Around 2 weeks ago I returned from a 7 day trip to Finnish and Norwegian Lapland where, along with Finnish photographer and guide, Antti Pietikäinen, I led a tour for 5 guests.
Having visited this region twice before, in autumn, I was keen to run a tour to this beautiful region. Autumn or Ruska, as the Finns call it, occurs approximately 5 weeks before ours and there is no better place to witness it than in Lapland! The unending landscape of fells, bogs, mountains, fjords, streams and waterfalls are ablaze with yellows, browns and reds. A photographer's paradise! The season also marks the beginning of the Northern Lights when they start to become more frequent and 2012/13 will be the best in over 10 years when solar activity reaches it's peak.
For the first part of the trip we were to be based in the municipality of Muonio which lies around 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle (just over an hours drive from Kittila airport) and lays claim to having the longest snow season in Finland! Our days were spent shooting autumn colour, waterfalls and forests and reindeer.
As Antti prepared lunch around an outdoor fire-place and shelter, a pair of Siberian jays arrived, obviously waiting for a tit-bit or two! They are a common feature of such places, taking advantage of food thrown by people and a species I had yet to photograph. Although not shy, it never quite perched in the "perfect" position.
As the day rolled on the prospect of a good sunset started to waiver. Instead, we had dramatic, ever-changing storm clouds which was far more interesting.
After dinner and with clearing skies, we headed out for our first northern lights foray. Antti is a northern lights nut! He understands their science, reads aurora forecasts, photographs them constantly throughout the winter, leads watching and photography tours and has produced a short film using moving, stills and time-lapse images to show the legend behind them. We drove a short distance and there they were, straight ahead of us. We jumped out of the minibus, set up tripods and shot what we could of the fading phenomenon. It was wasn't the brightest display but if left everyone wanting more!
From here, Antti, took us to a small beach on the edge of a lake where we stayed for the next hour, or so, running lengthy exposures and simply taking in the night sky. Coming from South East England there is an enormous amount of light pollution and to see the stars so big and bright and to clearly make out the milky-way was just awesome!
Exposures to record the northern lights is entirely dependent on the speed of your lens, iso setting and their brightness. A good starting point, if you want to record it as you see it and without too much movement is to start with iso 1600, f4 (my widest setting on the 12-24mm) at 30 seconds. Do a test and go from there.
With the prospect of a clear morning we got our heads down for a few hours then reconvened at 6am where Antti took us to a viewpoint which gave us wonderful views of the landscape and ruska. Full credit to the group for making the effort to get up so early after a long night. All had the same opinion that you never know if it will be our one and only sunrise opportunity. After a few hours of shooting silhouettes and landscapes we headed back for breakfast and a well earned sleep.
Later that afternoon, Antti drove us to Pallas-Yllastunturi National Park, Finland's 3rd largest, where a remarkably tame herd of reindeer was photographed against the backdrop of the autumn colour of the fells. Reindeer are synonymous with Lapland and we a common sight as we drove from one location to another.
For this and others of the reindeer, I used a 70-200mm f2.8 with a 1.4x tele-converter which I find a very useful combination when travelling where wildlife photography is secondary to landscapes.
On our way back we stopped at an old-growth forest. Unfortunately the persistent rain had us packing up earlier than we would have liked but I had just long enough to shoot a few compositions.
Temperatures were typical for Lapland at that time. 10-15 degrees C during the day, dropping to around zero at night. It's certainly not uncommon, however, for temperatures, at night, to drop to -5 and below.
The following day we headed to our second destination, Kilpisjarvi, where we would stay for a further 3 nights. Kilpisjarvi was a drive of around 4 hours further north towards Norway but with the road hugging the river and with so many opportunities to stop and take photos, the time just flew by! Plus, there was a souvenir shop on the way where we could all buy gifts and buy a cup of coffee and doughnut for 1 Euro! As we headed north and our elevation increased, you could clearly see a noticeable change in the terrain. There was distinct feel of being on the tundra. Birches were shorter, less upright and more dispersed. It was colder, too!
After a long day's travelling and as our cabins were in such a photogenic spot with streams and a lake just steps away from our doors, we decided to stay in the vicinity and shoot scenes. The forecast was for a clear night and, according to Antti, strong possibilities of a good northern lights showing.
As the sun set and twilight cast it's blue glow across the lake and nearby birch forest, I headed into the tangle and ran time exposures. Really, just savouring a northern forest at night.
So that we may enjoy the experience well into the night, Antti lit a fire in the small kota-like building where we would sit on reindeer skins, talking, drinking and snacking. Could it be more perfect?!
At around 11 o clock I stepped outside to see if the lights had started as between 11 and 2am are the most likely times for them to show. And, low and behold, they had begun!
This was far brighter that what we had seen a few days earlier, in Muonio. It just got stronger and stronger. At times, it would form a complete arc above our heads and, occasionally, sway like a lace curtain. It's little wonder seeing this is on so many's wish-list.
