Trolltunga, Norway
Christian Hoiberg is a talented landscape and nature photographer from Norway, currently living in northern Spain. Christian’s portfolio showcases beautiful photos from around the world.
In addition to his personal website, Christian also maintains CaptureLandscapes.com, where he publishes articles and tutorials. His work has been featured in magazines and online publications like NPhoto Magazine, Landscape Photography Magazine, CameraPixio and Resource Travel.
Christian kindly agreed to do this interview with us to share more about himself and his work.
You may also be interested in Christian’s new e-book, A Comprehensive Introduction to Landscape Photography.
Please tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started with photography.
My name is Christian Hoiberg and I’m a full-time landscape photographer from Norway, currently living in Spain. I’ve been interested in photography most of my life and after working some hours next to school as a 15-year-old I bought my very first DSLR. After that I’ve been hooked on photography and as my craft evolved, I realized that this is what makes me happy and what I want to do.
What is it that attracts you to landscape and travel photography in particular?
I think what attracts me the most is the moments of exploring and experiencing something new. Either it’s seeing new cultures and meeting new people, or exploring new regions and landscapes. There are so many beautiful places in this world and I get a certain type of peace when visiting them.
Rauma, Norway
Where do you find creative inspiration?
There are many places I seek creative inspiration but my number one source is nature itself. Being out in nature, either on a hike or just enjoying a roadside view gives me inspiration.
Whenever I’m feeling down or lacking motivation, it’s always helpful to get outside and go for a hike. This will normally give me an inspirational boost but sometimes I might need a little longer adventure than just a hike… ?
What is your favorite spot to photograph in Norway?
That’s a tough question. Norway is a country that offers a huge variety in landscapes; from the dramatic landscape in the north, to the picturesque fjords in the west and the idyllic south. However, it’s hard to beat the Lofoten area in Northern Norway. Within a relatively short distance you’ve got countless of photographic opportunities and regardless of the weather you’re able to produce some interesting images. The biggest challenge, however, is that it’s increasing in popularity and it can be quite crowded during the summer months.
I’m born and raised in the east of Norway, which is less known for its landscapes. This has been quite frustrating for me in periods but as I’ve grown as a photographer I’ve began to appreciate the challenge of photographing locally. After a couple years of hiking and exploring the local-ish area, I’ve discovered a lot of places which I haven’t seen photographed before, which is something that’s always rewarding.
Can you tell us about one of your favorite locations that isn’t very well known?
I’ve lived in Northern Spain for over a year and I’m currently spending another 5 months in this region so this has become one of my favorite locations to photograph. While it is growing in popularity, I’d say that it’s still a relatively unknown region amongst landscape photographer but I think that’s something that will change soon.
The coast of Northern Spain is packed with dramatic and picturesque beaches that are a dream for any photographer. Besides the beaches, you’ve also got some incredible mountains and especially Picos de Europa has become a favorite of mine. Best of all? Most of these locations are within a 3-4 hour drive maximum.
Spain is mostly known for its warm climate, sand beaches and tapas but the northern parts aren’t quite like that. While the tapas is arguably better in this region, the weather is cooler and rain is more common. In fact, most of the winter is grey and rainy which can be a challenge for photographers but I view this as an opportunity to capture the raw beauty.
Editor’s note: If you’re interested in visiting Northern Spain, be sure to see this guide written by Christian.
Liencres, Spain
What are the biggest challenges you face in your work as a landscape photographer?
Actually, my biggest challenge as a landscape photographer the last year has been kind of a luxury problem: my backlog is growing too big and I’m not able to keep up with processing. In periods I travel quite a lot and during a period of two months I’m only home for one week. This means that I’ve got a lot of images to process during that week but there’s also many other tasks that needs to be done.
It is kind of a luxury problem but it is a real struggle amongst many landscape and travel photographers. I’m able to process some images while travelling but I do prefer to edit images using my office setup (including my Wacom Tablet and larger monitor).
Are there any other photographers that you feel have had a big influence on you?
There are so many great photographers out there that it’s really hard to mention only a few. Some of my favorite photographers these days are Stian Klo, Felix Inden, Dag Ole Nordhaug, Sarah Marino and Daniel Kordan to mention a few. The list could really go on for ages.
Cabo de Faro Mayor in Santander, Spain
What’s in your camera bag?
My main camera is the Nikon D810 and I use a Nikon 16-35mm f/4, Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 (mainly for night photography) and Nikon 70-200mm. I’ve also got a Fuji X-T2 with the Fujinon 23mm and a 100-400mm telezoom.
I use a Induro CT314 for the majority of my images but I also use a Sirui T-1204XL as a second tripod if I’m shooting timelapses or when I’m going on longer hikes.
Filters are also an important part of my photography and my go-to brand is NiSi.
Lastly, I also have the DJI Mavic that I use for areal photography.
Aside from photography and travel, what do you like to do for fun?
Photography and travel is what fills most my days and I honestly don’t do too much besides it. Writing tutorials is a part of my photography career and I’ll admit that I quite enjoy the process of writing an article and managing a website.
Movies are a great way to relax and after a long travel it’s always nice to lay down in the couch and watch a good movie with my girlfriend.
Besides that, I love being outdoors and going camping, hiking, skiing or whatever else you can doo outdoors with friends and family. Actually, I just summited my first mountain (Mt. Rainier) last month and that was a whole lot of fun, so I have a feeling that the next years will involve more mountaineering!
Hemsedal, Norway
What tips or advice do you have for photographers who may be just getting started?
My best tips for someone who’s just getting started is to begin with learning the fundamentals. While it may be tempting to start learning Photoshop right away, you’re going to thank yourself later if you put in some effort in learning the basics of photography now. Read about the exposure triangle and compositions and work on this. When you feel like you have mastered those topics, first then should you start studying post processing and more advanced techniques. It’s so important to first build the fundamental knowledge.
Connect with Christian
You can learn more about Christian through the following links:
All photos in this post are © Christian Hoiberg, used with permission.