Andrea Gjestvang

Her new book Atlantic Cowboy explores ideas of community and masculinity in the Faroe Islands. Niall Hampton finds out more

- Niall Hampton

A portrait of life on the Faroes, a group of islands in the North Atlantic between Iceland and the Shetland Islands, Atlantic Cowboy explores notions of masculinity and fellowship in a community in which men outnumber women by a factor of five to one. Six years in the making, Gjestvang’s work has won praise for its humanity and honest depiction of the islanders, who have hard-working lives in the fishing industry that underpins the economy of the Faroe Islands. Keen to explore the effects of female flight on a traditional male-centric community (many young women spend time in continental Europe after leaving school), Gjestvang has captured a fascinating insight into islands best known for their tough weather – not to mention abundant photographic opportunities. We caught up with her to discover more about the genesis of the Atlantic Cowboy project.

How did photographing your Faroese subjects work in practice? Did you have to seek approval from them beforehand?

With some of my subjects, I built trust and relationships over time, coming back several times and just being around while they worked and did their thing. Other times, I drove aimlessly across the landscapes without plans or appointments. If I saw a person or a situation that caught my attention, I would stop and intervene and ask permission to take a portrait or capture the scene. I spend a lot of time waiting until everything is over, when people are tired and let their guard down. I like to visit people at home.

For any Digital Camera readers not familiar with your work, how would you describe your photographic style to them?