Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Landscape Photography Locations => Topic started by: FredrickFjeldsbo on May 06, 2012, 04:19:02 pm
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Hello.
Have anyone of you ever been to Lofoten in Norway? I'll be moving there later this year and was wondering if anyone had some images from lofoten and some photography locations. I'll be living there for 9 months, so I guess I'll be able to make a lot of images.
Thanks.
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I'll be going on a National Geographic Expedition trip to the High Arctic and also western Norway including this area in 2013. I've been looking for photos also and found this link (beautiful work by a Colorado photographer: http://www.widerange.org/gallery/norway/
Eleanor
Hello.
Have anyone of you ever been to Lofoten in Norway? I'll be moving there later this year and was wondering if anyone had some images from lofoten and some photography locations. I'll be living there for 9 months, so I guess I'll be able to make a lot of images.
Thanks.
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Check Nikongear. A group of Nikon photographers gathered there recently for the express purpose of sharing their photography and comradeship and they posted an abundance of images from Lofoten. It looks a most interesting place, but far too cold for this man from Texas.
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There are some images on Google Maps/Earth. The latter is somewhat easier to deal with, but both will show images from Panaramio.
Alan
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I also get on my iPad and open the map and do "street view"all over Norway. Every highway and almost all roads are street view mapped and it is great for sightseeing! Norway is an incredibly beautiful country....it would be on my list of the few countries I would be willing to live in! Simply beautiful and I wander through the country on street view all the time! Fun. eleanor
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Take a look at http://www.brucepercy.co.uk/
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I was there on vacation about 5-10 years ago, and am going back for a week later this month. It's gorgeous. It's hard to recommend any particular locations, since so much is stunning, except make sure to get to Reinefjord - that's the very best bit (and there's a small ferry that travels around that fjord several times a day - highly recommended for great views). In general, the farther southwest you go, the more dramatic the scenery.
If you want to see images from my last trip there, go here and look for ones labelled "Lofoten Islands" (clicking on them brings up larger versions with commentary):
http://www.stanford.edu/~melkor/lisa_pictures/NEurope.html (http://www.stanford.edu/~melkor/lisa_pictures/NEurope.html)
I was there in late September before, and saw only one other tourist the entire week. It rained and was cloudy a lot, however. I picked May this time because May-June is the least rainy time of the year, according to my research. Wish me better luck this time...
Lisa
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Always wanted to go there - it was the site of the first commando raid of WW2, plus some simply superb mountain & coastal scenery. No doubt like the rest of Norway, beer is far too expensive.
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Yeah, see Jack Brauer's site. <sigh>
Take the ferry across the malstrom to Vaerøy.
Another advantage of May-July is 12 hours of evening, midnight and morning light.
You'll love it.
Scott
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in 9 months you should make a LOT of images. probably all of us on this board have been tourists is the summer when it is usually a lovely place. although i don't envy you spending the dark winter in the land of the $10 beer, i can visualize incredible landscape, harbor, fishing images in often nasty weather. you need a good high ISO camera that is weather sealed and a good camera cover as well - with suitable protection for yourself. there are a lot of possibilities.
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Fredrick,
You are in for a TREAT! Norway is an incredible place to photograph, especially the landscapes but not limited to that, and the Lofoten Islands look to be some of the best of that country.
I haven't been on the Lofotens, merely through part of them on the Hurtigruten (coastal ship) which is expensive but a very useful intro to the area. You can travel just part of the Hurtigruten's route, you don't have to do all of the Bergen-Kirkenes-Bergen route.
Although winter is challenging it's not as bad along the coast as you might expect. The Gulf Stream (warmer water than the Arctic) modifies the local climate significantly. Inland is much colder but don't let that put you off. Summer is a bit disorienting because you tend to go without sleep for days and then collapse in a heap ;).
The Gulf Stream is what makes the winter fishery around the Lofotens so good. Make sure you get lots of pics of the cod (torsk) drying on racks- nice patterns as well as being a distinctive local sight.
If you are going to be there in late autumn/winter, be prepared for the highly spectacular Aurora Borealis. This article http://www.luminous-landscape.com/techniques/aurora-md.shtml has lots of good advice (spare batteries and good high ISO performance seem top of the list).
