Ok, perhaps not literally, but our intense planning in Digital Nature Photography has led us to crave this trip like nothing else. In preparation for our "shoot," I found Faroese professional photographer Olavur Fredriksen's wonderful website, where he shares some of his better natural and aerial shots of this mythical land of seabirds, soaring cliffs, sublime national culture, and stunning turf-roofed houses.
And yes, by turf-roofed, I mean turf-roofed. When I was privileged enough to visit this fairy tale group of 17 islands back in 2005, I literally saw people mowing their roofs. An interesting local method of cheap and effective winter insulation. Makes for an interesting combination of natural and architectural photography.
With more puffins in a small area than any place on earth, you better believe we'll be photographing plenty of these guys on Mykines Island. It doesn't matter how many photographers race to see the puffins--they're so endearing to the armchair nature enthusiasts of the western world that there will always be a market for good Atlantic Puffin shots.
The islands are well-known to the world because of their rich bird life and also because as a nation--and despite having under 50,000 people--they are eligible to participate in international sporting events. This includes sending out a national football team to compete against the likes of France, England, Germany, etc. How's this for a shocker? Sometimes they WIN! For World Cup 2010 qualification, they have already tied Austria and beaten a strong Lithuania team. Some of these countries have stadiums that hold more people than the islands' entire population. Also an interesting chance to shoot some unique photos that would appeal to a large audience in the world, perhaps?
And finally, as the islands prepare for their full independence from Denmark, there is a huge coming market for images related to the Faroe Islands' unique national culture and traditions. While we will miss the Olavsokan national celebration on our trip, there are numerous opportunities to capture these modern-day Viking descendants as they keep their traditions alive.
Any good nature photographer should have heard of the Faroe Islands, but as a one-time visitor, I maintain that there's no place like this on earth. The "Land of Maybe" isn't just a bird-lover's paradise. It's a soul-changing transformation chamber that will leave you longing for your return.
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