Upon first reaching these islands, you feel as if time had stopped a long time ago and you had found yourself flipping through the pages of a fairy tale book. The tour of discovery around this archipelago in the heart of the Arctic Circle, will surely be engraved in your memory. The unique lighting that can only be found at this latitude, creates a dreamlike atmosphere for the islands’ breathtaking sceneries, surrounded by fjords, sharp mountains and fairy-tale fishing villages.
In this time of the year, there are high chances of witnessing frozen landscapes and, consequently, of capturing captivating shots. During the hours of darkness, we’ll go to some of the islands’ most spectacular places and wait the most amazing spectacle the Arctic has to offer: the magical Northern Lights.
Have you ever experienced the magic of the Arctic nights?
The Lofoten Islands being located within the Arctic Circle, in a very favorable position, a low activity of the Aurora Borealis is sufficient to be able to see it in the sky.
These islands are located between 68 and 69 degres north latitude, within the Arctic Circle. There are about 24,000 inhabitants of this archipelago and they are mostly on the seven main islands. These main islands are connected by incredible bridges and tunnels under the ocean.
On the luckiest nights everything lights up green. This month is one of the best of the year to witness the unique spectacle of the Aurora Borealis, during the dark hours you can admire and photograph this natural and incredible phenomenon, so dreamed of, of our planet.
Fairy-tale villages
In fairytales you can often hear about enchanted villages, built on the coast and framed by the mountains. On Lofoten Islands, cities have this kind of magical aura: every house, every street and every mountain, they’re all nestled in a natural frame that contains years of history and tradition.
Who is the Lofoten Photo Tour for?
This is a trip is aimed at everyone who is passionate about photography and the incredible Scandinavian landscapes. We’ll visit and take pictures of all the most beautiful places on the Lofoten islands, alternating shooting at sunrise, at sunset and at night.
During the trip we’ll study all things related to landscape photography, both diurnal and nocturnal, from the theory of picture taking to post-production. We’ll start from the theoretical and technical foundations of photography and we’ll see how to put them to use whilst outside taking pictures, we’ll evaluate together the shots taken, and finally we’ll learn about the workflows in post-production depending on the files we have.
The goal of the trip is going back home after having lived a dream and having shot captivating landscapes.
Wanna join?
Itinerary
Note: the program may change depending on the weather. We are flexible and will adapt to any situation in order to give you the best possible experience.
Day 1
- Arrival at Leknes airport no later than 4pm
- With our private van we will reach our base with about 10 minutes of driving
- Introduction and presentation of the tour
- First night shooting session, hoping to start off on the first day dancing under the Northern Lights
Our luxury cabins are in a strategic position, we can quickly reach the best places both towards the north and towards the south.
Day 2
It is difficult to write an exact program due to the sudden changes in the weather in the Arctic but, we know the Lofoten Islands like the back of our hand and we will adapt the program day after day to offer you the best experience. We’ll be chasing the best light during the day and the clearest skies at night.
We will face the first dawn in the southern area of the islands, between Reine and Hamnøy, in the heart of the fairy tale.
After a stop in a typical coffee shop for breakfast, on the way back we will stop to photograph the famous and fantastic Skagsanden beach, where at this time of year in the morning the gentle light of the low-lying sun will illuminate the mountain for us.
After lunch we will move north to the mythical Uttakleiv beach, known as the beach of the dragon’s eye, where the colors of the sunset give their best.
We will return to our seaside cabins for dinner and relax as we await the long dreamed of northern lights, the Aurora Borealis. We will reach one of the best beaches for observing and photographing the Aurora in the Flakstad area.
Day 3
For our second sunrise one of the most fairytale scenes of all awaits us, we will go south to photograph various incredible places between Hamnøy and Sakrisøy. Here time seems to have stopped many years ago and the line that separates reality from magic is really thin.
The day will continue by visiting the last village to the southern tip of the Lofoten Islands, that of Å. In this village the famous E10 panorama road ends, after which it is only possible to reach the extreme southern tip of Lofoten on foot.
We will face the sunset in a place surrounded by waterfalls, rivers, lakes and peak mountains, all wrapped up in one scene, sounds like a landscape photographer’s dream place right?
Return to our base, hot dinner and relaxation before another possible wild night chasing the Northern Lights.
This time we will do it in one of the most beautiful areas of the Lofoten Islands, where there is a lagoon. Here away in just a few minutes you can reach many incredible spots and get truly captivating compositions, with rivers, peaks mountains and northern lights!
Day 4 & 5
Our adventure continues between waterfalls, mountains, wild beaches, fjords and colorful villages.
We will wait for the sunrises under the most colorful skies between South and Kilan area, we will move further north for sunsets and chase the clearest skies to best capture the Aurora Borealis.
You cannot miss a stop in the enchanting village of Nusfjord nestled in a remote fjord, various stops to taste typical food and a few short walks to reach incredible viewpoints, such as the hill above Sakrisøy where, from up there, you have a 360 degrees view on all the most characteristic part of Lofoten.
Day 6
We will use this last day of the adventure to return to the most beautiful spots of the islands, looking for the best light situations and taking photos at their best.
Day 7
Departure from Leknes airport, not before 7am.
Additional information
- The first three nights: we will stay in luxurious typical seaside cabins near the four wildest beaches to the north, Unstad, Uttakleiv, Haukland and Vik beach.
