This blog post will continue to get updated over the week.
Every single photography tour that I do is completely different from the next. It’s not very often that you’re blessed with near-perfect weather, incredible light, and a group of photographers who immediately click. This tour was nothing short of spectacular. From the serene, pastel mornings to dramatic sunsets and nights under the aurora, each day brought its own unique rewards. The group bond and shared excitement only added to the magic. Here’s how the week unfolded:
Monday: A Calm and Promising Beginning
My Lofoten Photography Tour officially began on the 20th of January, though many participants had already arrived and started exploring. Kate had spent time photographing Rambergstranda from various angles while staying in a cozy cabin in Ramberg. David, Roy (his dad), and Kevin had arrived earlier with a rental car, visiting several locations on their own and Ryan had flown in the night before and was staying in Leknes. Can I go completely off topic here and say Ryan has just returned from a trip to Antarctica which only cost him $3000USD! What an absolute bargain hunter!
The day began with pickups. I collected Kate first, then Ryan, and we set off to meet David, Roy, and Kevin, who were driving themselves to the first location.
The conditions at Haukland were a stark contrast to the previous week’s harsh weather. Pink skies, pastel tones, and fresh snow greeted us, with the beach cleared of seaweed, creating a pristine scene. The group started with a stunning composition featuring the river carving an S-curve through the snowy beach, creating a perfect leading line toward the mountains.
Everyone then branched out to explore. Some focused on the rocky side of the beach, while others worked along the shoreline. I discovered a set of footprints in the snow, which made for a compelling leading line.
Once everyone was satisfied with their shots and had finished exploring it was time to move on to the next location which was Uttakleiv Beach.
As expected, the infamous Dragon’s Eye composition drew most of the group’s attention. While I showed them how to approach the shot, I encouraged everyone to also experiment with the textures and lines in the surrounding rocks, which often go overlooked. We worked on incorporating slower shutter speeds to capture the motion of the waves and discussed reviewing images to check focus and exposure.
The group spent a good couple of hours exploring Uttakleiv, playing with different compositions and the waves. By the time the light started to fade, everyone had tried various techniques and captured a great mix of images.
Our final stop of the day was Vik Beach, situated just before you arrive at Haukland coming from Leknes. This location faces the small island of Taa and the towering Veggen mountain, offering incredible opportunities for slow-shutter photography. I showed the group the best time to shoot the waves and why, creating subtle leading lines in the foam.
The light was exceptional, with soft pink and blue tones painting the sky. It was an idyllic way to end the first day, with everyone capturing memorable shots in calm and beautiful conditions. Spirits were high as we wrapped up and returned to the accommodation for a well-deserved rest.
After settling in and having a short break, we went out for our first aurora chase. Unfortunately, gale-force winds and heavy clouds thwarted our plans. After 30 minutes, we decided to call it a night and save our energy for the days ahead. Despite the cloudy evening, everyone was still buzzing from the incredible start to the tour, ready for a full day of shooting on Monday.
Tuesday: Perfect Textures and Northern Lights
Tuesday began with the same positive energy from Monday. Our first stop was Flakstad Beach, where overcast skies added depth and texture to the scene. I pointed out elements to focus on, textures in the sand, reflections on the shoreline, and the streams crossing the beach. Some participants ventured across the streams to the far side of the beach to capture the mountain with rocks in their foreground.
After finishing at the shoreline, we turned our attention to Flakstad Surf and Camp. The café building, with its lights on, the orange glow against the blue light, created a stunning contrast. Using the blown sand as leading lines, we composed striking shots of the building, and even reflections in the receding tide, yielded fantastic results.
Next, we ventured into Flakstadpollen, a fjord framed by towering mountains and dotted with patches of ice. I explored the shoreline, scouting potential compositions for everyone to use. Some participants discovered their own unique perspectives, while I continued searching and came across a striking patch of black ice that created the perfect leading line for a composition.
After demonstrating my setup and technique to the group, everyone captured their own unique takes on the scene. We continued exploring the fjord, discovering rippled sand and reflections that provided more opportunities for creativity.
Our final daytime stop was Rambergstranda. From the car park, I demonstrated how to frame the beach leading toward the town and the jagged mountains beyond. A longer focal length worked perfectly here, compressing the scene for a dramatic panorama. Others ventured down to the beach, incorporating rocks into their foregrounds. It was a perfect way to end our daylight shooting.
In the evening, we regrouped at 8 PM for a Northern Lights chase at Flakstad Beach. Clear skies revealed hints of aurora activity, and I reminded everyone to think about the compositions they had scouted earlier and incorporate the aurora into those scenes. After running through basic settings and adjustments, the group began capturing the faint but beautiful lights.
When the activity slowed, some participants warmed up in the nearby toilet block which has a room attached, now affectionately dubbed “my new office.”
David and Roy stayed on the beach and alerted the group chat when the aurora grew stronger. We rushed back out to capture the best display of the night. While not wild and dancing, the aurora was vivid and gracefully moving, providing stunning images.
