The PhotoPills Expedition to the Faroe Islands is Sold Out (Join the Waiting List)
The PhotoPills Expedition to the Faroe Islands is SOLD OUT!
Wow!
All 12 spots are already gone!
Thanks so much :D
Wish to join us?
Don't give up!
There are always cancellations...
Click here to join the Waiting List.
Be the first one to know when a cancellation occurs.
We’re going to the Faroe Islands...
Are you in?
Around the New Moon...
From January 5th to January 11th 2024, Marco Grassi and Felix Inden (PhotoPills Masters) will be traveling across the Faroe Islands to photograph January’s Endless Golden Light and the Aurora Borealis (called Norðlýsi in Faroese) along with the soul of this hidden and frozen North Atlantic gem...
An archipelago of 18 igneous rocks lost in the middle of nowhere...
One of the most mystical sceneries on the planet!
Legends, fairy tales and unpredictable weather included :)
Of course, we’ll be taking photos all day long...
In early January the golden hour lasts for more than 7 hours non stop!
But...
Can you imagine it?
To photograph January’s endless Golden Light and the Aurora Borealis with giant sea cliffs, stunning rock formations, green roof houses, tall waterfalls, endless fjords, brave seascapes, remote lighthouses, beautiful lakes and frozen landscapes…
We’re dreaming about it!
To achieve it, we’ll use the planning power of PhotoPills and the expert knowledge of Marco Grassi and Felix Inden to always be at the right place at the right time.
Top secret: we have quite a few legendary photos planned already...
The Deal (only 1 spot left)
Since the spot is available due to a last minute cancellation...
We're offering you the same €500 discount on the regular price we offerred to the Priority List!
All you have to do is to book before Sunday November 26th.
Read carefully all the details of this unique adventure.
And when you’re ready, click here to book your spot.
Please, book as soon as possible. The seats are sold on a first come, first served basis.
The Adventure
12 PhotoPillers | 2 PhotoPills Masters | Faroe Islands | Endless legendary photos
Warning! This is not a honeymoon...
We’re recruiting 12 brave PhotoPillers (PhotoPills and photography nerds) to join us on a 7-day expedition to photograph January’s endless Golden Light and the Aurora Borealis along with some of the most precious treasures hidden in the Faroe Islands.
It’s winter and it’s going to be cold!
The average temperature is between 2ºC (36ºF) and 6ºC (43ºF). The mountains and hillsides can get covered in a white blanket of snow, creating a picturesque winter scenery.
Also...
The Sun has entered the period of solar maximum, which means we will be more likely to see and photograph the dancing green lights of the Aurora!
And the golden hour lasts for more than 7 hours.
So...
This is a non-stop adventure to chase legendary photos and you are a key asset!
We have planned tons of photos, and we’ll travel many kilometers (and hike a few more) to capture them...
But we also want to maximize our flexibility in terms of itinerary and schedule in order to take advantage of all the opportunities that the changing weather will surely put in our way.
If we see something interesting happening in the sky, we’ll pick the best location possible, stop and take advantage of the occasion.
When we are hungry, we’ll stop and eat. When we are tired, we’ll stop and rest...
You are about to embark on a PhotoPills’ style journey. And it’s not going to be a honeymoon precisely... :P
You’ll be a true photographer.
Are you in?
Day 1. Friday, January 5th - Welcome to the Faroe Islands
It’s Friday noon...
And you land at Vágar airport, the only airport in the Faroe Islands.
Welcome to the North Atlantic sea!
After collecting your luggage, take the exit door to the main hall to meet Marco Grassi and Felix Inden... And probably a few more PhotoPillers :)
2:00 pm
Imagine the photo above covered in snow :)
When ready, we’ll jump onto our private transport towards the village of Gásadalur... where the stunning Múlafossur waterfall awaits!
Until the tunnel was built in 2004, you could only reach this isolated community hiking over the 700 m (2,300 ft) mountains, by boat or by helicopter.
We’re glad they built the tunnel :)
Total population: 18 people.
2:30 pm
Before you choose your shooting spot, check PhotoPills to understand where exactly the Sun will set:
Hint: the Sun sets pretty close to the islet of Gáshólmur, in the southwest. And its golden light will fall on the beautiful Múlafossur waterfall and the little village of Gásadalur from the side. A fantastic light direction :)
Use the PhotoPills Augmented Reality tool (and the Planner) to find your composition. And get ready for the light to come.
