As a three month stint of work in Norway draws to a close, I thought i’d share some images from my time here. Sunnhordland is a district just a couple of hours south of Bergen on the West coast of Norway and is home to the Island of Stord. It is split into two municipalities, Stord and Fitjar with the windfarm that I have been working on located at the North end of the Island, in Fitjar.

The one thing that I was reasonably sure of when taking this job was the fickle nature of Western Norway’s weather and its all too predictable unpredictability. This brought with it plenty of challenges but also lots of unexpected visual delights.

The three Lakes at Martetjorna a little too early in the season…

During the first week, I took the opportunity to walk up the hill behind our house with the intention of getting a shot of three small conjoined lakes with and the sun setting to the right of my shot. Already too late in the year to get the sunset in line with the lakes I figured the warm evening glow on the water would make for a nice image.

It was as I sunk up to my knees in the snow for the third time that I realised I may have messed up. Sure enough, I got to the lakes with time to spare before sunset, however the frozen, snow covered water was unlikely to thaw in the hour I had to spare. One to save for later in the season.

The good weather soon abated and a waiting game ensued. Knowing that any good weather days would be taken up working on the turbine blade repairs we were here to carry out, I would have to snatch breaks in the bad weather to get some photography further afield done.

Just such a window arrived about two weeks later. A two and a half hour drive had me at the base of Langfossen as the evening sun was breaking through the afternoon’s storm clouds. 1.5 hours later at around 7.30pm and I was at the top of the 700m waterfall as clouds moved around creating some amazing rays and dappled light across the fjord.

Again, I was perhaps a little early in the season as there was so much water in the river, too much to cross with out being washed over the top, from the melt water and the rain run-off. I contented myself with wet boxer shorts from an attempt at crossing and half an hour or so of watching the evening light dance on the hills. I arrived back at the apartment at 12.00am in plenty of time for a sleep and work the next morning

Moving accommodation from the South East to the North West of the Island brought with it new opportunities and still no curtains on the bedroom windows, or any windows for that matter.

First up were some evening swims and fishing from the end of the jetty at the bottom of the garden. Such a tranquil place and having never fished before I found it quite relaxing to watch the repeated casting of the line and the anticipation of catching a nibble. A friend is a dab hand and by the end of the trip had a haul of a fair few pollock and one large salmon.

Next up was a little cabin (uttslettesslot) that I had spotted on the hill overlooking the south west of the Island and looking out over bomlo. Again waiting for the weather was the biggest part of this little trip and after a prolongued period of wet and windy weather, the forecast produced the goods. Heading up for sunset brings with it own challenges when the sunset in 11.05pm but fortunately the drive was only 25 minutes and the walk in around an hour so leaving after dinner gave me a good couple of hours to enjoy what i found. I had read that it was a little hut with a view and small selection of books. The location, the design, the views and the comfort I found within were pretty mind-blowing for a boy from the UK used to public facilities being trashed all too quickly. A cosy little hut with floor to ceiling windows looking west. A log burner in the corner and an array of children’s and adult books. I imagine in the winter this would be a stunning place to head to on skis and escape the cold for a few hours. To sit here in solitude and watch the sunset in midsummer was no less peaceful and it was with a sense of sadness at not being able to spend the night up there that I trotted off back to the car with some beautiful images hanging in my mind’s gallery.

In the last month, as sunrise was so early and sunset so late, i focussed more on getting out on my road bike in the days than on photography. I did manage to get out a couple more times. Once to the south of the Island in an attempt to get some shots of the large road bridge at sunset and on the last night, knowing I had very little to do the next day, I headed back to the lakes to try and photograph them during golden hour. I got the shots I wanted but the night was marred by the loss and subsequent hunt for a drone with failing batteries in failing light. I looked at the gps location mark for the downed drone and as my battery died i knew i was only 5m or so from it. Alas, it was dark and i was surround by bogs, marsh and cliffs large enough to hurt should i slip. With no headtorch i decided the safer option would be to retreat and claim on my insurance.

I spoke to the insurance company once i was home and to my dismay, becuase i didn’t have the pieces of the lost drone, it wouldn’t be covered. Let this be a lesson, carefully inspect your policy wording when it comes to drones as many don’t include insurance for what is termed a flyaway.

These things happen and with lessons learned and a new drone ordered and correctly insures, it was time to begin prepareing for my trip to Peru.

Summer Tales From Norway

Climbing and Photography in Peru: Arriba Peru!!

Meeting Myself: When the Horse Bucks