Photographer Arnfinn Johnsen has a Master Certificate in Photograpy, and during his 35-year career as a photographer he has become one of Norway’s most acclaimed. The most important awards are:
– GOLD: “European Portrait Book of the Year”, Federation of European Professional
Photographers
– “Photographer of the Year”, the Norwegian Professional Photographers Association
– “Gold with Garland” – The highest award of the Norwegian Professional Photographers Association.
– “Color Art Photo Gold Master”
– “Wedding photographer of the year” in the magazine “Ditt Bryllup/Your Wedding”
– More than 120 prices in national and international professional competitions
– “Gullregnet/Golden Rain”, price for best photo teacher in Norway
– “Photographer of the Year” 10 times in Hedmark and Oppland Photography Corporation
– “Photographer of the Year” in Oslo Photography Corporation Johnsen is a member of Bildende Kunstnere/Norwegian Visual Artists and Norges Fotografforbund/Professional Photographers of Norway, has had 15 solo exhibitions, and has participated with a total of 20 pictures at the exhibition “In the face” at the Norwegian Museum of Photography – Preus Museum.
He is best known for his project “GOLD”, where he since 1992 he has portrayed Norwegians with gold medals from the Olympics. There are now 108 portraits that have permanent gallerys both in Vikingskipet Olympic skating arena in Hamar and in Håkons Hall Olympic hockey arena in Lillehammer. The project is ongoing as long as Norwegians win gold in the Olympics and the photographer can hold a camera. The book “The Gold Club” was published in 1993 in the official book series for the Lillehammer-Olympics
The book “GOLD” with 101 Olympic portraits came in 2013.
In 2002 he was selected to participate in the book “103 Moments” where Morten Krogvold presented Norwegian portrait photography. In the same year, Hasselblad in Sweden bought a picture to present in its catalog.
In 2009, Johnsen was awarded a “Bronze Award” and a “Merit Award” in the prestigious photo magazine “Black and White” in the United States. In 2010 another “Merit Award” came in the same magazine.
In April 2010, he exhibited the photographic cancer project “Livsdans/Dance of Life” at the Nordic Light Photo festival in Kristiansund. Arnfinn Johnsen has also had a number of his own courses and workshops in Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Iceland, South Africa and Italy.
He has received a number of scholarships from the Norwegian Professional Photographer’s Fund, Hamar Municipality and Hedmark County Council, and is widely used as a jury member in professional photo competitions. He has served as jury chairman in the National Competition for the Norwegian Professional Photographers’ Association. Arnfinn Johnsen was born in 1958 at Senja in Troms and has since 1992 run his own portrait and advertising studio in Hamar. He is also an educated teacher, and he teaches photography at Hamar Cathedral School.
