Tag Archive for: Norway

Lofoten – Haukland Beach

Haukland beach in winter, Lofoten islands, Norway: Travel Landscape stock photography

Haukland Beach winter, Lofoten islands, Norway.

When the sky is clear, the light as this amazing diffuse glow to it.  Due to being so far north, the sun travel at much more of a horizontal angle than what occurs as one approaches the equator.  So due to this, the period of ‘sunset’ or ‘sunrise’ light is extended into hours, not just minutes.  In early January, the sun barely rises above the horizon so there is not really any direct sunlight, more like a 4-5 hour sunrise-sunset until the darkness of night comes by about 2:30-3:00 pm.

Lofoten Autumn Snow

Lofoten islands panoramic landscape photography: Autumn snow covers rocky coastline

Autumn snow on rocky coast at Stamsund, Lofoten Islands, Norway.

Utakleiv Beach

Lofoten islands Norway travel photography: rocky beach at Utakleiv in storm

Utakleiv, Lofoten islands, Norway.

Vestfjord

Vestfjord viewed from Stamsund, Lofoten islands, Norway

On a nicer day, the Norwegian mainland would be visible in the distance.  The Vestfjord as viewed from Stamsund, Lofoten islands, Norway.

Unstad

Unstad beach, Lofoten islands, Norway: travel landsacpe photography

last light at Unstad, Lofoten islands, Norway.

Lofoten Coast

Stormy weather over rugged coastline, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Coastline near Stamsund, Vestvågøy on a rather cold and dreary evening.  Lofoten islands, Norway

11:56 pm – The Road Near Kvalnes

Lofoten islands Norway landscape photography: Reflection of clouds in water, Kvalnes

Three years ago out on the coast near Kvalnes. Unsuccessfully hunting the midnight sun with a German and two Norwegian’s.  We were a day or two too late in reality, had there been no clouds.  The cool thing about this time of year in the north: you can shoot sunset, sunrise, and then go to sleep for the night and not have to worry about setting your alarm.

Night Comes to Lofoten

Lofoten islands panoramic landscape stock photo: view of Austvågøya and Vestfjorden in winter

View from the top of Stamsundheia above Stamsund, Vestvågøya towards the village of Henningsvær and mountains of Austvågøya.  The mountain peak in the center of the photo is about 16km away.  The second set of mountains behind that are about 35km away.  The Furthest distant peaks are the Norwegain mainland (Hamarøy I think) about 65km away, sperated by the mighty Vestfjord.

The night arrives slowly this far north due to the low angle of the sun.  In the weeks prior the the nearly 2 month long “day” of the summer months, night never really properly arrives, just a few hours of twilight.  Though here in March the night eventually comes, delayed enough that one has enough time to walk off a mountain after sunset with relative good visibility.

Storm over Selfjorden

snow covered boat shed on shore of Selfjord in winter, near Fredvang, Moskenesoy, Lofoten islands, Norway

Boat sheds on the Moskenesøya side of Selfjorden, the far shore being Flakstadøya.

Travel landscape stock photography: boat shed in winter snow storm, Selfjorden, Lofoten islands, Norway

Only 15 minutes between these photos.  I had been haunted by this storm for hours as I watched it slowly approach.  At times it would be held up by the 1000 meter high mountain peaks rising from the sea and I would escape its arrival for a precious few minutes, but once I gained exposure to the north it hit with a fury of snow and wind.  A bitter cold straight from the arctic winter, chilling me to the bone.   It was a wild ride that night, alone in my tent halfway up some mountain pass.

Justadtind

Justadtind, The prominent mountain toward the left of both photos.

Justadtind and mountains of Vestvagoy rise from sea fjord, viewed from near Stamsund, Lofoten islands, Norway

Justadtind and mountains of Vestvagoy rise from sea fjord, viewed from near Stamsund, Lofoten islands, Norway