Fetsund, near Oslo, Norway

This frozen waterway has captured a boat and a few cabins.

-25

 This is  from Krøderen, and yes it is still very cold.

The Oslo Opera house and surrounding area

These shots are from Christmas eve, quite cold and not many people about.

Christmas eve drive around in Nittedal, Norway

Our valley has become horse resort with many farms offering accommodation, exercising and boarding for our four legged friends.

 Winter fence

Another winter fence.

Minus 15 and it has been like that for 6 weeks at least

A Christmasy country scene from Nittedal - a cold experience since I forgot my gloves.

The island of Smøla, eagles and windmills

I wanted to go to Smøla to photograph the eagles and since Pål Hermansen, the famous Norwegian nature photographer, was holding a workshop on the island this trip suited me well. This island has the highest population density of eagles in Europe due to the good breeding conditions. There are thousands of smaller islands and an abundance of fish creating an ideal habitat for the eagles. This photo series shows you some of the island and its bird life.

Smøla is a small island off the west coast of Norway and can be reached by car ferry from the mainland or by the coastal speed ferry (hurtigbåt) from Kristiansund.

The island of Smøla has approximately 2.140 inhabitants and covers a area of 281,9 km2. Smøla lies furthest north in Møre and Romsdal and consists of numerous larger and smaller islands. The main island has Norway’s largest lowland prairies, an enormous landscape of bogs and flatland. In a ring around the main island lie small villages with boat houses and wharfs, lovely wooden churches, and widespread fishing and fishing industries.
Smøla is famous for its many different birds. Smøla has frequent ferry connections to the islands to the east, and to the mainland. Smøla has several very interesting small museums, and besides these it has quite a lot of large farms specializing in carrot production. The landscape is unique and is an eldorado for lovers of nature and culture, anglers, ramblers and divers. One of Smøla’s greatest attractions is the fishing village of Veiholmen, pictures of which you can see further down.

Eagles living dangerously

The eagles need to be very careful when flying near the windmills of Smøla. There are 68 windmills in the wind park and every now and then an eagle collides with a blade. The blades can reach 250 kmh at the outer points when at top speed. The media tends to exaggerate how many eagles suffer such a fate, however, research shows that on average only one eagle is killed by each windmill every 10 years. Sadly that is one eagle too many but on the other hand this is clean renewable energy and the park at Smøla generates enough energy for 22,000 homes.

Black and white - same image different wrapping... Veiholmen

All of these photos were taken at the outermost village, Veiholmen, on the island of Smøla. Take a lot of memory if you go there.

Seagulls - great for training

Seagulls are great for practicing with your camera. They are abundant, always hungry and will come close to you. The challenge is that they are arial acrobats, they dive, change direction, fight, so you really have to know your gear to capture them. Here are some vague attempts to capture them. These shots are from the island of Smøla.

 

Guess what?

I went out to photograph my favourite waterfalls only to find that the falls wre frozen solid. I desperately started looking for alternative motives and more or less concluded that there were none. 

And the I saw them. Hundreds of triangles ! Fruit for the picking ! Click click click...

Some have commented that it looks like some of the hairs on my head. The more observant will see that it is blades of grass in snow.