Utakleiv – Lofoten Islands

Photo: Low tide and stormy skies at Utakleiv beach, Lofoten Islands, Norway. September 2011

Utakleiv is one of the places where I can return to again and again and always find something new.  The only thing that I never seem to see there is the sun.  I’m sure it does shine from time to time, just not whenever I happen to be around.  As much as I would like to take a photo of the bright sand and crystal blue water with a nice sky full of puffy white clouds, I think this will always remain hidden from me.

So I must be content with the dark, moody days at Utakleiv.  Always watching the sky to see how much longer I can shoot until the next rain shower arrives and I’m completely soaked.  Waiting for a lull in the wind so I can hopefully get a sharp image.  Timing the waves so I can stand right on the edge of the sea and not walk away with wet feet (though I often do).

I think I work best under these conditions, on the edge of the elements.  Bad weather makes good photos I keep telling myself, perhaps hoping that if I say it enough it will become true.  And perhaps to keep my mind from wandering to a warm fire and hot cup of tea as I stand there cold and wet waiting for light that may never arrive.

Here’s a few images from a couple different days in Sept/Oct.