Winter Light in the Lofoten Islands
An Immersive Photography Workshop
February 25th to March 1st 2027
The dramatic landscapes, Arctic light, and storied history of Norway’s Lofoten Islands have captivated artists for centuries. This winter, we invite you to an immersive four-day photography workshop on Lofoten’s wild outer coast, co-led by acclaimed photographers Acacia Johnson and Tor Edvin Eliassen.
Through fieldwork, lectures, critiques, and guided excursions into the Northern Norwegian landscape, Acacia and Tor Edvin will help participants develop the skills to tell compelling visual stories about the natural world. In the ever-changing light of winter, we will dive into the region’s mythology, history and folklore, relying on local expertise to visit hidden sites in the Lofoten Islands far off from beaten track.
Our time together will balance classroom instruction (light, color, emotion, and working in winter conditions) with conceptual guidance (how to find meaning in natural encounters, how to capture feeling in images, and how to build visual narratives). Every day, we will visit a new location in Lofoten to observe and photograph the natural world during the hours of vivid light around sunrise or sunset. These excursions will form the basis for creative image-making assignments.
Weather permitting, there may also be possibilities for aurora sightings.
Participants Will Leave With:
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A stronger grasp of their photography skills, editing tools, & personal vision
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A new body of work rooted in place, narrative, and creative risk-taking
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One-on-one critiques tailored to each student’s work
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Greater confidence working in cold winter conditions
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Incredible memories from Lofoten and a new creative community
Beyond the structured sessions, there will be plenty of informal opportunities to engage—whether over shared meals, drives, or after-dinner activities—forming a sense of community among the workshop participants.
Your Instructors
Acacia Johnson
Acacia Johnson is a photographer, writer, and 2023 National Geographic Explorer from Alaska, focused on the environment and the connections between people and place. Her photographic practice stems from a reverence for the natural world, a curiosity about the people who live closely with it, and a sense of the land as a place of transcendence and transformation.
Acacia’s photographs have been exhibited internationally and are housed in collections at the Anchorage Museum and the Smithsonian Museum of American History. Her work has appeared in National Geographic, The New York Times, TIME, and The Guardian, among many others. In 2020, she was featured on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list for Art and Style, and in 2021 received the Canon Female Photojournalist Grant. She was the 2022 recipient of the ICP Infinity Awards for Documentary Practices and Photojournalism.
Selected works from Lofoten by Acacia Johnson
Tor Edvin Eliassen
Tor Edvin Eliassen is an award-winning cinematographer and photographer from a small village in Northern Norway. From character-driven documentaries in the Arctic landscape to dynamic music videos set against Namibian sand dunes, Eliassen is known for his evocative cinematography and ability to capture authentic human experiences – even in the most extreme environments. When working on projects, he combines technical excellence with a friendly, genuine demeanor that puts everyone around him at ease.
Eliassen studied filmmaking at Nordland College of Art and Film in Lofoten, Norway, and the Polish National Film School in Łódź, Poland.
Most recently, Eliassen was the cinematographer for Folktales, directed by Oscar-nominated filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady. Premiering at Sundance 2025, the documentary captures Norway’s Pasvik Folk High School and its students’ transformative journeys learning survival skills and dogsledding in the Arctic wilderness. For Folktales, Eliassen was nominated for the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards, Cinema Eye Awards and American Society of Cinematographers Awards. The documentary was also one of fifteen films shortlisted for the 98th Oscars in 2026.
Selected works from Lofoten by Tor Edvin Eliassen
Location
Our workshop will take place at Villa Lofoten, a unique collection of restored historic houses once used by fishermen and farmers in the quiet coastal village of Kvalnes. Original materials have been preserved and combined with curated Scandinavian design and art, creating spaces that feel both authentic and contemporary. The remote and retreat-like setting offers a rare sense of stillness — shaped by the sea, the weather, and the changing light. Read more about Villa Lofoten.
Winter Light in the Lofoten Islands
An Immersive Photography Workshop
February 25th to March 1st 2027
Practical information
Workshop fee: € 4.200
The workshop fee includes all instruction, excursions, transportation, meals, and a private bedroom at one of Villa Lofotens restored historical houses with a private or shared bathroom.
All meals are made with local ingredients of the highest quality and served at Villa Lofoten’s restaurant, starting with a welcome dinner on the day of arrival, Feb 25th, and finishing with a celebrational dinner at the final day of the workshop plus breakfast on the morning of departure March 1st. Please let us know in advance if you have any dietary restrictions.
Pickup from the two nearest airports Svolvær (SVJ and Leknes (LEK) included.
The entire workshop will be conducted in English.
Each participant must bring their own professional camera with manual settings, a computer and preferably a camera tripod.
Minimum 6 participants, maximum 12.
For any questions or inquires, please send us an email:
Apply for the photography workshop with 20-30 of your photos, a brief statement with your motivation for participating and optional CV by December 1st 2026. Applications are evaluated continuously.
