Golden Fall and Aurora - MARAT STEPANOFF PHOTOGRAPHY

Photography Workshop Lofoten Islands

2 – 9 Oct 2021

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 in the Lofoten Islands is the low season. It’s perfect! We’re lucky. No crowds of tourists, no photographers.

But there’s everything else.

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

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

A lot of attention will be paid to the technique of taking pictures of seascapes, and we will shoot mountains and sky. A local woman once told me that the sky in Lofoten is absolutely stunning.

DAY 1

Arrival in the Lofoten Islands.

Our photography workshop in the Lofoten Islands begins.
You will be met at Leknes Airport in the evening. You will buy food in a shop and we will first head to your place of residence near Ramberg. An evening photo shoot at Ytresand Beach.

DAY 2

A comfortable bus will wait for us early in the morning and take us to the Reine. We shoot the sunrise and then go to one of the most beautiful villages of the Lofoten Islands, Nusfjord. In the evening, we take pictures of the Northern Lights in the Rhine.

DAY 3

In the morning we head south of the Lofoten Islands to another fishing village, A. This place is a great place for winter sunrise. In the afternoon our way goes to the famous Uttakleiv beach.

DAY 4

Once again, another beautiful sunrise near the islands of Hamnoy and Sakrisoy islands. Haukland beach for sunset on this day. It’s beautiful at this time of the day. Here, with any luck, we’ll 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 Unstad beach.

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 beach.

DAY 7

The tour ends 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

Take a flight from Oslo or any other airport to Leknes Airpot. We meet at the center of the arrival hall. Since we have a photo shoot on the first day. Plan your arrival time in the morning or early afternoon.

LEVEL OF PHOTOGRAPHY

All levels of photographers are welcome. The photography workshop is primarily a meeting of like-minded people. Each participant can gain experience and knowledge that he wants to improve. We will do our best to provide instructions on all aspects of image capture and post-processing, no matter if you are a beginner or an experienced 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 OCTOBER

The Lofoten Islands are located above the Arctic Circle, north of Alaska and Iceland. It usually freezes at these latitudes, but the Gulf Stream flows along the coasts of the Lofoten Islands and mitigates the climate, bringing warmth and moisture to the entire northern Norwegian coast.

In fact, it is an unusually warm place!

It rains a lot here. In autumn it rains with strong gusts of wind.

Autumn is rarely colder + 3-5 C. But there are strong winds, and you feel like -5 C.

The weather changes quickly. Atmospheric fronts come and go. This weather is created again.

ally terrific conditions for photo shooting.

WHAT TO WEAR

Waterproof … waterproof … waterproof …, heat and Windstopper.

You need a layering system.

Waterproof jacket and pants. It rains in the Lofoten Islands and you need to have the right clothes to 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 desirable. We’ll have shootings on the beaches.

It’s a warm jacket.

Warm hat.

Warm clothes, like convertible mittens. But please don’t 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 in the Lofoten Islands is the best way to improve your skills at your own pace. From a novice to a more experienced photographer. We’ll show you the techniques in an understandable way and help you get to the next level. Our photography workshops are tailored to your own needs and can cover all aspects of landscape photography. You’ll learn landscape photography in a group workshop and learn how to make the most of your camera, filters, tripod and any other equipment. We’re going to practice using creative filters such as ND filters for slow shutter speeds and polarizers to remove reflections and enhance colors. You’ll learn how to find the best composition and take stunning pictures in any weather. We’ll work in the field and study post-processing.

We’ll focus on post-processing your images during regular practice sessions, learning how to process our photos together. Each participant will be able to gain some basic knowledge about post-processing. To learn more effectively, you need a laptop with Photoshop or Lightroom.

The weather in the Lofoten Islands is always unpredictable. That’s why we will adjust our route to the actual weather conditions, and photo points can be changed. There are many fantastic locations, so we will find the one that best suits these conditions.

During the master class we will take pictures of the most popular places, traditional fishing huts, take pictures of Aurora, acquire night shooting skills. Of course, the weather will not always be beautiful, so we have planned special workshops on bad weather 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 first of all a vacation and it should be comfortable. That’s why the transfer during the workshop is made by a comfortable bus.

Accommodation will be at Tripadvisor 4 * with two or single beds. The hotel and its nearby restaurants will satisfy all tastes.

After you register, we will send you the recommended camera equipment and packing list. Please pay special attention to what we say is absolutely necessary.

Over 90 days from the start date of the seminar: completely

Over 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 strongly recommend that you get travel and health insurance if your government health insurance will not cover you while you are abroad.

DISCLAIMER

In autumn and winter, everyone comes to the Lofoten Islands to see Aurora. But because of the clouds or low Solar activity, there’s a chance we won’t see it. Besides, a storm may start and we’ll have to cancel the photo shoot on that day. The photo shoot may also be canceled due to heavy snow or icy roads. The personal safety of the workshop participants is our priority.