I've been shooting landscapes in Norway for years, based in Trondheim. I've had the privilege of exploring everything from the Lofoten Islands to the highland plateaus of Dovrefjell — and I've made every mistake in the book. Here's what I wish I'd known earlier.
1. Chase the Light, Not the Location
The most iconic spots in Norway are photographed thousands of times a day in summer. What separates a great shot from a snapshot is the light. Learn to read weather forecasts, plan around golden hour and blue hour, and be willing to drive 2 hours at 3am if the conditions look right. The yr.no app is the best weather forecast for Norway.
2. Embrace Bad Weather
Some of my best photographs have been taken in terrible conditions. Low clouds create mood. Rain brings reflections. A storm rolling in or out can produce the most dramatic skies you'll ever see. Ragnarok — one of our most popular prints — was shot with apocalyptic storm clouds approaching a church in Sogn. Pure luck, and being outside with a camera.
3. Use a Polarising Filter for Waterfalls
A circular polarising filter is essential for waterfall photography. It cuts glare from wet surfaces, makes colors pop, and reduces reflections. Combined with a slow shutter speed (2-10 seconds), it transforms white water into a silky ribbon of motion.
4. Norwegian Seasons Are All Different
Spring: Snowmelt creates powerful waterfalls and rushing rivers. Summer: Long days, green landscapes, midnight sun. No northern lights. Autumn: The best season — red and gold birch forests, first aurora, smaller crowds. Winter: Dramatic light, snow, northern lights. Extreme cold — be prepared.
5. The Blue Hour is Magic in Norway
Norway's Arctic location means some of the longest, most spectacular blue hours in the world. In winter, the sun barely rises — you can get 2-3 hours of perfect blue light. Use it.
6. Respect Allemannsretten
Norway has an extraordinary right-to-roam law — allemannsretten — allowing everyone to hike, camp, and photograph almost anywhere in uncultivated land. Use this freedom responsibly.
7. Visit at Sunrise, Not Sunset
In summer, sunset draws crowds to every viewpoint in Norway. Sunrise — the same quality light, often better — is usually empty. Set the alarm and go.
8. Carry More Battery Than You Think
Cold temperatures drain batteries fast. Bring at least 3 batteries for winter shooting and keep spares in an inside pocket against your body heat.
9. Composition in Norwegian Landscapes
Norway's scale can overwhelm. Include a human element — a tent, a cabin, a figure on a ridge — to give the viewer a sense of just how enormous everything is. The lone cabin under the stars at Dovrefjell is a completely different image with and without that tiny building in the frame.
10. Buy Local, Buy Original
There's no shortage of generic Norway stock photos. When you buy a print from NidarosPhoto, you're buying a photograph taken by a local — someone who drove through the night, waited in the rain, and came back three times until the conditions were perfect. Every image in our collection has a story.
Browse the collection at NidarosPhoto.com — and bring a piece of real Norway home.
