Good Morning Amsterdam!
Landing in Amsterdam. I love this city so very much, chose to overnight in Oslo as I know I'll be in Amsterdam again. I wasn't sure I'd make it back to Norway soon, so a few days in Oslo sounded good. Snapped with my iPhone, color corrections in LR.
Oslo Coat of Arms
Before going on my long walk around Oslo after check-in, I got my bearings a bit and snapped this with my iPhone.
After a bit of research, I learned that this is the "Coat of Arms" for the City of Oslo. According to Wikipedia: "Oslo is one of very few cities in Norway, besides Bergen and Tønsberg, that has no formal coat of arms, instead using a city seal. However, the Seal of Oslo is officially regarded by the city government as its coat of arms. It depicts the city's patron saint, St. Hallvard. The seal shows St. Hallvard with his attributes, the millstone and arrows, with a nude woman by his feet. He is seated on a throne with lion decorations, which at the time was also commonly used in the seals of Norwegian kings. Around the circular image the city's motto is inscribed: Unanimiter et constanter (United and constant)."
Beauty in Black & White
Vigeland Park is an 80-acre facility that has a full museum and beautiful gardens full of granite and iron sculptures. This is one of the sculptures toward the entrance. This was a top probably a 50-foot pillar.
Colors at Vigeland Park
The colors at the park were just starting to turn. I shot this fast as I did not (by choice) have my tripod with me. The patterns in the water are really cool.
Vigeland Fountain Details
The detail in these sculptures was so fascinating. According the facility website, the artist molded all of these out of clay first - full size, then had artists create them out of iron or granite.
Gates at Vigeland
This gate at Vigeland, I'm sure, at one point led somewhere. I loved the colors that were just starting to pop!
Emotions at Vigeland
As the sun began to set, the clouds changed quickly. Little did I know that this would be the pattern in Norway. Compose quickly, otherwise, you may lose the cool skies.
Dramatic Clouds at Vigeland Park
The dramatic skies were a great background for this dramatic scene.
Sculptures at Vigeland
These three sculptures were very different from each other and really captured my curiosity. I could've spent at least a few more hours there if the museum had been open.
Lovers at Vigeland
The intensity in this sculpture against the dark skies was very intriguing to me.
Fish farms near Bodo
My flight from Oslo to Bodø was fantastic. I could not believe the scenery and had no idea on what was in store for me and my new found friends. iPhone's awesome GPS signal allowed me to figure out where I was when I snapped this shot. As we flew in from Oslo, little settlements dotted most of the larger islands!
Inndyr, Norway. The fishing nets according to a bit of research look to be for salmon.
Inndyr is the administrative center of Gildeskål in Nordland County and has a population of 886. While only 19 miles from the Bodø airport, according to Google Maps, it would take 90 minutes to get there.
Clear Skies over Halsa Norway
Halsa, Norway. Best viewed full screen. The deep blue water is so clear!
Halsa is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Nordmøre region. The administrative centre of Halsa is the village of Liabøen. This area has a population of 1,600 and 106 miles from Bodø. This drive according to Google Maps takes 2 hours and 40 minutes. iPhone snap color corrected in LR.
Lofoten Archipelago Beauty
View of Røssøya Island on the way to Bodø. iPhone snap color corrected in LR.
Fjords in Bodo
The lovely fjords as we landed in Bodø. iPhone snap color corrected in LR.
Bodo Arrival
Landing in Bodø, Norway. Bodø is the capital of Nordland county, Norway. It's population is 50,000! And, was established as a town in 1816. iPhone snap color corrected in LR.
This town is above the Arctic circle!
Interesting fact (thank you Wikipedia): shortly after being established as a town, Bodø had a trading scandal that is known as the Bodø affair was a diplomatic scandal involving Sweden-Norway (then a dual monarchy) and the United Kingdom, which lasted from 1818 to 1821. The affair arose over the illegal trading activities of an English company in the Norwegian port of Bodø, where Norwegian officials in 1818 seized a large cargo belonging to the company and arrested one of its owners, who later escaped. The Stockholm foreign ministry, which handled the foreign affairs of Norway at that time, seemed unreasonably favorable to British claims over the Bodø incident, thereby angering Norwegians and arousing their nationalism. In 1821 compensation was paid to the British company over Norwegian objections. While of minor importance in itself, the incident led to a lasting distrust among Norwegians of the Swedish foreign ministry.
