X Journey Magazine 2015

Kungsleden Article In X Journey Magazine

X Journey Magazine 2015

In the 2015 issue of X Journey magazine is a 13 page article (+ photos) written by me about hiking on Sweden’s Kungsleden trail.  You can find more info about the article on their blog HERE.

You can also find an online supplement to the article and many images on HERE on ISSUU

This is the 2nd edition of X Journey, a beautifully printed and wonderfully thick yearly magazine focusing on hiking and travel. Published in Germany, all articles are bilingual in German and English.

You can find out more about the X Journey HERE or follow them on FACEBOOK.

X Journey Magazine 2015

Photo: Cover of X Journey magazine 2015

Arctic Campers - Lofoten Islands Camper Van Rental

Exploring Lofoten In A Van From Arctic Campers

Arctic Campers - Lofoten Islands Camper Van Rental

While preparing for my June trip to Lofoten to grab a couple last photos for my eBook, I decided to get in contact with a new company renting out camper vans on the Islands: Arctic Campers. I often try and promote the flexibility of sleeping in a car while on Lofoten and also giving support to the local companies on the Islands, so it is good to see camper vans now added to the travel options.

And quite frankly, I’m really surprised it has taken this long. Some of you might know, that at the start of my travels 10 years ago, I spent my first year living in a van in New Zealand, where camper vans were one of the most popular forms of transport – I bought my own, but there were many rentals available as well.

Though Arctic Campers have a couple different models available, I used one of their VW Caddys – the Comfort Camper. Sleeping two (all bedding included) on a comfortable bed platform with plenty of gear storage underneath, the van also included free Wifi, a fridge, 2 stoves + cookware, water and sink area, a table and chairs. For those of you worried about cold, the vans are all equipped with heaters, strong enough to keep the vans toasty even in winter while you’re hunting for northern lights.

For more info, visit Arctic Campers at: arcticcampers.no

Arctic Campers - Lofoten Islands Camper Van Rental

Photo: Even summer rain can’t keep the popcorn away! Austvågøy, Lofoten Islands. June 2015

 

Arctic Campers - Lofoten Islands Camper Van Rental

Photo: Beach view at Unstad, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands. June 2015

 

Arctic Campers - Lofoten Islands Camper Van Rental

Photo: Waiting for the midnight sun, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands. June 2015
Disclosure: I was given a modest discount for the week I rented my van so I could have the opportunity to test it out for future usage. All opinions my own as always.

Silhouette of person watching Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis over coastline, Austvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Interview on Routes North Website

Hiking Kungsleden trail in Autumn, Sweden

Photo: Rainy days on Sweden’s Kungsleden Trail

There’s an interview with me now appearing over on the Routes North website.

Check it out HERE

It’s mostly about travel and photography in Scandinavia and how someone from California has ended up spending so much time in the north.

Routes North is a travel website focusing mostly on Sweden and Scandinavia.

Hiking Kungsleden trail in Autumn, Sweden

New Video Page

Kungsleden Trail – Video + Timelapse

Filmed on the northern loop of the Kungsleden trail from Nikkaluokta to Abisko in September 2012.

Some of you may have noticed that I added a video page to the site a few days back.  I have been shooting a fair amount of video + timelapse footage on Lofoten and elsewhere over the last couple years, yet up to this point, I haven’t really had time to put anything together.  And while I’m still new at editing and learning the programs (so don’t expect anything super fancy!), I think I will be nice to share another perspective from my travels beyond just photos.

Keep an eye out for some exciting stuff to come over the following months, including a return to the Kungsleden September this year.

You can find my video page HERE.

 

Seasons On Lofoten: Summer

New Ebook – Seasons On Lofoten – Summer

Seasons On Lofoten: Summer

I’m super happy to announce that the second eBook in my ‘Seasons on Lofoten’ series is now available: Seasons On Lofoten – Summer

Available as PDF, 125 pages, 98 images, and over 14,000 words. $10

BUY THE BOOK HERE

Building upon the same theme as the Winter edition, Seasons On Lofoten – Summer is a photography and travel guide focused on the Specifics of the summer season on the Islands.  Also included is the info for 6 of my favorite hikes and camping locations on Lofoten: Bunes beach, Horseid beach, Kvalvika beach, Ryten, Reinebringen, and Mannen.

Scenic Geirangerfjord in autumn, Geiranger, Møre of Romsdals, Norway

Norwegian Autumn FJords

Scenic Geirangerfjord in autumn, Geiranger, Møre of Romsdals, Norway

Photo: Autumn morning at Geirangerfjord, Geiranger, Norway. October 2014

Images from my October travels through the Norwegian fjords are now online in my archive gallery.

With all the time I have spent on Lofoten, I have never spent that much time in central Norway. There was so much bright colors and light, I hope to make it back again one of these years!

NORWAY GALLERY

Clearing storm on Aurlandsfjord, Aurland, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway

Photo: Clearing storm over Aurlandsfjord, Aurland, Norway. October 2014

 

Seasons On Lofoten: Winter

Lofoten Photography Guide Ebook – Seasons On Lofoten – Winter

Seasons On Lofoten: Winter

I’m super happy to announce that I’ve just published my first eBook!  It’s taken up the majority of my free time over the last couple months, and I’ve just finished it less than 24 hours  before I’m heading back to Lofoten myself.

You can BUY THE BOOK HERE.

