tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34760013160518565032024-03-13T11:18:10.295-07:00Creative VacationsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-87059105440119739352022-09-15T13:25:00.004-07:002022-09-15T13:25:44.946-07:00SilhouetteI like to give myself a little assignments. Something a little different. Something that isn't strictly necessary on the tours. Something to explore and play with. In the past I've been making panorama stitching, time lapses and of corse my all time favorite; lonely trees (more on that on another blog post). Even though I've been making photos with human silhouettes for a number of years. I Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-32530289504048884502021-10-11T13:41:00.001-07:002021-10-11T13:41:05.349-07:00Fall 2021 - So FarOctober 1st, 19:06After a crazy year and a half things are finally starting to look like something normal. The winter of 2020 we had something called a solar minimum so there was less Auroras than usual. Now the solar activity is picking up again and we’re looking forward to guests being able to visit us again and go chasing again. September 15, 23:49September and October are great Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Tromsø Municipality, Norway69.6497717 18.984122141.339537863821157 -16.1721279 90 54.1403721tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-32331572237587680662019-10-27T07:28:00.001-07:002019-10-27T07:30:48.185-07:00Fisheye Schizophrenia
Every time I pull out my fisheye lens my mind goes into schizophrenia. One part says: "This will be great!" and, another part says: "Fisheyes are overused, the images look cheesy and lensy and the effect is cheap and over-used!"
My teacher at Concordia University Mark Ruwedel, a distiguished landskape photographer and a fantastic teacher, didn't like images that looked "lensy."
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Tromsø, Norge69.6492047 18.95532389999993969.5609177 18.632600399999941 69.737491699999993 19.278047399999938tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-45366048789141636152018-11-26T16:19:00.000-08:002018-11-26T17:04:13.037-08:00Will there be colours?
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p.p5 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-1400920067188177012018-02-14T07:44:00.001-08:002018-02-14T11:51:30.288-08:00Panoramas: Lightroom Trouble and Solution
Last post I talked about Lightroom giving me warped images and how to fix it.
Here are photos that shows the whole process.
See last post for how to create panoramas in Lightroom.
First try: Lightroom gives me a panorama that is completely warped. It looks like it's beyond repair.
I press Cancel and go back to Library mode. I then select only two of the nine photos that make up this Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-42440703153807430032018-01-09T01:11:00.001-08:002018-02-14T17:33:37.625-08:00Panorama - one hack at the time
In frustration over not having a wide enough lens to capture the Aurora, I started doing panorama photography.
The 14mm lens was not wide enough and, the fish-eye lens was too distorted. So in an attempt to solve this problem, I started doing panorama stitching. The newest version of Adobe Lightroom had made it possible to do panorama stitching and, still be working on RAW imagesUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-78969858814428339042016-01-29T14:47:00.001-08:002018-11-27T04:40:20.426-08:0034 things you need to know about dressing for the cold (or 8 if you're in a hurry)
Short Version
Dress in layers - many layers - 3 or more.
Wool closest to your body.
All the layers have to be loose.
Change your woolen socks frequently.
Warm hat and warm boots.
Mittens, not gloves.
Use hand and feet warmers if you need.
Be nice to the planet and the animals on it.
Full version
1)
Three layers is the basic for dressing in the cold.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-92097803618770078252015-12-20T16:19:00.002-08:002018-02-14T12:00:56.465-08:00Creativity on a Cloudy Night
Tonight was very very cloudy. Luckily for me it was my night off. My good colleagues drove far far away and found the Aurora behind the clouds. We did a little Christmas shopping, and a little Christmas cleaning and it was when I was outside doing a little Christmas snow shovelling that I saw the motiv of tonight.
The wind had stopped, the rain had stopped. Everything was quiet. And Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-15906170154708726952015-03-08T18:55:00.002-07:002018-02-14T12:01:27.933-08:00One Night, Four Photographs, Four Settings: White Balance and Aurora Borealis Photography
What is the correct white balance for Aurora photography?
Like almost all answers to questions about photography it starts with "It depends."