Approach over Leknes
When hopping on my flight from Bodø to Leknes, I had no clue what I was in store for us all. The scenery got better and better on this short flight. iPhone snap color corrected in LR.
Arrival in Leknes
I have a pano that I took from atop one of these mountains from our hike on Sunday. I'm glad I took this iPhone snap to have a different view of this amazing part of my trip.
Sunrise over Leknes
Our first morning shoot as a group had us at this lovely location just a few kilometers from our hotel. This was just a taste of what we would get to see and do on our week-long adventure.
Leknes was officially named a town in 2002 and is not a traditional town on the Lofoten Archipelago as it does not depend on fishing as the main form of commerce and does not have its city center next to the ocean.
The areas surrounding Leknes are just as stunning as other areas on Lofoten.
Leknes Vignette
This is from the same location as our first sunrise shoot. Light quickly changes in Lofoten and the beautiful light gave us beautiful alpenglow to capture.
Top of the World - Leknes Edition
This roughly eight frame pano was stiched together in Photoshop using the techniques that Nathaniel Smalley taught us.
This was a brisk hike with wonderful views of Leknes. The lichens in the foreground were fabulous and quite a contrast to the granite mountains.
Gone Fishing
The first day was also a travel day for us. We headed south toward Reine. We arrived an hour before check-in. What to do while we wait? Shoot of course! The small fishing village of Sakrisøy gave us a great opportunity for detail shots.
Sakrisoy Fishing
With the midday light harsh, we found cool things to shoot under the cabins we would call home for three nights.
According to wikipedia, stockfish (as pictured here) is unsalted fish, especially cod, dried by cold air and wind on wooden racks. The drying of food is the world's oldest known preservation method, and dried fish has a storage life of several years. The method is cheap and effective in suitable climates; the work can be done by the fisherman and family, and the resulting product is easily transported to market.
I think this set of fish was placed here by the cabin owners for us tourists to see up close.
Sakrisoy Stockfish
The fins of the stockfish made really cool abstracts.
Cottage Tiles
Most of the cottages and homes either had roof tiles such as this or grass. The textures here were really fun to capture.
Reflections in Sakrisøy
While waiting to check into our cabins on this little island between Reine and Hamnøy, we decided to look around and take some shots around the uniquely orange cabins.
Sunset in Reine
We ended our first day in Reine, which is on the south end of the Lofoten archipelago.
Reine is an old village that has been a commercial center since 1743. Today tourism is important, despite its remote location, since being featured as the country's most beautiful city in the late 1970s by the Norwegian magazine Allers.
Reflections in Reine
Reflections in Norway were incredibly fun to work with. This little spot near Reine was very fun. Many reflections were captured.
Right side up or Upside down?
The weather was perfect for capturing reflections in Reine. The still air helped create wonderful images such as this.
Norse Warrior! The Norse Warrior!
Found him protecting one of the reflecting ponds along the way to Reine.
Awe-inspiring Waterfalls
Iceland is better known for their waterfalls than Norway, however, Nathaniel took us to these and I could've spent all day shooting here. The flat light allowed us to capture the beauty of these waterfalls.
Lofoten Waterfalls
The fall colors were fun to capture in this part of the falls. The flat light allowed us to capture the beauty of these waterfalls.
Autumn Flows in Reine
The colors of the leaves in the falls echo the colors on the rocks that can be seen in this super clear water. The flat light allowed us to capture the beauty of these waterfalls.
Monochrome Falls
The flow and the rocks in this frame worked very well as a monochrome picture. The flat light allowed us to capture the beauty of these waterfalls on Lofoten.
Paw-prints in the Water
Like reflections, sometimes rock formations create patterns our minds may see as different things. This paw-print was fun to capture on Lofoten.
Reine Sunset
Clouds move fast in Norway. It was really something to capture sunset and moonset at the same time with two different comps!
Moonset in Reine
Moonrise and moonset so close to the arctic circle happen FAST. As we watched the sunset, we watched the moon finish rising and it set shortly after sunset.
