Embracing Nature: The Photography and Lifestyle of Rania Rönntoft

My name is Rania, I am a professional photographer based in a northern town in Sweden called Sundsvall. It’s nestled in a valley between two small mountains, and as such, it’s surrounded by nature. When I’m not engaged in photography, I love being outside in the forest wandering, foraging or cooking over a fire. No matter the activity, my camera is always hanging on my shoulder. If I am indoors, I enjoy cooking and hosting dinners with friends, playing board games, or engaging in crafts like pottery and silversmithing. Working with my hands and creating something tangible is a refreshing contrast to the digital world I usually inhabit.

I work within the outdoor & lifestyle industry, but that was not always the case. I lived and studied photography in a bigger city down south, and after graduation, my goal was to work as an interior & fashion photographer. Competition was hard with many photographers working in the field, and slowly me and my partner at the time eventually realized that the bustling city life focused on career and consumerism was not for us. We left that life behind and moved to the countryside, outside the small town where I now live. Born in the north, I had fond memories of a life closer to nature: berry picking, hiking, and fishing. My city life had become centered around eating out, sitting at cafés, and wandering through shopping malls. It felt wrong, and something needed to change.

After the move, life in the north quickly proved to be as I remembered—calm, quiet, and focused on experiences and quality of life rather than accumulating things. I found my breath taken away repeatedly by the wonders of nature: a foggy lake in the quiet of the morning, a golden sun dipping into still evening waters, and the northern lights dancing above me. I started taking my camera with me to share these experiences and inspire others to find the magic in nature. I wanted people to realize there is more to life than consumerism and career. How I saw the world through the viewfinder gradually changed, and so did I. I started to appreciate other things in life, and my lifestyle became intentional and sustainable. I felt at peace and richer than I had ever felt before.

Moving through nature with my camera taught me to slow down and truly see. I became really good at noticing details and finding a story in what might seem like a big, messy forest to others. As a photographer, being perceptive of your surroundings is an important skill, and I really got to hone that during my outings. This became a strength of mine, and while that skill developed, so did my personal style. In nature, I finally found my own style and niche – and I also found myself. 

Choosing to move to a smaller town meant less competition among photographers, which has allowed me to thrive. I began working with local companies and communication agencies, eventually also gaining global recognition. Many of the work experiences I’ve had wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t made the decision to move. Combining my schooling and previous experience with outdoor photography proved to be very fruitful.

Having studied professional photography for two years, and done my internship with interior and fashion photographers, I have gained a lot of technical skills: seeing interesting compositions, understanding light as well as working with people. However, my strongest skill as I transitioned to outdoor and lifestyle photography was storytelling. I find that many nature photographers focus on going out, setting up and taking one epic photo, but my background in interior and fashion taught me to take multiple photos in order to tell a story. With interior or fashion, you always take multiple photos to show the entire room or full-body outfit, followed by closeups and details. So, for me, it’s always been about capturing a series where the photos complement each other to tell a cohesive story.