Terje Kolaas: Underwater Wildlife Photography with Outex Housing
Feb 21, 2026
Beneath the Fjord: How Terje Kolaas Pushes Creative Boundaries with Outex
Norwegian photographer Terje Kolaas has built a visual legacy rooted in curiosity, presence, and the relentless pursuit of perspective beyond the ordinary. Over years in the field, Terje has crafted a unique photographic voice that seamlessly navigates between:
- Wildlife storytelling
- Landscape and environmental portraiture
- Underwater and surface-level imaging
- Action and movement in nature
What sets Terje apart is not just what he captures, but where he places his camera — often in spaces other photographers avoid. Whether it’s photographing birds interacting with water, documenting subtle behaviors in harsh winter fjord conditions, or exploring the hidden realms beneath the surface, Terje’s work consistently blends technical mastery with narrative depth.
His portfolio reflects a deep respect for natural behavior, combined with a sensitivity to environment and light that turns fleeting moments into unforgettable imagery. From eiders gliding across cold Nordic waters to abstract interpretations of surface tension and reflection, Terje’s photography invites viewers to reflect on the interplay between subject, space, and story.
Over time, his images have:
- Appeared in national and international publications
- Inspired fellow photographers and creators
- Influenced visual storytelling in Arctic and coastal environments
- Elevated awareness of seasonal and climate-driven change through artistic documentation
But more than accolades, Terje’s work is defined by one core idea: placing the viewer inside the experience, not just in front of it.
This immersive sensibility is visible in:
- His signature use of waterline and submerged perspectives
- A painterly eye for light, texture, and surface movement
- A refined understanding of animal behavior and habitat
- The ability to balance technical challenge with creative purpose
Terje’s ongoing projects expand beyond aesthetics alone — they explore how creatures, landscapes, and ecosystems respond to environmental pressure points like climate change, urban proximity, and seasonal extremes.
In many ways, his photography functions as visual research — bridging art and inquiry, and inviting audiences to see the world not just as a snapshot, but as a narrative unfolding in space and time.
In the winter light of central Norway, where fjords cut deep into glacial landscapes and sea birds gather along tidal currents, Terje Kolaas has built a reputation for bold, immersive wildlife imagery.
His photographs often place viewers at the exact boundary between two worlds — above and below the surface, where light fractures, wings skim water, and behavior unfolds in split seconds. Terje is not simply documenting wildlife; he is redefining perspective.
And recently, that perspective expanded even further.
The Common Eider Project — Trondheimfjord, Norway
At Straumen in Trondheimfjord, generations of locals have fed and observed common eiders. Over decades, the birds have grown accustomed to human presence. They are not tame — but they are cooperative, comfortable, and predictable enough to allow something rare in wildlife photography:
True experimentation.
For his Common Eider project, Terje positioned a Canon EOS R5 Mark II paired with an Canon RF 15-35mm f2.8L IS USM inside an Outex waterproof housing — partially submerged in the clear winter waters of Trondheimfjord.
The goal was ambitious:
Capture dynamic, split-level images of eiders moving through their natural habitat, with 5–10 cm of water above the camera — just enough to reveal both air and underwater worlds simultaneously.
The camera was triggered remotely using PocketWizard Plus controllers, with the receiver placed inside the housing. It wasn’t the easiest setup — tight space, careful placement, deliberate testing — but it worked.
And that’s where the real story begins.
Expanding Creative Possibility: How Terje Kolaas Expanded His Wildlife Photography with Outex
Before Outex, creating this type of imagery would have required:
- A heavy, model-specific hard housing
- Significant travel logistics
- Greater setup time
- Increased financial investment
- Less flexibility in spontaneous wildlife conditions
Outex changed the equation.
By using a lightweight, flexible waterproof system, Terje was able to:
- Deploy a high-resolution mirrorless camera directly in the water
- Experiment with extremely low waterline positioning
- Work close to wildlife without intimidating bulk
- Adapt quickly to tidal and light changes
- Travel light in winter conditions
Instead of limiting his vision to what was practical, Outex allowed him to design the shot first — and solve the logistics second.
That’s creative expansion.
Why Trondheimfjord Was the Perfect Test Ground
The waters at Straumen offer a seasonal advantage. In cold, dry winter conditions, the fjord becomes remarkably clear. Summer runoff from rivers and rainfall brings sediment that reduces visibility — but winter delivers pristine underwater clarity.
This allowed Terje to:
- Capture clean underwater detail
- Use wide-angle perspective to emphasize proximity
- Highlight feather texture, light refraction, and behavior
- Combine surface reflections with submerged movement
The birds’ long-term familiarity with people meant he could place equipment in position without disrupting natural behavior. The same concept, he notes, could work in harbors and city parks worldwide where birds are cooperative and accustomed to human presence.
It’s not about exotic destinations.
It’s about access, trust, and preparation.
Technical Lessons & Future Possibilities
The project also revealed new frontiers.
While the remote trigger worked reliably with shallow submersion, deeper deployment would benefit from a tether system. A tether-and-tripod kit would allow:
- Greater depth flexibility
- More stable camera positioning
- Improved remote triggering reliability
- Expanded species possibilities
Terje even noted that a slightly expanded Outex housing version — with more space above the camera body — could better accommodate remote receivers in future wildlife applications.
This is the kind of real-world field feedback that drives innovation.
When ambassadors push equipment to its limits, the product evolves alongside creative ambition.
A Broader Impact on Wildlife Photography
What makes Terje’s work compelling is not just technical execution — it’s proximity.
He invites viewers into a space where:
- Wings slice water
- Bubbles rise past feathers
- Surface tension bends light
- Birds exist simultaneously in two environments
These images feel intimate because they are.
They are made possible by placing the camera where most photographers would hesitate.
Outex removes that hesitation.
How Outex Expanded Terje’s Capabilities
The Common Eider project demonstrates three major expansions:
Perspective Expansion
Access to waterline and submerged angles without traditional hard housing constraints.
Mobility Expansion
Lightweight, adaptable system ideal for cold fjord environments and wildlife positioning.
Creative Expansion
Freedom to experiment with remote triggers, surface placement, and dynamic composition.
Outex did not change Terje’s vision.
It gave him the confidence and flexibility to pursue it further.
When Protection Enables Innovation
Wildlife photography often depends on proximity to unstable environments:
- Breaking surf
- Ice-covered lakes
- Coastal tides
- Rain, spray, snow
Without proper protection, photographers stay back.
With the right system, they move closer.
In Trondheimfjord, that closeness created images that feel immersive, rare, and alive — photographs that place viewers at the exact boundary where eiders glide between air and water.
And that boundary is where some of the most compelling wildlife storytelling lives.
Looking Ahead
As Terje continues developing his fjord and coastal projects, expanded tools like tether kits, tripod systems, and potentially modified housing space open new opportunities for deeper placements and more complex remote setups.
The Common Eider project is not just a single shoot.
It’s proof of concept.
When gear becomes adaptable, wildlife photography becomes more inventive.
And when photographers like Terje Kolaas are given the freedom to experiment, entire new visual possibilities emerge from the cold waters of a Norwegian fjord.
