Golden Fall and Aurora - MARAT STEPANOFF PHOTOGRAPHY

Photography Workshop Lofoten Islands

3 – 10 Oct 2020

Duration: 7 days / 6 nights
Type of Tour: Landscape photography workshop
Max Participants: 6
Photographers: Marat Stepanoff
Fly-In/Out: Leknes (airport)
Price: € 1,550

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Golden Fall and Aurora Photography Workshop

Lofoten is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. The captivating beauty of the Lofoten islands attracts many photographers from all over the world. There are sharp mountain peaks, sandy beaches with turquoise water, fjords, authentic fishing huts.

Autumn time in Lofoten is low season. It is perfect! We were lucky. No crowds of tourists, no photographers.

But there is everything else.

October, like February, is the best month to shoot the Northern Lights. Mountain peaks are already covered with snow, and the forest below is all yellow, orange, red.

During the workshop we will learn to shoot the Northern Lights, of course, this will depend on the specific weather, but I believe that Nature blesses us.

Much attention will be paid to the technique of shooting the seascapes, and we will shoot mountains and sky. One local woman told me one day that the Lofoten has an absolutely stunning sky.

DAY 1

Arrival on Lofoten
You will be picked up in the evening at Leknes airport. You will buy products in the shop and we will first head to your accommodation near Ramberg. Golden Fall and Aurora Photography Workshop start in the evening.We will have photo session on Ytresand beach.

DAY 2

A comfortable bus with a professional driver will be waiting for us at the hotel early in the morning. And he’ll drive us to the Reine. We shoot the sunrise, and afterward, we go to one of the most beautiful villages of the Lofoten islands Nusfjord. In the evening we photograph the Northern Lights in the Reine.

DAY 3

In the morning we go to the south of the Lofoten Islands to another fishing village called A. This place is an excellent shooting point for the winter sunrise. After lunch, our way goes to the famous Uttakleiv beach.

DAY 4

Again, another beautiful sunrise near the Hamney and Sakrisoy islands. Haukland beach is for the sunset that day. It’s lovely at this time of the day. Here, with some luck, we will shoot the Northern Lights again.

DAY 5

Today we have a boat trip along the fjord near the Reine. In the evening we will watch Polar Lights on the beach of Undstad.

DAY 6

In the morning we will explore the eastern fjords and afternoon excursion to the famous Viking museum Lofotr. In the evening we are waiting for another beach, this is Storsanden.

DAY 7

The tour will end in Leknes. Transfer to the ferry.

Before commencing to buy, please read Terms and Conditions first.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

HOW TO GET THERE

Get by plane from Oslo or any other airports to Leknes Airpot. We are meeting in the center of the arrival hall. Since we have a photo session on the first day. Plan the time of arrival in the morning or the first half of the day.

LEVEL OF PHOTOGRAPHY

All levels of photographers are welcome. Photography workshop is primarily a meeting of like-minded people. Each participant can get the experience and knowledge that he wants to improve. We’ll do our best at providing instruction on all aspects of image capture and post-processing, and it does not really matter whether you are a beginner or an expert photographer.

FITNESS LEVEL

Easy level. During our photography workshop, there will be no long walks. You can always go back to the bus and get warm.

WHAT IS THE TEMPERATURE IN LOFOTEN IN FEBRUARY

The Lofoten islands are located beyond the Arctic Circle, further north than Alaska and Iceland. Usually, in such geographical latitudes, it is freezing, but the Gulf Stream flows along the shores of Lofoten and makes the climate softer bringing heat and moisture along the entire coast of Northern Norway.

In fact, this is an abnormally warm place!

It often rains here. In winter, rain and snow are accompanied by strong gusts of wind.

In winter there is rarely colder than -1 °C (30 °F). But there is a strong wind, and you feel like -5 C or even like -10 C.

Weather changes quickly. Atmospheric fronts come and go. This weather created really terrific conditions for photo shooting.

WHAT TO WEAR

Waterproof… waterproof… waterproof.., warm and Windstopper.

You need The Layering System.

Waterproof jacket and pants. In the Lofoten Islands, it is rainy, and you should have suitable clothing that will protect you from the rain.

Waterproof boots. You do not need to have hiking boots, but your shoes should be waterproof.

Wellingtons. This equipment is not necessary, but it is desirable. We will have the shooting going to the beaches.

Warm jacket.

