Sisse Brimberg

After graduating from photography school in Denmark, Brimberg served an apprenticeship in a commercial studio. She then ran her own business in Copenhagen for five years, working in advertising. Thanks to a Danish grant, she was able to travel to the United States, where she studied photographic techniques at the National Geographic Society in Washington, D.C.. In 1976, she became a National Geographic staff photographer, publishing more than 30 stories including features on Hans Christian Andersen, the Vikings and "Civilized Denmark".[1] Her photographs of migrant workers earned her the Picture Story of the Year award from the National Press Photographers Association.[2]

Brimberg is described as being based in Scotland[3] but living in Copenhagen.[2] Her late husband, former National Geographic colleague Cotton Coulson died in 2015. She has two children. Together they ran KeenPress, a company that provides photographs and videos for international companies, while contributing to National Geographic Traveler.[3][2] The environment, climate and travel are among the topics covered by KeenPress.[4]

Her advice for photographing people is to get close and make eye contact; many new photographers rely on their zoom lens too much. Oftentimes her husband and her would photograph as a pair; one interviewing while the other took the pictures. They found that really generated more trust during the street photography process.[5]