The allure of black and white photography lies in its power to distil the visual world into its purest forms — emphasising textures, contrasts, and details that often go unnoticed. This summer of 2025, I embarked on a photographic exploration across Norway, capturing its striking landscapes on the timeless medium of film.
My journey took me through the rugged terrains of Telemark, Vestfold, and Nordland, where each scene whispered stories of geological history and natural beauty. Utilising Kentmere Pan 100 film from Harman Technology, I sought to immortalise these landscapes with a classical, sharp aesthetic that highlights the intricate details and organic shapes sculpted over millennia.
A MIGHTY GLACIER: Engenbreen is a glacier tongue extending westwards and is part of Norway’s largest ice sheet. It recedes each year due to warm summers, revealing pristine landscapes that have been covered by ice for ten millennia. (Pentax 645Nii. SMC Pentax-FA 645 1:5.6/150-300mm. Kentmere Pan 100 exposed at ISO 50 and pull processed with Ilfotec LC 29 film developer.) Photo: Bjørn Joachimsen.
The Magic of Black and White in Landscape Photography
Shooting with black and white film offers a unique artistic experience — one that invites a focus on form, contrast, and mood. The absence of colour encourages a viewer’s eye to dwell on the subtleties of light and shadow, revealing textures and patterns that colour might obscure. For me, the process of capturing images in this monochrome palette heightens my awareness of the landscape’s inherent beauty and allows the finer details to emerge with extraordinary clarity.
Unveiling the Wonders of Telemark
In Telemark, I was captivated by enchanted river gorges and giant potholes, shaped by the relentless forces of ice, water, and pressure exerted over tens of thousands of years. These geological features — with their organic forms and intricate textures — presented a wealth of inspiration. To convey their essence, I employed tight framing and minimalist compositions, deliberately excluding extraneous elements to focus solely on these natural sculptures.
TRACES FROM THE PAST: Burial mound from the Bronze Age, located at Mølen in Vestfold. Mølen is one of the largest shingle beaches in the Nordics. (Zenza Bronica GS-1, Zenzanon PG 1:4.5/50mm. NiSi JetMag Pro 82. Kentmere Pan 100 exposed at ISO 50 and pull processed with Ilfotec LC 29 film developer.) Photo: Bjørn Joachimsen.
Living Traces of Ancient Life along Vestfold’s Coast
My recent years have seen me spend considerable time along Vestfold’s rugged coastline. Here, the lingering marks of long-lost ice ages are vividly evident in the shape of worn-out rock formations, crevices, and pebble beaches. I’ve also been intrigued by remnants of ancient civilisation lurking within these landscapes; Bronze Age burial mounds still punctuate the scenery, evocative of a distant past. These contrasts — between natural geological phenomena and human history — enrich the visual tapestry of the region.
UNIQUE SHAPES AND TEXTURES: Alpine karst at the bottom of a lake in Láhko National Park. Pentax 645Nii. SMC Pentax-FA 645 1:3.5/35mm. NiSi System 100mm V7. Kentmere Pan 100 exposed at ISO 50 and pull processed with Ilfotec LC 29 film developer.) Photo: Bjørn Joachimsen.
Northern Geology: From Saltfjellet to Nordland’s Alpine Karst
Further north, the geology continues to inspire. The Saltfjellet area offers a playground of rugged mountain formations and striking mineral landscapes, which I have revisited since 2016. Every visit reveals new shapes and textures, keeping the landscape perpetually fresh and fascinating.
In Nordland, Láhko National Park stands out with one of the world’s largest alpine karst regions. Its surface features — from dramatic ridges and caverns to canyon systems and boulder fields — seem straight out of a landscape fantasy. These abstract forms are a landscape photographer’s dream, especially when working in monochrome, accentuating the surreal textures and patterns.
Not far from here, the Engen Glacier, a tributary of the mighty Svartisen Ice Cap, extends down towards the coast. As the glacier recedes year after year, it unveils pristine, untouched landscapes that speak to the dynamic power of nature’s sculpting forces.
The Choice of Film: Kentmere Pan 100
All these images were captured using Kentmere Pan 100, an affordable yet high-quality film from Harman Technology — the makers behind the renowned Ilford films. Despite its modest price, Kentmere Pan 100 provides exceptionally sharp details, fine grain, and a classic tonal range, from deep blacks through to delicate highlights. Its ability to render landscapes with precision and depth makes it a favourite of mine for this project.
Equipment and Techniques
The photographs featured here were taken using a Bronica GS-1 and a Pentax 645NII medium format camera. To control the exposure times and manage reflections within the scenes, I used filters from the NiSi JetMag Pro series (82mm and 95mm), held in front of the lens during the shots rather than mounted on the camera. Additionally, I employed the NiSi System 100mm V7 filter system as a useful tool to further refine exposure and achieve the desired visual effects. These filters were valuable aids in realising my photographic vision. My camera was mounted on a Sirui tripod, ensuring stability and sharpness.
Shaped by glacier and sea: Bedrock in Vestfold. Nature’s forces have shaped and polished Larvikite along the coast of Vestfold for more than one hundred thousand years. (Zenza Bronica GS-1, Zenzanon PG 1:4.5/200mm. NiSi JetMag Pro 82. Kentmere Pan 100 exposed at ISO 50 and pull processed with Ilfotec LC 29 film developer.) Photo: Bjørn Joachimsen.
Landscape and Time
I spend much of my time as a photographer exploring the Norwegian landscape with a camera and lens, and capturing it on black and white film has been a profoundly rewarding experience. Each image not only conveys the physical beauty of the terrain but also the timeless forces that have shaped and sculpted these landscapes over thousands of years. The contrasts, textures, and organic forms revealed in monochrome serve as a powerful reminder of nature’s enduring artistry. This journey has reaffirmed my belief in the timeless beauty of film photography and its ability to communicate the deep, almost primal, connection between landscape and time.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any comments or questions regarding this article or the photographs published here: bjorn.joachimse@gmail.com.
Learn more about Kentmere Pan 100 below the image.
Karst formations and snow: In Láhko National Park in Nordland, one can find vast karst walls and snow lingering in the landscape well into summer. (Pentax 645Nii. SMC Pentax-FA 645 1:4.5/80-160mm. Kentmere Pan 100 exposed at ISO 50 and pull processed with Ilfotec LC 29 film developer.) Photo: Bjørn Joachimsen.
Summary of Kentmere Pan 100 Film Specifications
| Attribute | Specification |
|---|---|
| Film Type | Black and White, Panchromatic |
| ISO | 100 |
| Grain | Fine, consistent grain |
| Tonal Range | Wide, from deep blacks to bright highlights |
| Price | Highly affordable |
| Developed by | Harman Technology (Ilford Photo) |
| Usage Recommendations | Suitable for landscapes, fine art, and high-detail work |
SHAPED THROUGH TIME: Granite in Telemark sculpted by the great inland ice that covered Norway for tens of thousands of years. (Zenza Bronica GS-1, Zenzanon PG 1:3.5/100mm. NiSi JetMag Pro 82. Kentmere Pan 100 exposed at ISO 50 and pull processed with Ilfotec LC 29 film developer.). Photo: Bjørn Joachimsen.