Friday Photo #637 – March Aurora

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Photo: Aurora Highway – moonlit northern lights rise into the sky over Gimsøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. March 24, 2024. 22:17

Eight months after their first appearance in Lofoten’s night sky, the northern lights will soon be making their departure for brief summer break. Out of all the weather, seasons, climates, etc of Lofoten throughout the year, the northern lights are actually the longest lasting of all. They are not there every night, of course, but nothing else in Lofoten’s natural world hangs around for 8 months of the year. So, with as much mystery and awe there is, the northern lights are one of Lofoten’s most frequent events.

I guess what makes them special is they only occur in the north, where few people live. Anywhere else there can be a nice sunset, pretty autumn colours, etc. But the aurora are in the north. Though personally, the longer I’m here, I now probably get more excited about a 20˚c summer day – which is definitely more rare!

But at this time of year, I’m content with my last aurora nights, which are actually my favourite, with the horizon still glowing in the north. Now it’s hopefully time for a bit of skiing in the last of the snow and then waiting for summer green to arrive and all that brings with it. But this year will also be a busy one and hopefully some long term projects I’ve kept a bit quiet about with will find completion.

Camera Info:
Nikon Z8
Sigma 14.. f/1.8
14mm
ISO 1250
f 2.2
2.5 Seconds
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #586 – Season’s End

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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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Friday Photo #298 – Gimsøy Sky

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Gimsøy Storm - Friday Photo #298

Photo: Dark autumn sky over Gimsøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. September 17, 2016. 17:50

The last days have seen the fury of the first autumn storm over Lofoten. Wind, rain, clouds, and more wind. The Gimsøy bridge has been closed for some periods on Thursday and several ferries were canceled. Luckily, autumn seems late to arrive this year, and not too many leaves have blown off the trees as far as I could see. In other years, the autumn color could have ended today. Which is why autumn is always a bit of a risk here, as one never knows what will happen.

This is a 6 image pano from an approaching weather front while on Gimsøy. Autumn often brings a dramatic change from the weather of summer. Autumn is the season of rainbows, and the season of dark skies – often on the border of being able to shoot and having to run back to shelter from the sideways rain. But bad weather makes good photos. And so that is why autumn on Lofoten is one of my favourite seasons to photograph.

Today starts my first photo workshop of the season. For the next month I’ll be out with groups trying to show the best of Lofoten. At the moment, the weather forecast is looking a bit grim. But on Lofoten, that means opportunity for something special – as long as one is willing to get a bit wet…

Camera Info:
Nikon D800
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8
24mm
ISO 200
f 10
1/30 second
WB Daylight
6 image panoramic

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Friday Photo #293 – August Twilight

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August Twilight - Friday Photo #293

Photo: Full moon and August twilight over field of geitrams – fireweed, Gimsøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. August 9, 2017. 23:51

The nights are growing noticeable darker these days and with the often heavy clouds and rain of the last weeks, I’m having to turn on the lights in my house at night once again. That might sound like a strange concept to anyone from further south, but really, for the whole summer, I don’t need to use any lighting at home. But those days are now over. And with the first ‘autumn’ storm having passed over Lofoten last weekend, it is beginning to feel like summer is also over; and me complaining about it being too hot for a couple weeks in July just a distant memory. This week I even saw the first stars that I’ve seen in many months!

The landscape though, still filled with purple geitrams – fireweed, still holds onto summer as best it can. Even the weather might still give us another week or two of some warm temperatures if we are lucky. Otherwise, the thermometer seems to creep a little lower each week and it wont be too long until I pass by the first golden yellow birch leaf while wandering my way through the mountains – the sign that autumn has finally arrived.

This photo is from last year’s twilight of summer photo workshop. We had been out on Gimsøy for the evening, slowly beginning the journey back to stamsund in the fading light when I noticed a bit of fog beginning to appear across the landscape. With the mostly full moon in the background, I liked the soft look of the landscape. Luckily the night and flowers were nearly perfectly still for a 3 second exposure due to the low light. After a little while longer the fog grew thicker and engulfed the landscape.

Camera Info:
Nikon D800
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8
27mm
ISO 200
f 10
3 seconds
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #284 – Gimsøy Summer

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Gimsøy Summer - Friday Photo #284

Photo: 01:00 am summer light over Gimsøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. June 12, 2017. 01:04

I have previously posted an image from this fanstastic June night – Friday Photo ###. That one was looking directly into the sun. This is just a few meters away, looking across the soft pastel light that was falling over the landscape. As much as the northern lights keep me up late in winter, that can involve a bit of suffering at times. In summer, under the midnight sun, it is generally just pure joy. Lofoten really is a land for insomniacs!

While the sun had been shining bright and strong a little while earlier, it eventually sunk into some clouds lower on the horizon. The light was still warm, but now with a gentle softness. Nights like this are why I moved here, and with as many reasons as there are to visit at other times of the year, a warm summer night under the midnight sun is simply wonderful. Something that everyone should experience once.

Camera Info:
Nikon D800
Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8
17mm
ISO 80
f 11
1/6 second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #235 – Midnight Flowers

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Midnight Flowers - Friday Photo #235

Photo: Flowers at midnight, Gimsøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. June 12, 2017. 00:02

Another midnight image from Gimsøy. After a long winter and this years cold may, it is so nice to see the fields first turn green and then, in the first weeks of June, fill with a endless color as a million flowers cover the land.  Often, especially in the last years as I have focused more on the mountains, I forget to look at the small scenes and simple moments.

