Photo school on board: a cruise workshop for hunting light
On a regular cruise, you'll be amazed at how quickly you'll see, capture and then forget the majestic fjords. A Photo Cruise is an absolute blast! It's like something out of a dream, as the electric catamaran glides across the mirror-like water, turning the deck into a vibrant mobile studio. A landscape instructor will explain exposure settings right on a tablet screen, and then it's off to a trail to the perfect vantage point, where you can immediately put theory into practice in RAW!
Get ready for the experience of a lifetime as you combine the incredible speed of a speedboat with the flexibility of a mini-group and the stunning hiking trails of Norway. This unique adventure is one of the best national park hikes in the country, offering an unforgettable journey that will leave you amazed and inspired. The result is a series of shots where the "three elements" play together: the edge of the cliff, the glass of the fjord and the light that changes every five minutes.
How a day on a Photo Cruise is organised
- Morning golden hour right from the deck – the catamaran leaves Flåm at 5:30 a.m. In the silence of Aurlandsfjord, the instructor shows you how to catch zebra histograms and control glare from water reflections.
- Landing on the trail – the group disembarks at the tiny Stigen pier: a 3.7 km climb up Rimstigen (+715 m). Along the way, learn how to use an ND filter and to capture the "silk" of waterfalls with a zoom lens.
- Deck review – back on board, review your photos: Lightroom presets, curves, white balance "for snow clouds" while the boat heads for the next arm.
Twilight "blue hour" and night parking – at the glass pier in Gudvangen, the camp moves to the shore: tripods are set up right by the water, and long exposures turn the boat lights into feathers of light.
📷 Three Photo Routes to Book First Thing Next Spring
| Route | Dates 2025 | Light Feature | Hike Detour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sognefjord RAW Master | May–June | The first rays pierce the fog – a “milky” scattering of light | Rimstigen (Nærøyfjord) |
| Hardanger Glow | late August | Contrast between cider orchards and glacial reflections | Folgefonna via Trolltunga ferrata (short B/C) |
| Lofoten Aurora Edge | September | Low sunsets & pre-winter lights – a “scarlet storm” on the clouds | Reinebringen or Ryten (weather permitting) |
What to put in your camera backpack (≤ 8 kg)
● Camera — full-frame or crop with ISO 100-51200.
● Lenses — 16–35 mm F4 and 70–200 mm F4: a combination for reflections and distant waterfalls.
● Tripod ≤ 1 kg, carbon fibre.
● Filters — ND 6–10 and polariser 77 mm.
● Dry bag 15 litres — catamaran splashes.
● Powerbank 20,000 mAh — there are power outlets, but there's a queue of drone pilots.
Practical life hacks from instructors
● Expose to the Right (ETTR) on water — don't be afraid to go +1 stop: RAW pulls details out of highlights.
● Fjord = mirror — only put the CPL halfway around, otherwise you'll "kill" the reflection of the sky.
● Live Histogram on Rimstigen — rocks and foliage pull shadows; keep them at -2 EV, you'll still get them out at 14-bit.
● Handheld focus stacking — three frames at 1/250 s: the slight shaking of the boat deck won't ruin the stack.
💼 Workshop Cost (approximate, NOK/person)
| Program | Days | Price | Included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sognefjord RAW Master | 2 | 5,900 | Cabin, meals, guide-photographer, boat, transfers to trail |
| Hardanger Glow | 3 | 7,800 | + ferrata guide, cider picnic, transfer from Bergen |
| Lofoten Aurora Edge | 4 | 11,500 | Night in rorbu, kayak session for low angles, drone pad |
A photography school on board is an incredible opportunity to learn and grow as a photographer! The fjord becomes your very own textbook of light, as you capture its beauty and majesty in all its glory. Amazingly, the zoom captures the needle of a waterfall, and the wide angle gathers the entire bowl of the arm, while you can still feel the spray on your face!
Step out onto the deck, enjoy the golden hour, climb up to the trail to get a seagull's-eye view, and then return to your laptop screen as the ship sails home under a pink sky. Send us your best shots and the coordinates of where you took them, and we'll add them to the visual guidebook for outdoor adventures in Norway. Every fjord will become even brighter because you captured its light!
