DD PHOTOGRAPHER PROFILE SERIES – Martha Lind is one of Destination Duluth’s leading contributing photographers; using only her iPhone.
With her delightful European accent and bubbly personality, Martha Lind is as charming as can be.
She is fluent in several languages and has lived in multiple countries. Once a citizen of the world, she is pleased to have made Duluth her permanent home.
Despite being so “worldly,” this talented photographer prefers to keep it exceedingly simple when it comes to her work. In fact, the only tool in her toolkit is an iPhone.
“I keep my life very simple,” she said. “I use my iPhone as a camera. I don’t have a website. I don’t even have a computer!”
Despite her preference for simplicity, Lind’s images are just as high-caliber as those of her peers. Her images have 4,166,733 views on Destination Duluth Facebook and Instagram, making her one of the top contributing photographers.
Lind’s photos feature gorgeous landscapes with bold colors and lots of natural light. And, of course, plenty of amazing Duluth backdrops.
Her methods are proof positive that when it comes to photography, there is no barrier to entry.
Fascinating Backstory
Lind was born on a Navy base in Okinawa, Japan. Her late father, William Wagner, was a Naval aviator from California. Her late mother, Beverly, was primarily a stay-at-home mom, but had also worked as a flight attendant and secretary.
Lind’s parents divorced when she was 6, and eventually, her mother remarried a French man. Adventure was the name of the game, and, for years, the family bounced between France, Morocco, Spain, and the Canary Islands.
In her youth, Lind became fluent in Spanish and French. She enjoyed experiencing life in many new places.
For the most part, she and her two sisters enjoyed the excitement of being on the move. But she learned some important lessons along the way, too.
“We always had to leave our friends behind, which was tough,” she said. “That kind of lifestyle teaches you to look forward, and never look back.” Lind still lives by this motto to this day.
As a teen, Lind and her sisters moved to San Diego to live with their father, who by that time was retired from the Navy. Lind graduated high school in San Diego, and then earned her associate’s degree from Mesa College, where she studied languages. There, she added two more languages to her repertoire: German and Italian.
Hawaii and … Duluth
While living in California with her father, Lind met her future husband, Mark Lind, a Duluth native. Like her father, Mark made his career in the Navy, and was stationed in San Diego when they met.
The couple moved to Oahu, Hawaii for Mark’s next Navy assignment. The couple lived there for 10 years, and welcomed their two children, Daniel and Katrina, while in Hawaii.
While Mark was busy with his Navy duties, Martha did in-home day care for other military families. She baby-sat four other children, in addition to her own.
As Mark’s mother advanced in age, the Linds decided it was time to relocate back to Duluth, to provide her with companionship and care. They moved to Duluth in 1998.
Over the years, Martha has held a variety of unique jobs. She worked at Spirit Mountain; she and Mark have worked seasonally at a couple National Parks; and today, she works part-time in hospitality at Fitger’s Inn. “I like physical jobs that keep me active and aren’t stressful,” she said with a chuckle.
Mark is now retired from the Navy, and now helps Martha scope out great locations for her photography.
Photography
Looking back, Lind can’t remember a time when she wasn’t interested in photography. But her tools have always been simple.
“I always had one of those throwaway cameras in my hand,” she noted. “And then, when cell phones with cameras came out, I said, ‘A ha! I can do this!’”
She started out with an iPhone 4, teaching herself to take photos through simple trial and error. Later, she began observing and learning from others.
“I followed people like John Heino for inspiration,” she noted, referring to a fellow Destination Duluth contributing photographer. “I never thought I could be like him. But eventually, your eye gets trained to pick up more things.”
Lind noted one particular downfall of the older iPhone model was its lack of an advanced zoom feature. So, she came up with an ingenious way around this obstacle.
“I used to use binoculars, and I’d put the iPhone up to the binoculars to zoom in and take a photo. It took two people, so Mark would help me.”
Today, Lind uses her iPhone 13 for everything. She edits her images right in the “Photos” app, and does a bit of “pre editing” by spending extra time framing her photos before she takes her shot.
Finding good lighting is important to her. “I try to use the light from the sky; I don’t like flat light,” she noted. “I like sunrises in the morning and sunsets in the afternoon. And I always look for something that’s gonna pop in the photo – like bright colors.”
Lind’s niche focuses on local landscapes. Some of her favorite places to shoot include the Rose Garden, Skyline Parkway, Canal Park, Park Point, Brighton Beach, Seven Bridges Road, and the North Shore.
But, when it comes to locations, she isn’t picky. “I like to take pictures and promote the beauty of wherever I am,” she noted.
Lind’s photos were noticed by Destination Duluth several years ago, and she has had her images featured on the DD platforms many times over the years. And, a few years ago, she was invited to participate in a WDIO news segment about photography, alongside fellow photographer Christian Dalbec.
Beyond that, she prefers to keep her work mostly private. She posts her photos on her Facebook and Instagram pages, and thinks of her work as a hobby, more than a profession.
When it comes to advice for other budding photogs, Lind keeps it simple. “You don’t need any heavy or expensive equipment,” she said. “Just go out and take pictures.”
Personal
The Linds make their family in west Duluth with their cat, Bitties. Mark and Martha also enjoy “babysitting” their adult children’s dogs on occasion.
The couple love to explore nature and visit National Parks. Mark is also a fly fisherman.
To this day, Martha’s international upbringing has a distinct presence in their lives. She recently made Paella – a traditional Spanish dish – for the Christmas holiday.
Adopted Hometown
After many decades of globetrotting, Lind is so grateful to have settled down in Duluth. “We’re so lucky – there are so many scenic places in Duluth,” she said.
“I like the fact that Duluth is smaller, and you can get around fairly easily. There is a beautiful boardwalk, trails everywhere, and Lake Superior for amazing sunrises.
“And, there’s such a good sense of community here,” she added. “I have gotten to know a lot of other photographers. We can disagree on things like politics, but we can all agree on a beautiful sunrise.”
“Also, it’s cold here, which I like,” she added with a chuckle. “I really don’t mind the snow. But I’m thankful that Mark does all the shoveling for us.”
