12 stunning northern sunsets

Only because of the most beautiful and long-lasting sunsets, it is worth visiting the Russian North at least once - off the coast of the White Sea, on its islands and in Karelia. What is the secret of these sunsets?

On the way to Kargopol from Yaroslavl. We were very late and met the sunset on the road. He played into our hands, extending the daylight hours by a couple of hours.

The whole thing is a combination of two factors. First, cloud masses of completely bizarre forms are constantly forming over the sea. Ideal conditions for a fantastic sunset: thunderstorm and heavy rain all day, passing in the evening. If the sun sets over the sea and a narrow strip of clearance appears on the horizon - a "fiery" sunset is guaranteed. The sun will illuminate from below the whole armada of heavy clouds, and they light up.

The sunset with which we met the White Sea near Onega in July this year. It rained all day, which did not stop in the evening. But the sun found a small hole near the horizon and set off a “fire”. The photo shows how it is raining. While filming, pretty wet himself and wet the camera.

The second factor that allows you to enjoy the light presentation for long hours is proximity to the pole. The sun here does not rise high above the horizon and illuminates the hollow earth. The path of the star along the horizon is longer - the sunset lasts a long time, 2-3 hours. In addition, even after the sun goes beyond the horizon, it moves along it for a long time, illuminating a fairly wide strip of sky above the horizon, scattered by the rays of the atmosphere.

Sunset on the shores of Lake Kenozero, the village of Shishkino (neighboring Vershinino). A gift of weather on the eve of leaving home.

At the equator, the sun just drops vertically down, its path is short, sunset lasts a few minutes. Here is the answer. Therefore, if you want to enjoy long sunsets, then you are to the north! Low sunshine is the key to successful shots.

Sunset at the chapel of St. John the Evangelist in Shishkino, Plesetsk district, Arkhangelsk region, XIX century.

What is surprising, the second time I come to the White Sea and the second time such enchanting sunset on the evening of arrival. Like a welcome party on the northern all inclusive menu. I shot this sunset at low tide, at the Kamenny Stream cottage, 28 kilometers from Onega. Filmed in the pouring rain, pretty wet. He covered the camera with a handkerchief, from which he periodically squeezed water. Thank God, there were no consequences - he returned to the house, pulled out the batteries and dried for a day.

A snapshot of 2015 on the shore of the Holy Lake at the Solovetsky Monastery. Such paints lasted more than an hour and a half. And even after that, you could easily shoot another hour.

Another sunset on the White Sea, in July 2017. The granite coast of Cape Piljemsky and the island of Luda in the distance. Not far from Onega. Panorama of 12 vertical HDR frames. Each HDR frame is 3 ordinary. Total 36 shots combined into one.

Purple sunset is a common thing in the north. This one was filmed in 2015 in Karelia, not far from Rabocheostrovsk. On the way to the shore, I realized that there would be a light show. But the road took more time, so we found the peak of sunset at some pier in the bay.

An early sunset in Vershinino at the Nikolskaya chapel, July 2017. The most popular filming location in Kenozerye, but not the most common angle. I had to climb a steep slope up to the waist in the grass, which I'm allergic to :)

Another picture of Cape Piljemsky near Onega in the Arkhangelsk region. This time around 60 shots took part in the photo :)

Chapel of St. John the Evangelist in Shishkino, Plesetsk district, Arkhangelsk region, July 2017. I noticed a tiny chapel the day before from a museum window. I thought that you can try to shoot something near her in the evening. Not to say that the shot was a success, but still I didn’t catch anything better that evening.

The last evening before departure. On that day, a young bull horned the driver’s door of our car with its horns, scratching its head on it. The mood was so-so, but in the evening I managed to find a good location, then the horses came and I took my soul :) It is a pity that the red glow was on the right, so it was not possible to combine a good angle and a beautiful background.