Iceland Kickstarter project – support A Sense of Place – Imprints of Iceland

I wanted to tell you about an impressive  Iceland Kickstarter project. It is a beautiful hardcover photographic book titled “A Sense of Place – Imprints of Iceland”. The author is the acclaimed Icelandic photographer, Charlotta María Hauksdóttir. The book contains 36 separate works. Many of the pieces are triptychs or panorama images, so for a better viewing experience, the book has many fold-outs. This is her first book.

Hey Charlotta, and thank you for taking the time for this interview. Can you give me a little background information about yourself?

Thanks for spreading the word about my Kickstarter! I am originally from Iceland but have lived in the United States for a long time. My studies were in Italy,  where I studied for a Bachelor of Arts in Photography, and I have a Master of Fine Arts degree in Photography from the San Francisco Art Institute. I live in the States with my husband, two kids, a dog, and two cats. 

What is the inspiration for your Iceland Kickstarter project?

I’ve been photographing the landscape in Iceland since 2003, with other projects in between. In the beginning, I was doing horizontal diptychs and triptychs, moving the camera to indicate time passing and the inability to really hold on to experiences. The work is quite dreamlike. In 2007, that changed to vertical pieces assembled with 3 sharp photographs, making the landscape more lifelike. The images are all taken in the same location, and I purposefully choose images that flow together but do not line up perfectly. This way, I present an alternative view of the landscape in which the discontinuity suggests gaps in memory and experience.

Making images human scale

These images are human scale and are meant to envelop the viewer and draw them into space. In my latest project, I have been abstracting the landscape even more by physically cutting up photographs and layering them. All the work is visually distinct, but the most recent project I began in 2017 brings it all together conceptually. So when Daylight Books contacted me and expressed interest in publishing the work, I felt it was the right time to write a book.

What are your favorite places in Iceland?

I love the southern part of Iceland, the landscape there is just incredible, but I think my favorite place is Landmannalaugar, which is in the highlands. Þórsmörk is magnificent too, and a hidden gem in the East is Mjóifjörður.

What is it about Icelandic nature and landscapes that inspires you?

There is definitely a sentimental aspect to it. I remember traveling with my family when I was younger, camping and picking berries. I loved the bright summer nights, and the light in Iceland is just amazing. Occasionally, here in California, after it rains and the sun comes out, there is the same vivid brightness as in Iceland, all the colors pop, and it just warms my heart. 

Can you tell me about the creative process for the Iceland Kickstarter project?

For my most recent landscape work, I will visit different locations and shoot dozens, if not hundreds, of photographs in each. I photograph the ground, the sky, and everything in between, in both close-ups and wide angles. After I get back to California, I select multiple photographs and arrange them in layers in Photoshop. I then apply a pattern mask I feel fits the work and erase parts to reveal the images underneath. For the Topography work, I usually end up with 4-7 images that I print separately, cut them by hand, and layer them with the material in between. This results in 3-d sculptural pieces. For some of the fingerprint-patterned work, I merge 2-3 images in Photoshop to alter the landscape, then apply the mask. 

What equipment do you use for your photography for your Iceland Kickstarter project?

For the last 4 years, I’ve been using the Sony a7R camera and most often use a 75-200mm and 24-105mm Sony lenses, but my older work is shot on a Hasselblad. I do shoot some video and for that, I use a tripod.

What advice would you give to those who are visiting Iceland for the first time?

I would read as much as possible about Iceland to make the most of everything it has to offer. There is so much to see and do, so it’s important to prioritize. Iceland is famous for its public swimming pools, which are everywhere, and I highly recommend trying them out. I would say be careful if you are going to rent a car and drive, especially in the highlands. The rivers can be deep and unpredictable, and the roads are unpaved. There are also some single-lane bridges where accidents have occurred. As with any place you wish to see extensively, it’s good to be prepared. Fortunately, there is a lot of information on Iceland online.