‘We raise our cameras in readiness and snap a long exposure at the sky’

The northern lights prove a photogenic subject for Emma Thomson on a photography course in Norway – but there are others

The slim crust of a new moon and the starry sweep of the Milky Way arcs above us. Slowly, wisps of cloud start to streak across the sky. “Here they come,” whispers Geir Notisnes, our photography guide. We raise our cameras in readiness and snap a long exposure at the sky. On the screen appear ethereal ribbons of emerald silk.

“The Sami say you can hear the northern lights sing,” says Notisnes. He has spent the past 20 years pursuing the aurora borealis in the Lofoten Islands, one of the most reliable places in the world to see the natural phenomenon. “I still haven’t taken my best picture, so I keep chasing,” he smiles.

Some 95 miles north of the Arctic Circle, and reachable by a 3½-hour express boat or a half-hour flight from Bodo on the Norwegian mainland, the Lofoten Islands serve up Arctic scenery on a staggering scale. Picture redroofed rorbuer (fishermen’s houses) dwarfed by sword-sharp mountains that spear into glass-clear fjords. broad smiles of sandy beach, skies patrolled by eagles, waters wriggling with cod that bring whales and, of course, night skies dancing with northern lights.

Few places still relegate humankind to its wild fringes, but the Lofoten Islands are such a place. Here Nature is a fiery mistress with quickly changing weather that makes for dynamic landscape compositions and distinct seasons that bring unique photographic opportunities. Arrive in the clutches of winter (December to March) for snowdusted scenes, frozen lakes and the best chance of photographing the aurora borealis. Plus, as an added bonus, the sun never rises far above the horizon, so the light remains soft for extended shooting hours.

Autumn (September to December) ushers in a painter’s palette of fall hues and summer (mid-June to August) heralds the arrival of the never-setting midnight sun, bringing long sunrises and sunsets, a riot of wildflowers in the mountains and the most favourable weather for hiking to those hard-toreach peaks for some envy-inducing aerial photographs.

Look out for the archipelago’s quirks – from roads that run on water, to the world’s most oddly placed football field in Henningsvaer – and remember it is not all about scenery either. Besides tourism, the Lofotens’ staple industry is fishing. Visit between the months of January and April, the main netting season, to train your lens on locals stringing up vast racks of skrei (Arctic cod) to dry. Just brace yourself for the stink and the seagulls. From day one, the Lofoten Islands will – pardon the pun – have you hooked. Be prepared to return year after year.

Norwegian Airlines (norwegian.com) flies from London to Bodo via Oslo from £160 return. The ferry connecting Bodo with the Lofoten Islands can be booked at torghatten-nord.no.

Thon Hotel Lofoten (00 4776 04 9000; thonhotels.no) has double rooms from £120 per night