Lofoten 2020-A stormy classic

A stormy classic.

My second trip to Norway, this time with Robert Haasmann and Heinz Hudelist. The Lofoten are somewhat reminiscent of a partially lost at sea Switzerland. High, rugged mountain ranges drop steeply into the dark waters of the deep fjords which characterize the picture. We’re lucky with the weather, because it’s stormy and that’s usually what we photographers wish for. Northern lights are very sparse due to snowfall, but then one evening they are back, granting us a wonderfully delicate gleam on the horizon. During a boat tour with eagle sightings, it snows so heavily that within a short matter of time everyone on board is covered in snow – probably my record snowfall so far. Despite the weather, the seagulls fly very close above us and I’m already rejoicing with this opportunity to capture them on camera, that is until a seagull relieves itself directly above me and ennobles my telephoto lens. But it also affects other members of the group. When one of us stands very close under a typical fish drying rack to take a wide-angle shot, he is dripped on by the distinctively smelling blubber of the fish, which we all ironically “carry the can for” later in the bus. In hindsight I count myself extremely fortunate to have been part of this beautiful trip. On the return flight in mid-February 2020 we are still having fun, unaware of the difficult time ahead, joking about the boxes of surgical masks and hand disinfection at the Norwegian airport…