LIGHT LINES

Light lines is an art project with the objective of showcasing humans interacting with wild nature in a new and unique way. The project will showcase iconic Norwegian mountains through fine-art landscape photographs. By combining action sports and landscape photography, the project offers a playful twist to classical nature stills. By equipping skiers with headlamps and using a long exposure technique, the at-dusk scenery of the descents creates the base of this project.

The dreamy backdrop of some of Norway's most famous mountains is inviting, but the light lines are a reminder of the power and impact we, as humans, have on these landscapes. We hope to invite the viewer to reflect on the traces that we leave behind us.

READ MORE / CALL TO ACTION

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Within a Split Second

Within a split second, we can change the landscapes. All it takes is a political decision to develop into untouched nature, and irreversible damage is done. The value of wild nature by itself is often trumped by economic interest. This project will engage our audience in this critical issue and provide them with a call to action in order to put the nature crisis further up the Norwegian political agenda.

The Mountains

Norway has some of the most beautiful mountains on this planet, making picking the lines for this project challenging. We have landed on a list with a mix of ambitious lines that needs good conditions and stable snow and more manageable lines that can be ridden in most conditions. The peaks have in common that they are powerful and iconic.

The pictures can be bought in three sizes from a limited edition fine art series. The fine art pieces are mounted on an ibond plate with glass lamination film to be hung frameless on your wall. Click on the photos for editions and prices.

The profit from the print sales will finance the completion of the project and our work to put the value of preserving nature higher up the political agenda.

Light Line 1: Store Ringstind

Jotunheimen, April 2022

The first line, the first photo, the first real test. The snow was as bad as it gets - pure ice with deep tracks from skiers who skied in warm snow during the day.

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Light Line 2: Store Smørstabbtind

Jotunheimen, May 2022

The night is bright in the middle of May, especially when the full moon is up. With some doubt in our minds, we started the hike towards Store Smørstabbtind, not knowing if the photo would work or not.

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Light Line 3: Slogen

Sunnmøre, February 2023

We finally got a weather window with stable snow conditions and drove from Sogndal early in the morning with a long day ahead of us. A day trip from Sogndal to Slogen is not something you do every day, with 7 hours of driving and 20 km touring with 1500 vertical metres.

The snow was rock solid, making the approach straightforward and fast. After a bit of waiting, the sun set, and the sky started to glow orange, pink and red - one of the most colourful sunsets I have seen. 1,5 hours after sunset, Njål dropped in first, and we got the first Light Line photo this winter, and it took a solid amount of weight off my shoulders! Three done, seven to go.

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Light Line 4: Store Austanbottstind

Jotunheimen, February 2023

We decided to do this line as early in the winter as possible. Both to avoid competing with half of Norway for the first tracks down the couloir and because the mountain looks amazing in winter when the snow sticks to the vertical walls making everything white.

Visiting these mountains at night in winter can be pretty serious. The hike is long, the weather can be harsh, and it is cold. The chance of good snow in the couloir is minimal. I do feel the responsibility when I ask people to ski steep lines like this one in the dark with "shitfuck conditions".

On the 27th of February, the wind calmed down, and the weather forecast looked good. Calum, Jacob, Martin and Lars went to Austabotntind. Terje joined them as cameraman to document their experience - a team with some of the most capable skiers out there. If this crew could not handle the conditions in the couloir, no one could.

The conditions in the couloir were as expected, and the wind was strong. Over at Soleibotntind, where Adam and I waited for the crew to get to the top, the weather was lovely, and the sunset showed off its insane colours. Half an hour after the sunset, we could see some dancing formations in the sky. It was the northern lights! What are the odds of being on top of a mountain in Hurrungane the one day the northern lights show up this far south? It got darker, and we got a light show, unlike anything I have seen this far south.

At 7pm it was dark enough, so I told the crew to get ready. Calum dropped in first. The headlamp lit up the massive rock walls surrounding the couloir. We could hear the sound of steel edges against ice over at the top of Soleibotntind. Half an hour later, with everyone safely down, Light Line four was done.

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Light Line 5: Hamperokken

Tromsø, March 2023

When we decided to go to Northern Norway, we started by choosing which area to go to and quickly landed on Tromsø. From Tromsø, we could plan after the weather and snow conditions and could either go to Lyngen, further north to Kvænangen, or west to Senja.

We hit the jackpot and got perfect weather on the first day. We had two options: go straight for a big line on Nallangaisi in Lyngen or do the "safer" option on Hamperokken. After some discussion, we agreed on Hamperokken. We were already running late, and there was potentially snow loading into the line on Nallangaisi due to wind.

Hamperokken is probably the most well-known mountain around Tromsø, as you can see it from almost every summit in the area. It is also one of the coolest-looking mountains I have seen.

