2011 was the year we got to know who Nordica is becoming. The year a face began to emerge. But it didn’t just happen, and it wasn’t without playing a bit of house along the way.
We’ve always referred to Nordica as our baby, and it is. Nordica’s roots are deep within both our lives and we’ve nurtured it, fed it, and watched it grow ever since we gave it a name and started shaping it’s identity in November of 2009. Like any proud parents, we shone the limelight a bit too bright on a baby that we knew nothing about, and we may have blinded ourselves a bit along the way.
But, with naive in full force, we pushed forward believing our baby would grow to be awesome.
Nordica took a few steps in 2010 – steps that we were very proud of and still are – but those steps were not unlike a crazy teenager’s.
More confident then experienced, more talking then listening, more dreaming then action. In 2010, Nordica was the loud-mouthed guy who screamed greatness having yet achieved a thing, and yelling to the world all the things he wanted to achieve one day.
Then, in 2011, it started to happen.
Some – not all – of the things the loud-mouthed teenager was screaming began to happen. It was as though Nordica had just cruised the university, had a dream job in mind, and actually got hired.
We dreamt about photographing a wedding in Iceland. Nordica ended up beside glaciers on one trip, and isolated countryside the next.
We dreamt about photographing multicultural weddings. We found ourselves in Sikh temples, Mexican jungles, Swedish archipelagos, historical farmlands, Indian ceremonies and faraway ranches.
Throughout 2011, we lived the dreams that we envisioned to be possible when we first started. We had big ideas, and somehow they came true.
And as 2011 drew to a close, we realize that we weren’t yelling a bunch of bullshit without substance anymore, and we weren’t living in some sort of fantasy that would be whisked away.
We realized that our little man, Nordica, had done a great deal of maturing, and we are proud of who he’s becoming. There are many lessons to be learned still, but experience and achieving goals has lit a fire in our little man, and we look forward to seeing where the journey takes him in 2012.
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by Cole & Jakob
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Becca Dilley - Congratulations on an amazing year – I can’t wait to see what 2012 holds for Nordica (or 2018 for that matter!)
Mathias - Brilliant work. You have done amazing work this year! I wish you all well for next year!
Dustin Hall - Wow, these are all gorgeous photos. I look forward to seeing what 2012 will bring from Nordica.
Sara Norrehed - Truly amazing stuff from you two! A good year for sure!
Igor Demba - I had to slow down my day and take it in, very slowly, frame by frame. Cole & Jakob you have created something incredibly beautiful.
Brad Butcher - Always blown away guys. Great work!
Julie Skelton - So inspiring! What a fabulous set of images, they are just breathtaking.
Max - What an awesome year it must have been for you guys
Drew W - Every single image is a show stopper. Great work fellows.
Sachin Khona - What the?…!
You guys are sick!
Beautiful art guys!
Anne - Your work floors me. Every single time. Your images are about weddings, mostly, but it is the people (and all of their human-ness) that shine through. That displays a skill that is beyond even the most complex manipulation of light through a machine. It shows that you’ve been growing this a lot longer than just the time that you’ve been holding cameras… Congrats on a beautiful year.
Andria Lindquist - you guys are out of control. what a year.
brett maxwell - that photo of the (father’s?) outstretched hand and girl crawling across the aisle is ridiculously excellent photojournalism. Of course the whole set is superb, but that one blew. me. away.
Tab McCausland - WOW #3 is my fav!! That is an amazing group of photos my friend!!
Josh Mitchell - Amazing year for you guys!
Zosia - Joyful, joyful stuff, guys! Looking forward to seeing more in 2012! x
Matt - So glad you guys put this epic post together, inspiring to look through your year of work. Keep it up for reals!
Michelle - Congrats on a great year! Such lovely photos each time. Looking forward to seeing more in the coming years! :)
JESSIE - What a beautiful year of photography! Wow!
Gedas - So so so good
Darin Collison - Uberlicious.
Javi - Amazing photo…so inspiring!!
Kostis Mouselimis - I will be here next year for sure….great photography
Andreas Holm - Amazing work guys! Looking forward to seeing what you’ll come up with 2012! Happy New Year & keep up the good work !
Stephen Rotondo - Beautiful, beautiful work, great post guys!
Jakub - Well done lads! Very inspirational. Looking forward to seeing more in 2012!
megan noonan - Kudos to you guys! This is an amazing set of images! Can’t wait to see what you bring to the table for 2012!
Alan Hutchison - What a fabulous set of images – Best wishes for 2012
Klaas Jeschke - Awesome…
Elin Ivemo Photography - Jäääklar vilket år ni har haft!
hugh - Nordica. Can’t stop. Won’t stop.
