Over a year ago, my friend Stian Klo invited me to co-lead a photo tour in the Lofoten Islands of Arctic Norway with his company Lofoten Tours. Having visited this region once before while making a film on Chris Burkard with my friends at SmugMug, I knew I would be in for a treat, as Lofoten is one of the most spectacular destinations on the planet for landscape photographers. Even though November can be a tricky month to photograph Arctic Norway, the rains often give way to spectacular clouds and sunsets. And every so often, you are graced with a rainbow that forms perfectly over one of the most iconic locations in Norway, the fishing village of Reine.
Photo by Michael Bonocore
That is exactly what happened to our team today. While photographing one of Norway’s most beautiful lakes, Reine Vatnet, we noticed the clouds start to dissipate, all while a light rain continued to beat down on us. As we left the lake, we saw a rainbow start to form in the sky, so we quickly drove to the famous lookout that so many photos have been taken from. Once there, we saw the rainbow illuminated in the sky over the right side of the town, but within seconds, the rainbow continued to expand to the left until it suddenly landed on the road that we had just arrived on just moments prior, creating a perfect arch over the colorful village. Our group of nine stood in awe, speechless to the spectacular site that was on display in front of us. One of Norway’s most iconic views had rarely delivered such an unforgettable moment, and I was reminded once again why I have the best job in the world.
The experience today made me remember the first time I laid my eyes on Reine. I instantly fell in love with not only it’s postcard-worthy view, but also it’s unique and never changing charm. It doesn’t hurt that the dramatic jagged mountains that surround the village are also some of earth’s oldest, dating back 3.5 billion years. Reine should be on any traveler’s itinerary when planning a trip to Norway, and to help me prove my point, by friend Stian Klo has provided me with some additional images that will have you dreaming of Reine.
See more from Michael Bonocore on his Instagram, Facebook, and website.
See more from Stian Klo and Lofoten Tours on Instagram, Facebook, and their website.
Photo by Michael Bonocore
Photo By Stian Klo of Lofoten Tours
Photo By Stian Klo of Lofoten Tours
Photo By Stian Klo of Lofoten Tours
Photo By Stian Klo of Lofoten Tours
Photo By Stian Klo of Lofoten Tours
Photo By Stian Klo of Lofoten Tours
Photo By Stian Klo of Lofoten Tours
Photo By Stian Klo of Lofoten Tours
Photo By Stian Klo of Lofoten Tours
Photo By Stian Klo of Lofoten Tours
Photo By Stian Klo of Lofoten Tours
Photo By Stian Klo of Lofoten Tours