Gunnar Freyr

Please share a bit about your background as photographer

I got my first Canon DSLR back in 2007 and was instantly hooked on photography for years, however, I continued working as a consultant and auditor in a large multinational audit firm. It wasn’t until 2014 that I decided to flip my reality upside down and pursue a life of adventure. Within a year of travelling in Iceland with my camera, I suddenly found myself making a living as a photographer and since then, things have started to move fast for my photography career. I focus on adventure, nature and wildlife photography, travelling to some of the most remote parts of Iceland and Greenland. I’m a teacher at the School of Photography in Reykjavik and some of my images have become synonyms with Iceland. I’m also known as Icelandic Explorer on Instagram where I share my adventures and visual storytelling.

What type of photographer are you?

Adventure, nature, wildlife, portrait and filmmaking. I’m always pushing the boundaries of my technical and creative skills as a photographer, exposing myself to new creative areas on frequent basis.

What are your favorite motives?

My favorite motives are always changing. What I truly look for as a photographer are those moments when you forget about the past and the future and just are present with the camera and the motive. It’s a beautiful thing, when the motive makes you leave all fear and worry behind. It’s normally nature of wildlife that makes me feel like this.

Which products do you use today?

Camera bodies: Canon EOS 1D-X mk II and Canon EOS 5D mk IV. Lenses: EF 16-35 f/2.8 mk iii , 24-70 mm f/2.8 mk ii , 100 - 400 mm f./4.5 – 5.6 ,  24 f/1.4 , 50 f/1.2 , 100 f/2.8 macro IS , 135 f/2.0 Favourite lenses are probably the 50 mm f/1.2 and the 135 f/2.0 but I don’t think I could live without my 24-70!

Can you tell us about a photo moment which you will never forget.

As a photographer, I will never forget the moment when I woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of a tree breaking in my backyard due to the pressure of the incredible snowfall that was taking place. At 4 AM, it inspired me to go out with my camera. This turned out to be the most intense snowfall in 100 years in Iceland. Not only was it an otherworldly night that I will never forget, but it also led to me capturing a career-changing picture that few hours later went all around the world and ended up changing my life. I’m fascinated by how an unexpected event or photo moment, which you have little knowledge of in advance, can end up changing your life. It inspires me every day to continue pushing further as a photographer.

Can you give an advice to someone who wants to develop in photography.

There’s a lot of great gear available out there, but in the end, your time and creative capacity is your most important tool to become a successful photographer. If you work hard every single day, you won’t see changes over night, but give it half a year, and you’ll start seeing wonders. Also, there’s a lot of repetition in terms of photography in this age of social media. Remember there’s an endless amount of unique stories out there, just waiting to be captured.