Winter On The Lofoten Islands - Episode I

In January of 2023 I was finally able to make the trip to the Lofoten Islands above the arctic circle in Northern Norway. I was hoping that leaving in January would guarantee a ton of snow, but it rained almost every day I was there. In spite of the lousy conditions,I had an amazing time. This is Part I which will cover Reine, Sakrisoy, Hamnoy, Ramberg and Myrland Beach.
Music: Epidemic Sound until final photo montage.
Final track: "View from the Summit" by William McIntosh, 2023.
#lofotenislands #winter #landscapephotography

[@gogadanature]

Beautiful

[@WJMPhotography]

Thank you for watching! :)

[@dgjgm19]

Great video ❤

[@WJMPhotography]

Thank you!

[@dkp9728]

huge fan of ur content plz keep rocking :}

[@WJMPhotography]

Thanks for watching and for the encouragement! :)

[@2wheelsturning54]

Hi William - thanks so much for your effort to post this. Beautiful video and stills footage and the POV stuff from when you were motoring makes us feel like we could be there - the fact the lighting and conditions weren't always what you hoped for almost makes it seem more tangible / real. Music only added to things too. Really looking forward to watching part 2. Lofoten has been on my wish list for quite a while, cost is a major hurdle!

[@WJMPhotography]

Thanks so much for watching and for the kind words! I hope you get to visit some day! :)

[@jubelbusa8653]

Wow😮 amazing ❤ very beautiful

[@WJMPhotography]

Thanks Jubel! :)

[@nathan35uk]

Thanks for two great vids , Lofoten in winter is definitely on my list ..

[@WJMPhotography]

Thanks so much for watching, Nathan. I hope you get a chance to go! It's amazing up there!

[@DavidSafanda]

Wonderful! Thanks for taking us along. Norway has been on my wish list for a long time. Saving part II for this evening.

[@WJMPhotography]

Thanks for watching, David! It was pretty amazing over there and I'm already planning to return next year...hopefully with better conditions. It RAINED almost every day I was there, which is not what I was hoping for in January. I might move my trip back a couple of weeks next year, but I sure hope I can get more snow and an occasional clear sky for the Aurora.

[@robertdepaulis5188]

Feel you about 2020 . Was booked to go to Iceland and Greenland but you know what happened. Oh well have changed my plans and now going to Iceland and now Lofoten in December this year . I was debating about going winter but this has me really looking forward to going ! Cameras will be ready . Great episode and new subscriber looking forward to part 2

[@WJMPhotography]

Thanks Robert! I hope you were able to get refunds on Iceland and especially Greenland as I hear that can be an expensive trip. I was almost completely rained out on this trip, but I am headed back to Lofoten in a couple of weeks with fingers crossed for more SNOW and less wind and rain. I'm also hoping for more clear skies at night as I only had two brief glimpses of the aurora while I was up there. Good luck on your trips! I hope your luck is better than mine!

[@robertdepaulis5188]

Got credit for the actual trip and refund for the airfares and accommodation . Using the credit to help fund this trip I’m about to go on . The company I went through was very good with it all , so I’m sticking with them . Arctic Exposure are terrific I really do wish you luck on your next trip , really like what you came up with already :)

[@WJMPhotography]

@@robertdepaulis5188 Good to hear that you didn't lose on those trips. I'll have to keep them in mind! Thanks for letting me know!

[@robertdepaulis5188]

@@WJMPhotography pleasure mate. Worth a look and good luck again

[@Opplevelseskanalen]

Beautiful 😊

[@WJMPhotography]

Thank you! :)

[@SebastianMoreno82]

wow, amazing how different the islands where between Jan that you where there to March when we where there. truly magical place!

[@WJMPhotography]

Thanks for watching, Sebastian! I would imagine the biggest difference is the amount of daylight that you had to work with. When I arrived in mid January, there were only 2-3 hours of daylight per day. When I left, it was closer to 4. Also...it freaking RAINED almost every day I was there, so I wasn't able to get much of the aurora. I'm hoping to go back in February of 2024 if I can. I'll be sure to check out your channel to see what your trip was like in March. :)

[@SebastianMoreno82]

@@WJMPhotography awesome! i would love to go back again! can get tired of those landscapes!

[@AadidevSooknananNXS]

Thanks for such a wonderful video! Do you think this is doable without renting a car? Like by public transport alone. ALSO is that the How-to-train-your-dragon theme at the end?

[@WJMPhotography]

Hi Aadidev - Those are great questions. First...When you ask "Is this doable without renting a car?", the answer is a bit complicated. I saw public transportation running all throughout Lofoten when I was there, so if your question is...can we get to the overlook at Reine, or the bridge in Hamnoy, or the Fredvang Bridges using public transportation, the answer is...definitely. There are bus stops everywhere. I think there are travel passes that can start in Bodo and will cover the Ferry, bus transport, etc. While that option might be much less expensive, the only thing you will give up is the ability to choose WHEN you are at those locations. If you want to be in a specific place at a specific time with specific weather conditions...then you'd be stuck. I chose to rent a car because it allowed me to shoot the aurora at 3 AM up at Uttakliev Beach, or to hike out to the coast in Nusfjord before sunrise, etc. Last Fall, on a whim, I chose to drive 8 hours from Senja over night and make it to the top of Reinebringen before sunrise just as the sky was clearing. Definitely something I could not have done with public transportation. As for your second questions, I'm not sure which "How To Train Your Dragon" theme you are referring to. Is it a specific track on the sound track? From the first one? The final music at the end of the episode was something I composed and recorded as I wasn't finding what I wanted on Epidemic Sound. I needed something to match the key of the piece right before it, and I just cranked it out quickly as something to go under the photos. But I have seen the movie so...maybe there is some similarity subliminally? If you can let me know which track, I would be very interested to hear it. :)

[@AadidevSooknananNXS]

Oh wow, you do NOT know how much I appreciate the detail you put into that answer! Thank you so much, I definitely would take timing into account, because reaching for sunrise and working around bad weather is definitely something I would want to do, thanks so much again!@@WJMPhotography

[@italhairy]

My wish is to go there one day 🤞🏻

[@WJMPhotography]

I hope you get your wish! It was amazing! Thanks for watching! :)

[@Chenrelaxingmusic1]

I love how the comment section is filled with positivity and good vibes. Everyone is struggling here but we're all together here, safe. This feels like one well-knit family :)) Good Wishes to all, May you all make it big!

[@WJMPhotography]

Thank you!

[@BlesinskiTravel]

Wow one sub for you 😀

[@WJMPhotography]

Thank you for subscribing! :)

[@katz4dancing]

Magical - the opening shot at the tail end!!! May I ask the location?

[@WJMPhotography]

Hi Kat - Thank you so much for watching! :) I believe that was up on a hillside not too far from Reine in the nearby village of Sakrisoy. :)