This image was taken on the very first night of the midnight sun. What you're seeing here is the moment in which the sun is at its lowest, just barely touching the horizon. For the next two months, the sun won't set below the horizon at all. In fact, it won't even get as low as in this photo. It's a beautiful time of year, but it's also exhausting. Your brain never quite gets used to the fact that it's broad daylight at 04:00.

What made this moment extra special was the fact that we had a clear horizon. This is not an everyday occurrence here in the Lofoten Islands. Quite often, the sea fog will block any light during the sunset. But this night was different. From my living room, I noticed the mountains around us were receiving quite lovely light. This is a good indication that the sunset can be good. So I quickly grabbed the camera and drove to this nearby beach. It's far from unknown, but the benefit of photographing the midnight sun is that most tourists aren't out this late.

By the time I shot this, the clock had just passed midnight. It's the end of May, the weather is nice, and for once, I am not freezing with the camera in my hands. These moments are rare here in the north, but it's these moments that stay with us.