And what is more simple than a flower in a field with the warm glow of the midnight sun shining in the background. Perhaps this could be anytime of day and any place in the world. But to me, this is a nice, simple pause in the passing of the days here in the north.

Camera Info:
Nikon D800
Nikon 70-200mm f/4
200mm
ISO 200
f 5.6
1/250 seconds
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #234 – Gimsøy Summer

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Gimsøy Summer - Friday Photo #234

Photo: Hoven reflects in small pond under light of the midnight sun, Gimsøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. June 12, 2017. 00:57

Even thought the midnight sun doest look visually different than a sun low on the horizon at any other time of the day, there is just something magical about being out late into the early morning and it never getting dark. Part of me wishes the whole year could be like this, but then it wouldn’t be special.

Guiding a workshop from Tromsø to Lofoten this June, we had absolutely perfect timing with the weather. A few days before I drove north it had still been snowing here and I was telling everyone to make sure they had good jackets. However as I reached the airport in Tromsø after a night camping on Kvaløya, it’s a long drive from Lofoten, it was t-shirt weather and sunshine! Endless sunshine for days and days.

After some time on Senja we made the journey south to Lofoten. This was the first night when we finally got some nice drama in the sky, the other days being mostly cloudless. So we headed off to Gimsøy to do some exploring.

This was the last stop of the evening as we were on the way back to Henningsvær. I’ve stopped by this small lake dozens of times over the years, but I think this is the best I’ve seen it! The sun was perfect, just below the layer of clouds that had been growing throughout the evening and the rest of the world was still and silent. perfect.

Camera Info:
Nikon D800
Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8
21mm
ISO 80
f 10
1/15 second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #203 – Persatind Gimsøy

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Friday Photo #203 - Persatind Gimsøy

Photo: Summit of Persatind, Gimsøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. November 18, 2016. 13:47

There is barely four hours of daylight on Lofoten as the middle of November arrives and passes. Each day feels darker and darker, even with clear skies. Under heavy clouds, in feels as if the world will soon turn to night – which it will.

After a week of heavy winds and rain from multiple passing storms out of the south, the weather finally settled a bit on this day. Though the forecast called for rain my mid afternoon, I took the risk to head east to Gimsøy to hike up a new mountain for me, Persatind.

Starting the hike at noon, I already felt as if we should turn around; that night will soon arrive. But the heavy clouds were responsible for this as we still have a few hours of decent light.  Fresh snow had fallen overnight and as we ascended higher up the mountain a cold wind began to blow.  Following a maze of sheep trails up a steep and snowy ridge, the route finally arrives at the broad plateau of Høgheia – Maybe a good spot for some winter camping later in the season.

Clouds of the approaching snow and rain were slowly drifting in from the south, layers of distant mountains fading into a blueish grey. To the north, a twilight glow warmed the horizon over the distant islands of Vesterålen and the open sea.

After a few minutes on top it was time to descend while we still had some light. In a couple short weeks, once the polar night arrives, I will be thinking of the brightness of this day – light which wont return until the middle of January…

Camera Info:
Nikon D800
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8
28mm
ISO 100
f 10
1/8 seconds
WB Daylight
5 image pano

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Friday Photo #128 – Hoven Winter View

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Hoven, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Winter view from Hoven, Gimsøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  January 21, 2015.  11:53

With another one of mid January’s fantastic winter days, and the day after I hiked up Offersøykammen, I found myself a bit bored again, so I headed up Hoven, a small mountain on Gimsøy.

Luckily, I again had a few footprints in the snow to follow, taking away any difficulties in winter navigation. Though even in winter, Hoven is a relatively straight forward and simple hike, it’s always nicer to have a path to follow, if only to save on time.

By the time I reached the summit I was down to a t-shirt – so much for arctic circle in the heart of winter!  But a moderate breeze was blowing, so I quickly returned to a down jacket once I stopped moving and started shooting.

The southern sky, with the noon sun low on the horizon was glowing a bright orange.  At this time of year, the sun is so low in the sky that only southern facing aspects of the islands receive any direct sunlight, and that’s only if their not blocked by any mountains.

I liked the reflection in the water below, and the contrast between the cool blues of the snow and the warm sky.

Camera Info:
Nikon D810
Nikon 70-200mm f/4
130mm
ISO 160
f 9
1/125 second
WB Daylight

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Friday Photo #95 – Hoven In Autumn

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Autumn view from Hoven, Gimsøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Golden colored autumn landscape from the summit of Hoven, Gimsøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  Sept 26, 2012.  12:13

Hoven is something of a unique mountain on Lofoten in that it stands completely alone, surrounded by the flat, marshy lands of Gimsøy.  I’m not sure what geological effects resulted in its creation, but today it sits, despite its low height, as one of the most recognizable mountains of Lofoten.

As autumn progresses and the land fills with color, Hoven provides a scenic view over the surrounding landscape.  Though it is a landscape under threat.

The planes with Widerøe airlines currently flies to Lofoten are no longer in production.  Thus Lofoten will require a longer runway in the near future.  It is possible to extend the runway at Leknes, but this comes at the jealousy of Svolvær, who like to think of themselves as ‘the capital of Lofoten.’ And so they talk of building an airport at Gimsøy.  Brilliant! Ruin a whole island because of a pissing match between two provincial towns…

Camera Info:
Nikon D800
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8
24mm
ISO 100
f 9
1/125 second
WB Daylight

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