Lofoten Photography Tour
8 Days in the Magical Arctic
The Lofoten Unbound
This arctic group of Norwegian islands is home to the some of the world’s most awe-inspiring natural landscapes. With a fresh coat of white, the Lofoten Islands come truly alive as they are host to jagged mountain peaks and quaint red villages by the sea.
Speaking of the sea, the Norwegian sea in these parts offers an array of all shades of blue you can think off: a striking visual balance when a fiery sun sets at the end of a deep fjord. With connections between the islands through a series of bridges and tunnels, it’s relatively easy to get around within the comfort of our heated van. And as soon as the forecast is good, we put you in the best undiscovered spots for capturing the green glow of the Northern Lights.
It doesn't matter if you're looking to get those trophy shots or if you want to get original photos during your stay in the Lofoten. Our goal during this tour is to teach you new ways of capturing those magnificent landscapes.
Regarding post-processing: We will show you both our workflows in Lightroom, Photoshop and Camera Raw as well as assist you personally with anything you might struggle with now.
Bookings
Fill out this form and we will contact you to make arrangements.
This Tour in a Nutshell
Dates: February 11-18th
Available Seats: 4
Tour Leaders: Daniel Laan & Isabella Tabacchi
Language: English
Price: 3100 EURO (based on double rooms. Single room surcharge is 700 EURO).
Registration Deposit: 800 EURO
Arrival: Leknes, February 11th, no later than 12.00 AM
Departure: Svolvaer, February 15th, no earlier than 10.00 AM
Included: Two professional landscape photographer guides and all tuition. Post-processing session, transportation between locations and airport shuttle service. Accommodation in double or single occupancy (supplement applies) rooms apartments and traditional Lofoten cabins.
Excluded: Flights to Leknes Airport and associated costs. Private insurances, taxes, duty and visa fees. Meals not included, nor any personal items including (alcoholic) beverages, snacks, souvenirs and travel insurance. Return flights from Svolvær Airport.
Why Choose this Tour?
Trophy Shots & The Undiscovered
Iconic locations like Reine and Skagsanden are on this tour, as well as undiscovered spots to find your own voice in photography.
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High Chance of the Aurora Borealis
There is a lot of night photography on this tour. We're putting you in the best spots for capturing the northern lights!
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You Matter to Us
Any personal guidance you need, whether it's camera settings or finding better compositions: We are here for you.
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Itinerary: Highlights of the Lofoten Tour
Arrival & Å in Lofoten
After a long period of waiting, the day is finally here. We meet each other on the 11th of February near Leknes airport. Although we aim to meet up for dinner near our first accommodation at 19.00, it is likely that every participant is landing at Leknes airport at different times throughout the day. We will be able to drive to and from the airport twice to pick you up.
Photography starts immediately after dinner, because in the night ahead of us, we plan to drive to Å, our first destination along the route, to see if the Aurora makes an appearance above the northern shore.
Icons like Reine, Hamnøy & Sakrisøy in the Southern Lofoten Islands
Waking up in our very own photographer’s apartment, we have days ahead of us that are packed to the brim with amazing photo opportunities. On day 2, we're getting up early. We will drive to the fantastical town of Reine, where the sun will rise just above the horizon and illuminate the classical fisherman's cabins. After breakfast, which is included on this day, we need some supplies to make our stay as comfortable as possible, so we take you to do some grocery shopping right after sunrise. You're then free to do as you please in the afternoon. At around four o'clock, we will be heading off to catch the sunset at “Solbjornvatnet”. We will return to this stunning location tonight, but we will have dinner in a local restaurant first.
Discovering the Lesser Known Side of the Lofoten
The Lofoten are absolutely dotted with great photo locations. As such, we will do our best to teach you landscape photography in places that aren't photographed that often. After breakfast, we will pack up and drive you to our next set of destinations further in the north. But we'll stop at Skagsanden Beach first. This beach is littered with great foreground textures and that lone mountain in the distance makes this location one of the best "trophy locations" in the South that still have a wild feeling.
There's a rock formation we jokingly call "Eastrahorn" due to its close resemblance to "Vestrahorn" in Southern Iceland. Even with dull light, this place looks otherworldly, so it's a great place to stop and do some seascape photography. Next, we'll chase the fading daylight and drive on to our next accommodation.
Post-Processing and the mountains near Svolvær
We want you bright and well rested for today's post-processing session. During the day, when the light isn’t that good anyway, we will spend time taking your images to the next level during a full post-processing workshop. Both Isabella and Daniel will show you how they process their images, starting with basic adjustments in Lightroom and Camera Raw to very advanced blends in Photoshop. No matter your expertise, this editing session is informative and well thought-out to show you exactly what you can do to boost your images and translate your vision into practice.
