If you’d like to capture the sheer beauty of the Arctic and spend a week shooting rugged mountains, colorful houses and hopefully the northern lights – this is the right adventure for you!
Incredible views, mountains that plunge into the sea, frozen lakes and villages that seem to come straight out of a fairy tale: these are just a handful of the subjects we will be able to shoot up there. Traveling through those scenic roads, with the continuous golden light typical of winter during the days and with the green lady dancing above our heads in the night is something that we fail to properly describe with words.
Why not join Leo in this beautiful adventure and see all that beauty with your own eyes?
We will spend the first three nights around Leknes – a small town in the souther part of the Lofoten Islands – and shoot all the locations close to it, then we will move even more south (at the very tip of the archipelago) and spend the last three nights in Hamnoy – one of the picturesque villages of the Lofoten.
Winter in the Arctic means very little daylight: sunrise will be around 9:30AM and sunset around 3:30PM: the light will always be good, since the sun will never rise too much above the horizon. It will be like an endless sunset!
Right after the sun goes down – we’ll try to hunt the green lady every night: we will do our best to work with the weather forecast and find the best spots where we get the most chances of seeing the aurora borealis dancing in the sky!
The workshop is officially on! Leo will be at the airport waiting for you: the Leknes airport is really small, the only way to arrive there is to get a flight from Bodo (which you can reach from Oslo, Norway’s capital city).
There are generally several flights that arrive throughout the day, we generally recommend to take one of the early ones so that we can make the best use of day 1 too! The other solution would be to arrive at least a day earlier, since Leo will already be there and will be more than happy to provide transportation from the airport to your hotel for that night if you need it.
Hotel Check-in: approx. 2:30PM
After the transfer, we’ll reach the hotel to check in and take a short breath before hitting the road again.
Sunset Session: 2:30PM/6:00PM
Our first official photography session together! Since it’s our first, we’ll have a longer session so that your workshop leader can assess your skills and give you the necessary notions to capture the golden light in the best possible way given the weather conditions of that day.
We will probably visit Haukland Beach as an introductory location – a fantastic beach that offers endless compositions from wider perspectives all the way to more intimate captures.
Dinner: 6:00/8:00PM
It’s been a long day: finally we will have the chance to sit down and have a warm meal with some beer to end it in the best way!
Northern Lights Hunting Session: 8:00PM/??:??PM
Writing down the times for a northern lights hunting session feels like one of the most nonsense things we could ever write in a itinerary, so we refused to write an end time. Truth obviously is that we will work around the weather forecasts, so there might be days when we stay out after sunset without returning back, there might be days when we stay out till early in the morning and there might be days when we can’t go out at all. That’s part of the game!
One of the best things about the Lofoten Islands in winter are the golden hours times: the sun won’t be in the sky till 9:30AM, which means no early wake up calls! On this morning we will explore another gorgeous location close to Leknes: Uttakleiv Beach.
This place offers a multitude of compositions, from the famous “Eye of Uttaklein” (a rock formation that resemble an eye) to round shaped rocks which work great with long exposures and many, many more! First 7 images for reference.
Breakfast/Lunch Break: 11:00AM/2:00PM
Since days are quite short at this time of the year in the Lofoten Islands – we won’t get a lot of rest time during the day: we will briefly stop for a couple hours around lunch time to catch a break and get something to eat.
Sunset Session: 2:30PM/6:00PM
Right after lunch and a short break, it’s time to put the shoes back on and go out again: this afternoon we will visit Vareid beach, an amazing location along the coast that offers a magnificent view over the southern part of the archipelago. Last 4 images for reference.
Dinner: 6:00/8:00PM
It’s been a long day: finally we will have the chance to sit down and have a warm meal with some beer to end it in the best way!
Northern Lights Hunting Session: 8:00PM/??:??PM
Writing down the times for a northern lights hunting session feels like one of the most nonsense things we could ever write in a itinerary, so we refused to write an end time. Truth obviously is that we will work around the weather forecasts, so there might be days when we stay out after sunset without returning back, there might be days when we stay out till early in the morning and there might be days when we can’t go out at all. That’s part of the game!
One of the best things about the Lofoten Islands in winter are the golden hours times: the sun won’t be in the sky till 9:30AM, which means no early wake up calls!
Today we will explore Vikten, another amazing location perfect for rugged seascapes and long exposures: this area usually have some interesting waves, which are great to use as leading lines or to create swirls in your images. First 6 images for reference.
Breakfast/Lunch Break: 11:00AM/2:00PM
Since days are quite short at this time of the year in the Lofoten Islands – we won’t get a lot of rest time during the day: we will briefly stop for a couple hours around lunch time to catch a break and get something to eat.
