What is a Barkaventure?
A Barkaventure is the evolution of the experience we created back in 2016: the original high-end, luxury, international pet photography retreat. Not a workshop in a classroom. An adventure.
The formula is simple. Stay in incredible places. Photograph a lot of dogs. Eat incredible food. All of it in some of the most epic locations on earth, alongside people who become lifelong friends.
Charlotte, Kaylee, and I have been leading these around the world for over ten years now, and Barktic Circle might be the most jaw-dropping location we've ever chosen.
The edge of the worldÂ
The Lofoten Islands sit above the Arctic Circle off the coast of Norway, where granite peaks older than three billion years rise straight out of the sea. Tiny fishing villages cling to the rocks. The light in early September is long, low, and gold, the kind of light photographers chase their whole lives.
This is a place that has been on adventurers' bucket lists for centuries. In September we get the best of it: soft golden-hour light, dramatic skies, and even the possibility of the northern lights beginning to show as the nights return.
And we get to photograph dogs in the middle of all of it.
HOME BASE:
Hattvika LodgeÂ
We're staying at Hattvika Lodge in the fishing village of Ballstad, a collection of authentic fisherman's cottages, some dating to the 1850s, beautifully restored and sitting right out over the water. This is the kind of place you don't quite believe is real until you're standing on the dock at sunrise with a coffee.
What a week here looks like
We won't hand you a rigid hour-by-hour schedule, and that's on purpose. The whole point of a Barkaventure is to be fully present in a magical place. But here's the rhythm you can count on:
Photograph dogs, every single day.
We'll be capturing the canine spirit in epic Lofoten locations most photographers never get access to, with the same tight, intimate instructor-to-student ratio our retreats are known for.
Explore the islands in between.
Lofoten is a playground. Think sea kayaking through crystal-clear water, hikes into the peaks, boat rides, and slow wanders through fishing villages frozen in time. Optional fun, always your call.
Rest, eat, and soak it in.
There will absolutely be spa and sauna time, long meals together, and space to just breathe it all in. The learning happens here too, in conversation, on a beach, in the sauna, not in a lecture hall.
Your guidesÂ
Barktic Circle is led by the three original creators of the luxury international pet photography retreat: Nicole Begley, Charlotte Reeves, and Kaylee Greer. Between us, 60+ years of pet photography experience and over a decade of leading these adventures around the world.
Nicole Begley
Charlotte Reeves
Kaylee Greer
Who Barktic Circle is for
Barkaventures are best suited to intermediate and experienced pet photographers, people who are already comfortable photographing dogs in a range of settings and want the access, the location, and the community. You won't be learning which button to press. You'll be making images you couldn't make anywhere else, with people who get it.
If you've ever looked at our past Barkas and thought "someday," this is that someday.
The Investment
The whole point is to be fully present, so the experience is handled. Your private room at Hattvika Lodge. Daily breakfast and meals together. The spa and sauna after a day in the Arctic. Every planned shoot in locations most photographers never get to stand in.
You cover your flights to Norway. The rest is the magic, and that's on us.
Base Registration
Private sleeping room in a fishing cabin, shared bathroom with one other student.
$8,600 USD
Hillside Suite Upgrade
Upgrade to a private Hillside Suite with your own private bathroom
$10,350 USD
Bring a Guest
Includes the Hillside Suite upgrade plus your non-shooting guest for the full experience
$12,600 USD
A note on rooms: Base registration gives you a private sleeping room in a fishing cabin, either 4BR/2BA or 2BR/1BA layout) Want your own bathroom? The Hillside Suite upgrade gives you a private suite and private bath, but is still close to everything!
The Important Details...
- Fly into Oslo (OSL), then connect to Evenes/Harstad-Narvik (EVE). EVE is the closest airport to the Lofoten Islands, about a 3.5–4 hour scenic drive to Hattvika Lodge. Direct flights from Oslo run about 1 hour 40 minutes on SAS, Norwegian, or Widerøe. We can provide guidance on the best flights and timing to book for your session.
- We can book your pre- and post-trip hotels in Oslo so you have a smooth landing after your international flight and a comfortable overnight before heading home. Hotel costs are billed separately from your registration.
- We can also book your ground transportation from Evenes airport to Hattvika Lodge. No need to figure out the logistics of getting across the Lofoten Islands on your own. Transportation costs are billed separately from your registration.
- Your registration covers everything once you arrive at the lodge and until you depart. Lodging, meals, photography sessions, instruction, and the full Barktic Circle experience. Everything before and after the lodge grounds (flights, Oslo hotels, airport transfers) is on you, though we're happy to handle the booking.
- Prefer to handle all your own travel? That works too. Book your own hotels, flights, and ground transportation and simply arrive at Hattvika Lodge on your session start date.
- Travel insurance is strongly recommended. This investment is non-refundable, a comprehensive travel insurance policy that covers trip cancellation, medical emergencies, and travel delays is highly recommended. We'll send recommendations after registration.
- Pack for Arctic September. Expect temps in the 40s–50s°F (5–12°C), layering weather, and the chance of rain. A detailed packing guide will be provided closer to the trip.
How to secure your spotÂ
With only 12 spots per session, we fully expect Barktic Circle to fill from the waitlist before it ever opens to the public. Here's how it works:
NOW
Join the waitlist below. No commitment, it simply gets you first access.
JUNE 15
Waitlist registration opens. We'll email everyone on the waitlist directly with the registration form.
JUNE 23
Any remaining spots open to the public, if there are any left.
Wondering when payments are due?
- At Registration - $1,000
- September 15, 2026 - $2,500
- January 15, 2027 - $2,500
- June 1, 2027 - Balance Due
