Jón Jónsson

For decades Jón Kaldal was the most famous portrait photographer in Iceland, taking more than 100,000 pictures during his career. Kaldal was also an accomplished long-distance runner who won multiple titles in Iceland and Denmark and competed for Denmark at the Olympics under the name Jón Jónsson. In 1918 he moved to Denmark where he competed for AIK 95 in København, winning the Danish national title in the 5,000 metres in 1920 and 1922. Kaldal competed for Denmark when Iceland was still a part of the country at the 1920 Antwerpen Olympics. He ran in the 5,000 metres and the cross-country run, finishing in 28th place in the latter. In his native country he held the Icelandic records in the 3,000, 5,000, and 10,000 metres, with his record in the 3,000 metres standing for almost 30 years.

Kaldal began studying photography in 1915, continuing with his hobby when he moved to Denmark. When he returned to Iceland he founded a photo studio in Laugavegur and worked in the field of photography until the mid-1970s. Kaldal’s work was known for his use of shadows and light in his compositions. From September 2016 to January 2017 his work was showcased at two exhibitions at the National Museum of Iceland. Kaldal was recognised for his sporting achievements when he was inducted into the ÍSÍ Hall of Honor by the Sports Association of Iceland in 2017.

Personal Best: 5000 – 15:23.0 (1922).