Interview With a Photographer | Niklas Söderlund
Where's Home?
Home is Reykjavík, Iceland. I grew up in Sweden and I'm also half German.
What is the favourite place you’ve travelled to?
It's a tough call. Iceland has been a favourite since I first went here last year, it's raw and wild and I love that! My other favourite is California, I've always been a big fan of music and movies and the culture around it, so the USA kinda feels nostalgic for me in some weird way.
How did you get started as a photographer?
Last year, (2016) I really got into hiking and camping. Two friends of mine had Instagram accounts where they only posted outdoors photos, I made one for myself and that quickly escalated into me buying a camera. I taught myself everything I could find about photography and changed my entire lifestyle to be able to travel and shoot as much as possible.
What camera equipment / software / tech do you use? Any must haves?
I shoot with a Canon EOS 5D mark IV. My lenses: 16-35mm f/2.8 II, 24-70mm f/2.8 II, 70-200mm f/2.8 IS II. For the drone shots I'm using the DJI Mavic Pro. All editing is made in Lightroom and Photoshop. For me it's the perfect set up, covers all my needs!
What photographers have influenced you, how you think and shoot?
From start Alex Strohl, Jason Charles Hill and Benjamin Hardman if we look on the Instagram part. They all have this clean style and amazing color profiles. Beside from that I've learned a lot by watching movies and the way story telling works in cinema.
Any top tips for Instagram?
Keep a theme and be consistent!
What are you trying to communicate through your photographs?
Showing how grand our planet is, that we need to care for it and how small we are compared to the forces of nature.
What motivates you to continue doing what you’re doing?
Creating and adventures are my two biggest passions, and that's basically what photography is for me. It's a natural motivation.
Are you a bathroom singer?
I am a bathroom singer, I'm also a table drummer and an air guitarist. Don't play good music near me, you've been warned.
Do you have any advice for young aspiring photographers?
Don't think too much about what others are doing, go do your own thing. Be inspired by the things you love, not the things that are trending. And hard work pays off, always!
What are your goals for the future, regarding your work?
My two biggest goals right now are setting up a print shop and New Zealand. And of course, just shooting as much as possible and exploring more of Iceland!
