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Gunnar Freyr

@icelandic_explorer

Photographer based in Iceland

Introducing Gunnar Freyr

Gunnar is born and raised in Denmark, but having Icelandic parents, he has always felt a sense of belonging when visiting Iceland. At some point, he sold everything and moved to the country he felt he belonged to. Over the years improving his photography, he ended up teaching at the photography school where he dropped out himself after the first semester some years before. Although some theory and the critical approach he learned are very useful, he says: “It’s much more about dedication, consistency, being willing to put yourself out there and work really hard over a long period of time.” This might be the reason he doesn’t like the term ‘photographer’. He thinks it’s too easy just to call yourself a photographer and have that define you, while there’s so much more beyond. Instead, he prefers the term creative or visual entrepreneur to not limit himself.  With his photography, he looks for mindfulness, he wants to find those moments that bring inner peace. “You can be a photographer, but it isn’t who you are; your work as a photographer will reflect who you are” Gunnar says. 

Today, Gunnar is owner of Iceland Explorer Media. He does various photography and video projects and expeditions in Iceland and Greenland. Self-reflection was essential in the process of getting there, and it is still, to grow as a person and as a creative; this helped him to become more conscious and whole on the inside. Nature has played an important role in here: It provided him with space for reflection, allowing him to become more mindful, removing modern-day stresses and other people’s expectations. Away from the continuously connected world, Gunnar was impressed when visiting Greenland for the first time: The vast landscapes helped to put everything in perspective. The wonderful experience made him feel like he owed to Greenland to capture it in the best possible way.

For these photographic travels in Iceland and Greenland, he made a standard checklist that notes the must bring items, among which waterproof overalls, long-johns, two cameras, several lenses and of course woolen socks knitted by his mom. Do you know what else he brings on his trips and what more he shared with us? Keep reading!

Interview

Welcome Gunnar!

You were born and raised in Denmark, by Icelandic parents. However, you have always felt the desire to live in Iceland. You started a job in consulting and accounting in Denmark and decided at some point to sell everything you had and to move to Iceland. What made your desire to live in Iceland so strong? And where did your interest in photography sneaked in? 

I had always come to visit Iceland since I was a young child, and my parents even flew me to Iceland when I was 5 to have me baptised in iceland. Iceland has always been somewhere in my soul, and every time I would come visit, I would really feel at home. There was just something that made me feel like I belonged there. Even as a young kid, I loved the sense of adventure you had in Iceland, the weather, the mountains, the sometimes crazy and wild people. Danes, however lovely as they are, are much more tamed and controlled than the Icelanders. And I really liked the craziness of the Icelanders. Honestly, I hadn’t even gone anywhere very exotic when I had come here as a child, which I think says a lot, since the golden circle was some of the most adventurous things I had done when I finally moved here in 2014. However, even in Reykjavik I could feel the sense of adventure and just had to come here and find it.

After working in the corporate world in Copenhagen, I also really needed to change the air. Go somewhere else, and escape a life and reality which I felt was overly serious and complex. I wanted less seriousness and a more simple life. In Iceland, things didn’t feel so serious, partly due to factors such as the weather, the people and the unpredictability of things here. 

My interest in photography arose around 2007 when I went on a Interrail trip around Europe. Years before that I dreamt of buying a DSLR but as a student I never felt like I could afford it. In 2007, I decided to take the leap and buy (what I considered at that time) a real camera.

"Even if it was only maybe USD 500, it felt like a lot of money back then, and I bought a used lens from one of my friends which had a relatively large aperture."

This was a Canon, and I have been with them since then. Anyway, during the interrail trip with my buddies, I really loved taking pictures and trying to capture beautiful things, and this sensation lingered for almost 7 years. In 2011, I brought the camera with me for the first time to Iceland, because my parents had decided to leave Denmark and buy a house in the Icelandic countryside. This was around the same time I started my corporate job in Copenhagen and I was so excited to get away from the city life and to see the mountains. I felt so empowered just being able to walk out of the house, into nature and bring my camera.

"I am honestly still a bit excited about some of those pictures and the magical lighting that I discovered here."

You started a photography school in Reykjavik some years ago. But you got back to the outdoors quickly after that. What is your opinion about attending a photography school to learn versus self-teaching? 

Funny enough, I decided to study at the photography school, only to drop out in the first semester. However, 2 years later, the headmaster of the school called me to ask if I could come and teach. I think that was quite ironic and reminded me that the reason for my success wasn’t the school. Yes, I got some confidence by going to the photography school, because I realised that I wasn’t as bad as I had somehow thought I was. It sort of helped relieve the “impostor syndrome” feeling and I honestly started feeling more confident calling myself a photographer. That was back in 2016.

