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Friday Photo #686 – Narvtind Reflection

Photo: Dawn light shines over Narvtinden mountain peak and reflection, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. January 26, 2026. 09:51

This view has long been a favourite of mine. It is often a relatively straightforward shot, so I don’t tend to stop there too often anymore, but on this January morning, it looked like the sky had potential for something special.

The air was calm and still, and cold! Some snow flurries were gently floating in from the north so it was a race for which would arrive first; the light or the low clouds. It ended up being a bit of both.

As far as I could tell, the southern horizon seemed clear and I was hoping we’d get a good light show as the sun arrived. And it came very close, but didn’t quite happen. Conditions were just on the edge of one of those fire in the sky moments, the clouds never quite caught all the light and these soft pinks faded across the sky into a deep blue of the passing snow. I would have probably been better to be looking in a more southernly vantage point. But I do like the softness and subtleness of the light for this image.

Camera Info:
Nikon Z8
Nikon 24-120mm f/4
84mm
ISO 100
f8
1/13 Second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #685 – Valley Light

Photo: Warm winter light shines through the steep valleys of distant Flakstadøy, Yttersand, Lofoten Islands, Norway. January 26, 2026. 11:36

Despite the quickly lengthening days, the late January sun does not rise far above the horizon, leaving much of the northern valleys of Lofoten hidden in shadow. Here, even approaching noon, the sun only shines across the highest peaks rising over Vikten, the rest of the valley and village remains in the shadow of the surrounding mountain wall.

I actually almost didn’t shoot this image, but after seeing by co-guide Sam take a nice version, I decided it was worth pulling out the camera as well. I do tend to get a little lazy on Lofoten these days, and it is a common occurrence during image reviews that I think to myself that I probably should have taken a few more photos during the trip – especially with the fantastic winter conditions this year has received so far.

It is a simple image, but I like the mood in it. Late January is always a good time of winter on Lofoten; The days are long enough where you have plenty of time to shoot and get around, but the sun is low that you still have that feeling and atmosphere of being in the far north. By late February, the sun is beginning to feel a bit more ‘normal,’ or as it could be anywhere else in the world. It is only the difference of a few weeks, but you can feel it.

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

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Friday Photo #684 – Pastel Dawn

Photo: Misty clouds conceal Ristinden peak at dawn, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. February 5, 2026. 09:30

I will dare to say that the last month has been the best winter in recent memory. Day after day of cold and still weather, barely a hint of wind, and nights of dancing northern lights over the snow covered mountains. Having completed my first 2 photo workshops of the year, both groups have walked away with amazing images that would often take multiple visits to Lofoten to achieve. It has been a good start to my winter guiding season compared to the struggles with warm, stormy weather of the previous couple years. Let’s hope this continues!

This image is from one of those mornings where I wish I could freeze time. Central Vestvågøy was largely covered in a low, wispy fog flowing in and out of the valleys and hills. Rarely have I ever seen such conditions in winter. Unfortunately, it was also a day in which I had to move the group from Leknes to Svolvær, which always makes things a little difficult with a van stuffed with luggage (and this group had a lot of luggage!).

As we drove east across Vestvågøy I could see the misty clouds swirling around the mountain peaks and as I reached the low pass at Torvdalshalsen, which, most importantly, has a parking area, I knew it would be a near-perfect location for the time being as the dawn light lit the steep slopes or Ristind among the swirling mist.

Despite the stillness, moments like this are often brief, and this was one of those times to remind the group with one of my common sayings, ‘Less talk, more walk!’ In other words, get moving people, this light isn’t going to last forever! And eventually the mist rose and concealed the mountain.

Camera Info:
Nikon Z8
Nikon 100-400 f/4.5-5.6
340mm
ISO 200
f5.6
1/160 Second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #683 – Windswept

Photo: Winter winds blow over Haukland beach, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. February 2, 2025. 11:48

But where are the mountains? Yes, there should be mountain in the background of this image, except at this moment in the middle of a passing snow shower, there aren’t. Or well, the mountains are there, you just can’t see them. Only a bit a patience, and understanding of Lofoten’s weather will determine if you leave the windswept beach or wait things out a little bit. For Lofoten in general, patience is often the key. Or perhaps experience is the key, as in the moment of this photo, all views seem lost. Should one stay, or walk away?

