INTRODUCTION

Lofoten Archipelago with its sharp pointy mountains towering over the fjords; frozen lakes, beaches, traditional quint villages dotted with traditional red cabins and the Northern lights is a photographer’s dream. The climate in Lofoten is also mild though it is located within the Arctic Circle. The sea around the archipelago seldom freezes due to the Gulf Stream currents bringing warmer waters from the South.

This winter photography workshop will take you to the incredible and enchanting snow-capped mountains and fjords. Our focus will be on the morning and evening scenes at quaint and really colorful villages. The sunrises and sunsets are long during this time of the year. During the night we shall hunt for the elusive Aurora Borealis and the Milky Way.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TRIP

• Stunning Arctic landscape, amazing locations such as Reine, Olstind mountain, Haukland, Skagsanden and Utakleiv beaches, and many more
• January/February is one of the best months for photographing amazing winter landscapes.
• High probability of shooting the Aurora Borealis above immense mountains and wonderful beaches
• Magical low light throughout the day, enabling us to shoot for over 6 hours (weather permitting), in addition to night photography
• Professional photo guidance by two experienced landscape photographers
• Photo sharing sessions among participants to improve the photography techniques.
• Comfortable accommodations in a single hotel throughout the whole trip.

SUGGESTED FLIGHTS TO LEKNES, NORWAY

 

We suggest that everyone take the 10:40am flight from Oslo to Leknes on the 23^th Jan and return on the 11:35am flight on the 30^th Jan from Leknes to Oslo. The suggested flight is highlighted in red.

 FLIGHTS FROM KUALA LUMPUR TO OSLO, NORWAY

From Oslo to Kuala Lumpur and other countries, please note that you need to reach Oslo on the 23^rd Jan in order to catch the morning flight to Leknes.

WHAT TO BRING?

Photography Equipment

• A digital camera, preferably a DSLR camera with a full-frame sensor, since these cameras have better low-light capabilities. However, a crop-sensor DSLR will also completely suffice. A compact camera can be used, as long as you understand its limitations.
• A sturdy tripod for shooting in windy conditions.
• Recommended: an ultra-wide angle lens. For example, a Canon 17-40 on a FF sensor camera, or a Nikon 10-24 on a crop sensor camera.
• Recommended: a wide aperture ultra-wide angle such as the Samyang 14mm f/2.8 for night photography.
• Recommended: a telephoto zoom lens, such as a 70-200 or 70-300. Doesn’t need to have a wide aperture or a stabilizer – an f/4 is more than enough.
• Recommended: A filter set for landscape photography like Lee, Heliopan, NISI and Singh-Ray filters. A good filter set is worth its weight in gold for a landscape enthusiast. If you need to consult about buying a filter set, I’ll be happy to help.
• Recommended: A camera remote.

Clothing

• High rubber boots or rubber waders for the shooting along the coastline. You can buy these rubber waders from online stores like Aliexpress.
• Full thermal gear is essential. Wear a thick thermal base layer, a heavy fleece coat and a down coat.
• Good quality warm gloves. It’s important to use gloves which enable you to operate the camera while wearing them.
• Thermal long-johns
• Water resistant trousers (preferably thermal)
• Thermal socks. I recommend bringing at least 2-3 pairs.
• A neck-warmer or a scarf
• A good warm hat which covers your ears.
• Highly recommended: thermal, water-proof, knee-high rubber boots or rubber waders
• Crampons are required to protect yourself from slipping on icy surfaces. You can buy these crampons online from Aliexpress or any other online websites.

FOOD AND DRINKS

Food and drinks are generally very expensive in Norway, being a country with one of the highest GNP in the world. It is expensive by European standards and extremely expensive by Asian standards. A normal meal will cost anything around 25 to 40 €; a cup of coffee 3-5 €; and a can of beer is 8-10 €. In order to keep our prices affordable, we are renting a chalet style accommodation with full kitchen and dining facilities. We will buy all the ingredients from the supermarket or grocery stores and share the cost on the “cook-in”.  The price of a “cook-in” depending on what we buy is around an affordable 5-7 € per meal (this is for lunch and dinner). Breakfast ingredients will be provided by us (included in the price) but you will have to cook it. Our accommodation is at Reine Rorbuer a chalet style accommodation that are refurbished fishermen’s cottages located in one of the most picturesque part of Reine Town. This accommodation has one of the highest ratings and reviews in Reine.

We won’t leave Reine without trying the food at their local restaurants. We will be hosting a farewell dinner for everyone at a local restaurant.

MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS

The minimum number of participants that will make this trip viable is 10 persons and the maximum number is 14 persons.

TRIP DIFFICULTY

Easy to Moderate. There are no difficult or strenuous hikes. Most of the photography locations are accessible by vehicle. Be prepared for cold temperatures of around -10^oC, strong winds, and snow. However, the weather conditions in this Lofoten are generally mild.

ITINERARY

Day 1, (23 Jan) Meet at Leknes Airport

The group will meet in the afternoon in the town of Leknes, where you can fly from Oslo on a morning flight (see above for flight recommendation). We will pick you up from the airport and drive to our hotel. After a quick introduction, we’ll hop on our spacious van, leave our suitcases in the hotel and go straight to shoot the sunset at one of the spectacular beaches in the area (subject on arrival times). Dinner will be at the hotel and after dinner, we will have a short meeting to discuss our itinerary and answer any questions that you may have.

Day 2-3 (24-25 Jan) The Reine Area

The Reine area is a paradise for winter photography. It is a very typical Norwegian fishing area. Spectacular mountains such as the triangular Olstind and the towering Festhæltinden are dotted by red and orange fishing cabins adding to a picturesque and unique winter scene. Reine looks amazing in any weather conditions, but the snowfall can add a lot to the winter atmosphere. If we’re lucky, we might catch some golden sunrise light or even pink Alpenglow on the mountains.

With a bit more luck, we’ll get to witness the spectacular Aurora light show in the evening

Day 4-5 (26-27 Jan) Reine to Leknes: Nusfjord

After breakfast, we will drive to Leknes. On the way between Reine and Leknes we will pass through some mesmerizing landscapes.  We will stop to shoot in the (hopefully) frozen Storvatnet Lake. Storvatnet has a spectacularly cracked surface, and a whole day could be spent shooting its intricacies. With a clear sky, we’ll also have beautiful pink Alpenglow on the mountains.

Another fantastic location between Reine and Leknes is Skagsanden Beach. Skagsanden Beach is a very unique black and white sand beach.  The streams flowing down the beach create spectacular textures in the evening light that cast long shadows. It also has hidden turquoise pools that is begging to be discovered.

Due to its moderate incline, Skagsanden is an amazing Aurora Borealis shooting location. The aurora lights reflected on the beach’s black and white sand patterns as the foreground with the beautiful mount Hustind as the background is a landscape photographer’s dream

Day 6-7 (28-29 Jan)  Leknes Area

Leknes is surrounded by many wonderful shooting locations. Several beaches are well known for its beauty. Utakleiv and Haukland beaches present unique opportunities for photography. Utakleiv is probably the most photographed beach in Norway, and for good reason. Amazing spherical rocks, red colors. Haukland is lesser known, but is just as beautiful and diverse.

These beaches are just about 40 minutes away from our hotel and they provide a great venue for photographing the Aurora on a clear night.

On the 29th night, we will have our farewell dinner in the hotel.

Day 8 (30 Jan) Departure for Home

After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll drive to the airport for your flight home.

 

For more information on pricing and booking, please email: [email protected]

 

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