Lofoten, Norway February 3-9, 2024

10 of 10 seats available

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A 7 day photo workshop (6 nights) February 3-9, 2024 for up to 10 participants on the beautiful Lofoten Islands in Norway. The Lofoten Islands in winter is known for the dramatic landscapes enhanced by dramatic light and weather.  There are wonderful seascapes and mountains. Also there is a good chance to shoot the Nordic Lights known as Aurora Borealis. Please read the entire workshop description which include the schedule, pictures, pricing and recommendations for the participants in the workshop.

In addition to the morning and late afternoon shoots there will be some class room sessions with photo critiques, presentations on optimal image quality, efficient shooting techniques and composition considerations. The amount of class room sessions will depend on weather, the amount of night shooting etc. There will not be a fixed program. If the weather is constantly cery good for shooting the class room sessions will be minimal. Please notice that there is no dedicated class room, so we will be limited to where we can sit in the restaurant when there are no guests during the day.

The workshop is aimed at giving the workshop participant the opportunity to visit one of the most beautiful areas of Europe and get some great pictures. You can find examples of pictures taken at the locations and the time of year for the workshop. Scroll down to see the pictures. The instructor is Hans Kruse, owner of HansKrusePhotography. He is very experienced in landscape photography and in post processing techniques. More of Hans Kruse's landscape photography work can be found here or click here to see the pictures. To see photos shot in February on previous workshops on the Lofoten Islands and scroll down on this page and see the gallery of photos following the workshop description.

Schedule

For this workshop there will not be a fixed schedule. We will be shooting in the areas around Leknes and also the locations between Leknes and Reine. We will go by the light and visit the best locations several times in morning, evening and daylight as well as when the Aurora is working it's magic. We will be in the class room or other places where we can sit and discuss the pictures and techniques when the weather is not suitable for shooting. Usually the weather in this area is a mix between very nice and grey and overcast weather. Therefore the shooting options will be optimized.

On the arrival day February 3rd, we will meet for dinner at 17:00 and then go out to shoot the aurora (if possible) and on the departure day (Februart 9) end at 09-10:00.

On location conditions

The temperature will often be around the freezing point at this time of year and can also be colder, so please bring warm clothes and good, comfortable footwear for the time we will spend outdoors. When the temperature fluctuates around the freezing point it can be really slippery and therefore crampons are needed. They can normally be purchased in a shop in Leknes also. This workshop is not recommended if your balance is not good or your walking ability is limited. There are only short walks planned along the roads. There is generally too much snow to walk anywhere else.

Pricing, accommodation and travel

The cost of the workshop is 2495 Euro which include hotel, breakfast, lunch pack and dinner and no alcoholic beverages (water and coffee is included). A single room for each participant. For a shared double room the price is 2195 Euro per participant.  The price is based on the exchange rate between the Norwegian Kroner and Euro and Danish Kroner March 2023.  If the exchange rate of the Norwegian Kroner changes significantly I reserve the right to increase the price for the workshop.

The price does not include transport. Arrival should be at Leknes airport and there is a connection from Bod� in Northern Norway. Leknes is served by a small aircraft. We will stay for the duration of the workshop in the Scandic Leknes Lofoten Hotel which is very close to the airport. The plan for transportation during the workshop is that I will have a rental car (and drive on every shoot) and that two of the workshop participants will volunteer to rent a car and then the cost of the 2 rental cars and fuel will be shared evenly between the workshop participants. If driving for every shoot is too much then a codriver can be arranged from another workshop participant. The rental cars have winter tires with spikes which are needed for safe driving on the winter icy roads on Lofoten. Driving is not really a problem since the speed limits are low and everybody drives carefully. The roads are also cleared for snow regularly.

The plan is that every day it is changed who is driving together in order to get the most value of discussions among the participants. The reason for not including transportation is that it would add substantial extra cost to the workshop to include this. If you would like to bring a spouse or friend to the workshop, then please indicate this in the registration e-mail. A spouse or friend cannot participate in any of the workshop activities, but are welcome to breakfasts and dinners. A GPS unit or navigation app on a smart phone is highly recommended and mobile phones to get reconnected, if getting lost. Some smartphone GPS appls like TomTom and Navigon do not require a data plan (maps are downloaded on the phone). The instructor will have a mobile phone operational at all times and walkie talkies in the cars.

Booking

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Please book space on the workshop by sending an e-mail to Hans Kruse at hans@hanskruse.com or if you would like to ask additional questions about the workshop. If you are not able to join this workshop or it is sold out, then please consult the workshop schedule or contact Hans Kruse. As the time of the workshop approaches (4 weeks in advance) you will get updates on the detailed schedule and meeting times and additional relevant information. You are welcome to divide the payment of the 2495 Euro into a deposit of 445 Euro at sign-up and payment of the 2050 Euro December 1st, 2023. In a shared double room the price is 2195 Euro per participant and the final payment is 1750 Euro. Please find the cancelation policy on the workshop overview page.

Please see feedback from previous workshop participants.