Isabelle Bacher

ISABELLE BACHER - 78.49° N ARCTIC.

How did you start your career as a photographer?

When I was twelve years old, I started analog photography with a Nikon camera thanks to my father. Since then, I have been enthused by photo processing in the darkroom for which I used my bathroom back then. I have mainly photographed digitally and always have the camera at hand – both for professional and personal purposes – since the beginning of my architecture studies.

ISABELLE BACHER - g.a.r.l.i.c.

ISABELLE BACHER - GRAPH.ICS II & ISABELLE BACHER - mannequin whitney.

What are your sources of inspiration for your picture ideas?

I am inspired by pristine sceneries and seascapes in different qualities of light (daylight, moonlight, northern lights, blue hour,…). I look for the suitable location and the right camera position and decide on my preferred lighting atmosphere for the chosen location. And then I wait…

Whenever possible, I visit the location over and over, preferably even during different seasons. I am also inspired by objects with a minimalistic beauty as well as people whose faces are telling stories.

ISABELLE BACHER -  DU OG JEG OG VI TO.

Which camera do you use?

I use a Nikon D 850 and work exclusively with fixed focal lengths. I love slow photography and use an analog large format camera made by Linhof for this purpose.

ISABELLE BACHER -  AUTUMN,  Nordland / Norwegen.

In particular, the theme of Arctic landscapes can be found very often in your works. What is the special fascination for you to photograph under these extreme conditions?

I left my heart north of the Arctic Circle. My Norwegian roots are probably the reason why the arctic light, the dancing northern lights, the midnight sun and the blue hour are magical to me. However, photographing in the Arctic is a challenge. During polar night season it is dark for several months, which makes working in an icy, cold, and dark environment very tough. The extreme cold requires appropriate clothing and shoes. The fact that the camera runs out of battery in no time is a technical challenge. I always have a powerbank and a USB charger attached to my body with sport tape and load the batteries continuously on my body. Only while I photograph, I insert them in the camera. This way, it has happed to me only once that the camera stopped working. I have an analog medium format camera as a backup camera. But the vastness of the secluded fjords, the appealing glaciers, the majestic mountain landscape and the breathtaking light of the far North are incredibly fascinating and offer a unique photo setting in spite of the difficult circumstances.

ISABELLE BACHER -  MAGICAL BLUE HOUR, Arctic / Norwegen.

Where can you be found when you are not behind a camera?

I enjoy spending time in beautiful sceneries with my little family. Good music and exciting short trips to the mountains free my mind and give rise to new ideas for architecture and photo concepts.

ISABELLE BACHER -  ARCTIC AUTUMN LIGHT.

As a photographer I pay particular attention to the quality of the end product. Pictures in exhibitions and for customers must have the perfect finish; the printed material or Fine Art paper have to be in harmony with the image character and the product has to be of superior quality, have a good appearance and/or work in the long run. WhiteWall totally meets my requirements. The pictures come out exactly the way I expect them to be, and the service is always excellent thanks to their global reach.

Product Recommendation: Giclée Prints with Wood Frames and Direct Print On Brushed Aluminum

I like to order my pictures on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Fine Art Paper with a black oak wood frame and non-reflective museum glass. I also find architecture photos on brushed aluminum very elegant.