There is not much time left to explore the area before Sunset!
Golden hour begins at 9:10 am (incredible!), Sunset is at 3:20 pm, golden hour ends at 4:00 pm, and blue hour ends at 4:23 pm.
The golden hour at this time of the year lasts for about 7 hours in a row… What else can we ask for?
5:00 pm
Check-in at the beautiful Hotel Føroyar in Tórshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands, our basecamp for the whole expedition.
Located in the southern part on the east coast of Streymoy (1 of the 18 islands in the Danish archipelago), more than 21,000 people live in Tórshavn.
It’s by far the most vibrant town in the country.
Although the exact date the town was established remains unknown, its origins go back to the time of the Vikings (around 900 AD), when the first settlers arrived by longboat from Norway.
5:45 pm
Expedition briefing and PhotoPills Class.
Marco and Felix will go over the itinerary for the week, explaining the logistics, the locations and the photo opportunities we’ve specially planned for you. They’ll also cover the recommended gear and some important safety instructions.
Afterwards, a PhotoPills class will follow. You’ll learn how to use PhotoPills from home and in the field so you can use the app during the week. It will be super useful to understand the conditions you’ll have and to better choose your shooting spots and compositions.
7:15 pm
Dinner at Hotel Føroyar’s delicious Ruts Restaurant or at the casual 1933 Bar and Café at the lobby.
9:00 pm
It’s nighttime... The astronomical twilight ended at 6:18 pm.
And we find ourselves in Tjørnuvík, a small village located on the northeastern coast of Streymoy, the largest of the Faroe Islands.
About 71 people live here.
The black sand beach and the sea stacks of Rising og Kellingin (the Giant and the Witch) make this location a fantastic spot for photography.
The Giant (Risin) is the 71 m (232 ft) stack further from the coast, and the Witch (Kellingin) is the 68 m (223 ft) pointed stack closest to the shore, standing with her legs apart.
Why are they called the Giant and the Witch?
We’ll tell you the legend hidden behind these two sea stacks once in the Faroe Islands :P
Well...
If the sky is clear and the Aurora is dancing above our heads, we’ll have a blast photographing it. Remember to use a long exposure time (but not too long, let’s say 2-8s) to freeze the movement of the Northern lights.
And if the sky is clear and there is no Aurora, we’ll spend some time shooting Star Trails.
The options are endless here :)
12:00 am
It’s been an intense day... and it’s just Day 1!
If the Aurora is dancing we won’t sleep...
If she is shy and hides behind the clouds, we’ll go back to our hotel and enjoy a restful sleep.
Photographic Pills:
- Sunset at Gásadalur and Múlafossur waterfall.
- Aurora, Star Trails and long exposures at Tjørnuvík (black sand beach).
Day 2. Saturday, January 6th - The White Fjord
8:00 am
Breakfast at Hotel Føroyar.
9:15 am
We arrive at Funningur, a beautiful small village located on the northwest coast of Eysturoy.
There’s a lot to photograph here – the narrow streets, the grass-roofed church and the stunning views of the snowed fjords from above.
Look! The Sun is about to appear from behind the mountains in front of us. Time to shoot, close your aperture and capture a sunburst along with the white landscape.
At the same time, the Moon (28%) is setting behind the mountains in the southwest during golden hour. So use your telephoto lens to capture it as it kisses the tall peaks.
Blue hour begins at 8:45 am, golden hour begins at 9:09 am, Sunrise is at 9:50 am and golden hour ends at 3:38 pm (it never ends :P).
12:15 pm
Lunch in a local restaurant in the village of Gjógv, a small settlement located at the end of a deep valley.
Here we’ll taste a bit more of the local cuisine: lamb, mussels... Delicious!
And it’s a beautiful place to take photos. So, after lunch we’ll go for a walk to do some street photography.
2:00 pm
Again... Imagine the photo above covered in snow…
It takes a 10-minute hike up the hill from Gjogv to get to our Sunset spot. It’s a stunning viewpoint of the colorful little village by the sea.
