A VIEW LESS ORDINARY
A conversation with creative explorer, Søren Thuesen, aka s1000
With his eye for incredible composition and tone, Søren has been among my favourite travel photographers since I first came across his work on Instagram. His captivating imagery seems born of an intuitive understanding of the visual impact of scale, geometry, line and colour within a landscape. As a freelance photographer and designer, he travels to the places dreams are made of and captures moments in a manner that teleports you, heightening your sense of wonder… and provoking feelings of reflective solitude.
Working on projects involving the diverse yet related skills of design, photography and front end development, Søren has partnered with brands such as Opel, Olympus, Adidas, The Food Club, Royal Copenhagen, Georg Jensen and Bang & Olufsen.
-
- Adidas campaign
-
- Adidas campaign
Impressed? So am I!
Let’s find out more about the man behind the camera…
Marisa: Where did you go on your last assignment?
Søren: Actually my last project was a local assignment; road-tripping in the North of Denmark in an Opel Crossland X with my mom. Opel wanted a set of photos with a domestic touch and my first thought was to take it to the beach, since that’s allowed on certain stretches around the west coast in Denmark. That came out super fun!
Marisa: When heading to a new destination, what’s something you hope to find? (e.g., compelling scenery, a new culinary experience, a friendly local bar, a comfy bed or what have you…)
Søren: All of the above! Most of the time I’m lucky enough to travel with my wife, so preparation for a new destination always results in a mix of everything from great food to great landscapes.
Marisa: What’s your camera of choice? And are there other photography related items you simply cannot be without when travelling?
Søren: I’ve been carrying a Canon 6D (primarily shooting wide on a 16-35 mm) for a long time – it’s great for both landscape and street photography, but for everyday use I’m often bringing my less heavy Olympus EM1 or simply my trusty iPhone. Lately my favourite camera is sitting on a drone though. 😀
Marisa: As the other half of the dynamic duo behind wholesome cookbook Vegetar (made in creative partnership with Ditte Ingemann), I assume you must share a love of nourishing food. Do you have any travel-friendly healthy food hacks?
Søren: Best tip: marry wisely! I definitely share the love of nourishing food, but the real hero on any trip would be the other half of that Dynamic Duo; she will never run low on healthy snacks, water or places to eat while on the road.
Marisa: Expanding on that last point, do you have any general tips for maintaining health and balance while on the road?
Søren: Again, marry wisely! Being on the road with a co-driving food magician definitely helps getting through the day in a healthy manner.
Marisa: Is it possible to stay grounded and present in a moment of enjoyment while also trying to capture it photographically?
Søren: Personally, no. I’m like a kid at Christmas when I find myself in an area of interest, but I’ve realised that’s how I enjoy epic landscapes or great architectural structures best. Actually I often find the moment of enjoyment back in the studio during the editing process. I would like to just say yes, though.
-
- Berlin adventures (see more on Instagram @s1000)
Marisa: Which destination has been the biggest surprise to you?
Søren: I need to mention Iceland. I’ve been there 4 times and every time has been a complete surprise in sheer beauty and shifting conditions. Weather is all over the place and I’ve actually seen all four seasons within an hour- worn shorts and t-shirt in the morning while ending the day freezing in boots and layers of jackets.
Marisa: What has been your most memorable travel shoot experience?
Søren: Again I have to mention Iceland! I was lucky enough to join an expedition with a team of Nordic Instagrammers to test the Olympus EM1, which was a lot of fun and full of memorable experiences. I’ll never forget the sound of complete silence in the middle of nowhere staring at Northern Lights moving across the sky in complete darkness.
Marisa: Any pro tips for would-be travel photographers?
Søren: Do your research. I always use Google Maps ahead of any mission to bookmark/star any potential location, restaurant etc. With satellite maps you can even plan out possible spots to park a car or even peek at a restaurant with street view. Also apps on the phone has made it super easy to plan shoots depending on sunset, size of the moon, position of the milky way etc. I use PhotoPills for all that nerdy stuff and AirMap to plan any drone flight.
AND JUST QUICKLY…
- Jungle or desert? A combination of the two would be amazing!
- Coffee shop or cocktail lounge? Coffee in the morning, Cocktails at night 😉
- Your dream client: I love to travel and I love gear, so I guess that would make my dream client a camera brand that requires a lot of travelling!
- Your favourite destination: Iceland for views, Berlin for food
- Best healthy food spot in Copenhagen: Definitely WeDoFood in the Meatpacking District; love the concept of mixing your own salad! Great selection for meat eaters and vegetarians alike.
- And lastly, is there anywhere particular you haven’t been that you long to visit? What attracts you? Mountains! – living in a country as flat as Denmark make you long for heights and right now I got the South Island of New Zealand quite high on the list, but since Norway is so close I might just put that on the list again.
-
- A new perspective of La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona
—
Many thanks to Søren for taking time out of his intense travel and shooting schedule to answer my questions. I hope you enjoyed meeting him too!
If you have any suggestions for questions you’d like me to ask upcoming health/wellness/travel professionals for this blog feature series, please leave a comment below. Actually, feel free to leave one regardless! I love hearing from you, as always! 🙂
—
To connect with Søren and to find yourself transported on visual adventures, far and wide, visit:
To purchase the stunning book Vegetar, head here:
http://www.ditteingemann.dk/vegetar/
Thank you so much for sharing this interview Marisa – Soren’s photos are so breathtakingly stunning!
Thank you so much for your lovely comment, Dearna! I am so glad you enjoyed the interview and that you were impressed by Søren’s work! x
Wow. Wonderful, especially the drone photography. Since Søren is interested in my lovely South Island, perhaps he will find this little drone video a lot of fun. It has been a big hit in NZ.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkZestdQ_7A
That video! Oh my goodness! Well, if that doesn’t make everyone want to visit NZ, I don’t know what will (whether or not they have the ability to capture the beauty of the place as expertly as Søren no doubt would!). Thank you for your kind comment and for sharing the link. Sending love your way