Hello Marcus!
First of all, thank you for taking the time for the interview and for allowing us to get to know you better. It would be great if you could introduce yourself briefly - who are you, where are you from and where do you currently live?
I am a 53-year-old photographer and currently live in central Sweden. My interest in photography started when I was a child, because my father (he was a journalist and photographer) had a darkroom in the house. But when the first iPhone came out, my interest in photography grew even more. For the simple reason that you could use the iPhone camera anytime and anywhere.
For example, some of my first photos were taken with an iPhone. However, after I received a great response from outside and my photos started selling well, I started using my DSLR camera more and more.
Since Instagram recommended me as a user in spring 2015, my Instagram feed and follower numbers grew rapidly. It was an incredible surprise for me when suddenly thousands of followers were following my feed.
My photos have been featured in some of the world's biggest photography exhibitions. They have been exhibited in New York, Los Angeles, Stockholm and Hong Kong. I am represented in the Swedish Photo Museum and sell my work through a carefully selected network of retailers around the world. In recent years I have started to explore the aerial perspective with a drone - it's great fun!
What do you do full-time and how do you combine a full-time job with photography?
I work full-time as an IT manager, but that only uses one half of my brain - the one for logical thinking. However, photography helps me to stimulate the other, creative half. Even when I'm away on business trips, which is often the case, my camera is my constant companion. You never know what photo spot awaits you...
Thanks for the answers! Now we can get an even better idea of your work and of you. Is it true that despite your talent as a photographer, a little luck played a role in being recommended as a user on Instagram in the early days? Or how do you explain the great success of your photos?
Yes, that's true. I'm really lucky that Instagram gave me a push for my profile at the right time.
That was a really cool feeling! I also remember how good it felt when I noticed that my minimalist photography style was well received by many people. So it was clear for me to keep developing my minimalist style.
What part of your job do you like the most? Taking the picture, editing it, or...?
Both! When I take a photo, I already have the final result in front of my eyes. I love the feeling that the snapshot I just took will ultimately become a great edited image.
Do you often get comments under your pictures or even requests for collaborations?
Yes, I often get comments and reactions from people. From simple thumbs-up buttons to detailed questions about my work, camera equipment or image editing software. Of course, I'm happy about such reactions and I answer all the questions I get. In addition, I get quite a lot of requests for collaborations, but I only sign very few a year. I used to avoid commercial collaborations, but right now I'm in the process of signing contracts for some interesting collaborations... stay tuned!
Why did you avoid commercial collaborations in the past? Was it for ethical reasons or were there other reasons?
Yes, there were a few ethical obstacles for me. When I get involved in collaborations, I have to have a personal connection to the company and believe in its products.
What if there were no time and place limits – who would you collaborate with?
What an exciting question! I would love to work with the minimalist illustrator Mark Rothko and Piet Mondrain. You have really stimulated my imagination with this question...
Who are your biggest role models and sources of inspiration?
I am particularly influenced by art, such as the illustrators mentioned in the previous answer. But modern photographers like Scarlett Hooft Graafland also inspire me a lot.
On Instagram I follow many international and influential photographers: Paul Brons ( @paulbrons ), Sebastian Weiss ( @le_blanc ), Minh T ( @thismintymoment ) and Dirk Bagger ( @macenzo ). I highly recommend taking a look at these Insta channels.
What's the biggest lesson you've learned over the years? Do you have any advice for aspiring Instagram artists?
Very important: Whatever you do in life, it should be fun. Patience is what I have learned over the years. Because one day your work will be discovered and receive the attention it really deserves. Anything is possible! I advise aspiring Instagram artists to be active and stay that way. Use the right hashtags, keep up the exchange with your followers and look for similar feeds.
How does your family react to your work and Instagram fame? Do you sometimes ask them to help you? Do you pass on this interest to your children?
My family is a real support in my work as a photographer and often helps me when I want to take new photos.
As for my kids, they are not particularly interested in photography. But they at least like my camera equipment because they sometimes need it for makeup tutorials or just for landscape shots.
That sounds like a very close-knit family! It's certainly fun to work together on some projects.
We have now reached the end of the interview. Do you want to share anything else with us and our community? Feel free!
I love your work and am happy to be part of your worldwide team of photographers. Thank you!
And to all smartphone owners out there: You don't need any fancy camera equipment to start as a photographer. Just grab your smartphone and go outside and take photos!