As the Sun disappears behind the mountains in the southwest, the waves crash powerfully against the fjord. And in the foreground, we see the reds, the greens and the blues of the houses’ roofs in Gjogv.
Sunset is at 3:17 pm, golden hour ends at 3:58 pm and blue hour ends at 4:20pm.
6:30 pm
Dinner at Hotel Føroyar.
9:00 pm
If both Earth and space weather cooperate, Gásadalur is a fantastic Aurora location.
I know it’s not going to be easy to get it but...
Can you imagine it?
The greens and reds of the Aurora dancing over Gásadalur and Múlafossur waterfall.
We’re dreaming about it.
Also, if the sky is clear, the thin part of the Milky Way will stand straight just above the tall waterfall, the little village and the mountains behind.
Or maybe you prefer to shoot some Star Trails framing the Polaris. Or to shoot a dramatic night landscape long exposure.
As always, we’ll do the most of the conditions we have :)
Nighttime begins at 6:19 pm and it lasts until 6:50 am the next day.
12:00 am
Again, if the Aurora is out, we’ll make the most of it. Otherwise, we’ll go take advantage of our comfortable beds at Hotel Føroyar.
Photographic Pills:
- Sunrise at Funningur Fjord.
- Sunset at Gjogv.
- Aurora, Star Trails and long exposures at Gásadalur and Múlafossur waterfall.
Day 3. Sunday, January 7th - Tindhólmur and Drangarnir
7:45 am
Breakfast at Hotel Føroyar.
8:45 am
Sørvágur is a small fishermen village situated on the shores of Sørvágsfjørður, a beautiful fjord that extends into the North Atlantic Ocean located on the western coast of the island of Vágar.
Here, we’ll take a private boat towards Drangarnir, two spectacular sea stacks located between the islet of Tindhólmur and the island of Vágar.
The most stunning sea stack is called Stóri Drangur. It’s the biggest one and it’s an imposing stone arch. The second sea stack is smaller, and it’s called Lítli Drangur.
It’s time to look for a vantage point to photograph one of the most beautiful scenery in the Faroe Islands.
First, at Sunrise, we’ll photograph Drangarnir from far away to capture the beauty of the landscape under the golden light.
Blue hour begins at 8:45 am, golden hour begins at 9:08 am, Sunrise is at 9:48 am and golden hour ends at 4:03 pm.
11:30 am
After Sunrise, we’ll get closer to Stóri Drangur (the arch). The Sun will be up in the sky (it will still be golden hour) casting a gorgeous light on the side of our subject.
At 11:34 am the Moon (19.4%) will set in the ocean in the southwest. It’s golden hour so you may want to capture a picture of the Moon getting into the ocean. Or to include it in your composition along the sea stacks.
1:00 pm
Lunch in the field. Thankfully, on our way to Sørvágur we stopped to grab some food ;)
2:30 pm
At Sunset, we’ll be at another viewpoint to photograph Drangarnir from the distance and to capture a different perspective of the stunning sea stacks.
Behind the sea stack, you can see Tindhólmur – a really magical place.
With an area of 0.65 km2 (0.25 mi2), this uninhabited islet got its name from the five peaks, which are named Ytsti, Arni, Lítli, Breiði and Bogdi (Farthest, Eagle, Small, Broad and Bent).
Its highest point is 262 m (860 ft).
You surely want to include it in the frame too :)
And once we’re happy with our shots, we’ll take the boat back to Sørvágur and drive to our hotel.
Sunset is at 3:23 pm, golden hour ends at 4:03 pm and blue hour ends at 4:26 pm.
6:30 pm
Dinner at Hotel Føroyar.
9:00 pm
Our next Aurora destination is Sornfelli, a mountain plateau 725 m above sea level on the island of Streymoy. It’s about 20 km from the capital Tórshavn.
Quite often, when it’s cloudy, the two peaks of Sornfelli are visible above the sea of clouds. If that’s the case, we’ll enjoy the night photographing the stars, the vertical thin Milky Way, Star Trails… and if we’re lucky, even the Aurora!
Nighttime begins at 6:19 pm and it lasts until 6:48 am the next day.
12:00 am
Bed time.
The first three days have been super intense, and the ones following are jam-packed too.
Sleep well my friends.