First of all there is hardly any such thing as "correct white balance" in any photograph. It is an esthetic choice. What do you want to communicate? What kind of mood do you want? and, what feels right to you? Two photographers may very well interpret Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-64374692114693222672014-12-20T22:00:00.000-08:002018-02-14T12:01:52.434-08:00Full moon or no moon. What is best?
One of the most common questions that I get is about the moon.
Normally it goes like this:
"It's best to avoid the moon to se the Aurora. Right?"
or
"I read on the Internet that it's best to avoid the full moon."
or
"We booked our plane tickets so that we avoided the moon. At least we got that right. Right?"
Not right! To ask what is best, no moon or full moon is like asking what is Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Tromsø, Norge69.6492047 18.95532379999997469.5609177 18.632600299999975 69.737491699999993 19.278047299999972tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-3940705546497196772014-11-15T10:39:00.000-08:002018-02-14T12:02:52.481-08:00The Lighthouse
There is a lighthouse just south of the island of Tromsø.
I've been thinking of it and wanting to take a picture of it for a long time. I've driven by it, seen it, imagined it , for a year. The problem is that most of the time when I go out to take Aurora photos, I'm not alone, I'm with a group of people. The places I choose are chosen because there can be a bunch of us together and weUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-34337501065651412012014-11-13T08:47:00.000-08:002014-11-18T02:30:32.196-08:00Update! two new versions. New Music! Epic night and timelapse video
Sometimes it is nice to be flexible. Actually most of the time it's nice to be flexible. The weather turned out pretty bad on Monday and on top of that the newspaper called me to shoot video of the prime minister of Norway who was meeting local heroes from World War 2. After e-mailing the clients we decided to go on Tuesday instead. I got my time with the prime minister.
Tuesday night Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-65493598856380829732014-08-28T14:44:00.001-07:002014-11-18T02:30:32.221-08:00The season has started!!!!!!
Finally the Aurora season is here! I'm stoked!
Just outside our door, in our garden we witnessed the first Aurora show this season. I believe this season is going to be a great one.
Corona!
All the photos were taken between 22:45 and 23:00 the night of August 28, 2014. The nights are not completely dark yet, but dark enough to see the Aurora for a few hours.
IUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-19430594812555065182014-04-25T04:08:00.000-07:002014-11-18T02:30:32.157-08:00Searching Mr Kreutz – The end of the season
The season is over. The last tour on the night of the year turned into an epic adventure that made me feel like I was in some Joseph Conrad novel searching Mr Kreutz. If you haven't read "Heart of Darkness" yet, I suggest you use the time before the next Aurora season to do so. For me it's there on the list of "must read." Together with "Catcher in the Rye" and "Crime and Punishment."
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-1474494849933262572014-02-28T06:08:00.001-08:002014-11-18T02:30:32.151-08:00Driving to Finland and back, only to find Aurora in our back yard.
Yesterday was one of those challenging nights. Clouds and more clouds, and some snow and rain.
Everywhere.
I talked to the local weather guy and he said my best chance was Skibotn or Kilpisjärvi. So we drove to Skibotn to find rain, then to Kilpisjärvi to find clouds. Finally we gave up and headed home.
Just when we made the last turn, where we could see our beloved Tromsø, we saw a light on Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-54889219097383860032014-02-10T18:31:00.001-08:002014-11-18T02:30:32.209-08:00The Aurora Portraits
As a service to those who join our tours I always try to make portraits of everyone who wants. Sometimes the conditions don't allow it, and sometimes the photographers on the tour are too busy taking their own photos. But very often it happens. I don't take the photos to show off on Facebook or here on the blog. I do it as a service to everyone who wants to come Aurora chasing with us.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Tromsø, Norge69.6492047 18.95532379999997469.5609177 18.632600299999975 69.737491699999993 19.278047299999972tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-63098616951827651952014-01-25T07:21:00.000-08:002014-11-18T02:30:32.215-08:00Guess What Waited for Me When I Got Home in the Morning?
The last week has been great. I've been shooting time lapses, and have lots of pictures to process. I think I have grown a little spoiled. Aurora has been dancing non stop this week, the weather has been very nice; cold and clear.
Last night we waited until 9 pm until we saw her. Aurora danced for us for about 30 minutes before she almost stopped.
