Steffen Fossbakk, a Norwegian landscape and nature photographer, has lived near Senja for most of his life. Senja, Norway’s second largest island, is sometimes referred to as the Fairytale Island. If you’ve never been there before, viewing one of his photos will give you a sense of what it’s like.
For Steffen, Outer Senja offers his favorite views of the island. He says, “The hike to the peak Hesten and Segla is always mind-blowing and one of my favourites for sure.” Husfjellet, which is a peak that overlooks the famous “Devil’s Teeth,” is another favorite.
As he has travelled to various places in Norway and abroad, he has learned “that photos lie,” whether there are crowds at Trolltunga, a popular destination in Western Norway, or the famous yellow cabin in the Lofoten Islands.
His distinctive style juxtaposes surrealism with elements of realism. He said, “I just love to make every scenery seem magical in it’s own way, whether it is a cold northern light shot or a warm sunset in July.” On one of his most recent Instagram posts, he noted: “Sometimes nature can make you feel like you’re living a dream.” And it’s moments like that he chases.
Welcome Steffen! First of all, where does your passion for photography comes from?
It all started in the old chat program Microsoft Messenger when a friend of mine sent me some photos he had taken with a digital camera in 2004. (Back then high quality photos weren’t as normal as today.) Now the shots he sent me weren’t that great. I was just blown away by the quality. Like a week later I decided I had to buy a digital compact camera, so I ordered a $250 camera online and instantly got hooked. I was shooting everything.
You have been on Instagram for quite some time sharing your travels and life in Northern Norway, while also developing a huge following of over 130,000. So kudos! Do you consider yourself a “regular” Instagrammer or an “influencer”?
It feels weird thinking that you have an influence on people, I mean, I’m just a regular guy. But as my audience increases I realize my influence is growing as well. This is something I really notice when receiving messages from strangers saying they’ve bought the camera I suggested, visiting the places I recommended, or just copies of my shots.
Senja, as you know, is home to some spectacular landscapes, some popular destinations and some hidden gems. You’re lucky to live in such a beautiful place! What are your favorite photography spots on the island?
My favourites photography spots on the island is in the mountains in outer Senja. The hike to the peak Hesten and Segla is always mind-blowing and one of my favourites for sure. I also love Husfjellet, a peak overlooking the famous “Devil’s Teeth.”
You’ve had the opportunity to travel throughout your home country, Norway, quite extensively. Is there any place in particular that you have yet to visit that is still on your bucket list?
There’s a lot of places I want to see and travel too, but I really want to visit Greenland and Jan Mayen before any other countries. Sadly Jan Mayen is for military use only, so that’s going to be quite a challenge. Well I really love the winter sceneries, and Greenland has a lot of ice.
You live in a place of extremes: bitter cold dark winters and extremely short bright summers. Do you have a favorite season to photograph?
My favourite season is the summer. Even though I enjoy the winter scenery, I love to be able to shoot without bringing a ton of warm clothes with me. Also, the light in the summer is amazing, specially at night.
You specialize in landscape and aerial/drone photography. Do you approach both specializations differently (ie finding the perfect composition)? Is drone photography more challenging?
Drone photography has its ups and downs. Shooting landscapes on the ground is very limited, but as soon as you fly your drone you realise how many compositions and possibilities you have compared to on the ground. Then again you have to be more cautious on what you’re doing when flying, and you also have a limited time because of the batteries. So I guess drone photography is more challenging than a regular handheld camera.
You have a very distinctive style with your photography, being able to create scenes that seem to be juxtaposed between realism and surrealism. Can you explain to us how you developed your current style?
My style has evolved over quite some time. I guess I just love to make every scenery seem magical in it’s own way, whether it is a cold northern light shot or a warm sunset in July. I always want to give the viewer a sense of what it’s like being there.
When you travel, what is your approach when it comes to planning your trip and finding photography spots? Do you approach each trip differently?
When traveling out of the country it’s always smart to do some research on the weather/season, culture and how people might react to how you dress, act, alcohol etc. It’s important to always respect the country you visit. When it comes to checking out locations on Instagram I try to not copy other people’s shots and get my own take on the place. I move around a lot to find new angles. Google is a great tool.
Among all the amazing photos you have captured so far, do you have a favorite one?
I actually don’t have any favourite photos. Even though I only post photos I’m satisfied with I don’t have any photos I truly love. I’m very critical to my own work and always feel like I could have done better somehow.
What are the most valuable lessons you have learned traveling?
That photos lie. A waterfall you’ve seen on Instagram might look magical and wild, but when you visit the place it’s filled with hundreds of people and has a fence around it. Well there’s a bunch of examples. That yellow cabin in Lofoten everybody loves is right next to a cafe and a road while in the photos it looks like the most quiet place ever. Many of the spots are very crowded, like the famous Trolltunga.
Is there any artist/photographer who has inspired your art? Can you name three?
Absolutely, there’s a bunch of photographers that inspire me, but if I had to mention three it has to be:
– Konsta Punkka (@kpunkka) from Finland. Konsta always goes all in on every shot, even if it means he has to hike without water or walk an extra 10 kilometers, he’s getting the shot no matter what.
– Gilad Benari (@gilad33) from Israel. This man has inspired me in a creative way ever since I started shooting 15 years ago. I feel like today’s photography has way less creativity than the photos I used to see online back in the days. This man always deliver the goods.
– Jude Allen (@jude_allen) from San Francisco, California. Jude has had his own style since the beginning. I always found it inspiring to see how Jude approached every spot, finding new angles and ideas for every shot. His ability to stand out from the crowd is incredible.
Any new projects coming up or countries you will be visiting soon?
I’m excited to be heading back to the Faroe Islands in June, a place I love very much. Also doing another trip to Iceland at some point this year. I have some other projects coming up, but I can’t really say too much right now.
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