Lofoten islands

Included in the price:

– All transfers
– Lodging, breakfasts, snacks on the way and all dinners at fishing restaurants
– Instruction and master classes by professional guide

Not included in the price:

– Airfare to and from Leknes airport
– Alchogolic drinks and additional meals/beaverages

Weather conditions

Lofoten islands are known for their stormy weather. If you were in Iceland, you know the thing: the climate is very similar. Although on one hand you should prepare for these conditions, on the other one stormy weather creates incredible nature scenes and sometimes can grant amazing light. The average temperature at Lofoten is about 0 C. It always balances over the zero. Sometimes the temperature may fall at -7 C (it was only one time in my life for 3 years there). But don’t relax! Winds and sea force you to feel the temperature colder. If it is zero, you may feel like -5 C or even like -10 C. So you must wear warm winter clothes (see “What to bring” section). There is a good probability of rain or snow in winter. During hard rain or snow we will make critique sessions, workshops on composition and post-processing (Lightroom, Photoshop, panorama stitching software). The schedule and locations are tentative mainly for the weather conditions. Basing on my locations knowledge I will schedule the most appropriate place for shooting according to current or predicted weather conditions.

Fitness level

All our shooting locations are easily reachable during 1 to 10 minutes from the car. We will not climb or hike on this tour. You must be prepared for winds and cold weather. Some sessions may last up to 2-3 hours with the possibility to warm up in the car from time to time.

What to bring


Lofoten islands in winter are quite comfortable to visit comparing to all places located above the polar circle. Our adventure will be quite comfortable: warm houses with hot water and modern communications like broad-band wi-fi. We will move on comfortable mini-van. But still the weater may be windy and chilling. So please bring the following gear and wear to our Lofoten photo-workshop:

Wear
• comfortable clothing. Its better to take several items using the “onion-principle”. If you are getting colder then you can put on another layer. If you are moving fast at location – then you can take one layer off.
• waterproof jacket and pants. If it is snowing or raining a little bit we may still be in the fielnds, so the upper layer must be waterproof.
• warm jacket
(better to take the synthetic filling: the humidity is quite high)
• waterproof boots: we have lots of sessions along amazing white sends arctic shorelines of Lofoten
• waterproof wellingtons (or fishermen shoes) with the length up your knees. We have lots of sea shooting, even with Northern Aurora. You can hardly get amazing photos without interacting with the sea
• warm hat
and glothes (better to take glothes with “touch-screen finger” that will allow you to set up your camera and lenses easily)
• casual clothing for the hotel stay
• soft protector to kneel. We have to shoot from low points a lot

Gear
• camera equipment (DSLR with manual control of 
shutter speed, aperture and ISO settings and allowing you to use Live View). All marks of camera are welcome: I have experience to work almost with every brand, so you may always rely on my help with camera settings.
Please bring extra batteries: they can deplet fast during the night shooting.
• lenses: the most needed lens is 16-35 or 17-40 (fullframe). You may use ordinary circular or square filters with these lenses. Althought 14 mm (or 14-24 mm) lenses are very useful especially for northern lights shooting. You may use the tele-lens to capture birds in the frame or make pictures with the scale, comparing visually mountains and small cherry-like houses of Lofoten.
• headlamp with extra batteries. We should hunt the Northern Aurora at nights, so you need flashlight to move. Although notice that we have “no light polution policy” to be polite for other photographers.

• sturdy tripod that will endure Lofoten winds. I recommend ballheads with Arca Swiss system and L-plate mounting
• remote cable shutter release

• laptop for editing with software: Lightroom and optionally – Photoshop
• filters. Shooting at the sea means you should properly work with the shutter speed. Filters like ND, polarizer will help you to manage forms and colors of waves.
• chargers, spare CF/SD cards

Tour leaders


Daniel Kordan

I studied in Moscow institute of Physics and Technology and became an optics physicist. During the study he gain experience not only in physics, but also in mountain climbing and hiking, guiding tourist groups in winter and in summer in Russian mountains. Right after graduation he became a guide of photo-workshops and chief editor of “Continent expedition” magazine. This magazine is about travel and adventures all over the world. He has got several awards in photography: Golden Turtle’ 13 Nature nomination winner, National Geographic Russia contest 2013 and 2014 finalist, Best of Russia’13 and ’14 winner, best photographer’13 finalist and others. He is spending most of his time in Norway, Lofoten islands and in Tuscany at villa Gaia, guiding groups of photographers. Daniel has pulications in such mahazines as Digital SLR Magazine, UK, Photography week, Photography Master Class, National Geographic, Discovery, Photoworld China, Digital Photo (Bauer Media) magazines. Daniel is official Nikon ambassador.

Join the workshop to Lofoten islands today!