It is probably because of the false illusions of social media that many now expect almost every moment to be perfect. We want perfect scenes of a perfect snow covered beach and mountains, yet don’t expect to be there when the snow is actually falling and the mountains aren’t visible – that just occurs in some other magical time when we are not present. We only want the results, the scenes of perfection we now see a thousand times a day on social media.

But for a snow covered landscape to exist, it must snow at some point. And that moment might be when you are walking across a windswept beach.

Camera Info:
Nikon Z8
Nikon 14-30mm f/4
25mm
ISO 100
f9
1/15 Second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #682 – Colourful Aurora

Photo: Colourful northern lights fill sky, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. January 20, 2026. 18:37

This is the following night from last week’s aurora image (Friday Photo #681) and actually a better display than the previous night. The image is looking south towards the colourful aurora filling the southwestern sky over Lofoten, though not long after was full overhead corona filling up the entire frame of my 16mm lens.

Unfortunately for me, the beach by my house doesn’t work well for southern oriented northern lights in general. And the current state of the beach is quite messy with seaweed from the recent winter storms. Ideally I would have been over at Vik or Haukland beaches, with offer a better view towards west and southwest auroras, but the ongoing construction in Nappstraumen tunnel make this a tedious journey these days. I could probably get there faster by boat if I had one.

So, while far from my best aurora photo ever, it was a nice and colourful night. With the first of my winter photography workshops starting today, I’ll hopefully have many more nights under Lofoten’s dancing sky over the next two months – Though hopefully I have some time for sleep as well! Last year was a rough season with a lot of clouds, so hopefully this year goes a bit easier.

Camera Info:
Nikon Z8
Viltrox 16mm f/1.8
16mm
ISO 2000
f2
5 Seconds
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #681 – Red Aurora

Photo: Red Northern lights fill the northern horizon over Lofoten, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. January 19, 2026. 23:23

On Monday night one of the biggest solar storms in the last 20 years hit the earth, bringing northern lights down to Italy and parts of the southern US. I’ll let the space nerds debate on how strong it actually was, as that is not my field of expertise. But for a high latitude photographer, it was just a bit, ehhh. Bigger and stronger is not always better here in the high north. For mid latitudes of (mostly) Europe, it was possibly a once in a lifetime show, though some of the aurora from 2025 might compete with it. For us up north, the following Tuesday night was a much more active and dynamic show (probably next week’s photo).

Though I must also admit, that for the stronger aurora, which move into the southern half of the horizon, my vantage point on the ‘yttersia’ of Lofoten is not always the best, as I have mountains blocking my view towards the south. And while the red color was quite vibrant, especially in the southern horizon, its was mostly just that, red color. Special, yes. Spectacular, no.

This image is taken from the beach while facing north, probably a bit after the peak activity had passed. While I have seen many nights with a fully green glowing sky, I don’t think I can remember any with a red glow such as this. But Lofoten was actually too far north for much of the more dynamic activity, which produced overhead aurora much further south. The following night the sky really was dancing, as full of color.

Camera Info:
Nikon Z8
Viltrox 16mm f/1.8
16mm
ISO 2000
f2
5 Seconds
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #680 – Frozen Reinefjord

Photo: Frozen snow covers the surface of Reinefjorden on a still winter day, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. February 7, 2024. 10:29

It is not often that the surface or Reinefjorden freezes during winter. While the temperatures are often cold enough to do so, it is often the near constant wind rarely allowing the fjord to sit still enough for the surface to eventually freeze. And while the fjord looks frozen and icy in this image, it is actually somewhat of an illusion – it is not ice on the surface, but the accumulation of heavy snowfall which was faster than the water could melt it away.

Ice or not, it still looked quite cool and is a fairly rare sight, especially going so far out into the fjord. It was the lucky combination of heavy snow without the usual accompaniment of wind.

It was quite treacherous actually getting to the shore line from the road, as it is very easy to miss holes in the snow covered boulders leading to the fjord’s edge, so slow precaution is always needed under such conditions. And you also don’t want to slip and end up taking an ice bath yourself.