There’s a final sunset ahead of us near the mountains of Svolvaer, where, weather permitting, we will take you to see a frozen lake, frozen waterfalls and a host of great compositions as the setting sun illuminates the jagged peaks.
Sunrise and Departure
All good things come to an end. Luckily, there is a gorgeous sunrise to be found on the road to the airport. This is a new airport though. Because we drive from one airport to another, we are able to show you a much more varied landscape. At dawn, we will top up our memory cards here with shots containing everything we have learned from each other in the past week. Because of this, we recommend that you book your return flight after 12.00 in the morning, so we can bring you to Svolvaer airport during the day.
We are sure that you have months of photographic material to work with and that you leave with new friends.
Payment & Reservation
Either pay all at once or make a deposit to reserve a seat in the tour van. For tours, we accept bank transfers. Click the button saying “Book Now” at the top of this page.
Cancellation and refunds
Unfortunate things can happen to anyone. Therefore we handle a refund policy when you have made reservations for this tour but can’t make it in the end due to whatever the circumstance. Based on the full fee of the tour, we strictly handle this schedule to cover the costs made on our end.
Cancel 60 days before the start of the tour or more: Full refund minus € 200 service charge.
45 days or more: 75% refund
31 days or more: 50% refund
Less than 31 days: No refund
Physical requirements
Most of our destinations are easily accessible by car and on foot, but snow and ice can make any terrain treacherous and physically intense to traverse. You don’t have to be a marathon runner, but we do ask that you are in reasonable physical condition to be able to keep up with the group and deal with the cold and demanding climate of the arctic.
Please do not come on this trip when you have a heart condition, suffer from epilepsy or severe asthma or when you have a bad leg. This will hinder our ability to show you everything we have in store, but more importantly, it will jeopardize the positive experience of your fellow participants.
Indemnity Waiver
All participants are required to sign this standard document before the start of the tour. Find it here.
Disclaimer - The Weather in the Lofoten
The Arctic Circle is notorious for its ever-changing weather and as such, we cannot make any promises regarding the aurora or cloud cover. The northern lights are highly likely to be seen at any time during the dark days of winter here and Daniel has experience of finding the aurora as far south as the Netherlands. However, we can’t guarantee its visibility on any day during the tour. But don’t let that stop you as there are tons of photographic opportunities all around.
Snow and ice are also common this time of year, but rest assured that it’s not as cold as you might think. Temperatures of around freezing (0 degrees C) are to be expected in the valleys during the day, so it’s important that you dress for the occasion.
Daniel Laan ~ The Netherlands
Moody, ominous landscape photography is as much my passion as it is my career. For more than a decade now, I've had the mindset of developing a specific dark and moody style of photography that shows a part of myself through my images. I have a deep appreciation for the landscape, the weather and find something of beauty in trivial subjects. You could say that I have an instinct for inbound northern lights, having captured the Aurora Borealis successfully as far south as the Netherlands.
With a degree in design and visual communication and over 15 years of experience in Photoshop, it's my goal to train you to look at the landscape differently. While explaining everything from pre-visualizing to exporting for the web or for print, we uncover a truth. That the stunning landscape of Scotland, isn't there to take home with you. The most important aspect is not to bag the best locations, but to appreciate your surroundings; to become aware of things that others walk straight by.
It is with this mindset that I will make you a better artist; and that is something you can take home with you.
Isabella Tabacchi ~ Italy
Photography came to Isabella as suddenly as it did passionately. She has always had a sensibility for natural environments. Exploring and studying the boundless scenery in the Alps, Dolomites and, more recently, the Lofoten and Canarian Islands, has yielded fantastic images. Her art truly comes alive after the post-processing phase, in which she emphasizes the drama of the natural elements through reliving the emotions she felt at the moment of capture.
Her works have reached massive popularity and critical acclaim. They were exhibited in Rome and Athens and published in online and print magazines like Landscape Photography Magazine, National Geographic, Practical Photography and Digital Photo SLR UK. She also won numerous prizes and we should mention a couple examples. In 2017, Isabella won 2nd prize and five honorable mentions in the Professional Landscapes category of the Monochrome Awards 2016. Recently, she won two honorable mentions in the International Photographer of the Year awards (IPA) and her unforgettable images were published in the Outdoor Photographer of the Year (OPOTY) Annual Book 2016.