Marte Lundby
Photographer
What’s your link to Townsville?
I grew up in Norway but, as I suffer from asthma triggered by cold air, I went to school in Spain. When a friend and fellow asthma sufferer moved to Townsville to study, I decided to follow suit and moved Down Under for three sunny years at James Cook University. I loved studying photography and the salsa dancing in Townsville was great fun too. My favourite get-away was Horseshoe Bay on Magnetic Island, which was like paradise for a frozen Scandinavian!
Where are you now?
After uni I moved to London and started freelancing. It’s an amazing city with lots of opportunities but also a lot of competition. I’ve been lucky enough to photograph the Queen and Prince Philip, celebrities like Russell Brand and Oscar Pistorius, and I’ve had my photos published in magazines like Wallpaper and international newspapers. I also take photos for businesses and their marketing needs. My favourite is when I get to photograph delicious food, creative interiors or meet interesting people. I spend my days out on shoots, meeting clients or doing post-production and admin in my office.
What’s your next project?
I’m just finishing some photos of a famous author that are being published in a magazine this month. Tomorrow I’m shooting interiors for an architect and next week I’m doing portraits for a global beauty product company. My job never gets boring!
What’s happening with your personal life?
I met an amazing Welshman almost a year ago and I’m excited to see what our future holds. I’ve been in the UK for so long now it feels like home. Hopefully Brexit won’t change that!
How did your time in Townsville set you up for success?
The photography degree at JCU was very good as it prepared us to make a living off photography, not just to practice it as a hobby or a way to express ourselves.