I had already shot several different compositions, including the edge of the foreground before eventually wandering closer to this nice little crack through the ice to use as a leading line towards Osltind. By now the snow was beginning to fall again and the mountain was slowly disappearing until it eventually faded away for good.

Camera Info:
Nikon Z8
Nikon 14-30mm f/4
25mm
ISO 100
f8
1/100 Second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #679 – Pillows of Snow

Photo: A young birch sapling in pillows of snow, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. February 14, 2025. 11:52

One thing I sometime miss about the Lofoten landscape is the ability to find a nice lonely tree in the middle of a field or a small isolated grove without too many other distractions. There are a few places around here and there, but most require more effort to reach than I’m able to do on most winter photo workshops. This area is one of the more accessible places, though even the bigger trees are more like bushes, and this ‘tree,’ more like a couple of sticks.

I was actually just shooting a bit of really abstract stuff of just the snow when I decided this little group of twigs might help a little with the scene. It is nothing much, but still a nice abstract moment of winter and snow – which there seems to be less and less of in Lofoten these last years…

Camera Info:
Nikon Z8
Nikon 100-400 f/4.5-5.6
360mm
ISO 200
f6.3
1/500 Second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #678 – Vanishing Sun

Photo: Vanishing sun in snow storm on Reinefjord, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. February 13, 2025. 10:13

On this week’s cruise around Reinefjord I could see the large wall of cloud and snow approaching from the north even before the ferry boat left the jetty in Reine. I could see on the radar that it wasn’t too big of a snow flurry, but the winds were calm and it was moving slowly. My only hope was that the clouds cleared by the time the boat reached Kirkefjord, so I could see my favourite mountains in Lofoten.

Not long into the journey the first flakes of snow began the fall, becoming thicker and thicker at the boat headed into the dark cloud ahead. Most people on deck quickly took shelter inside the cabin, while I chose to remain outside in hopes of seeing something interesting.

It would have been better captured on video, but I still like this still image of last moments of sun before it completely disappeared within the cloud of falling snow. My last moments of seeing anything in the outside world before entering a blank void of grey.

The cloud did eventually pass as the ferry reached Kirkefjord, leaving the mountains rising into an eerie misty sky. But I already posted a view from Kirkefjord (though from another day) last week, so no need for repetition…

Camera Info:
Nikon Z8
Nikon 24-120mm f/4
120mm
ISO 400
f6.3
1/1600 Second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #677 – Kirkefjord Reflection

Photo: Mountain peaks rise over Kirkefjord on a calm winter morning, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. February 1, 2024. 09:51

The inner fjord arms of Reinefjord are some of my favourite areas in western Lofoten. Even if not putting on the backpack and heading out to Bunes or Horseid beaches, the boat journey across the fjord is scenic enough itself. And so, more and more, if I can time the weather for a nice flat day or some otherwise interesting weather, I’ve been taking my winter photo workshop groups on a boat ride around the fjord. On this particular day, the group was lucky enough to have its own private rib boat for the journey, allowing me to stop the boat whenever I saw a nice view.

The dramatic peaks surrounding the small village of Kirkefjord has always been one of my favourite areas on Lofoten. Luckily we arrived to near perfect reflections just as the sun was peaking over the horizon and illuminating the vertical rock face of Merraflestinden.

The fjord is long and narrow, so by February, not much sunlight reaches the inner parts and not long after dawn the sun will already be blocked by the mountains on the western side. So one doesn’t have too much time with sunlight back there so early in the winter.

Despite pretty ideal conditions in this image, it is pretty evident to see what is missing for a winter image from Lofoten: Snow. Lofoten’s winters are not a perfect snow wonderland and rain is frequent. Had the mountains here been covered top to bottom in a fresh layer of snow, this probably would have ended up one of my favourite images from the winter. But no worries, I’ll have several chances to try again next year!

God Jul everyone. See you in the new year…

Camera Info:
Nikon Z8
Nikon 14-30mm f/4
20mm
ISO 1000
f5.6
1/320 Second
WB Daylight

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