Frozen Snow Aliens // Finnish Lapland
In January 2020, I spent a week up north in Finnish Lapland. Unlike the last years, this winter was not as harsh and the temperatures weren't as low as we expected. Nevertheless, it was a magical time, shooting some of the most unique landscapes I've ever seen. While I was there, the sun came out for one day. We made the best of the short days and beautiful light (or absence of it) that resulted in surreal, almost painterly scenes.
Starting at Riisitunturi National Park, enjoy the quest for the 'frozen snow aliens'.
The sun started to come out.
We saw a few brief polar stratospheric clouds. Temperature -25°C. Real life now starts to look like a painting. These rare clouds are seen in winter in the higher latitudes and are at altitudes of 15,000-25,000 m. As a result, they are visible after sunset and are illuminated by sunlight from below the horizon and then reflect it to the ground.
The snow monsters are fascinating to look at, the imagination runs wild as they seem to resemble humans, animals, and more...
From Riisitunturi, moving on to Oulanka National Park close to the Russian border. A very different landscape with amazing winter vibes. The never freezing Kitka river flows through this frozen paradise.
Waiting in a bird hide in freezing temperatures for moments like these. A Siberian Jay takes off from its perch. Good times.
The elusive golden eagle flies through the icy Finnish forest.
The Russian border is somewhere in the background, less than 4km away.
We took snowmobiles up to this absolutely incredible place. The landscape quickly changed from snow covered trails and bare trees into an absolute winter wonderland. It was definitely a challenge shooting here experimenting with different compositions and crazy weather.
