My Photographic Development

Inspiration












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Me and my first SLR during an assignment
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taken by a friend

I’d say my passion for photography started when I got my first SLR camera on my 18th birthday. Before that I considered photography being a tool for keeping memories instead of the art I realized it is after getting into the field. The summer after I turned 18 I spent time reading the manual, experimenting with the camera, and discussing photography with my dad as he used to have a darkroom and did all his printing himself. The last year in High School I took a very basic class in photography and I was then introduced to the darkroom. My interest increased so that I even linked photography to other subjects in school. When we had special projects in Chemistry and Swedish I connected them to photography to develop my skills. 

 

My photographic skills were still very basic after this, but they developed much further when I came to the US in 2002 and took several photo classes. This is where I’d say my passion for photography developed for real. My Photo 1 professor Kate Jordahl was a great inspiration for me as she’s a great photographer and professor. She made the most difficult tasks seem easy even though I was still learning the basics. She didn’t only teach me how to take photos, but also how to view others, and by doing this I developed my own style. There are so many great photographers out there, and I learnt how to get inspiration from them, instead of feeling intimidated by their ability. Many photographers have inspired me with their photographs, and the style I’ve developed by taking part of their work is close ups, preferably portraits. I like the feeling close ups give when you look at them and I also feel more connected to the subject by getting closer. However, I’m careful with getting too close, especially if the subject is a person or an animal, since the subject might loose the natural look. Therefore I prefer to work with longer lenses, or zoom lenses.

 

After Photo 1 I continued with Photo 2 with the same professor, and I also took Photo 68—a portraiture workshop. In both these classes I got the opportunity to further develop my skills, especially when taking portraits. Even though I’ve only taken a 3 unit online photo class during the three years that have passed since I took these two classes, I’ve continuously practised photography on an amateur basis as I bring at least one camera wherever I go. Most of the time I bring the digital, but as time and space allows it my SLR gets to come along.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unless the portrait is supposed to be about something other than the subject, I like them when they really expose the person and her personality. Some types of photographs that have been inspiring to me are the ones below.
















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www.jamesdean.com

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www.jamesdean.com

"Torn Sweater" pictures by  Roy Schatt

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www.jamesdean.com

The “Torn Sweater” pictures on James Dean are a really good example of what kind of portraits I like. They’re close ups, which I think makes you feel more connected to the subject. They also seem to show how James Dean was—a rebel but yet very simple. The lighting and his expressions help to increase the mystique around his character. Many people doesn't like closed eyes on portraits, but I think in this case it works out perfect because of the mystique, but also because it’s a series of pictures.
















Portrait of John Galliano by Richard Avedon

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www.richardavedon.com

Richard Avadon—one of the greatest fashion photographers has captured John Galliano in a great way. As the James Dean portraits, it’s a simple portrait, so the emphasis lies on the subject’s expression, hand signal, and make-up/hair. It makes the subject look crazy, a devil?

My First Photo Class