by Yvette Depaepe 

Christian Lindsten loves nature and landscape and landscape photographs.  His photographs are recognizable by their vibrant colours, but also by their mood.  Christian wants to give his images a mystical feel. Let's wander through his beautiful work today and discover more about this fine artist photographer.

'On the edge of the world

Briefly tell us about yourself, your hobbies and other jobs, Christian
My name is Christian Lindsten, I am from Sweden and 33 years old. I love everything about photography and being out in nature. My other hobbies include movies, being with friends and family and fishing. I don't like ABBA despite being Swedish :) Photography is currently my only line of work and I have my own business called Lindstenfoto.

How has your history and life experiences affected your photography? Which are your most important experiences that has influenced your art?
Well it all started around 2014 when I was out partying with friends. I took cellphone pictures of people I knew. One person told me that my photos were really good considering that they were taken with a cellphone and also because I had been drinking earlier in the evening :)
So, I bought the cheapest DSLR camera they had in the store.  It costed about 200 dollars if I remember correctly.   I started taking some nature pictures and also some of a local castle here in Sweden.   I send a picture of  the castle to a local newspaper and they published it immediately. About 1 week later, I got a phone call from an old lady. It happened to be the owner of the castle and she said that the photo was incredibly beautiful and asked if I didn't mind sending it to her. I continued to take some photos but took a break for 1 year. In 2015 I told myself that I wanted to get better in photography and started again.  I went out to shoot more and more and it didn't take long before I was completely addicted to it. Now its my job!

What first attracted you to photography?
I always loved to explore new places.  Photography gave me the opportunity to do this all the time.

'Malmö Station'

Describe your overall photographic vision.
I love nature and landscape photographs.  My photos are recognizable by their vibrant colours. But sometimes I also like to take moody pictures in the fog or during cloudy days. I like to give them a mystical feel.  But most of my work is very bright and colourful.

'Colorful morning'

'Sun kissed'

'Into the unknown'

What is more important to you, the mood,/story behind your images or the technical perfection?
I like technical perfection but I don't see it as the most important. The mood and the story are essential to me.  I believe that being in a great mood and shooting the atmosphere makes good shots.

'Sunrays'

'House in the forest during fall season'

 
What generally is your relationship to your subject matter beyond being an observer?
Beside being an observer, my relationship with nature is very strong.  I have a lot of respect for it and don't like to see people destroying it.

 

'Dead tree surrounded by alive trees' Drone photo

'Marten in Sweden'

 
Do you prepare carefully the locations where you are intending to photograph?
Sometimes I use Google Earth or Google maps to scout locations to plan carefully. But often, I just drive around and find new places to explore.

What gear do you use (camera, lenses, bag)?
I use the Nikon D810, some of my lenses are the 14-24 2.8 --- 24-70 2.8 --- 70-200 2.8 and 200-500 5.6.

What software do you use to process your images?
Lightroom and Photoshop.

Can you tell us something more about your work flow?
When I'm out in the field,  I often use a tripod to get sharp images in low light. I also like to use ND filters for long exposures and for the smoothness of clouds and water. Once back home, I save my  photos on my computer and come back regularly before editing and posting them because it happens that during the editing, I'm tired or the light is too bright in the room. Coming back and looking again with fresh eyes is always a good thing.

 

'Moody jetty'

'Bloodmoon 2018'

 
What is your most important advice to a beginner in landscape photography and how do you get started?
Well that's pretty simple. Don't buy expensive gear until you are sure that you really want to do this as a hobby or as your work.  In the beginning, you surely will fail with about the settings, the light and the composition.  But don't give up. Just keep trying and watch the evolution of acknowledge and the results you get day after day.

Who are your favourite photographers and more importantly, how has your appreciation of their work affected how you approach your own photography?
My 3 favourite photographers are: Konsta Punkka, Hans Strand and 1x member Mikko Lagerstedt (latyrx).  They all have inspired me and still do today.

Is there any specific photo taken by another photographer that has inspired you a lot and why?
Yes, this photo by Mikko Lagerstedt titled 'Divided'

 

'Divided' by Mikko Lagerstedt

This image has inspired me many times.  Mikko always has both – mood and technical perfection –  in his work.

Are there any specific directions that you would like to take your photography in the future or any specific goals that you wish to achieve?
Well,  I want to do a few new things in the future. For instance, giving workshops is something people have asked for,  so probably will try this out.
I have an e-book on my website but soon I will write another one.
I also want to help photographers increasing their lightroom/photoshop skills via Skype sessions.  I have done it in the past but I didn't really advertise about it till today.

Describe your favourite photograph taken by you and why it is special to you?
This is a tough one. But I guess this photo is my favourite because it reminds me of that quiet evening looking over the lake and the small island in the middle of it.

 

'Blue steele'

Is there anything else you wish to add and what do you think about 1X as a home base for your work?
1x is one of my favourite photography sites.  Here, you will always high quality images. The curators are doing a great job in selecting what to publish and the front page always looks so fresh and inspiring. There are so many great talented photographers on 1x.

 

'Coastal house'

'Broken'

'Boat in fog'