Jumping above the Arctic Circle for ending 2010

After Christmas, I flew to Norway with friends to chase the Northern Lights and ride dog sleds above the Arctic Circle. We chose Tromsø as our basecamp.

Tromsø at this time of year is magical: no sun, but just 3 or 4 hours of low light every day. Snow everywhere, many islands, few people, good weather most of the time we were there. You end up sleeping 12+ hours a day (which in my case is nothing new, but for other people can be quite disturbing!) and enjoying the little light we had as precious moments.

We did see and shoot some amazing northern lights. But by the time we figured out how to take a jumping pic under them (tripod, long exposure, additional flash synchronized with the jump)... they were gone. Next time we'll be ready!

The picture below was taken in Brensholmen, just outside Tromsø, in a fjord where we spent a day in a cabin along with some cheerful Erasmus students and Couchsurfers.