LOFOTEN PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

EXPLORING AUTUMN

SEPTEMBER 17 – 25, 2016

Autumn is perhaps Lofoten’s best kept secret. The landscape glows golden for a few short weeks making it a scenic and colorful time to take in some of Lofoten’s iconic mountain views. As the weather begins to grow moody, the first storms may bring a dance of light and shadow across the land. With the northern lights once again returning to the night sky, yet without the freezing temperatures of winter, they can be experienced in a more enjoyable setting, such as late nights around a beachside campfire.

With years of experience photographing and exploring Lofoten during autumn, this workshop is specifically created for the highest likelihood of autumn color, long nights for northern lights, and mild enough temperatures for seeking out some of Lofoten’s hidden landscapes. This is the time I want to be on Lofoten myself, so I’m hoping to share this magical part of the year with you.

The workshop’s guiding and instruction will be provided by Cody Duncan.

For booking or questions, contact: workshops@codyduncan.com

WORKSHOP DETAILS AND ARRIVAL

Group size: 6 participants + guide

The workshop will officially begin in Leknes at 14:00 on Saturday, September 17 and end in Leknes at 12:00 on Sunday, September 25. Pickup/drop-off will be available at the airport and in the city center.

Accommodation: We will split our time between several locations across the Islands. We will also attempt one night in a mountain cabin. No single supplement available.

Physical Ability: Moderate physical ability is required for this tour. Though none of the planned hikes are overly physically demanding, we will aim to reach several mountain peaks up to 500 meters and spend some 4-6 hours away from the car. On our night in the mountain hut, we will need to carry in all food and water, plus additional sleeping supplies.

Getting to Lofoten: From within Europe, SAS airlines and Norwegian offer travel to Norway from a multitude of destinations. From North America, Norwegian airlines offers good value flights to Norway from the west and east coasts. Flights from Bodø to Lofoten will have to be booked via SAS/Widerøe airlines. For more travel information, see: Getting to Lofoten

PRICING AND BOOKING

Workshop price: ~~2650 Euro~~ BOOKING NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Deposit: 550 Euros

The deposit is required to reserve your place on the workshop. Deposit is non refundable. Full payment is due 60 days before workshop.

Payments will be made by bank transfer.

Please note: Before booking any travel to Lofoten, make sure you have paid your deposit for the trip.

For booking or questions, contact:

workshops@codyduncan.com

Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis shine in sky over sea and mountains, Storsandnes, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

ITINERARY

The nature of Lofoten requires a great deal of flexibility to the local weather conditions once on the Islands. Each morning/evening we will take a look at the current conditions and plan our day accordingly.

The aim of this workshop is to show you the fantastic landscapes of Lofoten. Weather cooperating, we will hopefully hike several mountains, 400-500 meters in height. While none of the routes are difficult, a moderate level of physical fitness is required and at least some previous hiking experience.

If conditions allow, we will attempt one night in a mountain cabin at some point during the trip, with fantastic views across Lofoten and excellent possibilities for northern lights.

If the weather is stormy and moody, we will focus on coastal areas of the Islands, taking shelter among the cliffs.

Each night we will keep a close eye on the sky and go out hunting for auroras.

Day 1

Arrival on Lofoten: Saturday, September 17

You will be picked up in early afternoon in Leknes. With sunset occurring around 18:30, we will head off to one of the famous beaches at Uttakleiv or Haukland, hopefully with some nice clouds in the sky. After dark, we’ll travel 30 minutes to our accommodation at Stamsund. After dinner, we’ll keep watch for northern lights.

Days 2 – 5

Allowing for flexibility of local weather conditions, we will explore the central areas of Lofoten during the first few days. Typically we’ll focus on the famous beaches of Vestvågøy and Flakstadøy during the mornings. As we see how the conditions develop throughout the day, we’ll pick a mountain destination for mid afternoon and shoot sunset from the summit. If the weather is extra special, we might even take a gamble and wait around on the summit for northern lights to appear.

Days 6 – 8

Over the second half of the workshop we will travel west to focus on the scenic views around Reine and Å. Here the mountains rise vertically into the sky in some of Lofoten’s most well known views. Weather permitting, we will take a ferry through Kjerkfjord to the isolated village of Vindstad. Here, the famous Bunes beach is only a short walk away.