Sunset Session: 2:30PM/6:00PM
Time to visit and explore one of the major photography locations of the whole archipelago: Skagsanden Beach! This place is located half-way through the road that leads down to Hamnoy, our next accommodation for the remaining part of the trip – driving there, you will get a taste of what the most amazing part of the Lofoten Islands looks like!
Between amazing sand textures, rocks, puddles and waves – this beach became so famous for a valid reason! Check the last 7 images for reference.
Dinner: 6:00/8:00PM
It’s been a long day: finally we will have the chance to sit down and have a warm meal with some beer to end it in the best way!
Northern Lights Hunting Session: 8:00PM/??:??PM
Writing down the times for a northern lights hunting session feels like one of the most nonsense things we could ever write in a itinerary, so we refused to write an end time. Truth obviously is that we will work around the weather forecasts, so there might be days when we stay out after sunset without returning back, there might be days when we stay out till early in the morning and there might be days when we can’t go out at all. That’s part of the game!
Last sunrise around Leknes, before moving south towards Hamnoy, our second and final destination of the workshop. At sunrise we will visit Unstad beach – a place not only popular for photography but also surfing! Yep, you heard correct: surfing – in freezing waters – while maybe it’s snowing!
We will focus on photography – no worries! The location offers a great view over the surrounding mountains and several great ways to frame the coastline with them!
Transfer to Hamnoy (Reine): 11:00AM/2:00PM
The transfer itself wouldn’t take more than one hour actually – but the views are so incredible that we always need at least double that time with all the stops we usually take!
Sunset Session: 2:30PM/6:00PM
We finally reach what is, hands down, the most popular area of the Lofoten Islands – the one all of you have seen pictures of and where all the most popular locations are! Within a 5 miles radius, we can easily find endless points of view to capture these small colorful towns. Tonight we will focus on Nusfjord and its gorgeous Storvatnet lake – one of Leo’s favorite locations of the whole area!
Dinner: 6:00/8:00PM
It’s been a long day: finally we will have the chance to sit down and have a warm meal with some beer to end it in the best way!
Northern Lights Hunting Session: 8:00PM/??:??PM
Writing down the times for a northern lights hunting session feels like one of the most nonsense things we could ever write in a itinerary, so we refused to write an end time. Truth obviously is that we will work around the weather forecasts, so there might be days when we stay out after sunset without returning back, there might be days when we stay out till early in the morning and there might be days when we can’t go out at all. That’s part of the game!
Brace yourselves for some photography crowds as we are about to visit THE most popular scene of the Lofoten: Hamnoy, with the typical rorbuer (the red houses) and the huge mountain in the back. As famous and crowded as it might be – it’s only fair that you get your own take on this location too. First 12 pictures are for reference!
Breakfast/Lunch Break: 11:00AM/2:00PM
As days in the Lofoten Islands during winter are not long – we won’t be able to rest too much during the day: we will take a short two-hours(ish) break before hitting the road again!
Sunset Session: 2:30PM/6:00PM
Tonight we will drive a bit up north again to shoot the area around the Fredvang bridges: this place not only has plenty of perspectives (puddles, icy textures, etc) from the ground, but it’s also an awesome scene from the air if you have a drone! Last couple pictures for reference.
Dinner: 6:00/8:00PM
It’s been a long day: finally we will have the chance to sit down and have a warm meal with some beer to end it in the best way!
Northern Lights Hunting Session: 8:00PM/??:??PM
Writing down the times for a northern lights hunting session feels like one of the most nonsense things we could ever write in a itinerary, so we refused to write an end time. Truth obviously is that we will work around the weather forecasts, so there might be days when we stay out after sunset without returning back, there might be days when we stay out till early in the morning and there might be days when we can’t go out at all. That’s part of the game!
Today at sunrise we will shot another iconic view of the area: the small town of Reine – not far from Hamnoy! Usually in the morning the fjord waters are a bit calmer and with a bit of luck with might get a crystal clear reflection of the landscape. First 7 images for reference.
Breakfast/Lunch Break: 11:00AM/2:00PM
As days in the Lofoten Islands during winter are not long – we won’t be able to rest too much during the day: we will take a short two-hours(ish) break before hitting the road again!
Sunset Session: 2:30PM/6:00PM
Unfortunately – this will be our last sunset session! We will do our best to get the most out of it: the “target” location could be the Flakstad Fjord, but depending on the weather forecasts we might also return to some places where we didn’t get the conditions we wanted on our first try. Last 5 images for reference.
Dinner: 6:00/8:00PM
It’s been a long day: finally we will have the chance to sit down and have a warm meal with some beer to end it in the best way!
