Nora Bergan

Where are you from?

Oslo, Norway.

Where in the world are you right now?

I’m currently living in Mexico City.

Tell us a little about your day to day life there?

I moved here about a year ago and I’m still trying to figure this place out. With over 20 million people and dozens of different neighborhoods, there is always something new to see here. Coming from a much smaller city, it has definitely taken some getting used to!

But I’m enjoying the abundance of Mexico; the smells, colors, sounds and tastes. There is no such thing as minimalism here and I find it all very inspiring. Right now most of my work is focused on food. I’m mainly doing the styling and photography, but I’ve also had the chance to work on developing recipes for a cook book and teach food photography classes. So I’m really immersing myself in the food culture here, which is amazing.

What got you into photography and what keeps you taking pictures?

My dad was the one who introduced me to photography and gave me my first camera. Starting out as a little girl, taking pictures was like playing for me. Growing up I kept my interest in photography and went from taking pictures of my dolls and pets, to travels and people. I’m a very visual person and I liked the way I could express myself through photography.

After finishing high school I went on to travel in Latin-America, where the camera became a great tool for exploring and understanding a new culture. In my early twenties I decided to make my hobby my job and started studying photography in Oslo. I’ve always loved photography, but I’ve definitely had times where I doubted whether I really wanted to be a photographer.

It’s such a tough business and having to make money off of something you feel so passionate about, can be hard. But I’ve tried to take a break from photography to study or work a different kind of job, and I always end up coming back to it. It’s not easy, but it’s extremely rewarding when you’re able to capture that perfect moment. I guess it’s true what they say, that nothing worth having comes easy.

If there was anywhere in the world you could shoot in where would it be?

That’s a tough one. As I’m really into food right now, it would have to be something related to that. Visiting an old grandma in Italy who makes the best pesto or some of the famous ramen places in Japan? I really like capturing the processes and stories behind a dish, you can learn so much about a place and a people from the food they eat.

What are you shooting with at the minute?

For work, I mostly shoot with my Canon 6D, and for my personal stuff I usually go with one of my analogue cameras. The favorite is probably Olympus Mju  II.

Do you have any projects or plans coming up that you can share with us?

While I’m in Mexico, I hope to do a few more projects related to food. There is just so much history here and I’ve always felt like food is a great way of connecting with people; getting to know more about where they come from, their culture and traditions. The street food in Mexico City is great and I’d love to do something on that!

What was the first thing you photographed?

I think it was an extreme close-up of the hamster I had when I was a kid. I still have the picture somewhere, it’s all blurry and my hamster looks terrified, but I remember feeling really proud of it.

Black and white photos or colored photos? Why?

That depends on what I’m taking a picture of. When I’m working with food, I always go with colors, I don’t feel like I do the food justice if I take that away. But as you can see, I also shoot a lot of black and white. It just brings out something different, you pay more attention to the shapes and textures in the picture, which can be great for portraits or landscapes.

Where can we find you online?

On my website www.norabergan.com, on Instagram as @norabergan or on my blog, with all things food related, www.hosnora.no