Photo: Northern Lights fill sky from summit of Ryten, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. March 2, 2017. 19:54

My plan for the day had just been some easy afternoon ski touring with some friends. However, as I was heading into Leknes run some errands, and with a good aurora forecast for the evening, I knew I had to be up in the mountains at night. So I quickly headed home and packed my bag for a night in the mountains. The sun was low on the horizon as I began my way up Ryten.

What had been calm weather down below was a pretty strong wind up high – I think I’ve only been on Ryten once when it wasn’t windy. Arriving at the summit in evening twilight, I attempted to set up my tent. Unfortunately, in my haste of packing, I had forgotten the guy lines with my other tent. So after a bit of testing, it became obvious that I wouldn’t be sleeping on the mountain this night.

Too cold and windy just to sit around, I found a slightly sheltering rock and pulled out my sleeping pad and sleeping bag to sit in while waiting for the sky to darken. Seeming just after I took my boots off and got in the bag, I noticed a faint glow of green beginning to appear, the sky not even dark yet. I waited around a bit longer before getting out again.

By now, around 19:00, a nice green arch was crossing the twilight sky. Some time later, things really got active and the aurora was so bright that I could have walked down the mountain without needing a headlamp! It was simply huge, bright, and dancing across the sky in every direction. One of the best displays I have ever seen.

Unfortunately though, I don’t think the composition quite worked for Ryten on this evening, and my main original plan had been for the aurora over Kvalvika, but they didn’t appear much in that direction. This is always the gamble with northern lights – they might not show up where you want them to, even if they are otherwise spectacular!

This image consists of two photos, one for the foreground and one for the sky. I found this necessary, as point just towards the sky left not enough compositional elements in the foreground, just some vague snowy hills of no apparent importance. And point down for a nice composition of the landscape left out too much of the sky.

Overall, it is an image that took a bit of effort, and the aurora was fantastic. But I probably might have gotten something better compositionally had I just gone to one of the beaches. Though there were probably hundreds of other photographers down there all shooting the same thing, so at least I captured something somewhat more unique.

Camera Info:
Nikon D800
Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8
14mm
ISO 2000
f 3.2
3 seconds
WB Daylight
2 images – top/bottom

Photo: Winter dawn over Reine, Vindstad, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. February 6, 2017. 09:29

This weeks photo is not so much about the image, but more about the importance of location in winter. Or to say it another way, if you want to see sunrise or sunset in winter, it is important that you know where you are going.

In the first week of February I took the ferry to Vindstad and Bunes beach for a couple nights of camping as the weather forecast was good and I was hoping for some northern lights over the beach at night. However, snow conditions were unfortunately quite thin, giving a much more spring like look than that of the fleshly snow covered landscape. But that is beyond my control.

Even a full month after the sun has returned to Lofoten, it still remains quite far to the south and still relatively low in the sky. From my location for sunrise each morning, I would see the sun rise over the mountains of the distant mainland around 09:00 and by around 09:25, the sun was disappearing behind Reinebringen – gone for the day! Bunes beach itself received no direct sunlight during this time, while the mountains high above would have sun at various points through the afternoon and until sunset.

So that was it, 25 or some minutes of direct sunlight each day while I was camping. Not very much!

Camera Info:
Nikon D800
Nikon 70-200mm f/4
150mm
ISO 100
f 9
1/125 second
WB Daylight

Photo: Approaching winter storm over Ytresand beach, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. February 28, 2016. 09:09

Another morning which started out quite colorful yet soon became consumed by a massive wave of snow approaching from the north. It is like watching a wall of darkness sweep across the land until finally there is nothing to see, just the details that are visible immediately in front of you as snow swirls around in the gusting wind.

I had already been on the beach for around 40 minutes by the time I took this image. The best shots had already been taken, but I liked the mood and simplicity of this scene which was quickly developing before me.

The shallow pool of water on the beach at low tide is what makes this image work. Had it been high tide, and thus no reflection, I probably would not have taken a photo, as the scene would have felt out of balance with a large presence of water, either normal exposure or long exposure, in the foreground. But the reflection helps balance the negative space of the dark clouds with the brightness of the remaining mountains and sky.

This is not an award winning image by any means, but a good representation of a brief moment in time of what winter on Lofoten is.

Camera Info:
Nikon D800
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8
24mm
ISO 50
f 16
4 seconds
WB Daylight
6 stop ND filter

Photo: Sakrisøy and Olstind in winter, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. February 22, 2015. 17:39

I couldn’t really decide for a photo for today’s post. However, with near storm force winds hitting the islands today, maybe I will talk a little about visiting the islands in winter. And more specifically, driving.

With the New York Times listing Lofoten as one of the top travel destination of 2017, it is going to be a busy year here on the islands. Already I have seen the rental cars begin the fill the previously quiet, near empty E10 which has existed over the last few months. The draw of winter here in the north is a powerful one – one of the reasons I myself decided to call this place home after traveling here for so long.

With the increase in traffic, I have recently seen some very poor driving practices from inexperienced winter drivers over the last days. Driving here in winter is scary, especially with sideways blowing snow at night (which is currently 15:30) and gale force winds. Driving 40 mph along the E10 is fine, and probably safe. But please, when choosing a place to allow others to overtake, do not pull over immediately before a blind turn, as has happened several times in the last days to me. I do not want to get killed trying to pass you! Find a straight section of road, and slow down there. The locals are not going to run you off the road if you do not immediately pull over when they arrived behind you – this is the countryside, we are used to tractors, sheep, and all kinds of other slow moving stuff on the roads…

Also, it is generally not allowed to park along the E10. It is a highway, despite the fact that the speed limit is slow in Norway and it might feel more like a country road. Unfortunately though, with snow covering many of the pullouts, unless you know where they are from experience, this means you might have to drive by that epic shot, or at least find a safe parking place and walk back. If you would not park along the highway at home, do not do it here either, just because its more scenic.

Drive extra carefully when the temperatures warm up/cool down. Lofoten is not as cold as it looks and the temperatures rise and fall continuously throughout the winter. The scariest time to drive is when it begins to rain after a cold period, turning the roads into a wet and slippery mess. Even pulling down into parking areas such as Skagsanden can cause trouble in these conditions. So be careful. And in the opposite effect, warm rain which freezes overnight will also turn the roads into chaos. The road crews do their best to prepare and maintain the roads for such conditions, but it can take time.

At the end of the day, Lofoten is here for you to enjoy! So do your best to do so. But please also be aware that the islands are not a giant amusement park. Winter tourism is a relatively new thing for the islands, and it might take some time for things to adjust, as this was traditionally a time locals have enjoyed quiet and solitude outside of the busy summer season. But times are changing and everyone should be able to get along…
Nikon D810
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8
24mm
ISO 64
f 10
20 seconds
WB Daylight