Sunrise at Skagsanden Beach
Sunrise at Skagsanden Beach. Even though we had bluebird skies, it was a glorious morning at this beach. The Norwegian Sea here is a very neat green color. This is best viewed full screen so you can see the lucky sheep that have an ocean view pasture! I'm so glad Nathaniel had us bring waders for this trip. For this shot, I was knee high in the ocean
Sunlit Waves
Sunrise at Skagsanden Beach is magical. The light was wonderful the day we were there.
Dragon in the Sand
The ever changing sand patterns at Skagsanden Beach were phenomenal. The tide changes the patterns as it is going out or coming in.
Circular Abstract
After the sun rose as Skagsanden Beach, we stayed for a bit to capture the neat patterns made by the changing ocean tide.
Sun-kissed Abstract
Sun-kissed abstract patterns on Skagsanden Beach were incredibly cool to capture. The vein like pattern here was very intriguing to me.
Channeling Escher on Skagsanden Beach
Abstracts at Skagsanden Beach were everywhere. I know Nathaniel does this same trip in the winter. I would love to play here with snow on the ground.
Sakrisøy Rorbuer Fall Panorama
We called the Sakrisøy Rorbuer our home for three days. This pano is best viewed full screen. This tiny outer island that is part of the Lofoten Archipelago is incredibly cool and the cabins were perfect for our group.
Sakrisøy Rorbuer Decoration
Each cabin at the Sakrisøy Rorbuer has a name and decorated to go along with the Norwegian roots. After shooting at Skagsaden Beach for sunrise, we returned for breakfast, the light on this was just perfect.
Lofoten Sunset
The very cool thing about Lofoten and it's fjords and granite mountains is that the sun may be on its way down in one part of the islands and still golden hour in another. This was incredibly cool to capture.
Autumn Rays
This was taken right before the sun set behind some of the Lofoten granite mountains. It’s always fun to look around you (behind, up and down) to see what else could work.
Fall Colors in Norway
These trees were so interesting to me. Their twists and turns remind me of the way the fjords twist and turn on Lofoten.
Flakstad Church at Golden Hour
Flakstad church at golden hour was beautiful.
I love how the mountain in the background echoes the Russian style dome. This church was first mentioned in written sources in 1413. The first church of Flakstad was built in 1430. It was destroyed by a storm during the 1700s. The present church was built of timber from Russia. It was built next to the old the church and it seats about 300 people. One of chandeliers in the church also comes from Russia. Several of the items in today's church originate from the old the church including two chandeliers and the altartable. A hurricane blew the church tower off in 1874. The tower was then temporarily set up next to the church. During renovations in 1938, the tower was put back in place on top of the church.
Pink Skies over Sakrisøy Rorbuer
One of the buildings at the Sakrisøy Rorbuer with the Lofoten ever changing skies. I decided to wander around and see what I could get, these colorful buildings are pretty cool set against mother nature’s color palette.
Sunrise on Lofoten
The colors of the sunrises in Lofoten change fast and each they are different. This fishing village was a great backdrop for our trip.
Sunkissed Fishing Village
The golden glow that soon kissed the granite mountains was beautiful. The weather in Lofoten despite being above the arctic circle is mild due to the gulf stream.
Golden Light on Lofoten
With the wind relatively calm after sunrise, the reflections were incredible. Lofoten is a wonderful place to visit.
Golden Light on Lofoten
With the wind relatively calm after sunrise, the reflections were incredible. Lofoten is a wonderful place to visit.
Norway Glamour Horse Portrait
This mare was very beautiful and she knew it. We found her and her mates on Lofoten.
Highland Cattle Baby
Nathaniel Smalley asked us all if we had any shots we wanted that were not on the itinerary. I told him that the the yak-like highland cattle would be really fun to capture. He found some for us to capture.
These guys were really fun to capture and almost dog-like in their mannerisms. Especially the babies! This guy's beard and head in the sun was a great capture.
From their breed standard: "The highland have long horns and long wavy coats that are colored black, brindle, red, yellow, white, silver (looks white but with a black nose) or dun, and they are raised primarily for their meat. They originated in the Highlands and Western Isles of Scotland and were first mentioned in the 6th century AD. The first herd book described two distinct types of Highland cattle but, due to crossbreeding between the two, only one type now exists and is registered. They have since been exported worldwide.
