Blue Easter

Blue snow on Skykula, Bjerkreim, Norway
Canon EOS-1D Mark III, 17-40mm f/4, 1/15sek @ f/22, ISO 100, Hoya polarizer

Most people think of Easter as a time of relaxation and yellow. I decided to do something else and went skiing in the southern most alpine region in Norway, Skykula. The wind had been hard the last days, but had finally dropped below gale force. It was a especially cold morning as me and a friend climbed the 400 meters to the plateau, up to 900 meters above the ocean. And what a view! We could easily see the ocean in the west and most of the Bjerkreim mountain area. The freezing temperatures added to the scene, and were reflected in nice formations made out of the wind swept snow. By focusing on detail and bringing the cool colours of the shade into the pictures and believe I managed to capture the mood of the mountain this day.

Spring arrivals

Greylag Geese (Anser anser) is gathering on Jæren, Norway

Canon EOS-1D Mark III, 500mm f/4, 1/320sek @ f/4, ISO 200

While snow is still covering most of the Norwegian landscapes, spring has arrived near my home. These last days, hundreds of Greylag Geese have gathered on the fields. Here they rest and eat before they take on the last part of their journey to the breeding grounds in northern Norway. Every day brings more birds to the Jæren area, and their song and calls are true signs of spring.

Greylag Geese (Anser anser) is gathering on Jæren, Norway
Canon EOS-1D Mark III, 500mm f/4, 1/200sek @ f/9, ISO 200

White refreshments!

White Willow Grouse (Lagopus lagopus) gathering under birch, Aust-Agder, Norway

Canon-1D Mark III, 500mm f/4 with 1,4x, 1/640sek @ f/11, ISO 250

Spending a couple of night outside in winter is truly a refreshing experience. When the temperature sinks down to about -15 ºC its essential to have a good sleeping bag. Not only is it a refreshing experience, it also gives some nice photo opportunities. I was out with a friend trying to photograph white Willow Grouse in snowy conditions. And did we find the birds? I believe the largest flock held over 200 birds, and smaller flocks of around 40-50 could be seen everywhere. They where however very aware of any danger, and wouldn’t allow us to come close at this time of the year. Easily understood with Golden Eagles and Gyrfalcons soaring the in the sky, and Eagle Owls looking out from a nearby cliff.

White Willow Grouse (Lagopus lagopus) in flight, Aust-Agder, Norway
Canon-1D Mark III, 500mm f/4, 1/1000sek @ f/6,3, ISO 200

Tough fellow

Purple Sandpiper, Calidris maritima, in surf , Rogaland
Canon EOS-1D Mark III, 500mm f/4, 1/500sek @ f/4, ISO 250

The Purple Sandpiper must be one of the toughest birds in Norway. Spending the winter along the coast in salty spray from never ending waves, crushing against the shore. The little wader is quit easily approached and will let you work around him within less then 10 meters. However, I prefer to keep a curtain distance in order to include some of the environment this bird lives in, and thereby tell a story with my pictures. In this particular case I wanted to show how the birds are feeding on rock right in the hit-zone of the cold, salty waves, seemingly unaffected. I’ll hopefully get time to spend some more time with the Purple Sandpiper before it travels into the mountains to nest. Spring is just around the corner.

Palette in a vase

Red Tulip with green leaf

Canon-1D Mark III, Sigma 150mm, f/2,8, 1,3sek @ f/2,8, ISO 100

The bad weather has been forcing me to look at alternate subjects for my photography. This time I decided to play with colour in a tulip bouquet. These simple flowers, with their strong lines are brilliant when you’re trying to create contrasting images with linear composition. I used my 150mm f/2,8 at 2,8 to minimize depth of field in order to emphasize the abstract expression. To further stress the abstract, so I could concentrate on composition, I used a flash and long exposure. By moving the camera I was able to soften the petals of the flower as much as I wanted. The result was simple pictures, strong in colour.

Yellow Tulip with green leaf
Canon-1D Mark III, Sigma 150mm, f/2,8, 1,3sek @ f/2,8, ISO 100

Heading for the top

Heading for the top of Skykula, Bjerkreim, Norway
Canon EOS-1D mark III, 17-40mm f/4, 1/40sek @ f/22, ISO 100

I finally got a chance to try my new skis this weekend. Optimistic and ambitious as I am, I decided to climb the southern most alpine region in Norway, Skykula in Bjerkreim. Of course the skis were slippery and the wind was howling, but I just couldn’t turn back. After five hours of climbing in heavy snow I reached the top, hoping to get some nice winter images to put in my archives. But, the wind was screaming at me, and with the continuous snowfall the viability was around 50 meters. After having a cup of coffee I turned back down. Luckily the weather turned when I had started the decent, and I got a couple of images to bring home. Now, after a couple of days, I’m eager to get back up, hoping to find some beautiful white Ptarmigans in snowy conditions.