A walrus sits in snow, in a snowstorm.
This split-level photo, Splitting the Catch, won Audun a place in the 52nd Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. In the next tab of this article, Audun explains his split-level technique in more detail. Taken on a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with a Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM lens. © Audun Rikardsen

During the polar nights when the sun never rises, it is just 4°C in the tumultuous, frigid Norwegian Sea. The city of Tromsø is further north than many people ever venture – 350km above the Arctic Circle. These are facts that don't deter Canon Ambassador Audun Rikardsen. In pursuit of photographs of Nordic wildlife as it has never been seen before, he uses his Canon bodies and trusted L-series lenses in punishing conditions: left for days, weeks and months in snow, sleet, hail and wind.

Audun is from a small fishing community in Northern Norway called Steigen, and now lives in a small village at the coast outside Tromsø, also known as the 'Gateway to the Arctic'. He's from a whaling family – a fact he says had the perhaps counterintuitive effect of teaching him to understand and respect natural life. Pairing a curious nature with a burning interest in wildlife, above and below sea level, he creates photographs that receive worldwide recognition for their creativity and technical acumen.

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But first and foremost, Audun is a scientist, working as a professor in biology at the University of Tromsø. This is the driving force behind his photography – with a photograph, like no other medium, he can share his research with the world.

Some of his photographic success can be attributed to his advanced understanding of animal behaviour and scientist's access, while some is down to sheer grit; Audun thrives on making the impossible possible. "It's not luck," he says of his more remarkable work. Rather, his thirst for great photography is driven by constant dissatisfaction. Leaving his camera in mountain hides for months at a time to capture eagles at their resting places, submerging it in icy waters to photograph whales frolicking and placing it nose-to-lens with polar bears, he achieves captivating shots that educate the masses.

"Have you ever wondered what it feels like to be a fish, looking up at a predator?" Audun asks. It's lines of inquiry such as this that have led to his more notable images. He often finds that the sights and perspectives he can't see with his own eyes, he can capture through a skilfully positioned lens.

Here, he talks about the challenges of working in the Arctic, his go-to tools of the trade, and the secrets behind his success.

A fish-eye view shows an eagle hovering above the surface of water.
Audun is interested in photographing the world from his subjects' perspective – here, picturing an eagle as a fish would see it, swooping overhead. Taken on a Canon EOS-1D X Mark II with a Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM lens. © Audun Rikardsen

How does photography help you as a scientist?

"I've realised that if I show my scientific results through a picture, it has a much bigger impact. In many situations, I also use my camera as a scientific tool. For example, I photograph whales to capture the fluke – the backside of the tail of the whale – which works as a fingerprint. Then we can compare that photograph with databases in other parts of the world, and in that way identify the migration of whales between those areas."

And how does being a scientist help you as a photographer?

"As a scientist, you're focused on your goal. You plan and you try to get final results, and I do the same with my photography. As a scientist, you need to have a good idea to get funding. But as a photographer, you also need to have a good idea to show something different. And if you have an idea for a project, you plan it like a scientist.

"People will say, 'Audun, you have so much luck.' Well I don't. I think that if you are passionate, if you plan your work and you really want to reach a goal, eventually the luck will come. You can plan the luck."

A frog sits in a pool under a night sky with the Northern Lights visible.
A frog sits in a pool under the Northern Lights. Taken on a Canon EOS 6D Mark II. © Audun Rikardsen

Your work often shows animals from a unique perspective. What are you trying to achieve?

"It's about showing moments in nature that you rarely see. I know a lot of people complain that [some photography has become] unnatural, because you can capture things you wouldn't normally see. But for me, that's what I want to show – that moment with that animal in that situation. I like my photography to show an animal's natural habitat and what it's doing at close range, creating the feeling that you are in the situation, sitting there with the animal."

Your pictures are so perfectly composed, sometimes it's hard to believe they're not composites.

"For me, when it comes to photography, the photo itself needs to be a single shot with no adjustment or additions – I want it to be totally natural. I plan photographs as a scientist. I often get an idea, write it down, and start thinking of the methods I can use to reach my goal to get that picture. I never stop. And if I fail, I try again – I get even more motivated to reach it. It's that moment when you understand what you have been looking for, for weeks or maybe years – that's the part that drives me both as a scientist and as a photographer."

