Hannes Becker
We first met Hannes when we were surfing together in the Faroe Islands. We caught up with him for a chat about his incredible journey as a photographer and his love for the North Atlantic Ocean.
Where in the world are you right now and what’s going on?
I’m currently back home in Germany, I live close to Frankfurt, in the countryside. I recently got back to Germany in December. When I met you guys in the Faroe Islands in September I was just planning on staying for a few weeks but I enjoyed it so much and didn’t have much going on back home, so I stayed for a few months. I actually almost stayed the whole winter but with Corona, they were going to stop ferries going back home, so I decided to leave then.
Take us back to the very start - how did this photography journey begin?
It all began when I went to University to be a civil engineer. I got an iPhone, I think it was the 4S, and just downloaded Instagram and started taking pictures. I'm from a rural area, so I’d take random landscape pictures and upload them and I guess I was one of the first in Germany to do that. I did try out a lot of different things but people seemed to like the landscape shots. My first photo is of pancakes, which I’ll keep up, I think it’s cool because that’s how it all started.
I decided to drop out of university and look for an apprenticeship as a studio photographer. I did that for a few years and then quit and have freelanced since. It’s all been through Instagram - thanks to a little bit of luck and good timing!
It became a career 5 years ago, I shot with my iPhone for 2 to 3 years and then a travel agency from Australia reached out to me and asked if I could go there and take pictures for them. They thought I was a photographer, it was my first overseas trip. I actually got my first proper camera before the trip and learned how to use it while I was there. After I posted the Australia photos more travel and marketing agencies started reaching out to me and it’s exploded since then. I gained 400 thousand followers in one year, that’s my best year in terms of growth.
I’ve noticed my engagement has dropped on Instagram, I don’t know much about the algorithm, but I think that’s just because there are more people and content on Instagram. I just enjoy posting pictures and working on passion projects, like with the Faroe Islands, because that is where most of my income comes from but I am looking for a platform that’s less about the individual and more about their work.
What is it about shooting the ocean that you like?
Since I grew up in the countryside, I always had a strong connection to nature and my surroundings. My interest in the ocean really started when I went to Ireland a few years ago, there were enormous waves smashing against the big cliffs and crazy storms for days. I really loved shooting it because it felt like the ocean is calming, but also super wild and you never really know what you’re going to end up with. I like this. I’ve since done trips to Iceland, Scotland, Faroe Islands, and Norway. I’ve surfed before in France in the Summer but had never done any arctic surfing before, but the two times I’ve surfed in The Faroe Islands it was just amazing. Since I got a new wetsuit and underhousing I’m looking forward to concentrating more on underwater photography and surf stuff.
When we met you in the Faroe Islands we talked a little about you swimming with killer whales before - tell us more about that?
I was with a group of photographers in Norway. In wintertime all the orcas and humpback whales gather here to feed, they usually go into the fjords and the ocean is very calm, meaning you can go out in a boat and jump into the water. We decided to document their behavior to raise awareness about the fragile ecosystem in the Nordics, by posting the photos on Instagram. It was amazing seeing the orcas go around the boat and be able to jump in and see the whales. They notice you and you notice them, it’s weird, they approach you, but in a kind way - at times they are as close as 5 metres away. You feel really really safe because the whales are so intelligent and you immediately start to realize that they would never harm you.
How did Ragnar the Van come about?
I actually decided on the name Ragnar after a trip to England in Northumberland and learning about all the Viking history there.
I’ve been travelling loads over the last five years. At some points, I’ve spent 9 months out of the whole year travelling. I didn’t like that much travelling and flying around, especially when the trips are only 2 - 3 weeks for a work project; it’s not fun and it’s obviously not good for the environment. I came up with the idea to get a van, so I can travel around Europe and focus here, rather than travelling around the world so much. It’s like with the Faroe Islands, you can’t just spend a week there, I spent three months there and I kept finding new things!
Ragnar the Van is a Volkswagen Transporter, my friends helped me do it up, I got it before the coronavirus started, but it’s probably the best thing that could have happened because it means I’m still able to travel around since I’m not relying on aeroplanes or anything.
Lofoten in Norway and the mix of mountains and the ocean, as well as places in Ireland and Scotland, make me love Europe. The whole process of getting a good shot is not immediate, you have to wait and be patient. I think this is really cool because everything is so accessible now, but some things are not easily accessible, like nature - you have to be patient, wait for the perfect light or weather and find different places.
What camera do you use and how did you develop such a unique editing style?
I started with a small Olympus camera, I’ve switched a lot, trying Canon and Sony. At the moment I’m using Canon. I really like the colours with Canon, it looks so natural. My editing style is an ongoing process, I’m still not super satisfied with my editing, but that’s good because it means I continue to work on it and improve. It’s taken me a long time to get where I want with my editing, trying lots of different things, using Adobe Lightroom. I look for inspiration on Instagram and other platforms. When you focus on landscapes in the North, you know those places are already wild and that means you don’t have to add a lot because you can see that through the picture. It’s super hard when you travel a lot and shoot different environments, like Peru, deserts in Namibia, Glaciers in Greenland and you want one edit style that combines them all because the landscapes and light are so different. So this meant I had the idea to focus on the Atlantic and Europe and that’s where I am now. The water housing I recently got is from a company called Aquatech, it’s cool to find new perspectives to shoot from.
Finally, do you have a favourite place in the world?
It’s a tough one. I would say anything in Scandinavia or anything that’s Nordic. Like I love Norway, I could see myself living there a few years.