They are a hardy breed due to their native environment, the Highlands of Scotland. This results in long hair, giving the breed its ability to overwinter. Bulls can weigh up to 800 kilograms (1,800 pounds) and cows up to 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds). Their milk generally has a very high butterfat content, and their meat, regarded as of the highest quality, is gaining mainstream acceptance as it is lower in cholesterol than other varieties of beef."
Highland Cattle at Play
Nathaniel Smalley asked us all if we had any shots we wanted that were not on the itinerary. I told him that the the yak-like highland cattle would be really fun to capture. He found some for us to capture.
These guys were really fun to capture and almost dog-like in their mannerisms. These guys started serious and then played in the field.
From their breed standard: "The highland have long horns and long wavy coats that are colored black, brindle, red, yellow, white, silver (looks white but with a black nose) or dun, and they are raised primarily for their meat. They originated in the Highlands and Western Isles of Scotland and were first mentioned in the 6th century AD. The first herd book described two distinct types of Highland cattle but, due to crossbreeding between the two, only one type now exists and is registered. They have since been exported worldwide.
They are a hardy breed due to their native environment, the Highlands of Scotland. This results in long hair, giving the breed its ability to overwinter. Bulls can weigh up to 800 kilograms (1,800 pounds) and cows up to 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds). Their milk generally has a very high butterfat content, and their meat, regarded as of the highest quality, is gaining mainstream acceptance as it is lower in cholesterol than other varieties of beef."
Hi Dude!
Nathaniel Smalley asked us all if we had any shots we wanted that were not on the itinerary. I told him that the the yak-like highland cattle would be really fun to capture. He found some for us to capture.
These guys were really fun to capture and almost dog-like in their mannerisms.
From their breed standard: "The highland have long horns and long wavy coats that are colored black, brindle, red, yellow, white, silver (looks white but with a black nose) or dun, and they are raised primarily for their meat. They originated in the Highlands and Western Isles of Scotland and were first mentioned in the 6th century AD. The first herd book described two distinct types of Highland cattle but, due to crossbreeding between the two, only one type now exists and is registered. They have since been exported worldwide.
They are a hardy breed due to their native environment, the Highlands of Scotland. This results in long hair, giving the breed its ability to overwinter. Bulls can weigh up to 800 kilograms (1,800 pounds) and cows up to 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds). Their milk generally has a very high butterfat content, and their meat, regarded as of the highest quality, is gaining mainstream acceptance as it is lower in cholesterol than other varieties of beef."
Beautiful Church on Lofoten
Flakstad church was first mentioned in written sources in 1413. The first church of Flakstad was built in 1430. It was destroyed by a storm during the 1700s. The present church was built of timber from Russia. It was built next to the old the church and it seats about 300 people. One of chandeliers in the church also comes from Russia. Several of the items in today's church originate from the old the church including two chandeliers and the altartable. A hurricane blew the church tower off in 1874. The tower was then temporarily set up next to the church. During renovations in 1938, the tower was put back in place on top of the church.
Reflections in Autumn
Reflections were to be had at almost every turn and we took advantage of the still water and pretty light.
God-light on Lofoten
Chasing the light on Lofoten was quite a bit of fun. We had a chance to play with the reflections and as the sunset, god light.
Lichens on Lofoten
Mosses and lichens were everywhere on Lofoten. This combination was found by a friend who I met on the trip. It was very pretty and I'm glad she shared her spot.
The Golden Sun on Lofoten
This sunset was wonderful this evening on Lofoten. Clear skies were welcome that evening as we hoped to catch the Aurora Borealis. The sunlit waves were a bonus.
Earth's Shadow on Lofoten
Playing with the tide as the sun went down was wonderful. As the sun went down, the earth's shadow became more prominent. Being so far north was a very neat experience.
Photographer capturing the Photographer
Nathaniel Smalley capturing me doing what I love.
Aurora at Twilight
My first shot of Miss Aurora. She began her dance slowly and I loved that my camera caught the last of the twilight.
The Aurora Dance
This really captures my memories of her dances. Electric. Ever changing and amazing.
A night to remember on Lofoten
There is not much processing in this image. I cloned out some photogs and some lights. This is how I’ll remember this night.