The cost is $5.  It is 104 pages long, contains 80 images (45 of which are a portfolio/location section) and nearly 15,000 words.  I mostly cover the basics for the first time visitor to Lofoten in winter.  But even as a photo book, I think most people will enjoy it.

Aurlandsfjord, Norway

Favorite Images of 2014

I welcomed in 2015 camping in the freezing cold temperatures outside Ouray, Colorado.  Though I was in bed by 6:30pm, because it was simply too cold to do anything but sleep, it seemed a fitting end to the year and beginning of the next.

Here are some of my favorite images from 2014.  Though I have gone to some effort to exclude most of my Lofoten Images, which I’ll post as a set of their own in a few more days over at 68north.  Otherwise, it would be too easy for this list to be entirely made up of images from the Islands.  But I also ended up a couple other places as well, so I thought I would separate the two collections.

2014 was fairly similar to the previous year.  Once again, a majority of my focus was on the Lofoten Islands, staying for just over 2 months in total this year, split between winter and autumn.

In February, between visits to Lofoten, I attempted to make a ski tour on the Kungsleden trail in Sweden.  It didn’t go too well and I never made it very far from Kebnekaise Fjällstation.  But I still had some fun and look forward to making another attempt one of these years.

The spring saw me return to the Silesian countryside of south Poland and a brief visit to the Tatra mountains.  The rest of the time I was in Wales.

In late August, I made my first visit to Tromsø, where I boarded a sailboat for a 2 week trip to Lofoten.  It was absolutely fantastic, and I hope I find the time to make a proper writeup one of these days.  After the sailing trip I remained on Lofoten for most of September.  It was perhaps the best month of northern lights I’ve ever had on the islands, with night after night of aurora filled skies until the early morning hours.

One of the highlights of the year was a 10 day road trip though Norway in October, From Lofoten to Stavanger.  I’ve never properly explored central Norway, only ever hitch-hiking or busses previously.  So it was happy to finally begin to explore some places that I’ve wanted to visit for years.  And the autumn color was some of the best I’ve ever seen, making up for the rather dull color on Lofoten this year.

I’ve missed out on celebrating the New Year on Scotland’s Outer Hebrides for the last 2 years now, which I slightly miss.  So in an attempt to make up for it, I headed to Scotland in October, only to be blasted by wind and rain for nearly 2 weeks straight until I finally lost all motivation and headed south to Wales before returning to California.

2015 will be off to a quick start.  Next week, I’ll already be on my way back to Lofoten to co-guide a photo tour for Muench Workshops.  After that, I’ll stay on the Islands until the end of February to work on my own photography and hopefully climb a few mountains.

 

Winter night at Kebnekaise Fjällstation, Lapland, Sweden

Photo: Evening comes to Kebnekaise Fjällstation, Lapland, Sweden.  February 2014

Old barn in farm field, Prudnik County, Opole Voivodship, Silesia, Poland

Photo: Old barn in field, Silesia, Poland.  May 2014

Spring thunderstom over fields, Prudnik County, Opole Voivodship, Silesia, Poland

Photo: Approaching storm over field, Silesia, Poland.  May 2014

Town hall and Rynek market square, Opole, Silesia, Poland

Photo: Opole City Hall, Silesia, Poland.  May 2014

Female hill walker on Carmarthen Fans - Bannau Sir Gaer with Picws Du in distance, Black Mountain, Brecon Beacons national park, Wales

Photo: Hiker on Bannau Sir Gaer, Brecon Beacons national park, Wales.  April 2014

Wild Welsh Mountain Pony at sunset on Mynydd Llangorse, Brecon Beacons national park, Wales

Photo: Welsh mountain pony at sunset, Brecon Beacons national park, Wales.  April 2014

Silhouette of person watching Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis  over coastline, Austvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Northern lights over coast, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  September 2014

Norddalsfjord autumn, Norway

Photo: Alpine farm above Norddalsfjord, Møre go Romsdal, Norway.  October 2014

Nigardsbreen glacier, Norway

Photo: Nigardsbreen glacier, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway.  October 2014

Aurlandsfjord, Norway

Photo: Clearing storm over Aurlandsfjord, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway.  October 2014

Markan, Lofoten Islands, Norway

New Lofoten Mountain Hiking Pages

Markan, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Sunset over Kråkhammartind from the summit of Markan, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  September 2014

I’ve added a few new mountain hiking routes from my September trip on the islands.

Markan – Moskenesøy

Munken – Moskenesøy

Stornappstind – Flakstadøy

I still have a couple more mountains to add as well, but time is going to be tight, with a little less then a month before I’m returning to Lofoten again to co-guide a photo tour with Muench Workshops.  I’m hoping to have the time to write up a few posts about my autumn travels, particularly about the sailing trip, which was fantastic!  But I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get around to it, so things might be a little quiet around here for a while.  Though most of the next couple weeks will be spent working on something cool, and if I can finish in time, then it should more than make up for my lack of posting here…

 

Scenic Myrland beach, Flakstadoy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Lofoten Islands Friday Photo Series

Scenic Myrland beach, Flakstadoy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Sunset at Myrland Beach, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  September 2013

Things will be a bit quite around here while I finish up the last few weeks of my travels before heading back to California in November.

In the mean time, I invite you over to 68 North where my weekly ‘FRIDAY PHOTO‘ series is nearing two years of posts.

Or, you can also see where I’m at and the images you’ll get to look forward to by checking out my FACEBOOK or INSTAGRAM pages, where It’s a bit easier to keep regular updates…