"Since then, after I gained some confidence as a photographer, things started moving really fast."

Regarding self-taught vs education… I think it can be good to have some theoretical background, and especially to get the approach of constructive criticism towards your work. But if you want to make it as a professional photographer, it’s about so much more other than what you can learn in school. 

Gunnar Freyr
"It’s much more about dedication, consistency, being willing to “put yourself out there” and work really hard over a long period of time. A lot of hustle! You cannot learn these things in school. But school can make it easier if you already have the willingness to hustle."
Meet Gunnar Freyr

In one of your recent post, along a photo taken in Greenland, you shared a story. At some point you wrote: “A large part of this year for me has been dedicated to self-reflection and self-discovery, fueled by a desire to grow in awareness and becoming more whole on the inside” I think many of us are trying to find ourselves somehow, to become and feel whole, and traveling is a natural support that often helps us to get closer to the core of ourselves. Can you share with us some insights about what you learned? What do you think is most important in this process of becoming more whole on the inside? And how do you think nature is part of this? 

This is a really good question and I wish I had a good answer to it. In theory, it might be a lot simpler than in real life, because it’s constantly a moving target. We so often think that we have things figured out, only to realise that we didn’t at all. This is at least how I felt so many times during 2019. In terms of becoming whole on the inside, I think one of the most important part is learning to be kind and patient with yourself. It is something I am being constantly reminded of myself, but I always have a hard time learning. But it is so helpful in terms of letting go of whatever is happening on the inside.

"It is also really important to realise that you cannot do this journey by yourself - it is really important to try to seek out ways to find support, whether it is through yoga, meditation, counselling, or other."

For the journey, it is also really important to remember that it is not something that you suddenly fix and then never have to deal with again. Real change takes years and it’s an ongoing process and journey. Self-reflection and awareness is a bit like a muscle; if you haven’t used it, it is very weak and it’s really hard in the beginning. But it gets easier as you continue to practise. On the other hand, the muscle also gets weaker if you don’t continue to exercise.  Nature plays a huge role in the personal journey of becoming more whole on the inside, and gives so much space for reflection and learning things about yourself, partly because it helps us enter a more mindful and kind space within ourselves. It removes so many of the modern-day stresses, other people expectations of what we should be.

"Nature doesn’t care, it is just there - as long as we take good care of it. Combined with fresh air, exercise obviously makes us feel better which makes a sometimes hard journey much easier."

Talking about Greenland, this is a place that many photographers and nature lovers dream about. However, it’s also a place in danger, suffering from climate change. You recently traveled to Greenland with a group, sailing the arctic. What has impressed you most while traveling/shooting in Greenland? How did it make you feel, being in such a different world? And how was it to live this experience together with a group?

Going to Greenland is truly a life changing experience and even if our trip last year was great, I will never forget my first journey there. There is something about the beginners mind and I really felt such an overwhelming sensation during my first trip. The feeling of grandness, the unknown and wilderness is just so magical. Subsequent trips have also been amazing but you cannot beat that first experience. The feeling of being so alone and far away from the world is truly humbling and being in a country that is so endlessly vast really helps put so many things into perspective when it comes to living in a busy and continuously connected world.

"However, it’s also a sad reminder that the world isn't so vast after all, because the human footprint can be felt everywhere."

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"I have mixed feelings about traveling to Greenland."

At one hand; I feel a bit selfish because I want to go there and see everything, on the other hand, one of the things that I love the most is the lack of people and remoteness. I sometimes feel like some sort of entitlement, and I don’t like that – and that makes me at least feel like I “owe it to Greenland” to portray it in the best possible way, so people can get joy from my “selfish” trips there. 

Going on a sailing expedition into the wilderness as a group is such a big part of the experience. You are literally all in the same boat and already within the first day you become a family. At the same time, it’s very democratic (not sure if its the right word), because everyone is equal on the boat, it doesn’t matter if you’re a millionaire, struggling artist or a retired person; what matters is how you interact with the group. 

"Getting to show this incredible place to other people is very rewarding."

Probably you go on trips very regularly, packing for a few-days trip. How do you prepare yourself for these trips? And what are the things you always bring with you, taking into account the type of landscape you’re going to? 