- The other three nights: we will stay in luxurious typical seaside cabins near the fairytale villages, Hamnøy, Sakrisøy and Reine.
- During the week we will do more editing sessions in front of the computer, analyzing and editing the shots obtained, from the raw file to the web. Where we will see how to manage all the techniques studied in the field
- The edit sessions will be recorded and at the end we will send you the videos, so that you can review and study them calmly.
- In our luxurious cabins we will have the kitchen where we can cook. Based on the photographic program we will then decide whether to eat in our cabins or whether to prepare something to eat around or whether to go to a restaurant. We will definitely try all three solutions.
The priority is photography but we will not miss moments of comfort and relaxation.
Tour Leaders
Giulio Cobianchi is a professional photographer, specialized in night photography with over 10 years of experience. The Aurora and the Milky Way are his great passions. He moved to the Lofoten Islands in 2019 to live the dream of magical Arctic nights. He is very expert on these islands, he knows them like the back of his hand and together with him you will always be able to be in the right place at the right time. His goal is always to make other people’s dreams come true.
Stefan Liebermann is an award winning professional international landscape photographer specializing in night photography. This passion of his drove him to travel all over the world under the darkest skies ever. He can teach you, like few others, the best secrets to getting high impact night photos.
Participation
In order to offer the best quality, the maximum of attendees has been limited, so that we can follow each participant closely and in the best way possible. A minimum is also been set for the tour to be confirmed.
Minimum: 4 participants
Maximum: 6 participants
Difficulty: Easy
Arrival: Leknes airport, February 18 (no later than 4pm )
Departure: Leknes airpot, February 24 ( no before 7am )
Payment
To reserve your seat, you can pay a deposit via bank transfer at the moment of the booking and the remaining part within 30 days before departure.
Total cost: 2290€
Deposit: 700€
Tour dates: Feb 18 – 24 2024
Single room supplement: 600€
* The single room does not have a private bathroom
The cost include
- All transfers by van
- Fuel
- Transportation to and from the airport
- Two professional photographers who will teach you their special personal techniques
- Local expert guide
- Overnight in double private rooms in lux Rorbuers / villa
- Photo editing lessons with registration
- Support WhatsApp private group
The cost doesn’t include
- International flights
- Meals and drinks (which will sometimes be packed)
- Medical health insurance
- Everything that is not included in the item “The fee includes”
FAQs
The easiest way is via Oslo, from there flights depart to Harstad / Narvik Evenes airport (EVE code) or to Bodø.
From Evenes or Bodø you can take the last flight to Leknes airport in the heart of Lofoten.
We will be waiting for you at Leknes airport to start our adventure.
N.B. it is mandatory to respect the arrival and departure times of the group.
What photographic level is required?
These photo tours are suitable for both beginners and the more experienced.
The study path will start from the theoretical and practical bases to get to more complex techniques but we will face them together step by step.
What physical level is required?
No a particular physical fitness is required, the walking routes will be easy and short.
We just require a lot of passion for day and night photography and motivation to be out there every day at the right times capturing great photographs.
What kind of weather should I expect?
The Lofoten Islands have very sudden weather changes, in an hour you can see the sun, snow, rain, ice storms, dramatic lighting situations and blue skies.
In this month the Arctic winter is at its best, expect the real Arctic with a frozen scenery, with blocks of ice floating in the sea and frozen lagoons. All illuminated by a soft pink light typical of this latitude.
Documents and currency?
Passport or identity card valid for expatriation
The country’s currency is the Norwegian kroner
Visa and MasterCard credit cards are commonly accepted (you may have problems with American Express instead)
You can withdraw Norwegian kroner at any ATM with a debit card
What equipment should I bring with me?
- A digital camera
- A stable tripod
- A remote control that allows you to take pictures with an exposure longer than 30 seconds
- A bright wide angle lens (F2.8 possibly) for example a 14-24 or a 15-30. Paired with a 24-70 or a 24-120 it would be perfect.
- Photographic filters (optional) GND, ND, polarizer.
Feel free to ask for advice regarding the equipment.
Tip: Extra batteries, as batteries run out quickly in cold weather. Several cloths to clean the lenses.
What should I wear?
The Lofoten Islands have truly unpredictable weather, every 30 minutes it can change drastically. So it’s recommended to dress in layers, so you can add or remove them based on the weather of the day. For example, a thermal underwear, an intermediate layer of wool or fleece, a windproof jacket and a water repellent shell.
Spare socks and high boots are highly recommended.
Sports crampons and a head torch are mandatory.
How should I manage my suitcases?
Each participant must bring a rigid hold suitcase (not a bag) and a photographic backpack.
This is to optimize the spaces in our van, to make everyone feel more comfortable.
How and where will we eat during the trip?
In our luxurious cabins there will be a kitchen where we can cook. Based on the photographic program and the weather, we will then decide whether to eat in our cabins, whether to prepare something to eat around or whether to go to a restaurant. We will definitely try all three solutions.
After sunrise we can return in our cabins and have breakfast. During the day we will stop in various coffee shops and typical restaurants, before returning to the base, after sunset we will stop at the market where everyone is free to buy what they want to eat in our cabins. There will be one or two dinners in restaurants to taste typical dishes but, remember that our priority is landscape photography.