After repacking in a hurry at the Airbnb in total chaos (the photo in the carousel was taken 10 minutes before departure), Lisen, Calum, Adam and Terje started the hike to Hamperokken. I had a shorter walk to Fagerfjellet and waited an hour before leaving. When I got close to the top, I found out I had forgotten the remote control for the camera, and had to go back down to get it. Down at the Airbnb, I rushed in, grabbed my remote controller, and closed the door, which had a self-locking system with a code. Luckily I wrote the code down on my mobile. Sadly my mobile was inside the house. I did not have time to find a solution and hurried back towards Fagrefjellet. I had to rely on the radio as the only way to communicate with the others, but in the chaos earlier, we also forgot to charge the radio. I hoped there was enough battery.

I got back up on the ridge where I had radio contact with the others. I called up Calum on the radio, and he said the snow was good for the first time in this project! Then there was radio silence. I accidentally put the radio on the wrong channel when I got ready to take the photo, and Calum was freaking out, standing ready to drop on the summit of Hamperokken. After going through every channel on the radio, he finally reached me at the last one. He told me I was a stupid idiot, then he and Lisen dropped in and skied the line perfectly.

Light Line 6: Okshornan

Senja, March 2023

After a successful trip to Hamperokken, we decided to go to Senja. The snow conditions looked good, and we had two lines we wanted to photograph. The first was a couloir on Okshornan, or "The Devil's Teeth", as it is often referred to. It is one of the most photographed mountains in Norway and a hot spot for tourists. Terje and I were not surprised when we were met by thirty other photographers at Tungeneset, where we planned to take the photo from.

On the other side of the fjord, Calum and Adam were alone on the hike to Okshornan. Not that surprising when the 8km approach by the shoreline was peppered with huge boulders that took ages to move through. Okshornan is often photographed but, for a good reason, rarely skied.

After 4 hours, they were finally on their way up the couloir. Terje and I walked around telling the other photographers not to call the police, as we suddenly realized that two headlamps out there on a steep mountain in the ocean could concern some people. When it was dark enough for us to take the picture, there was only a group of four German photographers left at Tungeneset. They asked me politely if they also could take a photo when Calum and Adam skied the line. So after giving them a quick tutorial in light line photography and showing them my camera settings, we were ready for Calum to drop in first.

Calum dodged the rocks in the couloir and made it to the bottom in one piece. Light Line 6 was done, and this time we had five different angles of it! The German photographers were thrilled, and so were we!

Light Line 7: Luttind

Senja, March 2023

The second line on our list at Senja was the couloir on Luttind. It is the most iconic line on the island and easily one of the most esthetic lines I have seen.

Light Line 8: Vassdalstind

Sunnmøre, April 2023

In February, we went to Sunnmøre to photograph Vassdalstind. An amazing mountain that I have been drawn to since the first time I saw it years ago. After some research, I decided that the best angle for the photo would be to stand at Grøtdalstind, more than 10 km away.

Light Line 9: Store Venjetind

Romsdalen, May 2023

"How much am I willing to risk for a photo?" Calum asked himself. He was climbing the last bit to Store Venjetind alone. "I found a really good sliding surface up here, and I don't like it at all. I feel like the snow has some energy. I don't know what to do here," it crackled from Calum on the radio.

We were in Romsdalen to shoot the last photo in the Light Lines project. After we had to bail on the line in March, this was the last one standing; The north ridge on Store Venjetind. a huge and exposed line and the most dangerous one in the project. It was not the most challenging to ski, but the cliffs below meant the consequences would be fatal if the snow avalanched.

Both Calum and I had a tough week before we went to Romsdalen. Calum participated in two demonstrations and talked at a climate conference in Sogndal. I came straight from Hurrungane, where we took the project's most ambitious photo (the 10th photo in the series). We were both mentally exhausted and really wanted to finish the project.

"I don't think you need more than one red flag on this line," I told Calum on the radio. No answer. We saw that the headlamp light continued to move towards the summit.

Some nervous minutes later, Calum answered. "I climbed a bit further up, and the snow got better, but now it is worse again. I'm turning around here."

Calum counted down from ten and uncovered his headlamp for the last time. We watched his light descending the 1100 vertical meters in less than three and a half minutes. The snow must have been good!

The Light Lines project was done. We made it! Ten photos of iconic Norwegian mountains.

The photo of Store Venjetind was a bit of an anti-climax. The line did not start from the top, so we were left with a feeling of failure, even though we only missed the last 50 metres. Nevertheless, the project was finished. We would not return to try again. The fact that the line starts below the top tells a story about Calum choosing not to risk it all for a photo.

Light Line 10: Hurrungane

Hurrungane - the wildest and most alpine mountain range in Norway and our home mountains. We took the first Light Line photo here, and since the start of the project, we have had this photo, the "grand finale", in the back of our minds.

