sweden Archives - Photo Tips, Creative Photography + Travel Guides - The Wandering Lens

14 Photogenic Winter Destinations in Europe

Lisa Michele Burns — Mon, 09 Oct 2017 06:10:11 +0000

Where to go in Europe for amazing winter photos! There’s a chill in the air, snow in the mountains and magic in the sky. Winter is perhaps the most photogenic season in Europe and by far my personal favourite, offering a variety of landscapes formed by dramatic weather conditions. Photographing winter scenery is a constant buzz of excitement, anticipation and fleeting opportunities filled with total photo perfection. Once you’ve experienced an Aurora hunt, snow storm and editing session by the fire after a long day outdoors it becomes an addiction. A never ending adventure to photograph the perfect northern lights display, a charming village square at Christmas filled with twinkly lights or an alpine wilderness that feels like you’re a million miles from anywhere. There’s something about gearing up to face the elements, heading out to photograph the unknown and waiting for the conditions to line up. Summer can be a little predictable but winter is most certainly a total contrast, not just where temperatures are concerned. With castles, volcanoes, glaciers, waterfalls and the Alps; Europe over delivers when it comes to winter photography locations. Below I’ve put together a guide to some of my favourite destinations that I’ve been...

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I know a place…Where magic happens

Lisa Michele Burns — Fri, 08 Sep 2017 00:00:55 +0000

I know a place… Where frozen landscapes blend with sunset skies… Where reindeer forage in snow covered forests… Where the darkness is illuminated by dancing waves of green magic… Lapland is a paradise of another kind. The type of place where beauty exists in a form that’s so unlike what we know or where we’ve been before. It’s the shocking kind of beauty; the kind where your face, fingers and toes don’t know what’s hit them but your eyes are so mesmerised by the surroundings you don’t dare to go indoors and warm up. Lapland in winter is simply magic. You know all the Christmas carols about walking in a winter wonderland and reindeers prancing? This is surely the place they all talk about. Landing in Sweden’s northern most city of Kiruna, way up above the Arctic Circle, you’re treated to a blanket of white from the plane window. Exiting the plane provides you with your first hit of -30 degree temperatures but it’s so overwhelmingly cold that you’ll find it hard to wipe the smile from your face. Or, it could just be stuck there, frozen solid. Mid-winter in Lapland is dark, really dark. The sun doesn’t rise above...

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Walking in a Snow Globe: Midnattssolstigen, Sweden

Lisa Michele Burns — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 23:00:57 +0000

Walking in a Winter Wonderland… The landscapes of Swedish Lapland in winter are like a snow globe come to life. White, bright and dreamy with a sky filled of constant dusk. The mining town of Kiruna, Sweden is a great place to base yourself for outdoor adventures like dog sledding, aurora hunting and reindeer experiences. One of the best places to explore however is right on the edge of town. Midnattssolstigen is a nature park and it’s an adventure in itself with people skiing, snow shoeing or like me, photographing the scenery. Walking through a snow covered landscape in temperatures of -26 degrees is not exactly a typical walk in the park. Feeling alive, inspired and bitterly freezing all at the same time. Take a peek below at a photo diary of my wanderings through the park and just to set the scene, be sure to sing ‘Walking in a winter wonderland’ as you browse…I promise it makes the photos better! Read more about what you can see and do in Kiruna in the links below – Dog Sledding in Kiruna How to Photograph the Northern Lights How to Use Your Camera in Extreme Climates For Pinterest lovers here’s something for...

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Where To Sleep Like Frosty…The Snowman

Lisa Michele Burns — Mon, 21 Nov 2016 09:43:17 +0000

Ice, ice, baby. That’s what you’ll be sleeping on, under and in. A wintry palace of ice and snow chiseled anew each year in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden. Believe it or not The Icehotel is quite romantic and even cosy despite the temperatures outside reaching -30degrees. Inside it’s a balmy -5 to – 8 degrees with a thermal sleeping bag ready to keep you snug as a bug while you dream of tropical sunshine beneath a frosted ceiling. Attracting visitors year round with it’s unique accommodation, the hotel is located 200km above the arctic circle and is surrounded by an outdoor adventure wonderland. If you’re lucky enough to visit in winter the experience is magical. A constant illumination of dusk coloured skies, snow covered spruce and birch forests along with santa worthy scenery awaits. And then there’s the green waves of aurora dancing across the sky… Nearby you can explore the wilderness on husky sleighs, roam with reindeers and sip tea within traditional Sami tents. If the idea of sleeping like frosty the snowman is a little too much to bear, the hotel also offers warm rooms with heated stone flooring. There’s also the opportunity to visit during the day, meaning you...

