Instagram opening doors for self-taught Danish photographer

Photo-sharing community success has led to big audience and travel opportunities

The self-taught Danish photographer Kenneth Nguyen is one of a growing number of camera enthusiasts to find a degree of fame through the photo-sharing community Instagram thanks to some vertigo-inducing selfies.

He told Metroxpress recently how he went from setting up a profile just over two years ago to commanding an audience of more than 60,000 followers.

According to Nguyen, the platform has afforded him many opportunities.

“I’ve got a lot of things out of being on Instagram,” he said.

“It’s led to a lot of travelling. For example, companies and tourist offices have invited me to London and Italy several times, New York a couple of times and Rio de Janeiro. You can show your work to the whole world and meet like-minded people. It’s a medium that is constantly challenging you to do something new, improve and keep up.”

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Nguyen has been featured several times on Instagram’s ‘must follow’ lists, which has contributed to his success in attracting followers. But he has also caught people’s attention with death-defying selfies taken from the tops of tall structures such as a 4G mobile phone tower on Copenhagen’s Refshaleøen.

“That was the highest point I’ve photographed from, and it was also the most stupid,” he said.

“I didn’t know what it was, so I just climbed up. That was quite dangerous in terms of radiation. And I sat all the way up at the top on an area the size of a little stool. With no security.”

Nguyen has, however, vowed not to repeat the feat and these days is mainly occupying himself with portraits.

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