Høyanger, Norway The time I spent in Norway was profoundly special. What can I say? I'm a sucker for the Scandinavian nations. In Norway the beautiful landscape are only matched by the overwhelming kindness of the Norwegian people. I spent over a week alone and traveling the nation in a rental car, driving along tranquil fjords, climbing up switchbacks through the mountains and exploring the quaint towns and villages dotted across the countryside. This photo closely represents my memories of Norway: peaceful, beautiful and calm. Image Code: A050
Valley View Yosemite National Park, California From this prime shooting location in the stunning Yosemite Valley, it is incredibly easy to find countless compositional possibilities. The trick is to get to your location at least one hour before sunset to allow enough time in finding the best shot. Select your composition, then wait for the sun to set just enough until it projects its light strongly onto the mountains. Be sure to have a strong foreground element, and consider using a longer shutter speed to give the water a glassy surface! Image Code: A027
Førde, Norway I will never forget my time in Norway. It was before I started taking my photography as seriously as I do now, so I only captured a few “keepers” while there. I had flown into the country alone, rented a car and began touring the countryside (this is how I prefer to travel). After a couple days on the road, the skies filled up with thick clouds and it poured rain for well over a day. When I set forth on the ferry north of Bergen, I was feeling pretty bummed over the weather. To my delight, as soon as the ferry landed on the other end of one of Norway’s many fjords, the clouds broke and the sun brilliantly shined through! In life, there are precious memories that you will never forget. I will never forget that evening I drove along Norway’s fjords listening to ambient music and soaking up the beautiful scenery. As a photographer, we tend prefer two times of the day to shoot – either one hour after sunrise or one hour before sunset. We call it “The Golden Hour” because it is when the sun is at just the right position to cast the best light on the land. The great thing about southern Norway is that, due to the longitude of the nation, the sun never fully sets and stays at the golden hour position for hours and hours! Image Code: A049