SGHice's photostream

I'm an amateur photoenthusiast from Iceland. I've been taking photos for about 6 years now. I started using my fathers Olympus OM-2 When I was about 12-13 years old, but at that age film processing was too expensive for my pocket allowance.

So my photography lay dormant until the digital era began to dawn. But as luck would have it as I was getting settled into a decent job with decent wages considering I never finished more than basic school education. Fate stepped in and it can be cruel in a period of 3 months in the beginning of 1997 I had two serious accidents on work related and the other a car crash.

Those two accidents left me with a broken body although technically no bones did break. But it left me with permanent damage to my back, neck and shoulders. Every day all day long I'm in pain.

And since this happened when I was really just a boy at 21 years old, and had predisposition for mental illness. I really felt as if the whole world was against me and telling me to just give up.

So today I battle my two demons the pain in the body and the pain caused by my bipolar disorder. It was at a time when I was about to give in that my father bought himself a little point and shoot digital camera. And my dormant interest woke up again I shot alot of pictures on that camera (most of whom are lost due to bad organization file managemnet and equipment failure.

Then in 2004 after saving up for a long time I bought my first DSLR the Canon 300D/REBEL and a whole new world opened for me. I could immerse myself in my hobby to such a level that the pain I battle almost disappeared.

Over the years I took part in founding a local amateur photographers group, I have a standing arrangement with the local church photographing major events, my pictures have made appearances in newspapers and books. I have taken part in photo exhibitions with other photographers and generally photography is the inspiration that drives me to live my life. Unfortunately I had a mental setback in the last two years after my doctor could not see me due to some hospital politics. And that shows here on my flickr page since I dont post many photos. But now I have my doctor back and I'm hoping that I will get back on track again.

MY phtogear now consists of the original Canon 5D, a Canon 24-105mm F4 IS L, Canon 70-200mm F4 IS L, Canon Speedlite 580 EX, and Sekonic L-508 Zoom master light meter. And of course the various filters, remotes, hoods, monopods, tripods and bags.

Since my mood is so often dark I try to take photos emphasizing the beauty of the world around us and there is nothing I enjoy more than taking something that people walk past every day with out noticing and shooting it in such a way that people ask me where that was taken.

I love macro photography but after my bag with all my photogear was stolen a few years back, including my lovely Canon 60mm EF-S macro, Canon 30D and my Canon 17-55mm f 2.8 IS. I decided on moving to full frame since I like landscape photography. On my wish list if anyone wants to donate :P are the Canon 16-35 II f2.8 Canon 100mm F2.8 IS L Macro and Sigma 20mm f1.8. I think the Sigma would be awesome for aurora photography.


If Anyone reads through this rambling mess of self pity hopes and dreams you have gotten to know a bit about the man behind the lens. And you have my respect for the patience and persistence of reading it all.

Best regards

Steinþór G. Hafsteinsson
sghphoto@simnet.is
tel (county code) (354) 893-7656