At one point a strong 180° arc formed over our heads.
The display lasted for an hour and a half, finishing Sunday morning at 12.40! It was particularly special as it was one of our guest's, Wendy, birthday on Sunday and so spending the night witnessing this aurora made a wonderful birthday gift.
That afternoon, Antti took us to a very photogenic spot, close to the Norwegian border, which had a fantastic waterfall and view of the distant mountains.
I found it hard to do the scene justice as a vista so spent my time concentrating on details and aspects of the area that I felt conveyed the colour and beauty of Lapland in autumn.
After we had our fill, we returned to the cabins. Some decided to rest while myself, Wendy and Chris thought it'd be nice to walk part of the way up Saana Fell. Boardwalks leading though old birch forest soon give away to 100s of steps leading to the summit. As we walked higher and cleared the tree line we had the most spectacular view across Finnish and Norwegian Lapland. We didn't bother with walking all the way to the top. We had more than enough to keep us occupied and anyway, this wasn't a "bagging" trip!
Our following day was to be spent in Norway. More precisely, Lingen Fjord, about 90 minutes from our base. The forecast was for a bright morning so, once again, an early start was in order. I had visited this area a few years ago and wanted to take the group to a very picturesque fishing village at it's south end, called Skibotn. When I was there last, the conditions were far from ideal. Cloud and continuous drizzle. This was to be completely different. Due to the height of the surrounding mountains we enjoyed quite a considerable while, shooting sunlit mountain tops until, eventually, the sun appeared above the peaks and flooded the scene with crisp, warm sunlight.
With the tide out we ventured onto the shore shooting mirror-like reflections. We couldn't believe how warm it was! It stayed like that for the next few hours.
As we drove along the fjord, waterfalls, one after another, cascaded down the mountain sides. It was hard for us to resist pulling over every few hundred yards. To top it off, as we photographed this very waterfall one of our guests, Mike, spotted a pod of dolphins. A couple of us, myself included, were fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of them as they hugged the edge of the fjord.
Antti and I will be running the exact same tour next year so if this has whetted your appetite and you would like to enquire or book a place, then do get in touch.
Click HERE to take you to the tour page
Email: rmcanis@msn.com Tel: 01795 428481 Mobile: 07939 117570
Testimonial
I’ve been on several photographic holidays and workshops, and I can honestly say I have not enjoyed a trip as much as I enjoyed this one. From the start, Bob’s arrangements were problem free. Travelling, the hotel rooms, the cabin, catering - I can’t fault them. And our small and companionable group was an absolute delight to be part of.
From the start it was evident we were going to be kept busy, and no problem with that either, because the photographic opportunities were almost overwhelming. Bob and our Finnish guide - driver and Cook In Charge, Antti - knew just where to go for the best pictures, and we didn’t waste a moment. Lakes and waterfalls, fast running streams, fjord and tundra, ancient woodland, mountains. The whole 6 days were full of colour and variety. A couple of days we were up at dawn, out all day, back for sunset and then out into the small hours for the Northern Lights. One or two hours of sleep, then back out for the next dawn. It was worth every yawn and bleary eye!
We were fortunate to have two glorious displays of Northern Lights. It is something you feel humbled to have been part of. I remember the suspense, staring at star filled skies wondering - will they, won’t they come tonight? And then a shout from Rob: “There they are!” and the joy of capturing for all time those fleeting colours dancing across the sky.
I am left with the overwhelming memory of some truly stunning landscape, and autumn colours and skies to die for. Wildlife? Lots of deer, including a herd that obligingly walked in and out of shot, an elk, a mink, but not so many birds as I had expected. And we only brushed the tip of the iceberg, coming home with still so much unseen, and well worth going back for.
Thanks Antii. Thanks Bob. And thanks everyone else who made the trip so memorable.
Denise Leppard
As one of the guests on the recent Lapland tour, there is not much more I can add that Denise has not already so eloquently said.
This was truly a trip of a lifetime, for the colours in the North were spectacular, as were the Northern Lights dancing in the sky above us.
It was amazing how the landscape changed as we moved, from Muonio, farther north to Kilpisjarvi. Fewer trees, and the pines dwindled and disappeared, giving way to the reds, greens, yellows and browns of the undergrowth, with dark coloured berries in between. Wonderful! And the climb up Saana Fell was well worth the effort for the wonderful view.
As always, Rob never seemed to tire of giving help and advice when asked, he has the patience of a saint!
Our Finnish guide, Antti, kept us more than well fed and watered, we wanted for nothing.
It was a nice group of people, and with Rob's and Antti's senses of humour, there were plenty of laughs along the way!
All in all, it was an unforgettable, truly enjoyable, experience, one that will remain with me for a very long time, and I would thoroughly recommend participation to anyone who is keen on landscape and wildlife photography.
I would also like to thank Rob and Antti for putting this tour together so well. All their hard work in finding accommodation, places to eat and refresh, and, most importantly, the locations, has paid off.
A wonderful experience, thank you both so much.