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Aurora Hunting: Where to Photograph the Northern Lights

Lisa Michele Burns — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 10:20:04 +0000

Best Places to See the Northern Lights and Photograph Aurora The Northern Lights and Aurora are a weather phenomenon worth braving chilly conditions to see. It’s always been palm fringed shores, colourful seaside villages and warm tropical waves that lure me to a destination. That was until I witnessed waves of a different kind dance across the sky. To say I’m hooked on the frozen canvas of an extreme winter environment is an understatement. With only a few hours of dusky pink light per day, winter in the far north is a fascinating photography challenge of colours and landscapes. When those dancing green waves appear across the sky, it’s worth every shaking minute spent outside. I’ve previously compiled a guide all about how to photograph the northern lights which explains the best settings, equipment and aurora apps to ensure you can capture the magic once it appears. For now though I want to share some incredible locations where you can photograph the northern lights. These are spots I’ve personally photographed during my travels…if you’ve got others to add, be sure to comment below with a link to your Instagram photo or blog post showing the location. Map: The Best Locations to See the...

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Dog Sledding Adventures in Swedish Lapland

Lisa Michele Burns — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 11:54:00 +0000

Dog sledding with my camera through a snow covered forest in Swedish Lapland, moments don’t get much better! As we drove along passing endless fields and forests of white I had no idea what to expect from the day of dog sledding ahead of me. My dog Nellie has been part of my family for 15yrs, she’s practically a human (yes I’m one of those dog ladies) so I was curious what a team of ten Alaskan Huskies would be like. Aggressive? Cuddly? Working so hard they don’t have time to stop for a treat? Pulling up to the kennels the dogs started barking loudly in excitement the moment we arrived because…their dad was home. With only 20 dogs Bill’s Guide B-O is one of the smaller tour companies in Kiruna that offers dog sledding but in my mind this only meant these dogs were happier, loved and well fed. After putting on extra 10kg of clothing and grabbing a balaclava to face the freezing conditions we were allowed into the yard and were introduced to our team of huskies. Ranging in age from 8mths old to 14yrs, it was immediately evident each had their own personality and energy level....

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How To Photograph The Northern Lights

Lisa Michele Burns — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 20:15:33 +0000

Learn how to Photograph the Northern Lights Photo Tips for Photographing Aurora + Astro When the green waves of the Northern Lights dance in the sky or the stars twinkle on a clear night, you’ll want to know how to photograph this incredible natural phenomenon. Taking a photo with the wrong settings will result in a black image that doesn’t show any of the magic that’s visible through a long exposure. While everything below might sound technical at first glance, fear not. Once you’ve got the right settings for your camera and the focus is set properly then all you’ll have to do is stare in wonder at the sky and click the shutter. To photograph the northern lights or even just stars in the sky, you’ll need to prepare a few things in advance to ensure you’ve got the best equipment and conditions. The techniques mentioned in this post can be used for photographing stars, the night sky, the Aurora Australis (Southern Lights), basically any dark sky astrophotography. Equipment for Night Photography A Tripod Camera with manual setting ability Wide-angle lens Extra Batteries These are explained in more depth below… Tripod – having a sturdy tripod is essential when photographing the...

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Camp Ripan aka Winter Wonderland: Visual Hotel Review

Lisa Michele Burns — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 10:40:27 +0000

Where to stay in Kiruna, Sweden When picturing my dream winter scene I always envision a little cabin in the woods surrounded by fields of snow and a sleigh out the front. Being from one of the warmest places in Australia, far from snow or any kind of cold weather, it’s just how I imagine winter should be. Upon deciding to take a last minute (very last minute) trip to Swedish Lapland to photograph the northern lights I researched online for the perfect little cabin to stay. This is what I found… Can it get any closer to my dream? Welcome to Camp Ripan. My winter wonderland! Camp Ripan is located in Kiruna, about 145km above the Arctic Circle in Sweden. Kiruna is known for its giant Iron Ore mine and as one of the most accessible places to experience a real winter environment with dog sledding, reindeers, northern lights and any other outdoor activity imaginable nearby. Arriving into a -18 degree snow storm I wasn’t sure what to expect about my chosen accommodation…was it literally a ‘camp’? Was it going to be warm inside? The photos online looked beautiful but you know how you just can’t be sure until you...

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