Northern Lights Hunting Session: 8:00PM/??:??PM
Writing down the times for a northern lights hunting session feels like one of the most nonsense things we could ever write in a itinerary, so we refused to write an end time. Truth obviously is that we will work around the weather forecasts, so there might be days when we stay out after sunset without returning back, there might be days when we stay out till early in the morning and there might be days when we can’t go out at all. That’s part of the game!
As for any other workshop we prepare – we always mention one last sunrise before leaving the hotel – that can be an option also here, but we will evaluate if it’s worth it depending on the weather and your flight times later in the day.
Transfer to Leknes Airport (LKN): 9:30AM/2:00PM
One last trip to return back to where everything started: Leo will take you back to the Leknes airport (LKN) again and help you getting all of your stuff till the check-in desk – after which, it will be time to say goodbye!
– Scroll down, find the “book now” button, fill in your details and follow the process to the check-out. You will be able to leave a refundable deposit (500€ x person most of the times) via credit/debit card, bank transfer or even Paypal.
– Scroll down to the very end of the page to find the contact form or visit the “Contact Us” page to, well.. Contact us! We will be more than happy to help you with any request you have and set up the ideal workshop you have in your mind – and ultimately give you all the details to complete the deposit and secure your spot on the tour.
In either case, we only ask for a 500€ deposit to confirm your spot – we will then reach out around 2 months before your workshop starts with a link to complete the remaining part of the payment. If you booked last minute and need to pay the entire quote right away – we will be in touch as soon as we receive your reservation with the aforementioned link!
Why? So that you to get your own room for yourself without having to share it with anyone else. The single supplement is something we add at cost price (if not less), and as annoying as it might be, that’s something that unfortunately we can’t avoid.
That’s also how we manage to guarantee every workshop departure, even if you are the only participant for that date.
Of course you can opt for the single supplement even if you are traveling with friends and you like to have your own personal space.
– Digital Camera (preferably a DSLR or mirrorless camera, APS-C, micro 4/3 and FF will be more than fine);
– An ultrawide lens (e.g. Nikon 14-24mm, Canon 16-35mm, Tamron 15-30mm, Tokina 16-28mm etc); we recommend a lens with a wide maximum aperture (like f/2.8) in case we might do some night photography.
– A standard zoom lens (e.g. Nikon/Canon/Sigma 24-70mm or 24-105mm);
– A telephoto zoom lens (e.g. various Nikon/Canon/Tamron/Sigma 70-200mm);
– A super telephoto zoom lens (e.g. Sigma/Tamron 150-600mm); this lens is not necessary but we recommend it anyway since it allows to capture the far away details of the landscapes;
– A sturdy tripod that permits to do some long exposure photos, specially at twilight;
– A set of ND filters; these are the only filters we feel to recommend, since they become useful when you need to stretch the exposure time a little bit during some difficult light conditions;
– A camera remote to avoid blurry shots.
Poppies, mustard flowers and lush green hills are just some of the subjects we will shoot throughout the workshop – join us to explore the pictorial beauty of Tuscany during the spring season!
Andre Erlich2024-10-14 A great tour in spite of some weather hostility. Leonardo is a great guide and knows probably every photo opportunity in every light situation. He's also extremely helpful with composition and other photography techniques. Although I consider myself an experienced (amateur) photographer, I still learned quite a lot from Leonardo. I strongly recommend this tour with this guide. Thank you Leonardo for your guidance and insights Andre Erlich, Paris, France Beth F2024-09-25 Don’t hesitate to book a trip with Leo at Tuscany Photography Tours. Your experience will cover everything from camera instruction, to finding locations to best capture what Tuscany has to offer, to local history…to dining at some of the best local restaurants in Tuscany. Leo is very organized and has the perfect disposition to make the trip instructive, as well as fun. His help with how to handle the raw files after the photo shoots is an added plus. Leo makes the trip easy for the guests by doing all the prep work, including booking the hotel. He also knows how to be flexible with the schedule based on weather and light conditions. You won’t be disappointed by joining him in Tuscany, or one of his other main locations. Enjoy it! Peggy Swords2024-05-19 Leo is the perfect choice for a photographic tour of Tuscany. He has detailed knowledge of the places to shoot, in which weather, and what time of day to optimize your time in Val D'Orcia. He combines that with charm and wit to keep you entertained during the waiting times, drives, and meals. He also selects fantastic local Agritourismo locations for your stay and local, often family-owned restaurants for your gastronomic delights while on tour with him. There is just no comparison! Janet2024-05-09 I have just returned from a delightful week with Tuscany Photography Tours, led by Leonardo Papèra (Leo). A native Tuscan, Leo is an expert in the region, an accomplished photographer, a gifted teacher and a delight to have as a guide of the Tuscany region. We travelled to well known key photography locations as well, lesser-known places for beautiful shots that provided us great learning opportunities as well as unusual beautiful photos. Leo quickly assessed each of our technical and composite skills and tailored his teachings and support to each of our individual needs. His full attention was on his clients