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I love the colourful houses that I saw throughout Norway, Sweden, and Finland. The most common colour is red, particularly in the Lofoten Islands where most of the rorbuer, or old fishermen's cabins, are painted this colour. They provide lovely spots of colour in the winter months when everything else is covered in a thick coat of white!

The moraine-filled valley of the Tasman Glacier in the South Island's Mackenzie Country. It was hard to even comprehend how big the glacier, now starting many kilometers behind us, once was.

All I can hear when I look at this photo is the raucous din of Reine's ever-present seagulls, seen just to the right of the dock as they swoop and play just above the near-freezing waters of the fjord. This was such a change from the day before, when clear blue skies and golden light filled the fjord, but it was still a stunning scene. Even as the snow moved back in and completely blocked my view of the mountains, I wondered why I had to leave.

It was crazy how warm an atmosphere the SnowCastle's IceBar had...even though it was -5C and made entirely of ice!

Seriously, what place has a more epic coastline than this? Fjords and mountains as far as the eye can see.

The mountains of Svolvær, in Norway's Lofoten Islands, reflected in the icy cold water of the fjord on a clear March day.

Reindeer take off from the starting gates during one of the reindeer races at the 2013 Sami Easter Festival in Kautokeino, Norway.

Which would you rather do: walk through an autumnal forest (like in my last photo) or stroll down a snow-covered lane in the everlasting golden hours of Lapland's winter?

The gorgeous red tones of the Jukkasjärvi church standing out against the blue skies and snowdrifts of a late winter day.

White blankets the forests and the wide expanse of Lake Palojärvi beyond. Finnish Lapland is such a magical place in winter.

The 2013 edition of the Icehotel, with its entryway's ice glowing brighter than the full moon above. Camera: Nikon D700 w/ 24-70mm f2.8 lens ISO100, 15s @f13

This was my view from inside my glass igloo at Hotel Kakslauttanen in Finnish Lapland. My stay there was a highlight on my itinerary and it absolutely did not disappoint. How could it when I could lie in bed taking photos of the northern lights when it was -38C outside?! Read more about what my trip was like at: http://www.bootsandabackpack.com/dozing-off-under-the-northern-lights/

The orange lights of the Story Bridge casting a glow on the calm waters of the Brisbane River below.

To learn more about the northern lights, how to photograph them, and how to travel around Lapland successfully, check out my new 'Guide to Lapland and Northern Norway in Winter' available at http://www.winterinlapland.com. The people on my tour to Kätkävaara in Finnish Lapland on the night this was taken had no idea where in the sky to look. The aurora was bouncing across the sky and moving so quickly it was hard to keep track!

This shot was from a very fun steel wool burning session under the Story Bridge in Captain Burke Park. This one is being spun above Anita's head rather than out in front of her.

From a very fun session of steel wool twirling in Captain Burke Park at Brisbane's Kangaroo Point.

Two years ago on St Patrick's Day, we were in for an absolute treat. A coronal mass ejection happened on the sun a few days prior, which meant massive auroras when it hit the Earth's atmosphere. I'm so glad that I booked in on a last-minute trip that took us to this hill in Kätkävaara, far out in the Finnish wilderness. There was no light pollution so we got to watch the amazing show until the guide forced us all back into the van! Read more (and see more photos) on my blog at: http://www.bootsandabackpack.com/celebrating-st-patricks-day-with-the-aurora-and-knee-deep-snow/

The first time I saw the northern lights, they appeared as a dim green line across the sky. The second time I saw the northern lights, in Inari, Finland, they danced across the entire northern sky. It was amazing...and a slightly better view than the naked Finnish men in front of the sauna nearby! Read more on my blog (and see more photos of the aurora) at: http://www.bootsandabackpack.com/riverfront-saunas-and-northern-lights-at-hotel-kultahovi/ Taken: Over the River Juutua in Inari, Finland. Camera: Nikon D700 w/ 24-70mm f/2.8 lens

You're often told, when you head north to the Arctic Circle, that you'll need to get out of the city to see the northern lights properly. That's often true, as the light pollution blocks you from seeing the full strength of the aurora, but sometimes you're lucky enough to see a scene like this right behind your hotel. Taken in Ivalo, Finnish Lapland, behind the Hotel Kultahippu. Camera: Nikon D700 w/ 24-70mm f/2.8 lens

On our first morning at Emerald Lake Lodge, we woke up to drizzly rain and low clouds. Only a few hours later, this was the view. How could this place not be one of my favourite views in the Rockies?

