We had the good fortune of connecting with Deena Sveinsson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Deena, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I have been taking photos since my college days at the University of Washington in Seattle. I was lucky to be attending college during the “grunge years” and that allowed me to photograph bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many others.My photos were showcased in many publications including the Glass Onion and The Stranger. When I graduated college I hung up the camera and trained to become an airline pilot. And after many years of training and teaching in a stagnant industry, I finally obtained a flying position with an airline. Working for an airline gave me the ability to travel overseas very inexpensively and based on my flying schedule I could get out the country quite often. And with my future husband we traveled the world, and I always had a camera in hand.

I worked as a commercial airline pilot for over 20 years experienced in flying numerous aircraft, including type ratings in the Boeing 737, 757, and 767. For well over half of these years I performed as an Airline Captain. Luck would have it that several years ago, my airline career had an unexpected derailment, and I was forced to temporarily change paths.
We live in Estes Park, Colorado near the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. We live in the beautiful mountains of Colorado with their abundance of wildlife. I was naturally drawn to wildlife photography as a new, exciting chapter in my life. A bit different though from concert photography. I can be seen almost daily trying to find unique ways of photographing the wildlife in RMNP and the surrounding mountainous areas.
For many, many years I have taken photos which I feel are unique and taken from a different perspective from what you normally see in photos. I just never really posted much on Facebook or Instagram until recently and now I am finally showcasing my photographic talent. Now people are able to see that much of my hard work results in unique and special photos that evoke thought and emotion.
This past summer I managed to tear my meniscus and sprain my MCL while on vacation in Norway (looking at a sculpture of a naked man with a pine tree for a penis!). Due to family obligations and my fall and winter travel schedule. I was unable to get the required surgery until this past February. And since I was restricted from my normal winter activities such as skiing and snowshoeing, I really needed to do something to keep me occupied. And that something was to start Deena Sveinsson Photography. So I finally got it all together – the website, the logo, the social media pages, the jacket!
I built the normal Facebook and Instagram pages and started to post frequently. And I laboriously built a website showcasing my photos at deenasveinssonphotography.com. I can currently sell a collection of my photos in various sizes and mediums, as the customer request.. In addition to my photos, I sell a small collection of bunny greeting cards and my 2024 Bunny Calendar. I started making these calendars during COVID and giving them as gifts. And I love these calendars for their size and unique photos of rabbits and hares around the world, including the snowshoe hare, mountain hare, and jackrabbits. In addition, some of my merchandise can be purchased at a local shop in Estes Park, the Wynbrier on Elkhorn Avenue.
Next up will be a line of moose greeting cards and a moose calendar.
I hope to grow this fledging photo website business in the near future. Perhaps you will see and hear more from me in the future years.

What should our readers know about your business?
Unlike many wildlife photographers, I only like to photograph certain subjects. I have a few subjects such as moose, owls, penguins, puffins and anything bunny that bring me sheer bliss and joy. And I believe it shows in my photographs when I can look into the souls of these animals and bring out their gentle nature and kindness. Photographing wildlife, really, is a way of life. Capturing unique photographs of animals in their natural habitat takes up most of my time. I pride myself on spending enough time with my furry friends, so they get used to my presence and I get to witness more of their natural behavior. This has taught me to enjoy the peace and quiet of the mountains and the forests, and the wildlife that call those places home.

Patience is another thing I really had to learn. To sit outside for hours and hours in the heat or the cold is something I really never did before I picked up a camera to photograph wildlife. This is a requirement of wildlife photography because nothing happens quickly or when you want it to happen, especially for me. I have also learned to respect the fast changing Colorado weather, and I try to always be prepared for that potential mishap.
Nothing in wildlife photography is ever easy. The animals never seem to get the memo, meaning it is often lots of waiting and nothing to show for it. I have learned that many times to get that unique shot often can mean getting nothing at all if all the pieces don’t line up in my favor. But I have also learned from disappointment often comes reward. Over the years I have entered many international contests and have been quite excited about my photos getting top accolades: I just recently garnered a Top 100 in the 2023 Audubon Photography Awards, I am proud to have been shortlisted (Top 25) for the 2022 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Peoples Choice Award. It was exciting to be a part of the contest and to see my “Snowshoe Hare Stare” in the Natural History Museum in London this winter, 2023, the 2023 NANPA Showcase Top 100, and the Share the View Top 250, to name a few.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
On arrival into DIA, I would insist on stopping at VooDoo Donuts in Concourse B. Then head to my favorite restaurant in downtown Denver, Giordano’s Pizza for Chicago deep dish style pizza. It is worth he 45 minute wait! Living in Estes Park, of course this town would be the focus of the stay. A visit to the Stanley Hotel for lunch followed by a ghost tour is a must. And then sip delicious coffee surrounded by hundreds of ducks at the Coffee on the Rocks. Also, a leisurely stroll down Elkhorn Avenue shopping for gifts, such as taffy and chocolate.
The main attraction would be Rocky Mountain National Park, though. There is so much to see and to do in the park that a week wouldn’t even scratch the surface. I would take guests to Bear Lake and hike to Emerald or Dream Lake. Watch sunrise at Sprague Lake hoping to see some moose feeding on the grasses in the lake. Perhaps stopping at Sheep’s Lake to hopefully see bighorn sheep or moose hanging in one of the lakes. Then a slow ride up Old Fall River Road in the hopes to see elk lounging on the tundra keeping cool and then continue to the West Side of RMNP in hopes of seeing more moose feeding on the willows along the river. Stopping for lunch in Grand Lake is always a good idea before heading back up Trail Ridge Road to maybe get a glimpse of pika, marmots or weasels at the Rock Cut.
I would also venture out of the town limits to visit Brainard Lake Recreational Area, Mt. Evans, Waterton Canyon and the Rocky Mountain Arsenal.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
When I was in college my father gave me his old Nikkormat – yes, a manual film camera! At that time I was interested in concert photography and always had that clunky camera with me whenever I went out. Soon, I graduated to the latest and greatest Nikon N90 which allowed me to obtain wonderful concert photos. I was fortunate to be in college in Seattle during the “grunge” scene and for over two years I photographed pretty much every band that came though the Seattle area. It was during this time I met Gene Stout, the pop music critic at the Seattle PI, who always showed support for my photography and still is a good friend of mine. Even to this day, I can count on Gene’s support. When I started learning to fly, I couldn’t afford to purchase film so I hung up the camera for many years. When I started traveling overseas more with my future husband Knut, he encouraged me to pick the camera up again. This time it was digital! Fast forward to today, Knut is always there to help and encourage me. He keeps me grounded and focused. He is that “voice” in my head telling me not to give up on the photo I am envisioning for the sake of the average photo.

I have never tried to copy another professional photographer’s style as I have always wanted to develop my own style. That being said there are a few photographers that I have met along my journey that have pushed me to think outside the norm; Peter Ismert, Kate and Adam Rice, Stu Smith, and the Silvermans. Dawn wilson taught me to always carry the wide angle lens to force me to look at the bigger“scene”. And since photography also has a technical side to it, Kim Sloan has always been there with his technical expertise and expansive knowledge of all things camera.

Website: deenasveinssonphotography.com

Instagram: deenasveinsson

Facebook: Deena Sveinsson Photography

Image Credits
Personal Photo: Knut H. Sveinsson All additional photos: Deena R. Sveinsson

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