A professional photographer educated in Sweden and Iceland, Ragnar Th Sigurdsson started as a news photographer and then opened his own studio in 1985. A pioneer in the use of digital equipment in Iceland, Sigurdsson’s archive of 200,000 photos specializes in Arctic nature and travel and features volcanoes, geothermal activity, geological formations, glaciers, waterfalls, wildlife, and the flora of the Arctic among other locations and subjects. In addition to receiving three CLIO awards, Sigurdsson is widely exhibited, and in 1997, Icelandic TV made a documentary about his work. In 1996, Sigurdsson and a partner founded the publishing firm Arctic Books.

www.arctic-images.com

Two passing cars add to the energy of the aurora’s display over a snowcapped fjord just north of Reykjavik. Before he began working digitally, Sigurdsson typically photographed the aurora using medium-format cameras and high-speed negative film. This combination optimized image sharpness in relation to film speed. He used negative film for the greatest amount of exposure latitude and preferred the grain structure of Fujifilm over Kodak for purposes of scanning and output.

© Ragnar Th Sigurdsson/Arctic-Images
Camera: Mamiya 6, 6x6 , Lens: 50mm, Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure: 20 seconds, Film: Fujicolor 1600