And although this is a little further inland, you must visit Lyngen Fjord (both summer and winter)- it's a stunning area. Lyngseidet has a charming timber church (built 1731). All of the villages and towns north of Lyngseidet were burned to the ground in late 1944/early 1945 as the German army retreated before the Russian advance, so Lyngseidet was incredibly lucky. The church (typically for churches in coastal Norway) has a model sailing vessel suspended above the altar. Before oil and gas made Norway rich (late 60s) it was a very poor country and the main occupations in coastal areas were seafaring, fishing and pilotage. Navigating those island- and skerry- ridden waters in winter storms without a weather forecast must have been, well, words fail me. Lots of men didn't come home from the sea. My father grew up in Lyngseidet in the 20s and 30s so I'm seriously biased, but it really is a great part of the world.
If possible try to get acquainted with some locals with boats- maritime photography makes a welcome change from land-based (different subjects, different perspective), and you'll be in an area which is half water anyway. If you're going to be there after about October/November you should be able to ski- you don't have to of course, but it will make getting around far easier. And as others have noted, good clothing for the winter months and camera sealing/protection for the maritime jaunts. Maybe get a sea kayak if you have the skills- that would be one of the best ways to get around the islands. (That's on my bucket list....)
The natural features are of course the principal attraction, but don't ignore modernity. There are some spectacular bridges and tunnels between islands worth some photographic time too. More controversially there is a strong push at the moment for oil and gas exploration off the Lofotens. At the moment Norway's oil and gas comes from other offshore regions. There might be some good opportunities there although I don't know whether the proposals have gone beyond paper submissions. I don't think the local fisherpeople are at all impressed with the prospect.
People say Norway is expensive. They are absolutely right. The best thing to do is research as much as you can from home (lots of useful web sites with English language options if you click on the Union Jack), spreadsheet the trip to the nth degree, then go and have fun and try not to obsess too much about the cost.
One more thing- you'd better like eating fish ;D.
John.
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And furthermore, for some excellent photos of the Lofotens and Norway more generally, have a look at Grant Dixon's site http://www.grantdixonphotography.com.au/galleries/index.php and click on Europe/Norway.
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For landscape and nature photographers Lofoten is a fantastic location, both summer and winter.
I used to live in Lofoten for many years, now I go there at least two or three times a year. I always see new things to photograph there,
the light and weather changes all the time.
You can have a look at some of my photos on www.arcticphoto.no
There are links to Lofoten summer and Lofoten winter.
Bjørn J
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Bjorn, the images on your site art stunning! How fortunate you are to live in northern Norway! Noticed some very wide angle shots that are particularly beautiful...I was wondering about your wide angle lens selections? I am going to costal Norway next yeat and am trying to decide on lens selections. Any suggestions welcome and thanks! Eleanor
For landscape and nature photographers Lofoten is a fantastic location, both summer and winter.
I used to live in Lofoten for many years, now I go there at least two or three times a year. I always see new things to photograph there,
the light and weather changes all the time.
You can have a look at some of my photos on www.arcticphoto.no
There are links to Lofoten summer and Lofoten winter.
Bjørn J
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Bjorn - better in winter than i imagined
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All of the villages and towns north of Lyngseidet were burned to the ground in late 1944/early 1945 as the German army retreated before the Russian advance, so Lyngseidet was incredibly lucky.
Russians never entered the Norwegian soil, we kept them at bay two countries away...
I have been around those parts a few times, and there certainly is a lot to photograph. Amazing light in the summer 24 hours a day, amazing no-light in winter with graphic snow and opens sea. Take a lot of hard disk space with you!
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Bjorn, the images on your site art stunning! How fortunate you are to live in northern Norway! Noticed some very wide angle shots that are particularly beautiful...I was wondering about your wide angle lens selections? I am going to costal Norway next yeat and am trying to decide on lens selections. Any suggestions welcome and thanks! Eleanor
Thank you Eleanor. I mostly use the Nikkor 14-24mm/2,8, but some photos are taken with my old Nikkor Ai 16mm/3,5 rectangular fisheye, it's an incredible good lens.