Warm hat.

Warm clothes like convertible mittens. But please do not bring woolen mittens.

PHOTO EQUIPMENT

Camera DSLR or mirrorless
Extra batteries
Lenses 14-24mm (full-frame), 24-70mm, 70-200mm (optional)
Сable release
Tripod. I use a Gitzo carbon tripod and ball head.
Filters ND, grad ND, polarizer
Chargers, spare CF/SD cards
Laptop for editing with software: Lightroom or Photoshop

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OUR PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP IS…

A Photography Workshop is the best way to advance your skills quickly, at a pace that suits you. From beginner to the more experienced photographer. We will show you techniques in an easy to understand manner and help you advance to the next level. Our photography workshops are tailored to your own needs and can cover all aspects of landscape photography. You will learn landscape photography via a group workshop and how to get the most out of your camera, filters, tripod and any equipment. We are going to practice creative filter use, such as ND filter for long exposure photography and polarizers for removing reflections and boosting colors. You will learn how to find the best composition, to take amazing pictures in any weather. We will work in the field and learn post-processing.

We will pay particular attention to the post-processing of your images during regular practical classes learning to process our photos together. Each workshop participant will be able to obtain some basic knowledge of post-processing. To study most efficiently, you need to have a laptop with Photoshop or Lightroom.

The weather in the Lofoten Islands is always unpredictable. Therefore, we’ll adjust our route according to actual weather conditions and the photo shooting points can be amended. There are numerous fantastic locations, so we’ll pick what works best for the given conditions.

During the workshop, we will photograph the most popular locations, traditional fishing huts, shoot the Aurora, get the night shooting skills. Surely, the weather won’t always be beautiful, so we have planned dedicated bad weather workshops for you.

IN THE FIELD

Learning the details of astrophotography and long exposure photography
Understanding the basic camera settings (Shutter speed, Aperture, and ISO)
Using RAW vs. JPEG
How to correctly expose an image
Understanding histogram, focus, and depth of field
Composition techniques
How to use Graduated ND Filters to balance out the exposure
Long exposure photography with ND Filters
Working in low light and adapting to the changing light during the golden hour
Capturing scenes with a vast dynamic range
Applications to help plan the next time you head out for a shoot
Essential camera equipment for landscape photography
Understanding Manual Mode
Using a tripod and shooting handheld

Each student receives help when needed.

POST PROCESSING

Organizing files
RAW adjustments
Editing images with Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop
Layer masks in Photoshop
Remove distracting objects and cleaning up images with content-aware
Exposure blending with luminosity masks
Balancing light
Contrast adjustments
Other creative modifications
Sharpening for the web

CRITIQUE SESSIONS

Usually, we select several photos after the morning or evening photography session and edit them together.

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PRICING:

Total price: 1500 € (per person twin share, workshops, etc.).
Single supplement: 350 €.
Registration deposit: 500 €.
Maximum Number of Participants: 6.
Payment in Full: 90 days prior to the workshop starting date.

INCLUDED

Transfers during the workshop
Accommodation in a hotel in a double room (€ 350 surcharge for a single accommodation)
Training and master classes of two professional photographers

NOT INCLUDED

Flight to Leknes and back
Meals
Transfer from the airport to the hotel and back
Alcoholic drink
Personal expenses, souvenirs, and medicines
Other expenses
Visas (if applicable).
Insurance

We understand that our workshop is the first and foremost vacation and it should be comfortable. Therefore, the transfer during the workshop is carried out on a comfortable bus.

Accommodation will be at the hotel 4 * according to the version of Tripadvisor with two or one-place accommodation. The hotel and nearby there are several restaurants for every taste.

After you signup, we’ll send you a recommended camera gear and packing list. Please pay special attention to things that we say are absolutely required.

Greater than 90 days from the start date of the Workshop: full refund minus €300 service fee.
75 days or more: 75% refund
60 days or more: 50% refund
Less than 60 days: no refund

I highly recommend that you get a travel and medical insurance if your domestic government medical insurance will not cover you whilst you are overseas.

DISCLAIMER

In winter, all come to Lofoten to see the Aurora. But because of the clouds or low solar activity, there is a chance we won’t witness it. Also, a storm could lash out, and we’ll be forced to cancel the photo session on that day. The photo session can also be canceled due to heavy snow or icy roads. The personal safety of workshop participants is our priority.