In the “Spectacular autumn colours in Norway” Mission we could see how the nature in Norway explodes in beautiful shades of orange, yellow, red and brown colors. Some amazing photos were submitted and it has been very hard for the Visit Norway team to choose the winner. Today we are excited to announce a new Foaper that won his first Mission with a spectacular shot taken at a very early morning.
Ladies and gentlemen, meet Foaper Lukasz Ptak!
The first two questions come from Grethe Knapstad Fossen from Visit Norway:
Big congratulations Lukasz on winning this Mission. It was really, really hard for us to choose the winner in this Mission. There were so many amazing photos submitted but your photo stood out in a special way, I guess it is the mystical fog that is catching people’s attention. My first thought when I saw your photo was, “this most be taken very early in the morning”. We would love to hear the story behind the photo and know where it is taken.
Thank you so much, Grethe! This is really a fantastic feeling, especially for the person who bought his first camera (Canon G7x) three months ago! I had to sacrifice a little bit to take this picture but I guess that this is just my recipe for an exceptional shot. I always try to do things unconventionally. This photo was taken in the Sognsvann area which is small lake near Oslo. I decided to get there on a Saturday morning because… let’s be honest who else does that after Friday’s evening? So basically, I was sure that I will be the only person at the location that morning. All I had to do is set my frame and wait until the sun rised. Long story short – all credits to mother nature and my alarm clock.
We have seen that you have submitted photos in our other Missions as well. They are really nice. Visit Norway’s Mission as an organization is to tell the world about our beautiful country. How are you describing Norway to your friends outside Norway?
Some of my friends consider Norway as a dark and cold place. Which is kind of truth… particularly in the winter time. But on the other hand, it’s also one of the few places on earth where you can experience the northern lights spectacle. You can also meet polar bears in its natural environment, swim through magnificent fjords, climb majestic mountains, see constant daylight and much, much more. Norway is all about the nature – you can see it in Norwegian design, architecture, economy… basically everywhere. I consider nature as a very important element of Norwegian identity. It’s not something you can feel simply by looking at the pictures. I always recommend my friends visiting Norway to feel the story that is hidden behind the pictures.
That sounds amazing and congrats again!
Now over to a couple of questions from the Foap team.
We would love to get to know you better, who is Lukasz, what do you do when you are not snapping great photos?
I’m still trying to figure out who Lukasz is 🙂 The fact is that I’m 23 years old and from Poland. I work for my country’s embassy in Oslo, in which I’m responsible for the promotion of Polish entrepreneurship on the Norwegian market. I’ve been living in Norway for one year now and I’m still getting used to all the new circumstances. It was here where I found my passion for photography thanks to my brother who is a professional photographer. Recently I also started to use my skills to create short movies. I have a lot of fun nowadays exploring my new hobbies.
It is always fun to hear the story of how people found out about Foap. What is yours?
I simply found out about Foap on Instagram. I instantly liked the idea that my pictures can be purchased by the biggest companies in the world. And I like that it’s accessible for everyone – regardless the experience or equipment. It’s the place where an amateur photographer is no worse than then the “Professionals”.
Your first sell on Foap was by winning a Mission, how does it feel to win a Mission? Especially to a organization that probably will use your photo to promote Norway around the world.
I still have in mind the moment I turned on my G7x for the first time. Instinctively I knew how to zoom in/out… and that was it. Now, the idea of my picture being shown to people around the world is just mind-blowing. I always felt that my captures aren’t that bad. But I’m that kind of person who needs some objective confirmation. I finally got what I needed and this is a huge confidence and motivation boost for my photography.
You have a great portfolio and we are looking forward to see it grow, one photo that caught our attention was this one.
We first thought that it was manipulated with all the different angles and symmetri but it is the raw and original photo. Where did you take this photo? Looks like a city with interesting architecture.
This one was taken in Warsaw – the capital of my beautiful country. The city was almost completely destroyed during the World War II and rebuilt under the communist regime. The most notable building from Soviet Union’s supremacy times is the “Palace of Culture and Science”. It is still the highest building in Poland and, as you can see in my picture it still overshadows skyscrapers erected in the last 26 years of Polish capitalism. This picture exemplifies the last 60 years of Polish history for me.
Thank you so much Lukasz for your story, we are happy to have you in the Foap Community! Visit Norway will launch some new fun Missions in a couple of weeks so have the alarm clock and your camera ready and bring your brother along as well 🙂
Check out Lukasz’s portfolio and follow him @lukasz.ptak
Check out all the other amazing photos in the Mission here.
All the best and Happy Foaping!
– The Foap Team