Photographic Pills:
- Sunrise and Sunset at Drangarnir.
- Moonset by the sea.
- Aurora, Star Trails and long exposures at Sornfelli.
Day 4. Monday, January 8th - The Lake and the Waterfall
7:00 am
Breakfast at Hotel Føroyar.
9:30 am
It takes a 1-hour hike to get to the end of Sørvágsvatn lake, the largest lake in Faroe Islands (3.4 km2 or 1.3 mi2). Here, it meets the sea in a beautiful waterfall called Bøsdalafossur.
The cliffs here are immense and the view is simply captivating. Please, be very cautious. Be very careful not to fall. It’s an extremely slippery place.
First we’ll photograph the giant cliffs and the lake from the highest cliff: Trælanípa (142 m or 465 ft). From here Sørvágsvatn seems to be hanging over the ocean.
The Sun will be rising in the southeast, so we’ll get the perfect light direction. The golden morning light will fall onto the cliffs and the lake in front of us.
Blue hour begins at 8:43 am, golden hour begins at 9:06 am, Sunrise is at 9:45 am and golden hour ends at 4:05 pm.
11:00 am
Now we’re closer to Bøsdalafossur waterfall, photographing it. The running water falls in a 30 m (98 ft) drop into the North Atlantic ocean.
If you point your camera north, you’ll see a few prominent sea stacks along the coast line. The Sun on our backs will nicely lit the cliffs with its golden light. Enjoy!
At 11:27 am, a pretty thin Moon (11.8%) will be setting in the ocean in the south-west.
1:30 pm
After hiking back to our cars, we’ll stop for a quick lunch and continue our trip to our Sunset shooting spot.
Today the Sun will set in a pretty cool place.
2:15 pm
Here we are, at the curvy road that goes to Norðradalsvegur. We’ll use the fjords to frame the Island of Koltur and the Sun setting next to it!
Do you feel it?
It’s the adrenaline rush going through your veins as the Sun sets at the planned spot.
Plan & Pray!
Sunset is at 3:24 pm, golden hour ends at 4:03 pm and blue hour ends at 4:25 pm.
5:15 pm
Landscape photography editing class with Marco Grassi and Felix Inden.
It’s time to bring your editing skills to the next level.
6:45 pm
Dinner at Hotel Føroyar.
9:00 pm
Our next Aurora destination is... Saksun!
Only 14 people live here.
This fairy tale village is situated at the end of a narrow inlet, leading to a lagoon known as Saksunarvatn.
The lagoon is framed by steep mountainsides and is separated from the sea by a sandy beach, making it a unique and visually striking location. The contrast between the stillness of the lagoon and the crashing waves of the ocean creates a captivating scene.
One of the iconic features of Saksun is its turf-roofed church, Dúvugarðar Kirkja. This small, charming church dates back to the 19th century and is surrounded by a cemetery, adding to the village's historical and cultural significance.
The traditional Faroese houses in Saksun, with their grass-covered roofs and colorful facades, enhance the village's quaint and authentic atmosphere.
There is a lot to photograph here at night… especially if we have clear skies and the Aurora is active :)
Star Trails, the thin Milky Way and the long exposures will be our plan B and C.
Nighttime begins at 6:21 pm and it lasts until 6:48 am the next day.
12:00 am
Bed time!
Photographic Pills:
- Sunrise at Lake Sorvagsvatn and Bøsdalafossur waterfall.
- Sun setting next to the island of Koltur.
- Aurora, Star Trails and long exposures at Saksun.
Day 5. Tuesday, January 9th - The Tallest Waterfall
7:00 am
Breakfast at Hotel Føroyar.
8:00 am
To the vehicle!
It takes a 50-minute drive and 35-minute hike up to get to Klakkur mountain in Klaksvík, on Borðoy Island. It’s our Sunrise spot today.
9:30 am
The views from the top of Klakkur (413 m or 1355 ft) are stunning. It’s worth the effort.
On the left we have the island of Kalsoy. And on the right, Kunoy.
As the Sun is rising on our back, light starts to fall on the two islands and the ocean in front of us.
Who is going to be the volunteer to pose for us and give a sense of scale to our photos?
If you turn your back, you’ll see the Moon (5.8%) rising in the southeast at 10:06 am.
