Mads Nordsveen is a travel photographer based in Oslo, Norway – and he’s seen his fair share of nature’s wonders. But when he spotted something moving in the snow while hiking with friends on the northern Norwegian island of Senja last December, it stopped him in his tracks.

The 24-year-old told Caters News:

“I was walking in the mountains looking for nice landscapes for my travel photography when out of nowhere I saw this adorable animal.”

First, he caught sight of its antlers and dark eyes – if not for those he might have never noticed the creature up ahead.

Off to the side stood a brown reindeer – fairly common in that area. He assumed that was the mother of the spectacular and rare snow-white reindeer calf he and his friends had just stumbled across.

“The calf seemed a bit scared at first, but we sat completely quiet and were very calm, and eventually it came quite close,” Nordsveen told The Washington Post.

It’s not everyday one comes across a white reindeer, although after Nordsveen’s photos went viral people started sharing their own. Many of them were taken in the summer months when the animals are more conspicuous.

And while many assume the white animals are albino, true albinos lack pigment in their eyes as well. Those animals tend not to thrive because their eyes are so sensitive to the light.

Nordsveen said that white reindeer are considered good luck by the indigenous Sami people of northern Norway and will bring happiness to anyone who comes across one.

And this one happened to be a friendly and photogenic little calf. It stood around and allowed Nordsveen to take multiple photos for about 5 minutes before running back to its mother and scampering off into the woods.

“He came very close to me and we looked at each other straight in the eyes,” he said of the encounter.

Calling it a “fairy tale moment,” he got some beautiful – and hilarious – photos.

“He was quite relaxed when he saw that I was calm and friendly. It was almost as if he posed for the camera…He was very curious and fun. Like a little explorer.”

The photographer couldn’t believe his luck at coming across the animal, especially since his photoshoots are typically well-planed far in advance.

“Before trips, I do quite a lot of research to find the best locations and views,” he told ABC News. “However, you cannot plan magical moments like the reindeer photos.”

The photos were posted on December 8, 2018, and have earned 59,000 likes on Nordsveen’s Instagram account alone. They’ve also been shared and liked on dozens of other websites.

“I am very pleased with the reaction,” he said. “[They are] some very special photos but I did not think it would blow up worldwide like this!”

Nordsveen’s Instagram account is a feast for the eyes, so we’re glad to see his good luck has brought more attention to his stunning photography.

Be sure to scroll down below to see a news story on the lucky find.

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Source: The Washington Post, BBC News, ABC News, Inside Edition via YouTube, Mads Nordsveen official website