Lapland in Colour

Can you colourise my life, I’m so sick of black and white?
                                                                                 Meat Loaf

I recently posted a gallery of images titled Lapland in Black and White so I thought it would only be fair to post a gallery of my colour photographs from the summer so far in Lapland. I have always enjoyed photographing in black and white especially when it comes to landscapes and nature but sometimes a colour image does the job perfectly.

Which do you prefer, colour or black and white?

If you have enjoyed this perhaps you will like 5 Things to do in Finnish Lapland in the Summer.

Summer Skiing

Summer Skiing

Every now and then I stumbled across a place that I had photographed during the winter and I am often surprised how much it has changed. The statue of the skier outside the Levi Ski resort is another example. No longer is he at home in the snow but surrounded by blossoming flowers and the growth of summer.

Why not take a look at another of my winter and summer comparisons in Lapland By the River.

Summer Skiing

Alta Rock Art

Alta, Norway
Alta, Norway

The rock art in Alta, Norway is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In actual fact, what look like paintings are carvings into the rocks surface. When the site was discovered in the 1970’s they coloured in the images so that they could be seen more easily, this technique is no longer practiced making some of the carvings less prominent than others.

There are several sites within the museum and walking the outside viewing route takes about 45 minutes.  The age of the carvings ranges from 2000 to 6000 years old. The carvings in the photography above are thought to be between 5300 to 6000 years old. What is interesting is why this particular spot was so interesting to the artists and how long the carvings went undetected before they were discovered.

This isn’t the only time I have visited historical rock art. I have also visited a few locations in Kakadu National Park, Australia and you can see those photographs and my experiences HERE.

Scorched Earth

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Karasjoki, Norway

When World War II was approaching its conclusion Finland asked the Germans, who up to this point had been helping them fight against the Russians, to leave but they refused.  This then led to the Finns fighting against the Germans and pushing them north into Norway. On the way out the Germans used a Scorched Earth Policy and burnt every town they came across, this continued as they moved through Norway. Karasjoki old church was the only building left standing in the Norwegian town of Karasjoki at the end of World War II.

Boat

Alta
Alta, Norway

When I arrived in Alta, Norway it was raining and continued more or less the whole time I was there. While exploring, the area was shrouded in a low fog that gave everything an eerie feel.

Through the Clouds

Through the Clouds
Nordkapp, Norway

Driving through the mountains towards Nordkapp the cloud was descending and the visibility was low. Through the cloud came a small glowing orb, surprisingly it was the sun. All of the sunlight was absorbed by the clouds leaving only a yellow setting ball of sun. Creepy.

Kirkeporten Natural Rock Arch

Kirkeporten Natural Rock Arch
Kirkeporten, Norway

Kirkeporten, Norway

 

71° North

Nordkapp was once thought to be the northern most point of the Norwegian island Magerøya and has become the ending point for many peoples journey. But in actual fact Knivskjellodden point is further north and has become a popular walk for people trying to avoid the crowds and high entrance fees of Nordkapp.

7km south from Nordkapp is a small car park, from here it is a 9km walk one way to Knivskjellodden point at 71° 11′ 8″ North. With the parking spot being up hill it is a pleasant and easy walk down to the coast and along the point to where the monument stands. The route is one way which makes the return journey a little less exciting especially after you have reached your goal, to make matters worse it is a slow incline back to the car park that never seems to arrive.

There are many reasons to choose this walk over visiting Nordkapp but the reason I did it was because it was different and far from the usual. It does take more time and effort but once you reach the modest monument you are rewarded with beautiful views of the Norwegian coastline, the Barents Sea and the steep cliffs of Nordkapp, you may even be alone.

Enjoy my gallery of photographs taken from Knivskjellodden point and the monument, Nordkapp can be seen in the background shrouded in cloud.

What is the furthest north you have been?

© Our Shadows Will Remain