Vegetation and meteorological observations (snow and radiation) were collected by various ground instruments in an area of forest near Abisko (Sweden) and Sodankylä (Finland) during measurement campaigns in March 2011 and March 2012. This dataset contains the hemispherical photography data collected at Sodankyla site in March 2011. Upward-looking hemispherical photographs were taken at every radiometer position using a Nikon Coolpix 4300 digital camera with a Nikon FC-E8 fisheye lens. The camera was mounted on a small tripod with the lens approximately 20 cm above the snow surface. In each case, the camera was levelled and rotated such that magnetic north is at the top of the photograph. This was a NERC funded project.