An eagle spreads its wings as it looks as a dead fox lying in the snow in front of it.
Audun's camera traps have captured eagles displaying unguarded natural behaviour. Taken on a Canon EOS 6D Mark II with a Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM lens. © Audun Rikardsen

When you're photographing eagles' resting places, or shooting in the water at night, surely access and low light can be an issue?

"For me, the most important thing with my equipment is that I can use it in low light, and in extreme conditions. That means I need to have cameras with a good dynamic range and high ISO values without too much noise. I use the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, the Canon EOS 6D Mark II and the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II.

"Most people use big tele lenses when photographing animals. I do as well – I often use the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM and Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM – but I also enjoy going in the opposite direction. With a wide-angle (such as the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM) or even with a Macro lens (such as the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM), if you get close enough, you can also see the environment where the animal lives, which gives the picture more of a story. It says more about the animal itself.

"In those situations, you need to know and look at the behaviour of the animal – if you are chasing, you will scare them. If you behave in a certain way and you give them time, they will often adjust to you, and at some point they will get interested and come to you. That's when you get the interesting shots."

A polar bear lies on rocks beside the sea, its head on its paws.
A sleepy polar bear is reflected in the waters off Svalbard, Norway. Taken on a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens. © Audun Rikardsen
A whale’s tail is seen above the surface of the sea, while a jet of water is blown. Behind are snow-capped mountains.
A humpback whale swimming in icy waters in Norway, its spray highlighted by the low winter light. Taken on a Canon EOS 6D Mark II with a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. © Audun Rikardsen

What are the most extreme things you put your equipment through?

"The type of photography I do is on the limits, in conditions that are quite harsh. The kit is splashed with salt water, it's taken out in freezing conditions and in the rain, and I sometimes drop it. Things happen so fast that I have to be able to throw my camera to the floor and grab another one at times, and I have to trust that the equipment can withstand it.

"When I'm at my hide, that's in an extreme place too – it's on the edge of a cliff next to the sea, so I need a camera that can sit up there in freezing conditions, and still work when I get there. Last night I placed my Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM lens in my eagle hide in the rain overnight. Normally I add a filter to the front to protect it from the rain, but I had noticed that the filter leaked, so I decided to take the chance and leave the lens outside without any protection. It was raining so heavily that it sounded like drums on the roof in my house, so I was really worried, but when I went out this morning to check, it was in perfect condition. That’s what I love about Canon L-series lenses – they are so robust."

Four reindeer stand on a thin strip of rocks beside water, which reflects them sharply.
Reindeer appear stranded as they stand on rocky ground surrounded by cool water. Taken on a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens. © Audun Rikardsen

Why is that reliability so important?

"Sometimes you're looking for a certain situation, you're planning and you finally get there. You know that 'now is the time', it's happening, and then if your equipment doesn't work... that's harder to accept than if everything else worked and you messed it up yourself. Sometimes you won't get that chance again! That's why I use cameras that I know can cope with these conditions. The durability and reliability is very important to me."

Tell us about your self-built hide.

"Because I'm both a full-time scientist and a photographer, my challenge is time. And if I want to do photography, I need to combine it with science, and with my local interests. I've built a hide up in the mountains, about two kilometres from my home. When our daughter goes to bed, I go up there to arrange the hide, position the cameras, set up the sensors, and then the camera will take the picture for me.

"This hide was also intended as a kind of office where I can do both science and photography. And it's excellent because when I'm in my hide, I can focus on my work, with no distracting phone calls. And if an eagle comes, I can do photography as well. It took me three years to get the eagles to come, but now it seems like it's finally working."

A whale’s tail slips into the sea, with golden light in the sky.
A lonely whale's tail disappears into the sea, captured by Canon Ambassador Audun Rikardsen as it's lit by soft rays of Arctic winter light. Taken on a Canon EOS-1D X Mark II with a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. © Audun Rikardsen
A sea eagle swoops low over the surface of the sea, snow-capped mountains in the background.
A sea eagle in front of Brennvik mountains in Steigen, Norway. This image, Eagle on the Hunt, was highly commended in the Birds category of the 2013 European Wildlife Photographer contest. Taken on a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with a Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens. © Audun Rikardsen

What got you interested in ocean photography?

"I grew up in a coastal community close to nature, and I remember when I got my first diving mask from my parents. Above water, I could hear the sounds of the birds, the cars, people talking... And then I moved my head underwater and it was totally different. I could hear moving rocks, small voices, then total silence.

"The millimetres that divide those two worlds have always fascinated me. Birds dive down to catch fish, and whales come up from below to breathe. The lives of these creatures are connected by these millimetres of surface water."

