NORWAY

 

There's something magical about snowy winters and northern Norway is a wonderful place to be photographically when the world turns white.  The Lofoten Islands are characterised by breath-taking landscapes of deep blue fjords and jagged peaks populated by fishing communities that have called these remote islands home for centuries.  In winter the place is a stunningly beautiful as the land is carpeted in white and the red wooden huts that have become iconic of the area make splashes of colour in this most dramatic of landscapes.

Landscape photography workshop in the Lofoten Islands

You can read my travel blogs on Norway here

 

THE LOFOTEN ISLANDS

Nappsholmen

Dynamic light on the peak of Nappsholmen in the late afternoon

Fredvang

The peaks of Lofoten reflected in the still waters of the fjords around Fredvang at sunrise.

Fredvang II

The peaks of Lofoten reflected in the still waters of the fjords around Fredvang at sunris

Northern Sunrise

The first light of the day above the peaks of Lofoten, Norway.

Hamnøy

The fishing cabins of Hamnøy on a cloudy and snowy morning in the Lofoten Islands

Ramburg

A red fisherman's hut provides a splash of colour against the white snowy landscape of the Lofoten Islands

Sakrisøy

The iconic yellow cabin in Sakrisøy below the peaks of the Reinefjorden

Red

The iconic red hut at Ramberg in a snowstorm

Sakrisøy II

The iconic yellow cabin in Sakrisøy below the peaks of the Reinefjorden in late afternoon light

White & Blue

The clear blue water of an almost frozen fjord surrounded by the a fresh snowfall in the Lofoten Islands, Norway

Haukland

The beach at Haukland at sunset

Uttakleiv

Last light of day at Uttakleiv beach in the Lofoten Islands, Norway

Vareid Storm

Stormy weather and high winds brings waves racing up the beach at Vareid

Vareid

Low tide reveals rock pools on a cloudy sunrise in Vareid, the Lofoten Islands

Sunrise in Vareid

The sun's first light paints the snow covered peaks of Lofoten in winter. I shot this from the ice covered rocks of Vareid.

Uttakleiv Blue Hour

Rocks and tidal pools at Uttakleiv beach in Lofoten in the blue hour after sunset

Vareid II

The peak of Flakstadpollen from in pre-dawn glow captured from Vareid

Uttakleiv Sunrise

Uttakleiv isn’t usually a sunrise location, but on this morning the clouds were so thick we knew it wouldn’t make any difference, and with moody weather it’s an incredibly dramatic place to shoot

Hamnøy Sunrise

A colourful winter sunrise above the island of Hamnøy in Lofoten, Norway.

Nusfjord Light

Early morning light on a local house in Nusfjord

Lille Toppøy

A red rorbuer cabin on the island of Lille Toppøy

Rorbuer

Red rorbuer cabins in Reine

Nappsholmen 2

Last light cuts through a break in the cloud to illuminate a peak in Lofoten

Alpenglow

After sunset, the last glow of ambient light illuminates a mountain in Lofoten

Stjerntinden Aurora 1

The aurora is a constantly moving and evolving spectacle. Photographing it can be a challenge, but it’s important to step away from the camera from time to time and just take in the incredible beauty of it as it dances across the sky

Hamnøy

Late afternoon light picks out the red rub cabins in Hamnøy

Olenilsøya

A small house on the small island of Olenilsøya in Lofoten shortly before a snow storm

Sakrisoy

The iconic yellow hut at Sakrisoy

Vík

The lovely church at Vík beach in a snowstorm whiteout

Nusfjord Light

Golden light at Nusfjord at sunset

Molneva

Sunset over the fjord in Lofoten

Stjerntinden Aurora 2

On this evening we had a really strong aurora that was visible to the naked eye and was lighting up the scene around us. It was probably the most incredible aurora I’ve had the luck to witness

Aurora

The northern lights above the peaks next to Haukland beach. This is a self portrait taken from neighbouring Vík beach.

Aurora II

An incredibly strong aurora above the Lofoten peaks

Reine Harbour

The harbour at Reine in Norway's Lofoten Islands in a blue hour snow storm,

Winter

A snowed in cabin in the winter of Lofote

Reinefjord

Low mist across Reinefjord in Lofoten

Varied First Light

First light picks out the peaks of Flakstadpollen from the beach of Vareid

Mountain Light

Dynamic light at sunrise paints the peaks golden in the Lofoten Islands

The Peak

Late light picks out a peak of Reinefjord

Skagsanden Aurora

The northern lights dances above the beach at Skagsanden in Lofoten

Vareid Reflections

The peaks of Vareid reflected in a rockpool after sunrise

Kvakvika Midnight Sun

It’s hard to imagine the scale of Kvalvika beach, completely cut off and surrounded by mountains on the north western coast of the Lofoten Islands, it really is a fantastic place to watch the sun set in summer. Of course, being summer in the arctic circle, the sun doesn’t set until after midnight

Reinebringen

The majestic view across Renefjorden and it’s many islands from the ride of Reinebringen.

Hamnoy
An iconic view of Hamnoy in the Lofoten Islands, but one I can’t resist shooting each time I return. This was actually the first time I’d visited outside of winter, and found the colours and difference in the light really fascinating.

 

The Three Lakes

Deep in the Lofoten Islands three lakes at different levels lay along the Munkebu trails

Reinebringen Sunset

The classic view over Reinefjord in Lofoten, captured from Reinebringen, the peak that towers above these tiny islands and deep fjords. It’s a view I’ve wanted to witness myself for years, the drama of the mountain walls dropping into the fjords, and the mountain peaks of the Lofoten Islands reaching up into the distance. It’s a bracing walk up there, but the reward of the view from the top is incredible. We hung around waiting for the sun to set around midnight, but the best light is just before the sun disappears behind the mountains, flooding the scene with a warm glow.

Lofoten Light

The last light of day across the peaks of Lofoten captured from the Reinebringen ridge

Lofoten Mountains

Low lying cloud surrounds the granite peaks in the Lofoten Island