Join us for an unforgettable winter photography adventure in Norway’s Lofoten Islands, where towering mountains meet dramatic fjords, and pristine beaches glisten under the Northern Lights. This exclusive workshop is designed for photographers of all levels, offering expert guidance in capturing one of the world’s most breathtaking winter landscapes.
For photographers and painters, the Lofotens are an endless source of inspiration, with their smallish bays, rugged coastlines, and a unique combination of turquoise water, snow-white sand and imposing mountain peaks – often all in one picture! But our primary mission, so to speak, would be the hunt for Aurora Borealis.
Like a giant dragon, the Lofoten archipelago has stretched from the Northeast to the Southwest, surrounded by the sea from all directions. Bridges connect the individual islands, giving us full freedom of movement. That’s what makes it a photographer’s paradise: we can shoot both sunsets and sunrises from all directions, as well as stars at night and of course, the Northern Lights: there’s no light pollution to speak of! Here you can see Aurora Borealis in all its primal glory, dancing over rugged fjords and arctic beaches, and having seen it once, you’ll never forget it.
I’m so enthralled by the Lofotens that I’ve visited them six times; it’s undoubtedly one of my favorite places on Earth. I shall return there again and again, no matter how difficult the journey might be. In the winter, storms are frequent on Lofotens, and the weather can change several times within an hour – which makes shooting at the arctic beaches all the more fascinating.
30 Jan – 5 Feb, 2026 – guides to be announced
27 Feb – 5 March, 2026 – guides to be announced
6 – 12 March, 2026 – guides to be announced
Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival in Leknes & Welcome Dinner
Your Arctic adventure begins as you arrive at Leknes Airport, where our expert photo guides will be waiting to greet you. If you’re arriving a day or two early, we can also arrange a pickup from your hotel—we recommend staying at Scandic Hotel Leknes for convenience.
From the airport, we’ll take you to your cozy cabin accommodation, which will serve as your base for the entire tour. Take some time to settle in and rest before we gather at 5 PM for a welcome dinner. Over a delicious meal, you’ll meet your fellow photographers, get to know your guides, and go over the itinerary for the days ahead. This is the perfect opportunity to ask questions and ensure your gear is ready for the incredible landscapes awaiting you.
If conditions are right, we may head out for our first Northern Lights shoot—our cabins are close to the famous Haukland and Uttakleiv beaches, two of the best locations in Lofoten to capture the aurora dancing over the Arctic coastline. Otherwise, we’ll aim for an early night, so you’re well-rested for an epic sunrise session the next morning!
Day 2-6: Spectacular Beaches & Coastal Landscapes
Due to Lofoten’s fast-changing Arctic weather, we’ll adapt our itinerary daily to ensure you’re always in the best location at the right time. Our experienced local guides are experts at reading the weather systems, allowing us to maximize every photographic opportunity. Throughout the tour, we’ll explore the most breathtaking locations, stretching from Å in the south to Henningsvær in the north.
Our journey takes us through Reine, one of Lofoten’s most iconic fishing villages, and Flakstad, a historic hamlet rich in culture and charm. We’ll visit the stunning Fredvang beaches, where golden sands meet the Arctic Ocean, providing dramatic seascapes. Other highlights include the picturesque Nusfjord fishing village, the remote and wild Selfjord, and several of Lofoten’s world-famous beaches.
- Uttakleiv Beach – A photographer’s paradise, featuring smooth coastal rocks and jewel-toned tidal pools, perfect for capturing unique compositions both day and night.
- Haukland Beach – Voted Norway’s most beautiful beach, this tranquil bay is surrounded by mountains and offers mild conditions, ideal for long-exposure photography.
- Unstad Beach – A surfer’s haven where powerful Arctic swells crash over scattered boulders, creating incredible opportunities for wave painting and motion effects.
- Vareid Beach – Known for its wild, ever-changing weather, this location provides stunning foreground rock pools with dramatic jagged mountain peaks in the distance.
Chasing the Northern Lights
When night falls, we’ll continue our hunt for the aurora borealis along the shores of the fjords. The beaches provide perfect foregrounds for capturing the elusive Northern Lights dancing over the Arctic landscape. As long as the skies are clear, we’ll spend our evenings exploring the best locations for an unforgettable aurora photography experience.
This tour offers an incredible variety of landscapes, from windswept fjords to pristine beaches, ensuring you leave with a stunning portfolio of Lofoten’s raw beauty.
Day 7 – Departure Day
As your adventure in Lofoten comes to an end, your guides will ensure a smooth transfer to the airport. You’ll leave with unforgettable memories, a treasure trove of stunning photographs, and the experience of a lifetime in the breathtaking Arctic landscapes.
Price: 4200 USD
Included in the price:
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- All transfers
- Airfare to and from Leknes airport
- Accommodation twin/double occupancy
- Instruction and master classes by professional guide
Not included in the price:
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- Airfare to and from Leknes airport
- Meals/beverages
- Single supplement 750 USD
- Health & travel insurance
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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.
Disclaimer
We aim to help you get best shots. But we are not weather Gods, so we are not responsible for weather conditions. Lofotens are perfectly located at polar circle. It is the best situation for northern lights, but please take in consideration that due to cloudy conditions we might not see Aurora. We also do not take people outside in storm/dangerous conditions, always keeping in mind your safety.
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
Registration deposit: 2000$
Maximum Number of Participants: 12
Payment in Full: 90 days prior to the workshop starting date.
Cancellation and Refund Policy
If you cancel and the Workshop is otherwise filled, we will refund you the full amount you have paid towards the tuition, minus a $300 service charge. If you cancel and the Workshop does not fill, then you will be refunded according to the following schedule, based on the full fee of the Workshop:
Greater than 60 days from the start date of the Workshop: full refund minus $300 fee.
45 days: 75% refund
30 days: 50% refund
Less than 30 days: no refund
Refunds will be paid by the same method that the original payment was made.
Refunds will be initiated within 72 hours of the time that the request is approved.
