn’t be back at my tent until after dark.

Click here for info on getting to Kvalvika Beach.

Camera Info:
Nikon D800
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8
24mm
ISO 200
f 9
1/80 sec
WB Daylight
Single Image
No Filters