Lofoten, Senja, & Stetinden Photo Workshop

Feb 15-27, 2025 - 13 Days - Sold Out

Experience the best of the Norwegian Arctic as we chase the Aurora Borealis across Lofoten, Senja, and Stetinden over 13 action-packed days. The stark contrast of snowy peaks against the rugged blue fjords creates a mesmerizing canvas as the gentle glow of soft winter light illuminates the quaint fishing villages and iconic red cabins. As darkness falls, the Northern Lights begin to dance across the night skies and we're busy clicking those shutter buttons! With dates timed for dark skies and active auroras, we'll be out each night as long as skies are clear. Expect plenty of individual attention with a group size limited to 10 participants and 2 pro-instructors. The workshop includes all ground transportation and lodging.

Tuition

$9200
Includes all Lodging & Transportation

Max Group Size

2 Pro Instructors
Max 10 Students

Instructor(s)

Physical Intensity

Lofoten Senja Photo Workshop Aurora Borealis Northern Lights Norway

Highlights

Explore the stunning areas of Lofoten, Senja, and Stetinden on a 13-day Arctic adventure.
Gaze in awe as the aurora borealis dances across the night skies. Dates are timed for minimal moon interference.
Photograph dramatic fjords, snowy mountains, colorful fishing villages, frosty forests, and more!
Interact with the friendly Sami people and their reindeer.
Small group of 10 participants and 2 pro-instructors. Many Lofoten workshops have 12+ participants.
Learn many new photography and post-processing skills.
Workshop includes all transportation and lodging once you arrive in Evenes.

Itinerary

The itinerary is flexible as Arctic weather can be very volatile and dynamic. We will carefully evaluate the weather forecast and tide charts for the following day before making our plan. Our job is to help you capture your best images possible!

Day 1 (Feb 15): Arrival day in Evenes. Please see Logistics section below for planning your flights to Evenes. You'll check into the included hotel and get a good sleep before our adventure begins.
Day 2 (Feb 16): We meet together after breakfast and start our drive to Lofoten. We stop at numerous places along the way for photos. We check into our cabins that afternoon and head out for our first sunset shoot. If skies are clear, we'll be on the lookout for the aurora borealis!
Days 3-6 (Feb 17-20): Over the next 4 days we will be exploring the magical fjords, traditional fishing villages, and dramatic peaks of the greater Lofoten area. Highlights include Skagsanden, Fredvang, Ramberg, Selfjord, Haukland, Uttakleiv, Vik, Unstad, Vareid, Myrland, and more! And of course, we'll be out photographing the aurora on clear nights.
Day 7 (Feb 21): After a final sunrise shoot we start making our way back to Evenes. Along the way, we meet the Sami people who are known for their reindeer herding. Our host family has over 100 reindeer and we will be able to take photos and learn about their culture. We will overnight in Evenes.
Days 8-10 (Feb 22-24): Today we make our way to Senja Island. This island is often called a mini-Norway since you can experience an incredible mix of ocean, mountains, fjords, beaches, forest and fishing villages all within close proximity. Our itinerary is dictated by the weather, but a few highlights include Mefjorden, Ersfjorden, Tungeneset, Bergsbotn and Gryllefjord. Again, we'll be out chasing the aurora on clear nights!
Days 11-12 (Feb 25-26): After breakfast, we hit the road towards Stetinden, the national mountain of Norway. There are gorgeous photo locations all around us along with stunning compositions for the Northern Lights! This area includes the mighty mountains of Efjorden, Skjomen, Ofotfjorden and the amazing Lake Skoddebergvannet. On the evening of Day 11 we will make our way back to Evenes.
Day 13 (Feb 27): After breakfast, transportation will be provided to the Evenes Airport for your trip back home.

Logistics

The easiest way to get to our meeting point is via Oslo Gardermoen Airport (OSL code). From there, you fly to Harstad/Narvik Evenes airport (EVE code). Domestic flights in Norway can be purchased from www.sas.no or www.norweigian.no
The first night's hotel in Evenes is close to the airport. Feb 15th is the arrival day and we hit the road the morning of Feb 16th.
If you have a drone, bring it along! There are many impressive aerial shots you can take on days with low wind and good visibility.
Winter weather is very unpredictable in Northern Norway, especially with marine effects. On average, participants on a 13-day tour will see the aurora borealis on 2-3 nights.
Gulf stream waters create more moderate winter temps than what you normally get at this latitude. Avg winter temps are around 30F.
You need to be prepared for all types of weather including rain and snow. Bring comfortable, warm and waterproof outer layers such as Gore-tex, thermal underwear, micro-spikes and water resistant boots or even chest waders. A complete packing list will be sent out a few months before the workshop.
Meals, beverages, and snacks are not included in the workshop fee. We will be stopping for meals at either stores or restaurants during our journey.
We highly recommend Travel Insurance to cover any non-refundable fees or medical coverage during the workshop.

