Last Updated on 10/30/2015 by Chris Gampat
All images by Anders Lonnfeldt. Used with permission.
Anders Lonnfeldt is a photographer and cinematographer who hails from Helsinki, Finland. While studying in college, he started his own production company. Anders tends to work with a lot of different genres when it comes to photography and filmmaking–advertisement, television productions, portrait photography, music videos, motion graphics, color grading and short films etc. But some of his best work is with shooting and capturing landscapes.
Anders tells us that his love of landscape photographer came from his love of traveling through the mountains.
Phoblographer: Talk to us about how you got into photography.
Anders: When I was younger I had no idea about what I wanted to study. I grew up on the countryside and everything that I had in mind was something practical to work with. Before I was 21, I had tried a lot of different professions. I had worked in a hardware store, as a mail man, driving an excavator, etc. But nothing seemed to interest me. I always got bored after a couple of months. So when I had done my military service it was time to go study somewhere and I knew that I wanted to study something different from what I had worked with before. I found this film school in Helsinki and I applied for it. I didn’t get in at the first time. So the next year I tried again, and I was luckier the second time.
Phoblographer: You’re a photographer who does portraits, landscapes, concerts and has dabbled in weddings. But what made you want to get into landscape work?
Anders: It was simply because I like traveling in the mountains a lot, because of the incredible scenery. Almost wherever you point your camera, you have a great chance to get a beautiful photo. But it never looks as good in the photos as it does in real life.
Phoblographer: How do you feel the mindsets of being a cinematographer and a photographer correlate and work with one another?
Anders: I studied cinematography, and photography came naturally on the side. Both professions have a lot of similar aspects; lighting, composition, color grading etc. For me it feels almost like the same profession even though I know that it is quite different in the end. I think photography has helped me a lot with developing myself. It is so easy to just go out and photograph. Filming is always a bigger project and you need to have a bigger idea.
In the beginning of my career I photographed a lot. I was that guy who had the camera with me everywhere. And after thousands of thousands of photos I slowly started to learn what it all was about. And I feel like I’m still figuring it out.
Phoblographer: When you’re out and about photographing landscapes, what inspires you to actually pick the camera up, put it to your eye and click the shutter? By that, we mean what motivates you to usually capture an image of something?
Anders: I actually have no idea. I am quite a restless person and can’t sit still for a long time. So if there is something to photograph I am always inspired. Nowadays I have so many ideas of what I want to photograph so I just need to find time to do it. Since I have photographed so much, I have developed a way to see what could end up being a great image. And I am really glad that I am able to do so. It was so frustrating in the beginning when all my photos looked like crap even though I had, what I think was a good idea.
Phoblographer: Let’s talk about your processing; why do you process your images the way that you do? How does this relate your creative vision to people?
Anders: I am very by the cinematic feel and look. So often my photos tend to look cinematic. I work a lot with color grading as well, so naturally I use the same process when I post process my photos. I really like the look of film so I always try to get rid of the clean digital look.
Phoblographer: When you look at the world and composing scenes, what ideas and thoughts are usually going through your head?
Anders: I see images all around me. Even more after I started using Instagram, which has helped me even more to develop myself as a photographer and cinematographer. I guess when I see something interesting I think that is something I could shoot. And then I often will do so directly or later if the situation is not right.
Phoblographer: How do you prepare for going on the hikes that are needed to capture the photos that you do?
Anders: I simply bring my camera, warm clothes, chocolate and a lot of water with me. I don’t plan anything. When I see a potential photo I will shoot some frames.