I will gladly give you some advice about locations in Lofoten (and northern Norway in general) if you wish, I know these parts of Norway well.
Bjørn J
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Russians never entered the Norwegian soil, we kept them at bay two countries away...
Actually they did. In October 1944 russian soldiers entered Norway, and the German soldiers retreated, burning most of Finnmark county on their way south. The Russians withdraw from Norway in 1945.
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Actually they did. In October 1944 russian soldiers entered Norway, and the German soldiers retreated, burning most of Finnmark county on their way south. The Russians withdraw from Norway in 1945.
I stand corrected. How far west did they get? Alta?
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I stand corrected. How far west did they get? Alta?
No, they stopped when they reached the river Tana, about 100 km from the Russian border.
But this is war history, and very off topic :-)
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Thanks again Bjorn...actually I have a new 14-24 2.8 sitting here at my house "waiting" for the Nikon D800e which is on backorder. I was trying to avoid taking this lens on my Norway trip as to travel light but I have heard so many fabulous things about the lens I just may have to take it along (how weather proofed is it??..as in Kayak and zodiac splashes, etc)...I'll be on the National Geographic Explorer ship and we will travel from Copenhagen up Norway's south and west coasts up to where you are, Tromso then up to Svalbard. While we won't have any choice about where the ship goes, we will be kayaking from the ship visiting towns like "AA" and others. We were in Svalbard last year actually so the real reason for taking this trip is to see costal Norway...your country is so so beautiful!!!. We will be there the end of May 2013...I'm assuming the sun doesn't set at all there this time of year. Will we have any "golden" light tho and if so,what time of night? In early to mid June Svalbard was very bright 24 hours a day...no "low sun" light at all. Thanks again! Eleanor
Thank you Eleanor. I mostly use the Nikkor 14-24mm/2,8, but some photos are taken with my old Nikkor Ai 16mm/3,5 rectangular fisheye, it's an incredible good lens.
I will gladly give you some advice about locations in Lofoten (and northern Norway in general) if you wish, I know these parts of Norway well.
Bjørn J
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Eleanor, you absolutely must bring your 14-24mm! It performs excellent on my D800 (not the E). It's supposed to be reasonably water resistant, but be careful with that huge front glass.
In Lofoten the period with midnight sun is from May 28 to July 18. During that time the whole sun is above the horizon. At midnight, the sun is in the north, so you need to be on the outer parts of the Lofoten islands to see it. The villages Ramberg, Eggum and Uttakleiv are perfect locations. I do not know how long the ship will stay in Lofoten, but hopefully they will arrange bus trips for you to see the fishing villages and amazing scenery.
The best times of day are very early morning and late evening, or even night. Depending on the weather of course.
The first photo attached is taken half an hour before midnight, in June, in the village Ramberg. The second is from the village Unstad, a very special place. It has become rather famous now, attracting surfers from all over the world. Maybe I am in Lofoten when your ship arrives, do have a date for when you will be in Lofoten?
Good luck, hopefully you will have better weather than we have now - 2 degrees C and snowfall/sleet.
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Thanks again Bjorn for all the helpful information!! I don't know when the ship will be in the area but I think the plan is to kayak and or zodiac from the anchored ship into a few of the towns...to see and walk around some. We will also be landing to do some hiking in the near backcountry on the western coast but not sure where...There is no absolute "set" itinerary which is a good thing...the captain takes the ship where weather is best and plans can change at the drop of a hat if necessary...What other Nikkor lenses do you like with your D800?! eleanor
Eleanor, you absolutely must bring your 14-24mm! It performs excellent on my D800 (not the E). It's supposed to be reasonably water resistant, but be careful with that huge front glass.
In Lofoten the period with midnight sun is from May 28 to July 18. During that time the whole sun is above the horizon. At midnight, the sun is in the north, so you need to be on the outer parts of the Lofoten islands to see it. The villages Ramberg, Eggum and Uttakleiv are perfect locations. I do not know how long the ship will stay in Lofoten, but hopefully they will arrange bus trips for you to see the fishing villages and amazing scenery.
The best times of day are very early morning and late evening, or even night. Depending on the weather of course.
