Arctic Hares Under the Northern Night – Two Evenings That Deliver
There are moments in wildlife photography where everything aligns – subject, light, behaviour, & access. When it does, you don’t just come away with a lucky frame … you come away with several images you genuinely want to keep. On the new Arctic Wildlife of Varanger photography tour, we’ve built in two dedicated evening sessions at the Arctic hare hide. Not one. Two … & that’s the difference between hoping for something to happen … & walking away knowing you’ve nailed it.
Why Two Sessions Matters?
The first evening is about understanding what’s in front of you. You’ll quickly realise this isn’t typical Arctic wildlife photography. The hares aren’t distant shapes on a white landscape – they’re close, active, & constantly interacting. You’ll spend that first session:
- Getting comfortable with the light & exposure
- Learning how the hares move
- Experimenting with focal lengths
- Starting to pick up behaviour
You’ll get good images. 
The second evening is where it improves. You’re no longer guessing … You’re ready.
- You see the moment building before the hares box
- You track movement rather than react to it
- You refine compositions instead of grabbing at them
That’s when you start getting multiple strong images, not just one.
What You Can Expect To Come Away With?
This isn’t about ticking a species … It’s about leaving with a range of images you’d happily show.
Wide & Minimal (70 – 200mm)
Simple, graphic compositions … A few hares spaced across a black frame. Clean, quiet, & very different from the usual snow-on-white Arctic look. 
Action & Behaviour (300 – 400mm)
This is where things get properly exciting. Hares boxing … Leaping … Snow exploding around them mid-air. These moments happen fast – but with two sessions, you get more than one chance to get them right. 
Close & Detailed (600 – 800mm)
Slow it down. Whiskers lit from behind … Frost clinging to fur … That subtle glow through the ears. Images that feel intimate & considered. 
Light That Does The Heavy Lifting
The backlighting is what makes this work.
- It cleanly separates the hares from the background
- It turns falling snow into atmosphere
- It highlights detail you’d otherwise miss
Every movement becomes something visual. You’re not just photographing a hare – you’re capturing light, texture, & motion all at once. 
What Is A Different Rhythm Within The Trip?
Varanger can be raw & unpredictable – that’s part of its appeal. This hide gives you a different pace:
- Controlled conditions
- Repeatable opportunities
- Time to refine rather than rush
It balances the rest of the trip perfectly.
Reality
By the end of the second session, you won’t just have “a nice hare shot”. We hope that you’ll have:
- A handful of action frames that really work
- Clean, simple compositions
- A couple of close portraits with real detail
In other words – several images you’ll actually want to keep & use.
Why It’s In The Itinerary?
We’ve included this because it delivers. Because two sessions give you time to settle in & improve & because it’s one of those rare setups where things come together consistently enough that you can push beyond luck & start getting results on purpose.
If you’re on the fence about joining our tour to Varanger, this is the moment that should tip you over.
This isn’t a “nice to have” session tucked into the itinerary – it’s one of the reasons the trip exists. Two evenings, set up properly, with time to get it right … & to come away with images that actually stand up when you get home.
For those who join us, it’s the point where everything clicks – where you stop hoping for a result & start seeing it come together in front of you.
More often than not, it ends the same way … a quiet glance at the back of the camera & a simple thought … “yeah … nailed it.”
