Kangos, Sweden

I consider this trip one of the hardest, yet rewarding times of my life. I spent a month and a half in the arctic region of Swedish Lapland, in the middle of winter, working at a guesthouse owned by my now great friend Johan.

My goal for this trip was to get out of my comfort zone, and stretch not only my ability with a camera, but to try and grow as a person and make lasting relationships.

Working at the guesthouse was hard work. Six thirty wake up time, go help serve breakfast, clean breakfast, go shovel snow, chop wood for the sauna, help serve lunch, clean lunch, go on an excursion, help with set up and tear down, prepare the dining room for dinner, help serve dinner, help clean dinner, and on some nights, close the bar. This was the basic routine every day. While also trying to create content for the guesthouse.

Needless to say, I got burnt out quick. And this was no one’s fault but my own.

I didn’t prepare myself mentally for the work load. I was solely focused on the northern lights and any other opportunity to get “the shot”. And on top of that, I was homesick from the moment I got on the plane to leave. I had never been away from home that long. The original plan was to be gone two months, but I had to cut it short, I simply missed home.

I can remember many nights, in subfreezing temperatures, under the northern lights just wishing for home. I can hear the cold crunch of the snow beneath my boots, and feel the cool wind blowing against my face. And I can feel the frozen tears for home. I learned a lot about myself, and I’m thankful for the hard times.

It should be said that I left Sweden so disheartened and uninspired, that I didn’t pick a camera up for almost six months after I got back. Below is the best of what I could muster up in those hard times. I’m not a fan, but I’m sharing anyways.