The first photo attached is taken half an hour before midnight, in June, in the village Ramberg. The second is from the village Unstad, a very special place. It has become rather famous now, attracting surfers from all over the world. Maybe I am in Lofoten when your ship arrives, do have a date for when you will be in Lofoten?
Good luck, hopefully you will have better weather than we have now - 2 degrees C and snowfall/sleet.
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I use the 70-200/2,8 VRII a lot, it performs fine on the D800. The 24-70/2,8 is also OK, but it struggles a little on the D800, especially wide open in the corners. It is great for more "photo-journalist" kind of photography, though. The Micro-Nikkor 60mm/2,8 AF-S is very good on the D800. I also use the Zeiss Distagon 21/2,8 and Zeiss Macro-Planar 100mm/2,0. Fantastic lenses!
Good luck on your trip - it's good that you don't have a set timetable.
Bjørn J
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Ahhh yes...the Zeiss! I have the 100/2 and will be taking that for sure. I've heard incredible things about that lens too! Thanks again, Eleanor
I use the 70-200/2,8 VRII a lot, it performs fine on the D800. The 24-70/2,8 is also OK, but it struggles a little on the D800, especially wide open in the corners. It is great for more "photo-journalist" kind of photography, though. The Micro-Nikkor 60mm/2,8 AF-S is very good on the D800. I also use the Zeiss Distagon 21/2,8 and Zeiss Macro-Planar 100mm/2,0. Fantastic lenses!
Good luck on your trip - it's good that you don't have a set timetable.
Bjørn J
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Hello Fredrick,
I'm a landscape photographer just recently back from Lofoten.
You can find images here: http://www.lightinframe.com
Also in about 10 days i'll have some location notes up on my blog here: http://www.lightinframeblog.com
I hope these might be of help to you.
Any specific question just ask me.
Cheers Steve Coleman
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Hi guys,
I'm actually really interested in going to Norway around May/June next year or November. what will be a better time to visit for photography? I noticed most of the photography tours are around March or November, is there any around May/June? Because I heard there's barely any light in November, probably just 3-4 hours?
Also, any other recommended places other than Lofoten and Tromoso? The country is so long that I don't know where to concentrate my efforts on, probably will only have a week to 10 days max.
Thanks in advance!
Aaron
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You are right that there is very little daylight in November. Of course the lack of light might give good photo opportunities in itself, but personally I would prefer to go there in the first half of March. At that time there is much more variation in light conditions, and the fishing season is at peak activity. It's a very different Lofoten than the "tourist-Lofoten" you'll see in the summer. With some luck you'll experience some heavy snowfall or snowstorms with closed roads etc. With even more luck you might see the Northern Lights in all its glory. But rain, sleet and clouds covering all the mountains are also a possibility....
Mid-summer is also a great time to visit Lofoten, mostly because of the midnight sun and the contrasts in the landscape (like beautiful, white beaches underneath steep mountains). But be prepared for lots of tourists and difficulties in finding accomodation.
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Off topic, but an interesting read may be “We Die Alone” by David Howarth. This true story takes place in Northern Norway. Here is part of the book description from Library Journal: “This 1955 volume is one of the most remarkable survival stories ever written. Jan Baalsrud was the only survivor of a Norwegian commando team ambushed by the Nazis during World War II. Wounded and with the Germans in pursuit, Baalsrud escaped and miraculously fought his way through the Norwegian tundra to a distant village, where he was saved by locals who helped spirit him to Sweden. Baalsrud suffered frostbite and snowblindness, came through an avalanche, and lived to tell the tale.”
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Is there any tours around May and June for the midnight sun?? Most of the photography tours are for March or November...
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Why go on an organized tour? Rent a car either at Evenes airport (if you fly from Oslo), or in Lofoten. In the cities Svolvær and Leknes you can rent cars. The roads are generally good (but curvy and narrow), and the distances are short - less than two hours drive from Svolvær to the end of the road (the fishing village called Å). All the great photo locations on the outer parts of Lofoten are easily accesiible.
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Why go on an organized tour? Rent a car
+1.
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You can see Lofoten pics at my SmugMug site at: skeeterstravelphotography.com
Click on the Norway button. Hope you enjoy the pics. I KNOW you will enjoy the Lofotens.
John