What an amazing (second?!) year you guys have had. Can’t wait to see the third. And forth. And…
hugh - fourth* dang it.
Bill Alewine - What an amazing year you guys had… Simply beautiful images all around. Looking forward to 2012!
jsa - fantastic year guys!
Dustin Prickett - This is probably my 3rd time here and keep getting more and more blown away. Some true talent you guys have!
ayesha - omg. omg omg. everything i love about you guys! just. so. good. i can’t believe this is only year two… your passion + talent + skillz = my inspiration. LOVE nordica. best wishes for 2012!! and pat y’all’s selves on the back for 2011. for real.
Chantal Andrea - Wow, serious eye candy here. I’m a big fan of your work… It’s got this cinematic feel to it that haunts me. Love.
Adam Houseman - Nothing to say I haven’t already said. You guys are awesome. Thanks for sharing your vision.
Tracy Morter - Outstanding!
Brad Ross - I could write a million words on the awesomeness of your work…. or I could just say Fuck Yeah!
Brandis Alves - Stunning work in 2011!! Keep it up, it’s fabulous :)
Amanda Basteen - As I expected your year was phenomenal. Wow
Jenna Cole - So inspiring.
Brian Davis - So many amazing photos. You’ve made some serious strides this year. Congratulations on all of your well-deserved success.
Shari - Truly amazing. What a year this has been for you!
Eric Yerke - Amazing collection. You guys are incredible
Andy Gaines - And that is why you guys rule!
Seriously though, hugely inspiring as always – look forward to seeing more amazing work from you. Cheers.
Nessa K - I’m on the verge of tears. I just spent… so much time looking through these. Three times now. You’re amazingly talented men. I cannot wait to see what you do in 2012. <3
Johanna - It’s so frustrating because I want to say everything and still nothing sums up my feelings. So I’ll just say: ♥
Leah Muse - Speechless. Just send this link to all prospective clients and you’re done.
Emily - By far my favorite year in review so far. Such a joy to scroll through these, and I love the song choice, too. So excited to see what 2012 brings for you.
Jared Tseng - You guys had an AMAZING year! Phenomenal work.
Kristian Leven - Hats off to you guys – some sensational images here. Can’t wait to see what you guys come up with next year.
alyda - you guys are the bestestest
Reimund Trost - Wow. That’s one helluva year. So many awesome pictures. Will be exciting to see what magic you’ll bring in 2012.
Brian Kraft - Ridiculous. I’ll be watching closely during 2012. Can’t wait!
Heather Elizabeth - If this is what 2011 looked like, I can’t imagine what 2012 is going to look like. Inspiring work.
PJ Photos - all best in 2012…2011 was WOW ;-))
fer juaristi - guys 2012 will rock for you! You are definitely doing something that moves me.
Katie - Beautiful work !!!
Tenielle - It’s amazing that places I’ve never been, moments I’ve never witnessed and people I’ve never met could make me feel as much as these frames do. Your work speaks loudly enough for us all to hear. Speechless.
ed peers - This is truly outstanding boys… it just gets better and better. Amazing.
benj haisch - unreal, fellas. so mother flippin’ good.
Kevin Le Vu - Man, what a recap! BADASS.
nirav - So damn proud of you guys!!
Meredith S - Wow. your photography is great. I’m glad I stumbled across it. What a beautiful 2011 post. Blessings.
Mario Nixon - Just discovered you guys and glad I did. Great photos all! Looks like it was an amazing year. Looking forward to what 2012 brings!
Tyler Branch - what a year, guys. wow!
Kristy Field - Congratulations on a fabulous year guys, look forward to seeing your work in 2012!
Kat Braman - dayum dudes! this is such a sick collection of images. Thanks for the lovely postcard BTW!
Shane Macomber - Beautiful work! Thanks for sharing and keep em coming!
mae - what a great post…what a great year! your work is incredible.
Sarah - This is nothing short of amazing. Love.
Jon S6 - pretty damn mega, congrats
Derek - Incredible work, looking forward to seeing your posts from this year!
Nathan Walker - GOSH! Your work is beyond stunning! I can’t look away!
Ricardo Bencomo Renedo - WOOOOW!! <3 FULL LOVE!! EXCELENTE TRABAJO FOTOGRÁFICO, MUY INSPIRADOR, IMPRESIONANTE LO MEJOR QUE HE VISTO! POR FOTOGRAFOS COMO USTEDES ME ENAMORO Y AMO MAS LA FOTOGRAFIA! FELICIDADES!!!!! :D WOOW!
François Hogue - i love your colors, your style, your way of framing. nice work.
Jennelle - WOW! Amazing portfolio of work! Looks like you had a busy 2011…can’t wait to see what happens this year!
James - wedding photographer new york - You did a wonderful job on all these beautiful pictures.