Ari Magnússon on Cultural Identity, Choosing Leica, and Why Capturing the Mundane Matters

from Imperfect Creatives · host Michael Carruthers

Ari Magnússon is a fantastic photographer and writer whose newsletter 'One Lens, Too Many Stories' explores borders, identity, and what it means to belong. He's lived in seven countries, holds three passports, and is now based in Berlin where he's documenting his neighbourhood one frame at a time. In this conversation, we talk about what that split identity actually feels like — growing up between Iceland and the UK, restarting from scratch in Montreal, and eventually landing in Berlin. We also get into why he shoots Leica (including the cost), how he developed his photographic style, and what he's actually trying to achieve with his work.Links & ResourcesAri's Newsletter: One Lens, Too Many StoriesAri’s Instagram: @admagnussonModern Color by Fred HerzogWilliam EgglestonSunshine Terrace by Emily ShurChapters(0:00) Intro(0:57) Writing vs Photography(2:55) Living Across Seven Countries(5:45) Cultural Identity and Belonging(7:11) Exploring Borders Through Photography(12:22) Photography Philosophy and Purpose(26:47) Building a Body of Work & Editing Process(29:58) Making a Living as a Photographer(32:50) Moving to Berlin(34:47) Camera Shyness and Street Photography(38:58) Ethics and Motivation in Photography(41:47) Developing Your Own Style(46:47) Film vs Digital Photography(51:47) Final Thoughts and Recommendations

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Ari Magnússon on Cultural Identity, Choosing Leica, and Why Capturing the Mundane Matters

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