Wild World Photo Essay: Arctic Landscapes of Svalbard, Norway

I have been traveling since I was 18; when I was younger I spent a lot of time travelling in Africa – months at a time and a year in one stretch and so now in later life I have felt the need to explore the worlds colder climates – Antarctica, Himalaya mountains, European mountains and of course the Arctic – and Svalbard, Norway. I flew up to Longyearbyen and then traveled on the Noorderlicht, a small sailing boat that is truly beautiful. It is an amazing way to explore the Svalbard archipelago. The cold was biting at -27° celsius, but it didn’t stop me exploring and getting some great shots. I have some really good outdoor gear, which is all important as you need some good layers to keep yourself warm whilst out walking around at such low temperatures. I really wanted to capture the cool colours of the ice and the varying shades of blues in the glaciers along with the dusky light – it is a beautiful landscape to photograph.

I was there in October and so the sun wasn’t up for long and gave out some fabulous shimmering skies. You don’t really think about the cold as you are so consumed by the stunning landscape that surrounds you. I shoot with a Canon 1DS Mark II, it held up well not seeming bothered by the cold days.