Day 9

Departing Lofoten: Sunday, September 25

The tour will officially end at 12:00 in Leknes. However, all attempts will be made to best accommodate transport to your departing flights or ferry.

View of Vik and Haukland beaches from summit of Holandsmelen mountain peak, Vestvagoy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

WORKSHOP PRICE INCLUDES

Accommodation – 8 nights accommodation on Lofoten in shared cabins (no single supplement available).

All transportation on Lofoten, including Leknes airport pickup and drop-off in large passenger van.

Boat tour to Vindstad/Kjerkfjord (weather permitting).

Professional photography and location guiding by Cody Duncan, one of Lofoten’s most experienced outdoor photographers.

Complimentary downloads of both Cody Duncan’s eBooks: Seasons on Lofoten – Winter, Seasons on Lofoten – Summer.

NOT INCLUDED

Air travel to and from Leknes.

Meals: We will typically split meal cost among group and cook together.

Insurance: travel insurance is mandatory for this trip. Tour guides and trip organizers will use their best knowledge to keep all participants safe, but will not be held responsible for any personal or equipment injury which might occur. Insurance needs to cover any emergency medical treatment and transport, related to the tour or not, which may occur.

Alcoholic drinks.

Anything else not mentioned as Included.

WHAT TO BRING

Photography Gear

Camera – Any camera welcome, but a full frame DSLR or mirrorless camera with manual mode will give you the best performance while shooting northern lights.
Tripod – A strong tripod that can tolerate the occasional windy or stormy conditions of Lofoten.
Lenses – A selection of lenses from 14 to 200mm is recommended. A fast wide angle f/2.8 or faster is beneficial for shooting northern lights, should they appear.
Filters – This is somewhat to shooting style, but I heavily recommend a set of neutral density filters, covering: 3, 6, and 10 stops.
Cable Release – Cable or remote camera release, preferably with ability to lock in Bulb mode for long exposures.
Camera Cover – It is likely we will encounter some adverse weather on Lofoten, so you want to be able to cover your camera and keep shooting.
Lens cleaning – Some locations can be exposed to sea spray. I recommend a combination of pre-moistened disposable lens wipes (Zeiss and Nikon make some) and dry cleaning tissues. I find microfiber cloths don’t handle the maritime conditions and quickly become unusable.
Storage – Bring plenty of memory cards to last for multiple days of shooting.

Clothing

You will need to be prepared for potentially rainy and wet conditions so a good set of waterproof clothing is advisable. While I won’t be taking us to the mountains in torrential downpours, passing light showers are a likelihood. For a detailed clothing list, see my article: What to Wear

ABOUT CODY

Cody Duncan is one of the most experienced photographers living and working on Lofoten today. Since first visiting the Islands as a young backpacker in 2001, he traveled to Lofoten more than 20 times before deciding it was finally time to move there in the winter of 2016.

In 2010 he created the website 68 North to showcase his ever growing Lofoten portfolio which has now become one of the best photography and travel resources available today. In 2015 Cody published the first two photography guides focused on the unique seasonal nature of the Islands, drawing upon his years of experience exploring hidden corners and lonely mountain tops across Lofoten.

Cody was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California. Spending many of his early years surfing the cold waters of the Pacific, just down the road from his childhood home. His early 20’s saw him turn his focus to the mountains, soloing numerous 4000+ meter peaks in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. As his photography career developed, he soon found himself spending more time in the wild landscapes and turbulent weather of northern Europe. Cody’s images have been published by: Visit Norway, National Geographic, Men’s Journal, Sunset Magazine, Lonely Planet Magazine, GEO Saison, British Airways High Life, and numerous calendars, travel guides, and more.

Cody now lives on Lofoten.

FINE PRINT

Travel insurance is mandatory. Some providers are: World Nomads, ADAC, Allianz, Medjetassist

Travel insurance needs to cover any medical emergencies or accidents before, during and in transit to the workshop. Any situation which would require you to cancel the tour before or during the trip. Any loss or damage to your luggage or photography equipment.

Deposit is non-refundable.

Any cancelations will be fully refunded (minus deposit) up to 60 days before tour. After that, no refunds are available.

Tour itinerary is subject to change due to any potentially unforeseen circumstances, such as weather cancelations, etc.

If tour itself is cancelled by the operator, then full refunds (including deposit) will be given to all participants.