We spent about four hours photographing the aurora, and everyone came away thrilled with their shots. It was a long and rewarding night, and we returned to the accommodation ready for more adventures to come.
Wednesday – Blue Hour Beginnings and Evolving Light
Wednesday started with everyone still riding high from the previous days. We were up early to make it to Hamnøy for blue hour, ensuring we could capture the iconic cabins with their lights on against the early morning glow. When we arrived we were alone and from experience I knew we wouldn’t be the only group there. As the morning continued more people came and I counted maybe around 30 other photographers lined up on the bridge. While it took away some of the magic, it was expected, given Hamnøy’s status as one of the most classic locations in the Lofoten Islands. Despite the crowds, we were, as always, the first group there, which allowed us to secure the best spots for shooting.
The morning shoot was spectacular. We stayed until the sun rose, catching the early morning glow light up the scene and then the sun lighting up the scene illuminating the mountain and highlighting the tips of the red roofs.
It’s nearly impossible to leave this spot without a good photo, as long as you’re mindful of composition, a key point I always emphasise to the group. Everyone came away thrilled with their shots.
Afterward, we stopped for a quick coffee and breakfast at Circle K in Reine before heading to one of my favorite spots: a pier looking across the harbour toward the triangular mountain. Conditions continued to be perfect, with the harbour mostly frozen and small pockets of glassy water providing beautiful partial reflections. The light remained incredible, making this a rewarding stop for the group.
I pointed out some initial compositions for everyone to start with, reminding them to pay attention to their histograms and review their images to ensure highlights weren’t blown out. Once they were comfortable, I encouraged them to explore and find unique angles. Many discovered new vantage points, creating stunning and varied images.
Next, we headed to Sakrisøy to photograph the famous yellow cabins. This spot offers countless vantage points, and I encouraged the group to explore freely and push their creativity. As always, I remained on hand for assistance or to review shots. Unfortunately, as we arrived, clouds rolled in from the south, obscuring the sun that had provided such magical light earlier in the day. David sent his drone up to check the horizon and confirmed that the sun was completely hidden behind the clouds.
Despite the change in conditions, everyone adapted well, continuing to shoot and make the most of the location until sunset. Although the light wasn’t as spectacular as earlier, no one seemed disappointed given how spoiled we’d been with fantastic conditions up to that point.
After wrapping up at Sakrisøy, we returned to the accommodation for some much-needed downtime. Dinner and rest were on the agenda, as the evening sky remained thick with clouds, ruling out an aurora chase for the night. While some might find this disappointing, I think the group appreciated the chance to recharge after a full day of shooting in the cold.
Thursday – Ice, Waves, and Sunset Hues
Thursday started with a slight change of plans. The forecast showed 100% cloud cover in the morning, so I decided to let everyone enjoy a bit of a lie-in to recharge. However, as I was preparing to pick up the group, the sky burst into life with incredible red hues. A quick message to everyone had us adjusting course, skipping our original plan to shoot the red cabin at Rambergstranda and heading to Volandstind instead, a location just minutes from our accommodation.
By the time we arrived, the color had already faded, but Volandstind never disappoints. The towering, pointed peak of the mountain is always impressive, and today the bays around it were frozen, offering plenty of ice textures to work with. I spent time scouting compositions, eventually finding a particularly interesting patch of ice with beautiful textures and a natural leading line.
After sharing the location via our group chat, everyone took turns capturing the scene before exploring and discovering their own unique compositions. Despite shooting the same mountain and ice, every participant came away with completely different results, a testament to how personal creativity shapes each image.
After Volandstind, we made a quick coffee and pastry stop at a café in Ramberg to refuel before heading to our next location: Storsandnes Beach at Myrland. We spent a couple of hours here, exploring the area and focusing on compositions using the rocks near the car park. The calm water meant waves were few and far between, so we experimented with shutter speeds, finding that 1/3 of a second was ideal for capturing motion while retaining detail. Toward the end, we finally caught the perfect wave, creating some standout images.
Next, we moved up to a vantage point along the roadside to photograph the beach itself. The sweeping curve of the shoreline acted as a natural leading line, drawing the eye toward the mountains in the background. With calm water and perfect light, we used 10-stop filters to create long exposures of 2–4 minutes, softening the water and enhancing the serene atmosphere. As we worked, the light on the mountains grew more dramatic, making for an incredibly rewarding session.
As the day progressed, I noticed hints of color forming in the direction of the sunset. Gathering everyone back to the van, we quickly made our way to Varied Beach, just a 15-minute drive away. The foreground rocks and the view across to the mountains provided a fantastic composition, especially with the pink hues in the fjord and the dark, dramatic skies above the peaks. Although we only had about 30 minutes here before the light faded, it was the perfect way to close out the day.
Afterward, we returned to the house for some well-earned downtime. As we had a 7AM start the next morning and with cloud forecast anyway, there was no aurora chasing planned for tonight. This gave everyone a chance to get a good night’s sleep ready for the long day ahead on Friday.
This blog post will continue to get updated over the week.
