Today my housemate Noora asked me to take a "mug shot" for her as she is applying to circus schools around Europe and needed one for the applications. We agreed and I took my 135mm and put a flash on camera, turned it facing a corner of the room behind me. I took a test shot. After 5 minutes we had taken a few sets and we were done. Then straight to the laptop. A little "oh"-moment was ahead as we opened the first test shot and saw what you're seeing here. A calm, unflinching moment, unobstructed by emotion. Face completely relaxed. For me this kind of a state of "Tabula rasa" brings wonder to a portrait. If you like to "read" faces like I do, here's a proper puzzle. :)
Anyway. The whole thing got me thinking about how much I've always loved portraiture and how little I've done it compared to that. So starting now I'm going start a straight on challenge, to photograph at least one proper fine art portrait every week for the next 52 weeks. Let me know what you think!
PS. I've been trying to find time to construct this website for a long time now, sorry for the confusion on the portfolio side!
135mm
Fredrika
Photographing nude for the first time ever was an immersive experience. Fredrika had contacted me about wanting to do a "self-documentation", and so we started this portrait project. Clean and true to nature, in glorious afterglow of sunset we photographed at a lake dear for her. The weather was getting colder by the minute, but I've never had such a calm model to work with (in such conditions at least). Not to mention the great assistant work done by our friend Mesku!
We ended up having a great hour of shots from full-body to close-ups, and will surely continue this collaboration as a photographical diary of self.
Lady from Russia
It's been a while since I posted these kinds of fun shoots with friends, so I decided to go over a some photos from last Summer just before the 10000km trip. One beautiful afternoon I just showed up to Silja's door and taking the dog out for a walk turned into an extempore fashion photoshoot at a nearby forest. Silja is really a natural-born model, a great friend and a spectacular dancer! Thanks for the good times mate! :)