Mist rises from the river valley, and as the morning sun envelops everything in a golden haze, the landscape slowly awakens. A moose crosses the meadows, leaving a trail in the sedge. Birds fly past, chirping. The air is fresh and pure. Ripe berries at my feet turn into a delightful snack. From atop my fell I look out over the vastness in front of me. I have everything I need right here, and more. From the glaciers high up in the mountains where meltwater comes thundering down, to the endless lakes, forests and mires all the way to the coast - I feel deeply connected to all of it, a tiny part of this huge, living system.

 

It’s a feeling that has been with me since I first traveled to Sápmi, the Sámi homeland in northern Europe. Right away I felt a sense of belonging, so I kept coming back, staying longer and longer. Hiking, exploring, camping, photographing - I got to know these landscapes better, and myself as well. These last years it’s been my part-time home, and while I’ve grown deeply attached to the region, I’ve also become more aware of the challenges it faces today.

 

As I went out to photograph, often during misty sunrises or in the softest light, I noticed how arctic Europe is truly characterized by contrasts, and always in transition - between light and dark, colourful and white, teeming with life or in hibernation, remoteness and connection, togetherness and dispersion. Between warm and cold, and blue and gold.

 

These colorful contrasts led me to the book ‘Sápmi - Living Landscapes’, a tribute to friluftsliv and an invitation to explore while not leaving a trace - one footstep or page at a time.

 

With my photography I want to show our natural world how I experience it; beautiful, dreamy and pure - while also telling the story of these living landscapes, of nature that refuses the boundaries we impose, reminding us of our place within it and offering peace, perspective, and a sense of connection. Of mountains, marshlands, fjords, ancient forests, and the countless lifeforms they harbour. And reindeer, semi-wild and semi-domesticated, herded across these lands long before any border was drawn.

 

Always on their journey throughout the eight seasons, they inspire me on mine. Just like the reindeer’s eyes shift between blue and gold, so do the images in ‘Sápmi - Living Landscapes’. Emphasized by the intriguing concept of this photography book, they symbolize the seasonal changes, the contrasts and the light in arctic Europe. By giving every second page a deeper cut, the reading direction will reveal either a golden realm, or one of blue tones. Only a slower stroll through the book lets one discover all the pages, alternatingly warm and cold. Like when exploring the outdoors, every journey through this book will yield a different experience.

 

My hope is that its images and stories - in their beauty and their contrasts - offer a glimpse of the magic I experience up north, watching the seasons change, and inspire you to feel that same connection, wherever you are.