The Marina Bay Sands Skypark and the Singapore skyline. I was just mesmerised by this view and could have taken lots of photos from all different angles -- that is, if I'd been allowed to use my tripod! I saw plenty of people covertly trying to use theirs but there were too many staff in this area so I didn't even try. Instead I set the camera to ISO 4000 and did my best with what I had!

We could see hints of sparkling green from our room, but when we finally found this little lookout between the trees we were stunned at how truly gorgeous Emerald Lake was. Camera: Nikon D700 w/ 24-70mm f/2.8 lens Location: Emerald Lake, British Columbia, Canada

A few years ago, I did the Story Bridge Climb in Brisbane when they still had special photographers' tours. Unlike on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, we were allowed to bring our SLRs, which were securely screwed in to our belts and had no detachable parts that could fall on the traffic below. It was a fantastic experience watching the sun set over the city as all of its lights turned on...and afterwards it was quite the photographic challenge to try to take night-time photos with the only tripod being the very shaky bridge!

I love going to Wilson's Outlook for Riverfire! Great atmosphere and the view really can't be beaten!

More amazing fireworks during Riverfire 2010. I don't know if seeing this show could ever get old!

Frozen Abiskoeatnu Canyon in Abisko National Park. I couldn't even begin to imagine the roar of the waterfall in the summer in such a quiet, frozen environment…especially because the peace was so blissful.

It was no surprise that my first photo shoot in San Francisco featured a lot of fog; after all, that's what the city is known for. What was interesting, though, was the way the fog dramatically changed this scene, shot from the Embarcadero, between nights: on this night, the view was much better in black & white, which emphasized the almost film noir feeling, while the next night was still foggy but much more suited to brilliant, poppy colours, as seen in "A Not Too Foggy Night."

What else can I say? Despite an inauspicious start when we all arrived to find temporary fencing blocking off the best photo spots, it was a brilliant day punctuated by an amazing display.

A cool display I didn't see at last year's Riverfire -- a star of fireworks coming off the Story Bridge. This was just after a waterfall of fireworks inside the bridge itself (which I got no decent pictures of).

Looking at displays like this never gets old -- even after staking out a spot from 7am to make sure I had the best view in the house!

The sun peeks through the trees on a gorgeous morning at Emerald Lake. It's hard to believe, but the lake really is that emerald-coloured. There's so many amazing angles on it as well -- particularly because you can walk a full 6km circuit around the lake -- that you can easily spend an entire day exploring there.

Rapids turning the Bow River into a white swirl as it rushes towards Bow Falls and the Fairmont Banff Springs.

The morning of the winter solstice started with a heavy fog shrouding much of the city of Brisbane. It had slowly started lifting by the time I got this shot, taken from the Kangaroo Point cliffs with the aid of an ND400 filter.

One of my favourite spots: Point Lookout on North Stradbroke Island. Had I not been with a group of photographers -- and had my ND400 filter not gotten stuck on shortly after I took this -- I could have stayed at this spot all day, watching the waves and the occasional person that tried to brave them.

The Story Bridge lights up underneath the huge fireworks of Riverfire in September 2010. Taken from a spot at Wilson's Outlook that I had to claim 12 hours prior to the show!

This picture is a reminder to me that, if on holiday and offered the chance to 'take the scenic route,' you should always say yes. I got this shot of the Rakaia Gorge bridge, built in 1882, as I took the Inland Scenic Route from Tekapo back to Christchurch at the end of an amazing 9 days on the South Island.