There were still Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-23548677042564325872013-12-31T09:27:00.001-08:002014-11-18T02:30:32.170-08:00Happy New Year! Happy Clear Skies!
Happy accident. A car lighting up the foreground and making flare in the lens.Luck and chance is and has always been a part of photography.
2013 has been a remarkable year for us at Creative Vacations. We have seen a lot of Aurora, been fighting to find a clear sky, we have increased the number of tours and the number of clients. Vidar has recovered from his broken leg, Silvia is doing Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-2622884911306704412013-12-15T07:04:00.001-08:002014-11-18T02:30:32.182-08:00Going the extra mile - or not...
I'm all in favor of going (or shall I say driving?) the extra mile. But sometimes it's best to stay home.
Last nights we had some guests with extra needs, so the arrangement was a little different. We were extremely lucky with the weather, and with madame Aurora. Aurora showed up at the time when I would normally pick up the clients, but yesterday was special in that way too.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Tromsø, Norge69.662456436017365 18.76842498779296969.651418436017366 18.72808448779297 69.673494436017364 18.808765487792968tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-32134897044634541722013-12-03T15:06:00.000-08:002014-11-18T02:30:32.189-08:00Shy?
Sometimes Aurora is shy. Very shy. The two last days she has been very shy. But she has been there. The moon is hiding too so the stars are out at their full strength. On December the 1st we found clear skies at the border between Norway and Finland.
This was the strongest view we got.
In this picture Aurora is looking at us, just where the Milky Way ends.
December the 2nd Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-67453066486600479122013-11-30T14:26:00.000-08:002014-11-18T02:30:32.228-08:00Don't Do as They Tell You
Don't put the horizon in the middle of the picture! they say.
They also say that if it snows in Tromsø you have to go to Finland to see Aurora.
So they say.
I have a confession to make:
I don't always listen to what they say.
I like to do my own things, choose my own images, go my own places.
Is it risky? Yes.
Will I keep doing it? Oh yes.
The wind was from the north and it was snowing inUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-67593048231494932002013-11-27T05:53:00.001-08:002014-11-18T02:30:32.235-08:00Does it take a Tottenham supporter?
Sunday was windy.
And snowy.
And cloudy.
In Tromsø.
The weather forecast predicted clouds from here to Bottenviken. Officially there should not be a clear sky in the region. A few brave ones headed out with me.
We managed to find a little bit of clear sky, we saw the stars, for a little while, and then it was over. The clouds rolled in and we headed back.
Monday was windy.
And snowy.
And Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-21767387912017700032013-10-31T09:23:00.001-07:002014-11-18T02:30:32.164-08:00Absolutely Magic
After struggling the last days with clouds and little solar activity Aurora made a magic appearance last night.
The weather forecast had told me that we had to go inland to find a clear sky. When we came out in the night after the theory part, Aurora was there already. We drove 15 minutes and set up the cameras.
Aurora was still a bit shy and hiding behind the clouds. The sky was fairly Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Ersfjordbotn, Norge69.6942938 18.62061560000006544.172259299999993 -22.687978399999935 90 59.929209600000064tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-24002638820291981812013-10-08T06:56:00.001-07:002014-11-18T02:30:32.176-08:00Laughter at Laughter Bay
The trip went to Lyngen this time. The lovely family from Singapore had chosen to stay in a cabin in Lyngseidet, in the middle of the Lyngen peninsula.
The lovely family from Singapore
We had different options of where to go. We could have gone to Skibotn, but it's a place I've been visiting so much. Instead I decided to go north on the Lyngen peninsula, to Lattervik. Lattervik Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Lattervik, Norge69.7846624 19.91166759999998753.0828384 -21.396926400000012 86.4864864 61.220261599999986tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3476001316051856503.post-74114440852346699082013-10-04T06:56:00.001-07:002014-11-18T02:30:32.241-08:00Borderline activity
The wind is from south west. It's raining. The clouds are hanging out low on the mountain sides. There is a rumour about high solar activity. The gang who's been out with me two nights before wants to try again.
When we left someone thought it would be impossible to see anything. Someone thought there was a good chance and someone went along for the Oreo cookies.
Skibotn was cloudy, but the Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0