Dates:

Friday, February 2 - Thursday, February 8, 2024

Cost: 

$7,895 - shared two bedroom cabin, private bathroom in each bedroom (no single supplement required)

Size:

Limited to 10 attendees

Where we'll stay:

We'll spend the entirety of the trip in the Statles Rorbu cabins in Mortsund. These charming cottages sit on stilts and, in many ways, are an ideal photography subject in their own right. Our accommodations are clean, cozy and based on the traditional fishing houses that have been here for generations. Each cabin has two bedrooms with private, en suite bathrooms. The cottages have a spacious living area, a balcony and kitchen. To be clear, there will be two participants in each cabin, but each bedroom has a private bathroom.

While the setting is remote, we will arrange for lunches and dinners at some of the nearby restaurants. You will stock up on provisions from the local grocery and prepare your own breakfasts in the comfort of your cozy cabin.

Included in the cost of the trip:

• Your own room in a 2 bedroom cabin (no single supplement required)
• All meals except breakfast
  
• All transportation except flights
• Gratuities for guides
• In-the-field photography instruction
• Adobe Lightroom post processing instruction 
• Critique/review sessions
• Use of loaner Leica SL, Q and M equipment (*limited availability)
  
  

Not included in the cost of the trip:

• Airfare
• Breakfast (you'll have breakfast in your cabin each morning)
  
• Medical/Travel/Gear insurance
  
• Alcoholic beverages
  
• Snacks
  
  

Signing Up

To sign up for the photo adventure, just checkout here on our website, email (workshops@leicastoremiami.com) or call us at 305-921-4433. We are happy to answer any questions you may have. A $1995 deposit is required to hold your spot. The balance will be due on November 2, 2023.

We look forward to seeing you in Norway!

Itinerary

The Lofoten Islands jut out from Norway’s northern shores, and appear to drift in the open waters of the Norwegian sea. But that doesn’t mean they are difficult to reach or travel around. They might seem pretty inhospitable, but all of the islands are actually connected by scenic road bridges and tunnels.

For the duration of this Lofoten Islands photography tour, we will be hunting down the aurora borealis and capturing the finest sights in the area. Epic snow-capped peaks, vivid fjords, charming villages and dramatic seascapes... all will be within our reach, and (hopefully!) illuminated by the magical glow of the northern lights. The Northern Lights are visible in Lofoten from September to April each year. Although they can be temperamental, we’ll do our best to put the group in the perfect position for an aurora photo shoot at each location. During this tour we will focus on the classic winter scenes around the islands. Below is a detailed overview of our expected itinerary.

Day 1 (Feb 2): Arrival in Leknes

Days 2 - 6 (Feb 3-7): Reine, Arctic Beaches and Beyond

Because of the fast changing Arctic weather in Lofoten, our itinerary is always adjusted to maximize your photography experience. Your photo guides, being local and expert in reading the weather systems, will make sure you are in the right place at the right time as you cover all the well known spots from Å in the south to Henningsvær in the north.

We will be exploring Reine, including the historical hamlet of Flakstad as well as the magnificent beaches of Fredvang on the outer coast of the Lofoten Islands, overlooking the Arctic Ocean. We’ll have an incredible array of photography opportunities at our fingertips, from the spectacular views of Nusfjord fishing village to the windswept vistas of Selfjord.

Lofoten is well-renowned for its scenic beaches, with their golden sands and turquoise water framed by majestic mountains all around.

Uttakleiv beach is a photographer’s dream with smooth coastal rocks harbouring jewel-toned tidal pools along a rocky coastline. It offers up a myriad of compelling compositions, night or day.

Nearby to Uttakleiv is its sister beach, Haukland. Voted Norway’s best beach, this stunning stretch of sand is as tranquil as it is photogenic. Framed by mountains on all sides, the conditions here can be very mild.

At Unstad, the swell can sometimes break with unimaginable power over the scattered boulders on the shore, making for great opportunities to practice wave painting at slightly longer exposures for interesting motion effects.

Meanwhile at Vareid, wild and changeable conditions make for stunning compositions, particularly with the rock pools in the foreground and romantic, jagged mountain peaks in the back.

During the evenings, we’ll continue our hunt for the Northern Lights along the shores of the fjords. The beaches make for wonderful locations to shoot the Northern Lights too. So as long as the weather is clear, we’ll spend our evenings roaming the shores in search of their elusive dance in the night sky!

Day 7 (Feb 8): Departure
On day eight the group will depart from Leknes airport, which is about 15 minutes from our cabins. We know departures are always difficult, but you will leave with new friends, countless memories and memory cards packed with incredible photography.

Payment
A $1995 deposit is due at the time of registration. The balance will be due on November 2, 2023.

Withdrawal and Refund Policy
Enrollment is limited to 10 participants, and once you sign up, we are counting on your attendance. If you need to withdraw from this workshop, please notify us in writing (email is acceptable) as soon as possible. This is our refund policy:

If you cancel and we find someone to fill your seat, we will refund you the full amount you have paid towards the tuition, minus a $250 service charge. If you cancel and we cannot find someone to fill your seat, then you will be refunded according to the following schedule:

At least 90 days before the start of the workshop: Full refund minus $250 service fee.
Between 89 and 60 days before the start of the workshop: 75% refund
Between 59 and 45 days before the start of the workshop: 50% refund
Less than 45 days from the start of the workshop: No refund

Course Cancellation and Other Terms
Leica Store Miami reserves the right to cancel a reservation if full payment has not been received by 90 days prior to the start of the workshop.
In the event that this workshop must be canceled due to inadequate enrollment, all fees and deposits will be refunded in full or may be transferred to another workshop within 24 months.
In the unlikely event of illness, accident or injury to one of the instructors, Leica Store Miami reserves the right to replace that instructor with a comparable instructor.

Covid-19 Protocols

Our main priority during our workshops is customer safety. To that end, we will follow all CDC and NIH guidelines for Covid-19 safety during our trips. While there are no specific testing requirements on our trips, we ask that each participant take the necessary precautions leading up to the trip to keep the group safe.

Medical Insurance (required)

Emergency medical insurance through a provider like Allianz or similar is required to participate in any of Leica Store Miami's international workshop.

Travel Insurance (STRONGLY recommended)

Leica Store Miami is not responsible for cancellations due to medical or personal emergencies so we highly recommend purchasing travel Insurance. Companies like Travelex and Allianz Global Assistance are reputable but you can choose any vendor you like. Just make sure that they have an A+ rating from the BBB. Leica Store Miami is not responsible for reimbursement of non-refundable airline tickets in the event of a workshop cancellation.

Camera Gear Insurance (STRONGLY recommended)

We advise all of our workshop attendees to insure their camera gear against damage, theft, loss, etc. If your gear is not already insured, check with your home owner's insurance to see if they offer coverage. There are several photo specific insurance policies out there as well.

Transfers
If for any reason you wish to transfer your deposit or workshop fee, please notify us by email. You must register and complete a new workshop within 24 months of the withdrawal. We reserve the right to accept or deny any transfer.

There are no exceptions to our Cancellation and Transfer Policy.