Meet Our Guest Instagrammer: Pete Halvorsen in Manhattan Beach, California

We're celebrating all things USA this week on Fathom. And we're thrilled that Pete Halvorsen, an amazing photographer based in Manhattan Beach in Los Angeles, is taking over our @FathomWaytoGo Instagram feed. His beautiful photos speak for themselves (and what laid-back, beachy stories they have to tell...), but we wanted a little more behind-the-lens information about him. (Check out his Fathom Questionnaire for even more.)

Tell us a little about yourself.
I am half-Greek and half-Norwegian, but 100 percent Californian. As a photographer, I enjoy crafting images with clients like TOMS, Toyota, The Getty Museum, Los Angeles Board of Tourism, Microsoft/Nokia, and the Kimpton Hotel Group. I was also recently named a top 12 travel photographer on Instagram by Business Insider.

How would you describe your photography style?
As first-person experience. I strive to capture real life moments that allow users to be transported. This new style can often double as user-generated content and is being utilized more and more in the advertising world.

I love photography as a medium for storytelling. In this image-based world, a single snapshot has the ability to say so much. As an early adopter of Instagram, I saw firsthand how well non-tranditional snapshot photography was received.

From traveling around the world to walking down to the beach, I am now looking for quick, real-life moments to share. It's in those moments that there is a personal connection between viewer and photographer. My Instagram style is Let's Get Lost, meaning I love to take people on adventures with me and allow them to feel as though they are getting lost in the journey with me.

What do you love most about photographing Southern California?
So many different environments within two hours. Beach to snow. Downtown to desert. It's all within reach.