A split-level photo shows an Orca whale below the sea, and a fishing boat with scattering seagulls above the sea.
This walrus in a snowstorm image is just one piece that shows the extreme conditions that Audun puts his Canon L-series lenses through. Taken on a Canon EOS-1D X Mark II with a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. © Audun Rikardsen
How Audun Rikardsen gets his split-level ocean shots

How Audun Rikardsen gets his split-level ocean shots

Audun explains the technique behind his split-level sea photographs, and recounts how a special friendship with a walrus got him an award-winning shot.

Tell us about your split-level picture of the orca whale and fishing boat.
"Well, the reason I built my own dome housing in the first place was that I had that picture in my head. I even made a drawing that looks almost exactly like the final picture. I had been observing these killer whales being attracted to fishing boats – you can see it all happening from above the surface, and if you dive, you can see it from below the surface. I wanted to take a picture that tells both stories, but there was no equipment on the market that could do that in low-light conditions. That's why I came up with the idea of making something. When I eventually got the chance and captured that picture, it was a huge adrenaline rush."

Do you build your underwater housings by yourself?
"When I get these ideas of building things, I have friends helping me – engineers, usually. And I have some good friends at the University of Tromsø that help me in their spare time, building domes and creating the electronics that I need for remote controls, external batteries, and things like that. It's been critical for me, having friends with that expertise."

Do you think it's important to focus on a species or a place?

"Yes, I try to specialise in my local environment. I don't travel much, and most of my photography is taken locally, within a few kilometres. I think that's a possibility that a lot of people have, even if you live in the middle of London or in the Sahara. There is always something that is special for your area. If you focus on that, you have the chance of being there at the right moment, taking a picture that is different from most others."

A herd of musk ox graze on grass in the distance, with a large amount of cloudy sky seen above them.
Musk ox graze under a dramatic sky, captured using a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens. © Audun Rikardsen
A black and white photo shows a whale diving below the surface of the ocean.
This picture by Audun, Humpback Under Full Moon, won second place in the Mammal category of the 2015 European Nature Photographer of the Year. Taken on a Canon EOS-1D X with a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens. © Audun Rikardsen

What's your hit rate?

"The more you plan a photograph, the fewer photos you take, and the better they are. With good planning perhaps half the photographs are good. If it's less planned, you can take thousands of pictures, and there might be one that stands out if you're lucky."

What does the future hold for you?

"I have to admit, it's quite hard to combine my science job, my photography and at the same time being a father and a family member. So that's my challenge – time. And that's something I constantly try to do better at. So for the future, I would like to continue my photography, but I also need to be a father. I'm seeking ways to combine this in an efficient way. Hopefully, I can get my daughter into photography as well. That would help a lot!"

Written by Emma-Lily Pendleton & Kathrine Anker


Audun Rikardsen’s kitbag

The key kit pros use to take their photographs

Photographer Audun Rikardsen smiles as he holds his camera by the sea.

Cameras

Canon EOS 6D Mark II

A full-frame DSLR offering shallow depth-of-field and the ability to capture 6.5 frames per second, the camera’s 26.2MP sensor shoots images packed with detail.

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

This full-frame 30.4MP DSLR captures incredible detail, even in extreme contrast. Continuous 7fps shooting helps when chasing the perfect moment, while 4K video delivers ultra-high definition footage to the DCI standard (4096x2160).

Canon EOS-1D X Mark II

With its high-sensitivity 20.2MP full-frame CMOS sensor, expanded 61-point Dual Pixel AF system and 4K video capture, the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II delivers class-leading performance.

Lenses

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM

A workhorse telephoto zoom lens with a durable design, a four-stop Image Stabiliser that makes it ideal for shooting handheld in low-light conditions, and ultra-low dispersion lens elements to ensure high contrast and natural colours.

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM

Featuring superb image quality edge to edge, a robust build and impeccable weather sealing, this L-series ultra wide-angle zoom lens has a constant f/2.8 maximum aperture for crisp results whatever the lighting conditions.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM

This professional-quality standard zoom lens offers outstanding image sharpness and a robust L-series build. Its constant f/2.8 aperture enables you to take superb photos even in low light, and to control depth of field with ease.

Lenses

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM

A prime lens of the highest quality, with Image Stabilisation, macro capability up to life-size (1.0x) and the ability to achieve a shallow depth of field with beautiful bokeh.

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