Mattias Klum
Born in Uppsala, Sweden, in 1968, Mattias Klum has been a professional photographer for four decades. He has worked for international publications, including National Geographic, Geo, Audubon and The New York Times. He’s also produced several books, including a collaboration with Jane Goodall, and directed documentary films, including The Young Sea. www.mattiasklum.com, Instagram @mattiasklumofficial @mattiasklumcollection
Thirteen is an unlucky number for many people. For Swedish photographer Mattias Klum, it has a more positive meaning. ‘I’ve had exactly 13 National Geographic covers,’ he tells me, proudly.
Although his photographic work ranges from landscapes to people, it’s wildlife and nature, usually with a strong conservation focus, that’s at the heart of his work, whether working in the rainforests of Malaysian Borneo or the icy wilderness of Antarctica.
‘As a young boy, I was drawn to nature,’ Klum says. ‘Even if I ventured into our backyard or the centre of Uppsala, the fourth biggest city in Sweden, where I grew up, I felt that I could find miracles. It was like a treasure hunt. I started taking pictures with my father’s camera, a Pentax K1000, to bring those treasures back home. It was contagious to show people what I’d seen, whether it was a pattern on a stone or a spider’s web.’
Growing up, Klum drew on influences, not just copies of magazine and that his parents subscribed to, but also art and music. ‘I grew up looking at things in awe,’ he explains. My parents talked about great artists like Picasso, Chagall or Salvador Dali. I still get more inspiration from Miles Davis or Bach than from an average photographic exhibition.’
