Nickname: ragnheidur

Real name: Ragnheiður (Ragga to my friends :o)

Age: 35

Website: will be ready 1. december 2007 :o)

Town/nation: Icelandic - I live in Hafnarfjörður which is about 15 minutes drive from Reykjavík.

Spoken languages: Icelandic (obviously :o) - english - a little danish and I have learned German and Spanish, but really have to work on those two ;o)

 

Q. Tell us something about you and photography

A. I have had a camera since I was a child. Got "seriously involved in photography" when my first son was born in 1996, (mostly pictures of him :o) . Bought my first digital camera around 2000 and started seeing other things to shoot after that. My personality makes me want to improve and get better in everything I do and that was the reason for me to enroll to New York Institute of Photography the last time I was pregnant (I have 3 sons :o). My interests have always involved some kind of "arty" stuff... I like to make paintings with oil colors and I am an make up artist as well so I do "paint" faces also :o)

 

Q. What are your preferred subjects and techniques?

A. My preferred subjects! hm, let me think.... My boys :o) But I do like taking pictures of beautiful surroundings, preferably ones that make me "jump with joy" when I am there - LOL... There are so many wonderful places in this world and thanks to cameras we can share the things we see with people interested in seeing the same things. I do like taking pictures of other people also, those that make good memories... It is really nice using my home made studio for experimenting but I enjoy taking pictures outside a little more. But, due to the fact that our Icelandic weather changes quickly and that it is not always "picture taking friendly" I do love the change to take pictures inside in neutral surroundings :o) The fact that my boys (including my husband) take up all my time (smile) - I have been known to go outside shooting after they are to bed which makes me do the long exposure images... I really do like them also, specially because of the fact that you never know how the outcome will be.... (Aurora Borealis being a great example of that kind of picture)... For those long exposures I use a tripod and a remote ctrl - sometimes during daylight I use a nd filter to be able to get the same effect as in night shots... Everybody who has looked through my stream knows that I like to take wide angle shots, and that I love my fisheye lens :o) If I could give any advise regarding shooting it would be - bend down, make an effort to try different angles to shoot from :o)

 

Q. Are you a professional photographer?

A. I am an amateur which has sold pictures to people all over the world BUT I am an amateur which has so many things yet to learn and discover about photography.... My current job!!! Well, my youngest son is 16 months old and I am staying at home with him BUT my profession is a pilot. I started as an instructor in 1994 to build up my hours as a pilot (on a Cessna 152 :o) and worked my way up to flying a L-1011, Boeing 747 and B767 since 1996 flugsafn.is/frumkvodlar_AJ_ens.htm During my 3 pregnancies, (when I could not fly) I took courses and became a fitness instructor and a make up artist and last but not least an amateur photographer.

 

Q. What's your equipment?

A. Currently and for the past 2 years I am using a Canon 5D which is absolutely a great great camera... But recently I bought a new camera which will arrive in a few days (hopefully) a Canon Mark III and, for backup I have the Canon 40d.... I also have an old Hasselblad camera and my dream is to be able to buy a new digital Hasselblad (a girl has to have a dream ;o).... My computer is a Mac and I use Adobe Light Room for my Raw pictures (I only shoot Raw) and PS CS2 and 3....

 

Q. When and where you started sharing your shots?

A. I was a little shy in the beginning showing off my work, but after my friend pointed DPC out to me I started taking part in their challenges and I really liked it... I uploaded a few pics here and there but never really got into sharing my pictures until Ipernity... btw. I love this place and the people here :o)

 

Q. Three preferred shots of yours?

A. Links to 3 of my shots... my sons, my husband and Iceland :o)

 

Q. The three preferred photographers or bloggers on Ipernity (so I can interview them: it isn't a contest ;-) )

A.It is really hard to choose 3 photographers out of all the great people here, Bigodee has mentioned a few great artists BUT I will mention

Víctor Nuño (Spain), his pictures AND text are so beautiful,

bauvana (Germany), great kids pictures and

FOR YOU (Egypt) and so many more...

 

Q. What are the features you'd like to see implemented/improved on Ipernity?

A. I would love to be able to send replies to many at once, specially if more than one has a question :o)

Thank you very much, Ragga, and see you soon in Iceland ;-)

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