Norway Fjord Photoshoot Locations: Viewpoints, Ferries and Light

The Geirangerfjord and the Nærøyfjord are listed together by UNESCO as the West Norwegian Fjords. They are the most dramatic, and the most visited.

The Geirangerfjord is a narrow, winding branch of the Storfjord, with Geiranger village at its head and near-vertical walls with waterfalls on both sides. Most photographs here are taken from viewpoints on the roads above the village.

• Flydalsjuvet. A cliff-edge viewpoint on the road climbing south from the village, looking down over Geiranger and along the fjord. The well-known overhanging rock is close to the road. Expect other visitors at any reasonable hour in summer.
• Ørnesvingen (the Eagle Road). The hairpins on the road climbing north from the village include a viewing platform looking straight along the fjord, with the Seven Sisters waterfall on the far wall.
• Dalsnibba. A toll road climbs to the Geiranger Skywalk platform at around 1,500 metres. You look down on the whole valley and the fjord far below, often with snow at the top well into summer. The road is generally open only from late spring to autumn.
• The water. The car ferry between Geiranger and Hellesylt, and sightseeing boats from the village, pass the Seven Sisters and the Suitor waterfalls and the old farms on the ledges, such as Skageflå.

Light. The village sits in a deep basin, so the sun leaves the water and the lower slopes early in the evening, while the higher viewpoints keep the light longer. The fjord’s walls can hold mist in the morning. Calm early mornings give the best reflections, before boats and wind disturb the surface.

Season. The roads over the mountains to Geiranger, including those via Dalsnibba and the Trollstigen–Eagle Road route, are generally closed in winter and open roughly from May or June to October. Check current road status for your dates. Outside that season, access is mainly from the west via Hellesylt or by boat.

Flåm sits at the inner end of the Aurlandsfjord, an arm of the Sognefjord, and is reached by the Flåmsbana railway from Myrdal, by road, or by boat. From there, two fjords are within easy reach.

Aurlandsfjord and Stegastein

The Stegastein viewpoint is a wooden and steel platform that juts out from the mountainside high above the Aurlandsfjord, a short drive up the road from Aurland. It is the main high viewpoint here. You look along the length of the fjord, with Aurland and the mountains opposite below you. Tour buses stop here in summer, so come early, or late in the evening when the light is softer and the platform is quieter. The road beyond Stegastein, the Snow Road over the mountain to Lærdal, is closed in winter.

At water level, the quays at Flåm and Aurland and the small village of Undredal, with its tiny stave church, give quieter settings by the fjord.

Nærøyfjord

The Nærøyfjord is one of the narrowest fjords in the world, with walls rising well over 1,000 metres on either side. There is no road along it, so you see it from the water: by sightseeing boat from Flåm, including electric boats, or by the ferry between Flåm and Gudvangen. A photographer on board can work along the rail with the cliffs and waterfalls behind you, which suits a honeymoon or a relaxed couple session. Gudvangen at the head of the fjord and the hamlet of Bakka are calmer than Flåm.

Light. Because the Nærøyfjord is so narrow, much of the water lies in shade for long parts of the day, especially outside summer. Overcast days with soft light and low cloud on the cliffs often photograph better than bright sun.

For Bergen-based trips to Flåm, see the Bergen photoshoot guide.

The Lysefjord, east of Stavanger, is long and narrow, with granite walls. Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) is a flat plateau about 600 metres above the water, and it is the most famous fjord view in the south of the country.

Getting there. The hike starts at the car park by Preikestolen Fjellstue, about an hour’s drive from Stavanger including a road connection under the fjord. It is roughly 4 km each way, about two hours each way, with around 500 metres of ascent on a rocky trail. The usual season is about May to October; in winter, go only with a guide.

Where the photographs are taken. The classic image is from the slope above the plateau, looking across the flat rock with the fjord falling away beyond it. Photographers often prefer the quieter ledges along the edge to the side, where you can stand alone with the fjord behind you. The cliff has no railings. Stay well back from the edge, and do not do anything on the edge for a photo that you would not do without a camera.

Crowds. On summer days, many hundreds of people can walk the trail. Sunrise or late evening, and the shoulder months of May, June and September, are much quieter. This matters for an elopement or a proposal.

From the water. Sightseeing boats from Stavanger run up the Lysefjord below Preikestolen and towards the Hengjanefossen waterfall. In summer, a car ferry has typically sailed to Lysebotn at the far end, the start of the hike to Kjerag. Check the current schedule.

In summer, both Geiranger and Flåm receive large cruise ships, sometimes more than one on the same day. When a ship is in port, the village, the main viewpoints and the boats fill up from mid-morning until the ship leaves in the afternoon or evening.

How photographers plan around it:

• Check the port calendar. Cruise ports publish their call schedules. A day with no ship, or a ship leaving early, is noticeably quieter.
• Shoot early or late. At midsummer the light lasts late into the evening, and early morning gives calmer water and empty viewpoints.
• Stay overnight. Sleeping in Geiranger or Flåm lets you have the evening and the next morning without day-trippers. It is the single most useful thing you can do for fjord photographs.
• Book ferries and trains. In summer, the Flåmsbana, the sightseeing boats and some car ferries fill up. Check the current timetable and book ahead where you can.

Norway has also been tightening environmental rules for ships in the World Heritage fjords, which may affect which ships call in future years. That is another reason to check the current situation rather than relying on older trip reports.

Fjords are sheltered, and on a calm morning the water can be almost glass-like, with the mountains reflected in full. A few patterns hold across all four:

• Reflections are best early. Wind usually picks up during the day, and boat wakes break the surface. Sunrise and the hour after are the best chance of still water, especially in spring and early summer.
• Walls make shade. In a deep fjord, one side is often in shadow while the other is lit. A photographer who knows the place will position you on the lit side, or use the shade for soft, even light on faces with the bright wall behind.
• High viewpoints keep the light longer. When the village is already in shadow, Flydalsjuvet, Stegastein or Preikestolen can still be in sun.
• Overcast is not bad. Low cloud on the cliffs, mist on the water and soft light all suit fjord photographs and flatter skin. Heavy rain and cloud down to the water are the real problems.
• Season changes the angle. At midsummer the sun is high and sets far to the north-west, and the light lingers for hours. In autumn and winter it is low, the fjords stay in shade for much longer, and some roads and services close.

Your photographer will adjust the plan to the forecast, often on the morning itself.

• If you want the classic panorama without hiking: the Geirangerfjord from Flydalsjuvet or the Eagle Road, or the Aurlandsfjord from Stegastein.
• If you want to be on the water: the Nærøyfjord by boat from Flåm or Gudvangen.
• If you want the most dramatic setting and can hike: Preikestolen above the Lysefjord.
• If you are travelling from Bergen: Flåm is the natural choice. From Ålesund, Geiranger is closer.
• If you are combining several: a photo tour lets one photographer travel with you between viewpoints, ferries and villages over a longer day.

Fjord locations are nature locations, so sessions there start from NOK 6,500. A photo tour starts from NOK 12,000, and an elopement from NOK 12,000. Travel, ferries, sunrise starts and longer coverage increase the price, and your proposal states the exact figure before you book. For more on pricing, see the photographer cost guide. For clothing, see what to wear for a photoshoot in Norway.