Lofoten & Senja – Frozen World

Frozen World

Join this 10 day arctic adventure in Lofoten Islands and Senja in Northern Norway.. Guided by Ryan Dyar, Stian Klo and Arild Heitmann.
Highlights of the trip include winter landscapes, jagged mountains, grand vistas, colorful fjords and the chance of experiencing the greatest show on earth, the Aurora Borealis aka Northern Lights.

The Lofoten Islands are located at the 68th and 69th parallels north of the Arctic Circle in Northern Norway. This archipelago consists of seven principal islands and the area of land covers about 1,227 / 474 square miles, with a total of only 24,000 inhabitants. The natural beauty of this incredible landscape offers will present us with the possibility of exploring colorful fjords, jagged mountain peaks, unique beaches and the world renowned Arctic light.

Our basecamps for this special tour will be Reine in Lofoten, the Lyngen Alps and Senja Island. This is truly a best-of trip showing you the very best of Arctic Norway!

We start the trip by driving to the Lofoten Islands where we will spend 5 days exploring the beauty of these rugged islands. We will stay in really nice cabins while we take advantage of the low angled sun and hopefully the snow covered granite peaks will be the perfect backdrop for amazing shots of the aurora borealis.

Then we move north to the world renowned Lyngen alps in the far north. We will explore less visited fjords and valleys and focus on documenting the golden arctic light. The region feature ice plastered peaks as picturesque as any range in the world. Massive daggers that rise boldly into the sky. Just google them, but bring grab a towel, you will drool. We are timing this trip to coincide with early winter, the moon phases for dramatic night shooting, and hopefully some great displays of the Aurora. Sunrise and sunsets in early winter are only 5-6 hours apart. Sunrise around 10am and sunset around 2pm. This is comfortable for resting inbetween shoots., but mostly it means we will have incredible arctic light for 6-7 hours straight. This arctic light has to be seen. Pink hues and tones like no other place on earth. Set in a winter wonderland this will be mindblowing.

The final leg of the tour is based around Senja islands in Northern Norway. Senja is perhaps Lofoten’s less famous “brother”, but rest assured – it’s just as strikingly beautiful. The landscape is wild and almost untouched, and the light in this period of the year can be extraordinary. Highlights include fjords and jagged granite mountains with lots of seascape opportunities, the Northern Lights and tons more. Photo opportunities are lurking around every corner.

If we are blessed with starry nights and clear skies, we will be able to capture the elusive and strikingly beautiful Aurora Borealis aka Northern Lights as she dances seductively on the night skies.

Speaking of weather, Northern Norway is notoriously unpredictable. Conditions and light changes constantly, so please be sure to read our “must-bring” clothing and gear lists provided by email upon registration.

GUIDED BY RYAN DYAR, STIAN KLO, ARILD HEITMANN & CODY WILSON

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get there ?

The easiest way to get to the meeting point is via Oslo Gardermoen airport (OSL code). From there, you fly to Harstad/Narvik Evenes airport (EVE code). Domestic flights in Norway can be purchased from www.sas.no, www.norwegian.no 

What level of photography is required ?

All of ours tours, workshops and masterclasses are open to beginners as well as professionals. Our only criteria is that you have a great passion for photography, and have the energy and motivation to be on the go every day and night.

What should I bring ?

Since we are exploring the high arctic and northern Norway archipelago’s, you have to be well equipped for all kinds of dramatic weather including rainfall. Bring comfortable, warm and waterproof outer layers such as Gore-tex, thermal underwear, crampons and water resistant boots or even waders. A complete list of recommended clothes as well as camera gear will be provided upon registration. We don’t have clothes or shoes available for renting.

Will I experience snow or ice ?

Most likely yes! February is normally a very wintery month. However, Lofoten is highly unstable and rain is not uncommon even in winter.

Will I see and photograph the Northern lights?

Yes, most likely. The aurora season is form august to april and february is normally a very good month to see and photograph the aurora

What kind of weather can I expect ?

The weather and climate in northern Norway is renowned for being extremely unpredictable because of it’s many local weather systems. This means conditions can change within minutes and kilometres, also resulting in very dramatic light and photographic opportunities. Lofoten has a much milder climate than other parts of the world at a similar latitude, such as Greenland and Alaska. This is due to the temperature of the water of the Gulfstream. The coastal climate results in mild winters and cool summer temperatures. Traditionally, January and February are the coldest months with an average temperature of -1 degrees celsius. 

What camera gear should I bring?

At the very least, bring your own camera, lenses, tripod and a laptop. A detailed list of recommendations will be provided upon registration. If you are considering upgrading or investing in new camear gear prior to the trip, feel free to ask us for advice.

What is the itinerary going to be like ?

We don’t operate with a fixed itinerary on any of our workshops. It’s a full on photography tour/workshop, so the activities are planned around sunrise, sunset and night photography excursions. The whole archipelago is packed with locations, so the weather and light conditions will decide where we will go. That being said though, we have a list of locations we will visit throughout the week, but we don’t know which day or time of day we will visit that specific location.