Norðr [nɔrθr] is old Norse and means North.
The Norðr project has not come about in a way that I sat down and made the decision that now I want to do a project about The North. It has slowly grown from nothing into something, and I would not be able to say exactly when it became a project.
Also, it is not finished. And I don’t know that it will ever be. But it has just reached the point of spinning off its first real end-product: A photo book (my first), which is actually not a real photo book because it is not published and available; but it is enough of a photo book that I have designed it and had it printed in a couple of copies to see how it would turn out. You can see an outline on this link:
Ever since I spent my childhood summers in cabins in the endless mountains and forests of Scandinavia, I have developed an increasing affinity for the North. Later in life, I discovered the Arctic, and today I count Svalbard, Iceland, and Norway among my favorite travel destinations.
Through many visits to different places in the North, I have gradually learned how monochrome photography and the unique mood of the north go exceptionally well together. Monochrome photography and the absence of color tends, in many settings, to be a great way to capturing and expressing the mood and vibe of a scene. And I find that it perfectly matches the often rugged, cold, cloudy, and misty climate in the north. It has the ability to communicate what the North feels like.
Below is a selection of the photos that belong to my Norðr project. Many of them are to be found in the book – but not all. And the collection and selection evolves over time.