I had given up on taking the picture because the chances of all the variables lining up were too small. But when the 4th of May arrived, everything looked perfect. The snow was good, the weather was terrific, and it was a full moon which we needed to cast light on the shadow sides of the mountains.

We wanted to do four lines, but sadly, the snow conditions turned out to be too sketchy at the line on Stølsmaradalstind. "We have to turn around here, Vegard", it crackled from Aasmund Karlsnes and Kjetil Russenes on the radio.

To take the picture, Adam Gairns and I had to climb to the summit of Gjertvasstind, one of the most distant summits in Hurrungane. First, we had to get through a hanging glacier full of crevasses. Luckily Vetle Dirdal and Alistair Street joined us to ski the line from Styggedalstind, and they managed to get us safely through the glacier without accidents. After the crevasse-maze, we had to climb a steep flank with an icy section where my crampons really had to work to get a grip. Going up was okay, but we had to ski down the same way. I decided to focus on getting the picture first.

After five hours, we reached the summit and revealed one of the most impressive views in Norway. From Gjertvasstind you can see the entire Hurrungane mountain range, which was why we now stood there ready to shoot the finale in the Light Lines Project. Kari Hole and Karoline Myklebust were in position on Ringstind, Karl-Kristian Muggerud and Njål Sund on Soleibotntind and Vetle and Alistair on Styggedalstind. Aasmund and Kjetil had a great time drinking hot chocolate down in the valley and singing the birthday song for Aasmunds 30th birthday. What a way to celebrate!

It got darker, and the full moon lit Hurrungane from one side while the afterglow lit up the other. The headlamps were shining on three different peaks. It was perfect. I counted down from ten and started the exposure.

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The Backstory

Vegard's ultimate goal in his photography is to use his photos to engage people to take part in the conservation of nature. Through nature and wildlife photography, he has realised how much of an impact a powerful image can have on people, but powerful photos do not come easily today. It takes a lot to capture people's attention in our society, which is overloaded with information. How can one take unique pictures to catch people's attention and inspire them to make a difference?

After developing the idea of "Light Lines" for several years, Vegard and the rest of the team started the project in the spring of 2022. By then, the idea had grown from being a single picture in easy terrain to becoming a film and photo project aiming to capture unique images of iconic Norwegian mountains spread across the length of the country. Photos of “Light Lines” have been done in the past, but no one has ever done it on this scale and on big mountains like these.

We hope that the project will have a significant impact on the Norwegian outdoor community. By scaling up the project, we want to build a platform and use it to engage people in the fight to protect Norwegian nature from development. We will do this through lectures, the film and engagement on social media. The "Light Lines" photos symbolise the human impact on nature, and the platform will give people a concrete call to action that will enable us to fight together to preserve what we have left of our vulnerable nature.

The backstory

The Call to Action

The “Light Lines” photos symbolize human impact on nature.

Within a split second, we can change these wild landscapes that have stood the same for millennia. All it takes is a political decision to develop into untouched nature, and irreversible damage is done. Our wilderness areas are disappearing faster than ever before. Last year, a study found that since 2014, 22 429 applications to build out into protected areas were sent to the Norwegian authorities. Of these applications, 21 102 were given the green light. That is 9 out of 10. Across the whole of Norway we are building cabins, ski resorts, gondolas, mines, wind turbines and roads. With this project we want to attempt to use the engagement in the Light Line photos to put the value of protecting nature higher up the political agenda in Norway.

We have chosen to focus our call to action on two issues throughout the project:

1: The building of the new E6 through the Lågendelta nature reserve. For more info - click here

2: The building of a gondola to Jostedalsbreen national park. For more info - click here

Signing a petition is a small effort that can make a big difference. Link to the petitions are listed in the buttons below.

SIGN THE PETITION AGAINST A MOTORWAY THROUGH LÅGENDELTAET

SIGN THE PETITION AGAINST A GONDOLA TO JOSTEDALSBREEN

CTA

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The Photographer

Vegard Aasen is a Norwegian photographer and filmmaker specialising in wildlife and adventure sports. He plans every image to the smallest detail, whether to put his subjects in mighty landscapes or tell a deeper story. When he works with wildlife, he spends much time getting to know the animals, whether at the species or individual level.

Vegard's hard work and skillset have not gone unnoticed. He has been awarded numerous times for his photos, including in prestigious competitions such as Red Bull Illume and Siena International Photo Awards. In 2020 he was crowned Norwegian Nature Photographer of the Year.

Vegard's ultimate goal is to raise awareness and engagement for vulnerable nature through his photos. Through the Light Lines project, he hopes to create a body of work that can make a difference.

Vegard is behind the lens in the project, but this is a team effort. This would never have happened without a team of skilled and dedicated skiers and filmmakers sharing the same values.

Partners

We are proud to work together with brands that share our values. Thank you for helping us realize this project!