Realm of the Eagles 2027

"FISH IS OUT, EAGLE IS COMING" shouts Ole Martin Dahle from his position at the helm. Ole Martin handles the boat with a practised hand; he knows where the eagles are, he checks the wind direction, and after throwing out the fish he positions the boat so that we get the eagle either from the side, at an angle from the front, or in the best case almost straight from the front. Everything depends on the circumstances: the direction and strength of the wind and the position of the sun, but also on which eagle it is.

In Ole Martin Dahle's eagle realm in Nord-Trøndelag, there are more than a hundred eagles, if you also count the younger ones. Some thirty nesting sites lie within the boat's reach. We keep a great distance from the nesting sites, but the white-tailed eagles recognise the boat and Ole Martin. It is usually enough for us to approach a territory for the eagles to "know" that some extra fish is on the way, and at this time of year the eagle pairs need to feed their young often.

When Brutus first visited Ole Martin in 2003, he had only three photographers there the whole summer. Brutus visited him for a week, and they were out morning and evening. A successful day meant seven dives, something that felt utterly fantastic at the time. Between the dives, Ole Martin and Brutus would fish up more "eagle fish" in a Norwegian sea that is still alive, especially compared to what we Swedes are used to.

Today the white-tailed eagle nests are even more numerous, and on a really good day there can be ten times as many dives, that is, seventy dives.

Over the years Ole Martin has refined his photographic skills and his homemade technique. No matter which direction the eagle comes from, Ole Martin always makes sure that we "shoot" on the left side of the boat. We never need to hesitate; as the eagle approaches, the boat will lie with its port side towards the direction from which the eagle will make its dive to take the fish. The photographers can concentrate on getting the shots.

We can have special wishes; we may want front light or backlight. It is often possible to arrange for a few dives, but the wind and sun direction determine what is possible at any given moment (and only in exceptional cases do we want to take the pictures of the dive and the eagle's catch from behind).

The white-tailed eagles are the centre of attention, but we also spend time on the somewhat close and hyper-fast Arctic skuas, and during breaks we do "creative" photography with "måker", gulls. Herring gulls and great black-backed gulls are the most common, but there are usually quite a few lesser black-backed gulls and black-legged kittiwakes too.

We run two trips, morning and evening. We have three packed days with opportunities for fantastic pictures that we may previously only have dreamed of.

We are out for up to four hours at a time, morning and evening. Since the days are long – it does not get dark at this time of year – there are many free hours in the middle of the day. Boat trips can be varied with photography from a newly built hide where birds drink and bathe, and in the best case a sparrowhawk or goshawk comes down.

And if you are a beginner, don't worry, you can throw away 95-97% of your images and still come home with pictures you may never have thought you would get.

Six trips in Ole Martin's aluminium boat, specially built for this purpose, unless the weather makes it impossible. We go out in the morning and after the evening meal. Here the sun does not set until around 11 pm and it never gets really dark. Even in bad weather it is usually possible to adjust the times so that we get the most out of it.

We stay in Ørnehuset, a modern, airy and pleasant house beside one of the fjords down on Ole Martin's land. Here we cook some meals ourselves, arrange a "breakfast packet", or visit the village restaurant Zanzibar where Pål, the owner, slips around.

Photograph white-tailed eagles in action in an absolutely magnificent setting. When you come out between the islands or into the fjords between the mighty mountains, it is wilderness, or wilderness sea.

Incredibly many opportunities for action shots you may not even have dreamed of being able to get.

In the breaks between the eagle dives we do a lot of creative photography with "måker", gulls.

Now it is the photography that is at the centre, but at its core it is about a nature experience of the highest order.

Six trips in Ole Martin's aluminium boat, specially built for this purpose, unless the weather makes it impossible. We go out in the morning and after the evening meal. Here the sun does not set until around 11 pm and it never gets really dark. Even in bad weather it is usually possible to adjust the times so that we get the most out of it.

Ole Martin Dahle knows most of the different eagle individuals and every corner of the archipelago. And he knows exactly how to position the boat so that we always get both the best light and the most action opportunities. Each participant can fully concentrate on just getting the shots.

Brutus has had over 100 groups here and helps out with tips and advice.