Lene (@lenejensen) works at bonusprint in the marketing department by day and is a keen photographer in her spare time, taking photos of everything from her children to the beautiful scenery of her native Norway.
An avid traveller and explorer, Lene loves going on adventures with her two children and husband and taking photos of everything she encounters.
Read on to discover more about Lene…
Tell us a bit about yourself
My name is Lene Jensen and I work as a marketer at bonusprint. I live in Bergen, Norway and I’m married and have two kids. I have always been a very visual person and love to do creative stuff such as drawing, painting and photographing and this interest also led to me studying visual communication.
How would you describe your photography style?
Hmm, not sure if I have a certain style. If I see something that I think would make a great photo, then I will immediately find my mobile and take a picture. This can sometimes be a bit annoying for my husband if we are out driving and I suddenly see something and we need to stop the car. I think my graphic background also plays a big role, as I always try to find a good balance between the elements in the pictures.
What’s your favourite thing to take photos of and why?
I love taking photos of nature and especially in my home country Norway. I live in the west, and love the nature here as it is very varied and rural with the sea, mountains, woods and fjords. The light in the Nordic countries is beautiful, and I hope that is something that shines through in my pictures. A cool and natural feel.
How do you deal with photographing children? Do you have any tricks up your sleeve?
Make sure you have planned everything when it comes to location and what they wear, and take lots of photos! I think it is very important to have fun and play around. That is when the magic happens, and you get those heart-warming moments that make you smile.
Where’s the most impressive place you’ve ever travelled?
I have a big fascination for volcanos, and I have always dreamt of travelling to Iceland. My dream came true in 2015. I went together with my mother and two sisters and we had a wonderful time exploring this beautiful country. We found a great place to stay in Reykjavik, and I was so amazed by the fact that wherever I was walking, the ground was covered with lava stones! The nature was so beautiful, and I took a lot of photos. Of course, I had to make a photo book from this trip. I also made sure to bring a couple of lava stones home with me.
What is your favourite European city and why?
It is a bit hard to say, as I like a lot of European cities. I travel a lot to Amsterdam because of my job, and I love walking around in this city taking photos. I also think Berlin and London are great cities to explore. Whenever I am on a weekend trip to a big city I try to go running in one of the city parks. I like to see different sides of the city, and I always find a lot of things to photograph on these runs. Both on the way to the park, and in the park.
Where do you go back to time and time again and why?
The town that I grew up in, Måløy. Sometimes when I’m hiking on one of the mountains here, it feels like this is the only place where I can really breathe. To me the nature here is perfect. It is as far out on the west coast of Norway as possible by the sea. It rains a lot here and often it is quite windy, but I think that the hard weather makes this place look even more beautiful.
What do you usually base your holiday choices on? (EG food, landmarks, culture, weather)
Every summer me, my husband and two kids go on a family holiday. We always try to go somewhere warm as we have very short summers in Norway. Last year we went to Italy and stayed in Sperlonga and Gaeta. We like to get a more authentic feel of the places that we visit so we like to rent a car and drive around and explore different beaches and close-by towns.
What do you take your photos with?
That depends on the purpose. If I am taking photos of my kids for the yearly Christmas card, I will use my Canon 400D. If I am outside and suddenly see something that would make a great image for my Instagram account then I will use my iPhone.
Do you use any editing apps or tools?
I know Adobe Photoshop and use this to edit my photos if needed. For my Instagram images I will edit directly in Instagram on my mobile, or use the Lightroom app.
Do you create any photo products? Do you keep them for yourself or give them as gifts?
Yes! I love making photo books, for myself and my family but also to give as gifts. I see it as a parent task to photo books for my kids so that they can have them to look back at when they get older. I also make wall art, prints, calendars and Christmas cards. I take lots of photos, and it would be a shame not to do anything with them. A lot of my Instagram photos find their way on to my walls.
What advice would you give to people wanting to expand their photography skills?
First of all, just go out and take lots of photos. If you are not sure what or how, you can find lots of inspiration on Instagram. Many years ago, I took an evening photography course over a short period of time. I learned a lot about how to use my camera, and how to take photos. It’s not very expensive, and I think if you have an interest in photography this could be a nice thing to do for yourself.
