ICEHOTEL the original
Kiruna, the northest town in Sweden, is popular for its winter tourism as the main hotel there is famous all over the world. ICEHOTEL in Sweden is the original ice hotel made entirely out of ice and snow. Built from clear ice cut out from Torne river. Ice so pristine that looks like pure diamond. Every November and December for the last 30 years, the hotel’s cold parts are rebuilt at the empty riverbanks of Torne. Sculptors filled them with art made by ice and snow. If you think you are brave enough, you are welcome to spend the night I one of its art suits in temperatures that reach -8 °C. All art suits have unique sculptures out of ice and snow that will melt in spring, as the rest of ICEHOTEL’s cold parts.
The elopement photography session is perfect for pre-wedding photo shoots, wedding photography and next day sessions. Pick your best day, bring your best smile and let the magic to lead you in a far away mythical place like ICEHOTEL at Kiruna, Sweden.
The Workshop
When I first read the announcement that Way Up North was organizing a workshop at the ICEHOTEL, I could contain myself. I had several doubts about being able to adapt on such difficult weather conditions, for a Mediterranean person, but I soon got over it. The decision was made and the 6 different planes trip to Kiruna and back was booked. Trust me it was not an easy decision to made, for a person that does not like airplane trips!
Way Up North is known for organizing great photography workshops and conferences that offer great value to participants. In collaboration with the popular wedding blog Sister In Law, they orgazined this magnificent workshop. A workshop especially made for wedding photographers – from all over Europe – to come together and share the knowledge. Combining the know how that Way Up North has with the high aesthetics that Sisters in Law can offer created a win-win situation. This was the main motivation for me that convinced me to make this trip. The second was the location itself. It was on my bucket list: the original ICEHOTEL in Sweden.
A photographer in the cold
To photograph inside the ICEHOTEL, in -8 °C is not an easy task to accomplish. You must wear in special warm clothes; multiple layers – 4 to be exact – snow pants, thick boots and gloves, polar scarf and hat. One can imagine that is not so easy to move in such attire. However, once you entered the big iron doors with the reindeer fur you forget all about the extreme cold. Tons of ice and snow were all around me and at the same time it was like I walked in a museum full of pristine clear sculptures. Every single room was embellished with a work of art that was about to melt when the spring arrives with its high temperatures.
Light
Light was completely different comparing to the northern Mediterranean light that the Greek islands or the Italian area of Tuscany has. It had a certain crisp trait and an icy charm that offered me a different allure to work with; it was fascinating!
Natural light in addition to the amazing Profoto flashes we had at our disposal, the mise en scène was magical! Correct lighting on ice can create a dreamlike setting.
Images
Moa & Peter were an astonishing pair. Forgetting all about the cold they modeled for the workshop and made the atmosphere so inspirational and warmhearted. They are a couple in real life, and that meant that every single feeling was there, alive and warm! Two young people in love, in one of the most fantastic locations in Europe. An elopement photography session with them was really a dreamy process as they trust the photographer and let themselves free in front of the lens.
Elopement
With an elopement, a couple can have a unique and unconventional wedding photography session that breaks the traditional concept of wedding photos. Dare to be different and let your love story to shine as it deserves it. After all, your love is majestic and so should be your wedding photo album.
I found it really invigorating to wake up my sensed in a totally different than used environment and find the correct moment to depict in my images. No matter the environment and the conditions the aim was still the same: discovering through my camera the feelings, depicting the moments of the real love in front of me.
This is my aim no matter what couple I photograph in every country that I travel to work: to care for telling your love story through my camera and To witness your heartbeat, your voice, your silent moments, all the secret glances and tender neck kisses… I am your personal storyteller, dedicated to bringing in light your intimate bond.
