Abisko autumn gold - sharing some memories of a golden week of photography

multiple exposure, Abisko national park

I have been wondering what to do with the images that I made from Abisko in Sweden, encouraged by Hans Strand and Better Moments photographic tours.

The scenes of autumn gold will be long gone now. Snow has almost certainly fallen within the arctic circle.

Birch leaves were vivid gold and falling fast while I was there in September, and here in the UK they are now doing the same.

As I make my final preparations for my trip down under to experience late spring and summer in New Zealand, I feel I should share some of the autmn gold that I experienced in the arctic circle before I head off into the longer days and bluer skies.

I experimented with different methods of capturing the landscape.

Conventional images using a tripod and macro lens......

I was surprised by the geometry of this rock on the river bank.

single leaf on rock

Multiple exposure...... done in the camera.

multiple exposure of fallen leaves and roots

multiple exposure of old birch trees

This one with pale blue sky is one of my personal favourites, and has been added, with another from Abisko to my website gallery 'Arborescence' ; in celebration of trees.

Birches, Abisko National Park

Focus stacking using a tripod..........

Focus stacking involves taking several exposures of the same scene focusing at different distances away from the camera. These can then be combined using digital software in Photoshop to give better clarity and depth of field within an image, and without the use of a tilt shift lens.

You can find out more about focus stacking in this video by Phillip McCordall.








Not normally something I would do, but when in Rome....

focus stacking in the birch forest

focus stacking in the undergrowth

Capturing reflections of the golden trees overhanging the Abisko River

Abisko Gold

the Abisko River

 The overwhelming gold colours are still imprinted in my mind.

It was a very special place.

Even the national park sign was gold.

 a selfie in the autumn sunshine.

In which I take to the skies for some aerial photography with Hans Strand.

autumn in Abisko

I am on my way home from Swedish Lapland; the land of reindeer and forests, where I have been doing some photography in Abisko National Park.

Everything about it was golden. Even the sign that sits by the Abisko river gorge.

Abisko National Park

According to our hosts, Better Moments, the golden hues of autumn in Abisko last for about 1 week in mid September.

I was there.

One of the attractions for me was the opportunity to experience aerial photography with master landscape photographer Hans Strand.  Hans is well known for his photographs of Iceland, and his beautiful book 'Iceland, Above and Below' , and of course I wanted to have a go.

The heicopters take off from the helicopter station.

Abisko helicopter station

While we waited a red helicopter containing man and large dog popped in to refuel.

the dog is on the rear seat

Before we could fly the technicians carefully removed the doors and did a bit of duct tape fixing.

door removal for aerial photography

Then three by three we were strapped in safely, with an extra harness around our waists just in case we 'accidentally undid our seat belts' (which I can assure you I had no intention of doing).

ground control man

So what was it like?

Well firstly I was very hungry.

The trip was carefully designed for maximum empty stomachs. Twirling around in the air is not for the faint hearted, easily nauseated traveller. Our hosts were careful to keep us hungry, and I am glad they did.

Secondly it was windy. So windy my eyes were full of tears, and I could barely see what I was doing by the end of the 15 minute ride.

Thirdly it was magnificent, and all over far too quickly.

Exhilarating in a way that bungee jumping never would be.

jewels on the landscape

We soared over the golden forest and hovered over green and blue lakes.

Cameras set to a shutter speed of 800 and ISO 200 to allow for the vibrations of the helicopter.

Abisko River

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In the space of 15 minutes I took over 100 photographs.

Not one is in focus.

But I had an experience that I will never forget.
 

Abisko in Autumn © Caroline Fraser

And when I came back to earth I was so glad to have had the opportunity to know how it feels to be up there.

And to have a large piece of chocolate.