After Sunrise, we’ll start hiking back. We never know the photo opportunities we can run into on our way back.
This photo here is a good example:
Blue hour begins at 8:41am, golden hour begins at 9:04 am, Sunrise is at 9:44 am and golden hour ends at 4:02 pm.
11:45 pm
Lunch at a local restaurant in Klaksvík.
1:15 pm
Located in the northern Streymoy, Fossurin í Fossá (140 m or 460 ft) is renowned as one of the tallest waterfalls in the Faroe Islands.
The name "Fossá" translates to "river with waterfalls" in the Faroese language, and there are multiple streams in the Faroe Islands that bear this name.
Situated close to the village of Haldarsvík in the Sunda Kommuna municipality, this impressive waterfall cascades down to the sea in two stages, spanning a total height of approximately 140 m (460 ft). It's worth noting that the overall measurement of the falls might include the vertical distance between the falls and the sea, which encompasses a difference in height of around 30 meters (98 ft).
We’ll spend more or less 1h photographing the waterfall. Here you can use a combination of a wide angle lens to capture the whole waterfall, and a telephoto lens to focus on the details.
Of course, this is the time to shoot long exposures of the falling water as well.
2:15 pm
After photographing Fossá waterfall, we’ll visit Tjørnuvík, its black sand beach and the sea stacks of Rising og Kellingin (the Giant and the Witch)... but this time for some Sunset photography.
What we want here are clouds and a brave sea to shoot a few dramatic long exposures of the seascape.
The Sun sets in the opposite direction… If there is an opening at the horizon, we might get lucky and get an orange-pink-red sky after Sunset.
Sunset is at 3:24 pm, golden hour ends at 4:04 pm and blue hour ends at 4:27 pm.
6:30 pm
Dinner at Hotel Føroyar.
9:00 pm
Nighttime begins at 6:22 pm and it lasts until 6:47 am the next day.
We’ll check the cloud layer and try to find the hole in the sky. Depending on where we find it, this will be our Aurora (and Milky Way) destination. It might be Sornfelli. It might be Gásadalur… The cloud layer is king here.
12:00 am
Time to go to bed...
Tomorrow we have our Secret day!
Photographic Pills:
- Sunrise at Klakkur.
- Golden hour at Fossurin í Fossá waterfall.
- Aurora, Star Trails and long exposures at Sornfelli or Gásadalur depending on the cloud layer.
Day 6. Wednesday, January 10th - The Secret
I’ve been giving you lots of details of this amazing expedition to the Faroe Islands.
Maybe far too many...
But on January 10th we’ll do something completely different…
What will that be?
Well, you'll have to be there, with us, to figure it out :P
Day 7. Thursday, January 11th - The Farewell
7:30 am
Breakfast at Hotel Føroyar.
9:30 am
The Sun is about to rise...
And as usual, we’re ready.
At the right place, at the right time.
We’re about to take our last shots in the Faroe Islands...
Known as the Witch’s finger, Trøllkonufingur actually means the Troll woman’s finger, it’s a 313 m (1,027 ft) tall monolith on the south-east side of Sandavágur. Only 11 people are known to have reached the top.
We’re shooting towards the northeast as the Sun is rising in the southeast. And we can’t stop pressing the shutter as the Witch’s finger is covered by the first rays of morning golden light.
Blue hour begins at 8:41am, golden hour begins at 9:03 am, Sunrise is at 9:42 am and golden hour ends at 4:08 pm.
11:00 am
And we can’t leave the Faroe Islands without photographing Gásaladur and the waterfall of Múlafossur one last time.
Remember... It’s golden hour!
12:30 pm
We arrive at Vágar airport...
Thank you Faroe Islands, we'll be back!
And see you soon my friends!
Life goes on...
Book now and save €500 (only 1 spot left)
To book your spot to join the expedition to Faroe Islands at a reduced price of €4,900 (the official price is €5,400), a €1,000 deposit is required by Sunday, November 26th.
Payment in full is required by December 17th, 2023.
Please, finalize your booking as soon as possible. The seats are sold on a first come, first served basis.
What’s included in the price
- PhotoPills Welcome pack.
- A 7-day expedition photographing the Faroe Islands with January’s Endless Golden Light and the Aurora Borealis.