Sami People

On Day 7 we will be photographing Sami reindeer herders. Sami are a group of indigenous people that come from the Northern reaches of Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola Peninsula in Russia.

Sami people are best known for reindeer herding, and our host family has hundreds of reindeer and has been herding reindeer for many generations. Reindeer are so important to the Sami way of life, many people even go to a special university to learn how to care for their reindeer herds!

Pricing - 13 Days

$9200/person + Tax

Trip Includes:

12 Nights Double Occupancy Lodging. Single Occupancy is available for an additional $1300.
2 Professional Photographer Instructors and 1 Local Guide.
All Ground Transportation in Spacious Winter-Equipped Vehicles
Post-processing and image critique sessions.
Pre-Workshop Zoom Meeting

Trip Does NOT Include:

Flights to/from your home to Evenes, Norway.
Food, alcohol, snacks and beverages.
Travel insurance, visa fees, etc.
Instructor Gratuities

The Fine Print:

Remaining balance is due 120 days prior to the trip.
Due to the unique nature of this workshop, no refunds or credits will be given unless we are able to fill your spot with another participant.
Once the cancelled spot is filled, refunds will be given to the original form of payment less a $300 cancellation fee.
Travel Insurance is highly recommended for this workshop.
We cannot offer the Loyalty Discount on this workshop as it is an international collaboration.
See the full Terms and Conditions

Recommended Camera Gear

Sturdy tripod and ballhead
Digital SLR or Mirrorless Camera Body.
Fast wide angle lens in the 14-35mm range. We recommend a lens that is f/2.8 or faster for night photography.
Mid-range zoom lens in the range of 24-100mm.
Telephoto lenses will come in handy for landscape compression and abstracts.
Circular polarizer filters and ND filters for your wide-angle and or mid-range lenses. Very dark ND's can be useful for creating long exposures.
Extra batteries, memory cards, and cleaning supplies.
Remote cord for your camera.
Cover for your camera/lens to protect against high winds and precipitation.
Camera backpack you can use to protect your gear.
Drone camera for aerial photography (optional).
Laptop if you wish to backup your photos or edit during the workshop.

Personal Gear List

Lots of warm clothes! We will email you a recommended list with many more details a few months before.
Microspikes are recommended for walking on slick surfaces.
Warm, waterproof winter boots.
Chest or hip waders for photographing on the coast (optional)
Sunglasses
Thermos for hot beverages

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Trip Advisor

David Swindler

Founder - Photography Instructor

David Swindler is an award-winning landscape and wildlife photographer. Among others, he has been recognized by the International Photography Awards, Siena International Photo Awards, Sony World Photography Awards, International Landscape Photographer of the Year, and National Geographic. He received a degree in chemical engineering and worked in the semiconductor industry specializing in optics and photolithography. In 2014, he left his day job to follow his true passion. He has traveled to some of the most remote regions of the world and has extensive experience photographing a wide variety of subjects and conditions. As the founder of Action Photo Tours, he finds great satisfaction in helping others learn photography, especially in the wild desert environment near his home in Kanab, UT. David is an expert in night photography and loves to get out and shoot the starry night skies.

Gallery Awards and Media Coverage

Having guided photo tours for years, David is very familiar with many different types of cameras. He is a master with light and composition. But most importantly, his dedication to his clients is what really sets him apart! But don't take our word for it - read what others are saying: Trip Advisor.

Kah-Wai Lin, MD, PhD

Photography Instructor

Dr. Kah-Wai Lin was born in Malaysia, but he has lived in other parts of the world for most of his life. He holds a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from Lviv National Medical University, Ukraine and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in medical science from Karolinska Institute, Sweden. Since 2012, Dr. Lin has made his home in New Jersey, USA. Following a successful research career at Princeton University, Dr. Lin followed his passion and became a professional landscape photographer.

Dr. Lin has been leading hundreds of photo tours and workshops throughout the world. He has presented at over 300 seminars around the world and has received over 200 awards at international contests and exhibitions including multiple gold medals. Most notably, Dr. Lin was awarded the 1st place at the International Photography Award 2015. He was named top 10 exhibitors in the world by Photographic Society of America in 2015 and 2016.

Dr. Lin is the former vice president of Photographic Society of America (PSA), one of the biggest and oldest international photographic organizations in the world. In recognition of his photographic excellence and invaluable contribution to the photographic community, Dr. Lin received over 80 honor and distinction titles by photographic organizations worldwide, as well as the Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from US Member of Congress.