at each photo shoot. Unlike some tours I have experienced, he approached each of our photo sessions as a workshop and I have come away from the week with a significant advanced knowledge of composition, how light plays in photography and an understanding of the need to 'see the story' before I take the shot. Leo's goal was to ensure that each of us walked away better photographers. In addition to his own personal photography skills, Leo is a born teacher; he is professionally critical in his feedback. As I continue my photography journey, I will carry with me, his encouraging words - 'you can do better'. He has built relationships in the Tuscan community with local establishments which meant each day we dined in beautiful restaurants and ate delicious Tuscan food. Every meal with Leo meant joyful conversations, laughter and sometimes more lessons. In addition to beautiful photography sessions in historic Tuscany, he spent time walking through how he produces the photographs in Lightroom and Photoshop. He freely shared his knowledge in pre and post photography and provided us tools to move forward on our own. And last, with his easy style and sense of humour - the week was absolutely delightful. As I move forward in my own learning of photography, I will be following Leo and looking for future workshops with him. Thank you, Leo! Patricia López2024-05-08 Leo is an extremely talented photographer, very professional and generous. I participated in the Tuscany Spring Tour and had a wonderful time! He not only cares deeply about teaching his art, but also about providing his customers with an authentic Italian experience. He is careful in selecting a combination of locations that include famous sites, hidden gems and various types of environments that can provide different learnings. I was very surprised to find out that the tour also included some walks around different towns in Tuscany. During the tour, Leo provided thorough explanations to help us improve our photography skills, but first challenged us to think of the solution ourselves. His editing workshops were amazing, he showed us how he edited more than 8 of our own pictures, which was also recorded for our benefit. In general, I was shocked to learn how many tours he leads (many), because of the commitment he brings to each one of the participants. Thank you for a wonderful experience! Arnold Brown2023-11-28 I have wanted to do a photography tour for many years and finally chose Tuscany Photography Tours. I am so glad that I did. All the arrangements were first class, the service was exceptional and the photography opportunities outstanding. I would highly recommend Leonardo and hope to take another tour with him. yang michael2023-11-14 It’s an amazing workshop. Leo did excellent job for organizing from logistics, right spots for shooting and great meals arrangements. He is also a great landscape photographer and shared a lot knowledge, skills and experience of Tuscany photography. Best Wish for his future success! Mary S2023-11-08 What a unique experience! Leo is not just a passionate and very skilled photographer, he is a patient teacher and fun and resourceful guide. Our Tuscany tour combined intense work on photography, breathtaking landscapes and immersing ourselves in the local way of living to create a lifetime experience. I really appreciated the small group, the exclusive locations, and highly professional booking process. Not to mention that my photography skills notably improved during the tour. The whole experience is rounded off by some super useful hands on instructions on photo editing. I definitely look forward to joining another of Leo's tours. Arun R2023-11-08 Leo was an excellent guide. I don’t say that lightly as not all photography experts are great guides with good interpersonal skills, but he definitely meets both requirements. Coming from such a long way away, it was important I found a guide who was prepared to take me to more adventurous and remote locations in the Dolomites rather than just doing the typical shots everyone does, and once Leo understood what I was after, he carefully planned on location at the right time. I think he would be one of the best photography guides running tours in the Dolomites. Being a fairly independently minded photographer he was able to read this correctly and didn’t try to over coach me but offered helpful advice when it was sought. Leading up to the trip, I asked many questions and he was patient and helpful each and every time and went above and beyond to organise an outstanding experience for me. I don’t regret going with him at all and hope we can travel together again as we had a lot of laughs along the way. Thanks mate! It was a pleasure. Thank you for some life long memories. Mark Brown2023-10-27 Experience of a lifetime! Leonardo is the best host imaginable for a photo tour - fun, friendly, kind, supportive, knowledgeable, and intensely capable. His ability to help tour members with their compositions, photo settings, and even post-processing is spot-on, yet at no point did he boast about his own work or look down on the tour members. Even if you're more interested in going along for the ride than taking photos (perhaps accompanying a partner), you'll have a blast, with Leo arranging magnificent hotels, meals, and places from which to enjoy the majesty of this world, or even a bit of shopping. The all-inclusive formula also means that you can leave all the logistics of hotel check-ins and meal payments up to him (and his perfect Italian). The route we took through the Dolomites was perfectly planned to start with a "Wow" and then build upon it each day. By the final location, we were absolutely awestruck. Leo was able to easily adjust plans based on inclement weather, and at no point did we feel shortchanged. If you're considering booking one of his photo tours, stop thinking and just do it. 🙂
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