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Bill Ferngren
I'm Bill Ferngren, a 56-year-old landscape and nature photographer living in Tungelsta, Sweden. Though I make a living as a self-employed carpenter, my heart is often found in nature, where I explore the quieter, smaller landscapes. Photography allows me to escape into the subtle beauty of the world around us, capturing moments that might otherwise go unnoticed. It's a passion that balances my life and keeps my creative spirit alive.
In Search of Visual Balance
At first glance, the image appears simple and minimalistic, appealing in its black-and-white presentation. Upon closer examination, shapes, details, and nuances gradually reveal themselves as the viewer delves deeper into the image. Grass and water lilies float motionless on a mirror-like water surface. A thicker branch structure from a fallen tree, along with more delicate branches in the background, appear as silhouettes against the dark water. However, this apparent simplicity relies on an intuitively composed structure of details. Creating order out of nature’s sometimes random details while maintaining a harmonious composition requires both experience and a sensitivity to form and balance.
When I was asked to write this article about a photograph that had made an impression on me, I chose an image from 2024 created by the Swedish landscape photographer Krister Berg. To understand how this image came to be, it’s helpful to briefly get to know the photographer behind it, so let me begin with a few words about him. For many years, Krister made his living as a professional photographer, working not only as a landscape photographer but also in fields ranging from food and industrial environments to portraits and interiors. Today, photography is a passion and a creative process free from deadlines and client assignments. His images, primarily in black and white, display a distinctive sharpness and refinement that can only be achieved through years of work and development. His mastery of details and contrasts gives his photographs a unique expression and depth that captivates the viewer’s gaze. Much of this comes to life in post-production, where he fine-tunes every element to achieve precisely the balance he seeks, often through the use of tones and contrasts. To perform this final step, a well-balanced and thoughtful visual structure is of course essential.