Aurora Reflections
After taking a pause to breathe and to enjoy the lights, I searched for ways to get Miss Aurora in reflections.
Aurora in Monochrome
I decided to go monochrome for this shot so I could bring out the cool patterns. The color image of this is different shades of green. So monochrome worked here.
Aurora Borealis over the Ocean
One of my last shots of lady Aurora’s dance. As she started to fade, the skies went almost all green.
The Glorious Lofoten Golden Hour
Chasing the light can be tough sometimes. However, on Lofoten when we were there the weather conditions were spectacular as seen here. It is very easy to chase the light for hours as you go between fjords and the granite mountains.
Coastal Cairns
The wispy clouds at sunset were the perfect background for these two cairns.
Historically, cairns were used as markers for everything from burial sites to trails and paths. Coastal cairns called sea marks are also common in the northern latitudes, and are placed along shores and on islands and islets. Usually painted white for improved offshore visibility, they serve as navigation aids.
Miss Aurora's Soft Dance
We were lucky enough to get three nights of Miss Aurora's dancing. Each night was unique and beautiful. This is a capture from the second night as the sun set.
Last of the Sunglow with Aurora
The last of the sun glow was slightly visible, but the camera does a better job of picking that up. Her dance here was visible through my live view screen. She was that bright.
Aurora Swirls
As the night progressed, she gave us incredible formations. I have so many different variations; however, I liked this best. The ocean swirls echo the sky nicely.
Magical Aurora
It’s hard to believe that we were so lucky to get spectacular conditions. We moved locations after we all had gotten our fill at the first location. Nathaniel knew of this great little cove with this cool little stream.
Up by Habit on Lofoten
The last day on Lofoten with Nathaniel Smalley we chased the light and searched for barns and abandoned buildings. This barn was up only by habit. The textures of this structure were fascinating.
Sunkissed Life
As we chased light on Lofoten on our last day, we stopped whenever we saw something interesting. The barn where I found this hardy volunteer plant was very cool. The texture of the wood was a good juxtaposition to this tender sunkissed plant.
Rustic Textures
These wooden planks were laying on the side of the barn that’s in my earlier shots. I’m sure they were intended to repair the barn.
Shire on Lofoten
The last day on Lofoten, we spent the day chasing light, rustic scenes and abandoned barns. As we turned into this fjord, we found some great light and views. This shire-like home looked like something straight out of the Hobbit! The golden light was perfect and the alpenglow was the perfect touch.
Sunset Panorama on Lofoten
The colors of the last sunset I saw on Lofoten were amazing and deep. This panorama image is best enjoyed full screen.
Rustic Fishing Village Cottage
We found this rustic cottage on our last day on Lofoten while we were chasing light. The cottage was anchored down into the granite mountain side. The different textures of the weathered wood, the grass and the granite were incredible.
Aurora's Last Dance
This is probably my favorite Aurora shot from my trip to Lofoten. I love the abandoned house and as the sun went down I thought about ways to capture it in my comp. Miss Aurora took care of that for us.
Nathaniel Smalley suggested we go set up by the ocean and play with the reflections and the cool rocks as our foreground element. One my new friends was the one who sensed the beginning of her dance each night we saw Miss Aurora. That night was no different.
Miss Aurora made herself known and we all scrambled back up the hill to capture her and the cool house. Such a fun night!
Aurora Star Trails
The first night we chased Miss Aurora while on Lofoten, I joked that I was going to start a shooting star trails. That brought her out quick. On this last night, she was very faint at the end of her brief dance. As we waited, I did a half hour of trails and as I processed, I saw that she did dance for us!
Flyover Rost
This is departing from Røst on our way to Bodø. This is from my window seat, through the glass. Using the 24-70 with a Breakthrough polarizer.
Akershus Fortress and Oslo Harbor
Sheen, Donna and I walked the Oslo harbor. We had to take a few more shots. :) This is the Akershus Fortress.
Akershus Fortress
A close up of the Akershus Fortress. This was built in the 1290s to protect Oslo. It’s been used as a prison, as a royal palace and now, the eastern portion houses the Norwegian Ministry of Defense.
Oslo Water Fountain
This water fountain in Oslo changed colors and was fun to capture.