Definitely! I have a made a standard checklist which features my must have items. But I always tend to pack too much out of fear of forgetting something. It’s a fine balance between bringing everything you need and packing light – and often being more agile is preferable because you end up using much fewer things than you had anticipated. When I have finished packing, I normally look at what I’ve prepared and ask myself what I can be without- what truly isn’t essential.

"I’ve learned this from the hard experience of carrying to much gear around that I didn't end up using."

Surprisingly, the temperature in Iceland does not vary too much between summer and winter – but instead it is the weather that changes all the time – and it are the elements that really change. This means that my clothing doesn’t vary too much. Most of the year, I wear long-johns, weather proof overalls, a turtleneck and of course Icelandic Sweater and woolen socks knitted by my mom. The main variable is whether I wear a Goretex jacket or a Parka – and I normally wear the Goretex whenever I can because the Parka tends to get too hot and makes you a bit immobile. 

I also always try to bring my hot/cold thermos from Pelican, which is truly epic. It can keep a drink steaming hot for more than 14 hours. 

Most of the time, I bring 2 cameras, plenty of memory cards and a small drone. Here’s a pretty standard list:

1) Canon 5d mk IV

2) Canon 1dx mk II

3) 24-70 mm f2.8

4) 16-35mm f2.8

5) 100-400 mm

6) Either 50mm f1.2 or 85mm f1.4 depending on my mood.

7) 135mm f2.0 is also a classic.

8) Mavic Pro 2

I have owned a lot of drones, but you just cannot beat the value of the Mavic Pro 2 and transportability. Having a small drone is so much better than having a large heavy drone because you can take it with you on long hikes without even noticing the weight. 

There are many photographers out there nowadays. How would you describe yourself as photographer and how do you make sure you distinguish yourself? 

Funny enough I have actually always disliked the term “photographer” a bit, and I think it’s simply too easy just to call yourself a photographer and have that define you. Once I “was” an auditor, but honestly it never was who I am. Therefore,  you can be a photographer, but it isn’t really who you are. But, your work as a photographer will reflect who you are.

"For myself, I keep a pretty busy mind - it’s just how I am wired, and both as a writer and photographer, I try to find simplicity in the chaos."

I want a text to be really fluent and easy to read, and at the same time, I want a photograph to be really simple and easy to understand. I often prefer the term creative or visual entrepreneur, as I don’t want to limit myself. But as a photographer, I am really just seeking mindfulness. Because I want to find those moments that quiet the mind and bring inner peace – and by having the camera in my hands, I feel like I am able to do that. Sharing the photos is just a fun bonus that allow me to keep that lifestyle which takes me to the next place and makes me forget about everything else.

A few months ago, you started your Youtube Channel. Can you tell us something about the road towards realizing this, something you had been waiting for so long? 

I thought I had it figured out, but then I realised that I hadn’t. I goes back to my point about personal growth mentioned above. I started YouTube and then realised I had some more personal work to do. In the meantime, I decided to be patient and not put too much pressure on myself. 

As a photographer, I am sure that you feel attached to all your photos. All your pictures represent unique moments of your life. However, among your works, do you have any picture that you really like? What is your favorite photo?

This is very true and every time you take a photo you are giving, and thereby destroying a part of yourself. This means that I hold them quite dear. One of my all-time favorite photos is the picture captured of the couple in front the Hallgrimskirkja church in Reykjavik during the largest blizzard in 100 years. That was back in 2017. The way I woke up during the night to the sound of a tree breaking in my garden under the pressure of the snow, is something I will never forget. And then walking around in the magical snow.

"I shared this Live on Instagram and a lot of people still write me about that night."

Is there any artist/photographer who has inspired your art? Can you name three?

Chris Burkard

Zachallia 

HelloEmilie

Ragnaraxelsson

Nowadays we see so many young talented artists pursuing a career as a full time travel/landscape photographer. What four pieces of advice would you give them? 

1) Think hard about why you want to do this and make sure you are pursuing it for the right reasons. Once you have figured that out, it becomes so much easier to put up with all the hard work.

2) Work really hard and don’t give up. It’s difficult in the beginning, but pretty quickly, you’ll be starting to build on that foundation which you have created.

3) Don’t obsess about gear – it’s not going to make you a great photographer. At the same time, don’t hold back with buying gear you really need as it is important to have a professional setup that is future-proven.

4) Don’t assume you have it all figured out, but always stay humble which will help you continue to learn and evolve. At the same time, you also need to believe in yourself. Sometimes finding a balance between those two things can be difficult but as long as you don’t go too far into either of the two, it’s going to be fine.

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