- 7 days of learning, fun and adventure with Marco Grassi, Felix Inden and the funniest geek community – the PhotoPillers.
- Full immersion in the PhotoPills method (Imagine.Plan.Shoot!).
- 6 nights of lodging, sharing a double room with another PhotoPiller (optional €450 single room supplement upon availability).
- The activities on the Secret Day.
- Beakfast.
- Ground transportation during the expedition.
- Boats/Ferry tickets.
- Hiking passes.
- All transfers.
What’s not included
- Flights to/from the Faroe Islands.
- Tourist visa (if necessary).
- International medical and travel insurance coverage (strongly recommended).
- Lunch & dinner.
- Snacks, alcohol and beverages.
- Anything not mentioned in the “included” list.
Do you want an example of how huge this will be?
This is a glimpse to what happened in the 2016 PhotoPills Expedition to Iceland. We had so many adventures and so much fun... We can’t wait for Faroe Islands!
But you don’t have to take our word for granted. Here’s what some PhotoPillers say about the PhotoPills adventures:
“I went to Iceland expecting to have the opportunity to photograph the marvelous landscape and master nightscapes. What I encountered was so much more – 14 kindred souls from across the globe who share a passion for photography. Together we expanded our creative boundaries, learned from one another and had an insane amount of fun in the process. I am confident that everyone came away from the experience a better photographer.”
“From the very moment the guys from PhotoPills announced the expedition to Iceland... I didn’t think it twice! I was using PhotoPills but not at its full capacity, so I had no better chance to learn from the creators of this amazing app. The experience was even more amazing than anything I could have imagined. In Iceland, I discovered a bunch of folks as crazy about photography as I am. I had a blast!
Photography is a continuous learning process, you always find something new that motivates you to improve. And this adventure made me improve more than I could imagine.”
"The PhotoPills guys know how to create a fantastic experience. They bring an infectiously fun energy and are always willing to drop some handy photography knowledge on you that you will take with you. You take their trip and you'll for sure have a good time, get some amazing pics and leave a better photographer."
“During my experience in Iceland I lived wonderful moments and had surprises that were beyond the expected. It completely exceeded my initial expectations! Sharing knowledge, experiences and ways of working and living photography with such a great group has been one of the most enriching life experiences I have ever had.
Who he said that learning and knowledge sharing can not be wonderfully fun?”
“I can't say enough about what a fantastic time I had during the PhotoPills Iceland photo tour! The guys from PhotoPills and Donal Boyd were so knowledgeable, accommodating, and especially lots of fun. Never a dull moment – nonstop action and shooting of amazing landscapes for 10 days. I came away with enough images and memories to last a lifetime!”
FAQs
What’s the temperature in the Faroe Islands in January?
It’s winter and it’s going to be cold.
The average temperature is between 2ºC (36ºF) and 6ºC (43ºF). The mountains and hillsides can get covered in a white blanket of snow, creating a picturesque winter scenery.
It’s key to wear different layers of clothing (base, middle and shell layers) to be able to adapt to any temperature change, snow and rain.
What do you recommend I bring along for the expedition?
Your sense of adventure and fun, your camera and of course your sense of humor.
Besides that? We’ll send you an Information Package that will give you further details and suggestions about what to bring (gear, clothing, etc.).
Is travel insurance included in the price of the expedition?
No. Participants are suggested to purchase national or international medical and travel insurance coverage.
Also, we recommend you to choose a travel insurance that:
- Covers trip cancellation costs.
- Covers Covid-19 health, travel and cancellation costs.
What is the cancellation policy?
We hope you don’t need to cancel your spot, but if a situation arises where you don’t have a choice, our cancellation policy is the following.
If you cancel and the expedition is otherwise filled, we'll refund you the full booking fee you have paid, minus a €300 administrative fee, and the non-refundable costs that are withheld by our travel partners.
If you cancel and the expedition doesn’t fill, then you’ll be refunded according to the following schedule, based on the full fee of the expedition:
- 91 days or more before the expedition: 100% refund, minus the deposit payment and the non-refundable costs that are withheld by our travel partners.
- 90 days or less before the expedition: No refunds will be given.
Refunds will be paid using the same original method of payment.
Credits: All images by Marco Grassi and Felix Inden.
