OLAV KENNETH LINGE
SANDEFJORD, NORWAY

In 1995, Olav Kenneth Linge became the sixth person ever to receive the highest print honor (gained by accumulated print-competition awards) conferred by the Norwegian National Association. Since first entering print competition in 1990, he has garnered more print awards than any other Scandinavian portrait photographer during this time period. In 1994, Linge won the prestigious Kodak Nordic Photographer of the Year, commonly known in Europe as a Gold Award.

That same year he received his Master of Photography degree from Professional Photographers of America (PPA). His prints were included in that organization's Loan Collection in 1993, 1994, and 1995. Linge also won the Scandinavian Fame Portrait Exhibition three years in a row, from 1992-1994.

Linge is in demand as a speaker and judge throughout the world. He is known not only for his photography but for his ability to convey precise, usable information to his audience.

The average person loves sunsets, reflections, and romance. Our first award-winning print was of a wedding couple taken in the December frost just after sundown, using a 100-watt video lamp. This was 1990, and we still have people say, "I decided who would photograph my wedding the day I saw that picture." The impact of one photograph captured the wedding market for us.

It was important to follow up with exciting pictures, of course, but we honestly attribute much of our ability to capture the wedding market quickly to that print. Our biggest help was-and is-displaying photography with impact. We've been lucky enough to do well in print competition, which keeps press releases in the paper regularly.

At 17, I began as an assistant to photographer Harald Ohnstad in Norway, then did a tour in the Norwegian Air Force, followed by a job with Kodak-Norway, mixing chemicals. After some bit jobs with various photography studios and shops,I received an offer I couldn't refuse: working-without pay-as a still photographer on a movie filmed in France.

It was here I discovered the fantastic possibilities of combining daylight with tungsten light, a technique that through varying color temperature allows me to create more depth and dimension in my photographs. This added warmth has become my trademark. We've found that customers love warm-toned photographs. This knowledge, as odd as it seems, has really helped our sales of wall-sized prints. People, after all, spend a lot of time and money on tanning. We often use gold reflectors and tungsten light outdoors, plus warm-toned filters or maybe just the modeling lamps of the electronic lights indoors. People go crazy: they've never looked so good!

After my experience with the French film company, I returned to Norway to open a modeling agency together with a makeup artist. It was the perfect opportunity for me to begin experimenting with techniques for creating golden light under all kinds of conditions. Car lights, reflectors, mirrors, regular light bulbs-nearly everything was put to use-but 100-watt video lamps began to emerge as my favorite tungsten source.

During this period, I didn't have a studio, so I had to learn to "see" a great background almost anywhere. Spending time developing this ability really pays off, especially when your client wants outdoor photography before there is anything green in sight.

Another good skill to develop is the ability to make a picture tell a story. When I photographed for "Den Norske Teater," one of Norway's most renowned theater companies, I had to learn to emphasize an important person or element in order to convey a message. Obviously, this skill is valid in any kind of photography.

A new opportunity arose, and I took a job as a still photographer for a large film studio in the United States. Working at the studio was interesting but at the same time quite boring. Everything was too planned, but I gained a lot of respect for true professionals and learned the value of working as a team. I almost always work with at least one assistant now because I find it allows me to concentrate on the important aspects of the shoot.

After four years-rich in experience-I returned to Norway. Without a doubt, the best thing about America was that I met my wife there. We decided that portrait photography was a more suitable profession for a family man, so Mary Lyn and I returned to Norway shortly before the birth of our first child.

In 1990, we sold our car for 20,000 dollars to buy a newly established studio in a villa in the center of Sandefjord, a city of 36,000. We lived cramped on the second floor and ran the studio out of the first. We needed to double our sales very quickly just to survive. Living frugally without a car really helped. This was possible because in Norway, wedding couples have their sittings done mostly in the studio, plus we had a garden for outdoor work. My wife assisted where she could, but our children were small so she couldn't provide an second income.

Expanding our customer base quickly was essential for us. We had two main competitors, one well-established (70 years) and the other fairly new. We knew the photography traditions of our area: weddings and one year-old baby portraits. So we decided to get the weddings, and the one-year-olds would follow. Our marketing plan worked, although undercapitalization caused our biggest struggle.

Today, we have four children, and we've expanded from our home studio to a main-street location. We didn't increase the size of our camera room or workroom, but we now have a large showroom. We felt this was important if we were to increase our sales.

In a large showroom, a 16x20-inch (40x50cm) portrait looks like a postage stamp on the wall. The reaction from the public has been extremely positive with lots of people coming in just to look. That is exactly what we want! We don't try to sell "big pictures." We sell the "right" sizes. We help our customers figure out the appropriate size by considering the viewing distance and the head size of the subject in the print.

For example, a full-figure photograph of a small child, with a small head size, that will hang across the room from the sofa, from a viewing distance of approximately 10 feet, will need to be larger than a closeup portrait hanging in a hallway. It is logical, and your customer will be satisfied. You'll start taking fantastic full-figure photographs!

The other thing we concentrate on is so simple it shouldn't have to be mentioned: Make the client look good! We don't do glamour photography, but we display some trendy portraits just for our image. We sell this type of photography only a couple of times a year, but displaying the images seems to make our clients trust us to make them look good.

I spend the time to find flattering angles, and I've studied a bit of facial geometry. I am also careful not to allow the shadow areas to "disfigure" my clients, an amazingly common error in portrait photography. "Retouch in the camera" is our motto, but we do some print retouching with wet dyes, especially on outdoor work. The Scandinavian market doesn't require retouching and would find, for example, the removal of wrinkles offensive.

Taking good pictures from the customer's viewpoint is so important. This is where variety comes in. I feel a photographer should practice with a wide range of poses, compositions, and lighting patterns. You should have your own "style," but be careful not to lock yourself into a couple of predictable variations. Each customer wants something special.

In 1990, I began entering print shows. This has proven invaluable. Through competition I became exposed to the best work in portrait photography today. I am in awe when I view the work of my peers. This respect also motivates me to stretch myself and add that extra polish to my work.

Because of our success in print competition, we've been able to crate a very good image. This image is backed up by the decor of our showroom and the use of extremely high-quality frames. Halogen spots throughout the showroom are a must.

The other side of the coin is that people expect a lot. We are very careful to plan with our clients, so they won't be disappointed. Top quality must be followed up with top service.

The success I've enjoyed has come from three sources. First, I keep Sundays free for family whenever possible--no matter how much work needs to be done. This gives your mind a break from photography and keeps your family happy.

Next, I enter print competitions, which gives you an impartial "ruler" to measure yourself with. And finally, I keep in touch and share ideas with other photographers. I have a "no-secrets" rule: We must all contribute to the progress of our profession.

I also feel that determination is very important, as well as the ability to dream while staying focused on present goals. I visualize five years at a time and work on specific ways to achieve the dream by having quarterly goals. Listen to advice but trust yourself. Be stubborn when trying for that great shot. Dream and then set your goals. Try to find someone who believes in you to share your goals with. You'll find success if you don't give up!