February 21st 2012
My most recent work has been rewarded by kind words from my tutors, and others I have showed it to and I am glad.
During last autumn Patrick Ytting (composer, pianist) and I started collaborating on the idea of being in a different state of mind. As everyone know this happens when we are asleep, or on drugs etc, but we wanted to experiment with music to see how someone would react carefully listening to music, concentrating on it, in an ideal space. We choose to do this in a church and the results were just what I was hoping they would be.
When being photographed we put on a mask, and I think we do so to protect us. Perhaps we do not want to be confronted by ourselves, or just make sure that we are immortalized as pretty human beings. But who said that a portraited of someone had to be a still image? When filming these four musicians/music students they seem to forget about the camera filming them, eventually. Because of constant changing technology moving image is now more relevant than ever and some predicts it will completely kill the still image. I don't think so, but definetly wish to experiment with new ways to push boundaries of photography.
I guess posting a vimeo-video will never justify how it looked on a gallery wall, but it's the best I can do for now. On a gallery wall they were exhibited next to eachother, looped.
Here's the work
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February 02nd 2012
Something has struck me alot of time being surrounded by photographers and photography students and that is we all like to talk about our own work. I think it's a habit anyone in any field has, comparing yourself to someone else in the same thing you are doing. But perhaps everynow and then we all should take a good look at what OTHER people are doing, and benefit from that. I keep favouring the Picasso quote "Good artists steal; great artists copy", and I definetly encourage myself and others to pursue such a thought. Steal from those who have already done it, learn from it and develop on it, make it better.
Today I got up at 7 am, had breakfast and started watching a documentary on Man Ray only to realize that dadaism and surrealism shouldn't be legal content to digest anytime before noon, so I decided to read through a book I bought a few days ago and had forgotten about.
AVEDON AT WORK IN THE AMERICAN WEST, LAURA WILSON
(Yes I know that the Annie Leibovitz at work is also in the picture)
Avedon at work, just as the Leibovitz one takes you on a journey through the work of two of the most prestigous photographers ever. And wether you like it or lot they have ALOT to teach up and coming photographers. The Avedon work, which is the one I got most recent I believe really well inspires in ways to communicate with your subjects, Avedon was a master at that. So many photographs, I think, especially commerce and in magazines have rather dull expressions, but good aesthetics. That shouldn't satisfy any photographer I think. LOVE to communicate with the people you are photographing, and be honored that you are. I do highly recommend the book! It's a good read, and Laura is a talented photographer herself - well documented
A couple of days ago I was watching a documentary on the works of Ansel Adams and was stunned by his passion and drive. It took him years before he even was close to happy enough with his work.
Since I am already in to this I thought I should link to a few other inspiring videos about photographers.
Of course there is the Richard Avedon - Darkness and Light. Sadly the Annie Leibovitz Life Through a Lens has been taken down from YouTube, but you can buy it on Amazon. There's Diane Arbus, Sally Mann (who I CAN NOT wait to see at DOK12 in Oslo later this month), Helmet Newton (made by June, his wife) Mario Testino and Alfred Stieglitz. Of course there are MANY more! And many more books on photographers and their method of work and we should all be inspired by them, driven!
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January 21st 2012
Been back in the UK for a few weeks now, except for last week when I went to a school in Stavanger, Norway to do a two-day photography workshop with the students. It is funny how, when you lecture others you learn something yourself.
I am currently reading Steve Jobs' biography and I have to say I am truly captivated by it and has never before been more inspired. Perfection has come to my thoughts on several occasion lately, and how important it is that everything you do has to be perfect, in all aspects. By really having a passion to something you automatically gain an interest in perfecting it. Steve were thought that not only the front of the fence should be painted nicely, but also the back of it.
When lecturing the students and giving them feedback on what to continue working on I kept repeating myself on the subject of projecting a 'whole' with their work. Meaning you think of everything, and study it closely. Perfect it. It is the only way to know what you are creating will be good, and by believing in it, it can really be amazing. THATS when you are passionate.
Often when reading something such as this you think 'oh, but I knew that'. Did you really? It is the realization of having something pointed out that makes you more aware of it, and I am glad this has come to my mind now. It is about getting it, isnt it? Like with everything else, you just have to get it.
As a part of the workshop I demostrated working in a studio, lighting subjects as well as communicating with them and as a result I got a nice set of images of their tutor, Geir Ertzgaard. Here's one of them
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December 31st 2011
In retrospect 2011 has been a year of many ups and downs, just like any other year, but both the ups and the downs has been more significant this year than ever before. I have spent so much time with friends this year, living with some great guys in Southampton and just enjoyed life. My year has been memorable both personal and career wise. My photography has evolved and I can see how it is being rewarded with great opertunities! I promised yesterday on my twitter account that I would post a blogpost looking back at this year, so here you go
January
'Say YES alot more' was my New Years resolution and it helped me alot, for the time I actually kept it. Saying yes and being more positive about everything really gifts you with value in everything it can. I started my year going to Stavanger to hold my first ever workshop in photography focusing on creative portaiture. The fact that they wanted me there, loved me being there and also impressed me by showing great results afterwards was a warm welcome to 2011. I was also playing around in photoshop the darkroom alot and created images such as this:
February
WOOOOHOOOO
It was not only my pink friend Stephanie who was exited about being in NEW YORK. The top of the world! My dream destination
March
In March I started saying YES to help out fashion students, and doing light tests etc to improve my skill in this genre. Here with India doing hair and makeup on lovely Rebekah and Jodie
Stephanie was creating a NEXT catalogue for her final major project and asked me to help photograph it for her. On this shoot the model didn't show up so she had to step up, and did a wonderful job!
How was I able to photograph Stonehenge unlike images I had seen of it before? It became obvious! Look at the ants, everyone going to look at some rocks! (It was actually quite nice)
April
I kept agreeing to help out fashion students, and eventhough I was tired for days after this shoot just outside Brighton it was truely a fun experience. Natasha (in the middle) who was doing a fairytale-dream like shoot was great to work with - and I hope that we might do stuff in the future!
Lettuce-headpiece!
May
Late May I handed in my uni work exhibiting it at an assessment show. I decided to paint my part in the gallery gray to make my subjects stand out more from the backdrop in the images, but not only did it that - it took all the attention in the gallery and really stood out! Have to thank my tutor who guided me towards this idea. The work awarded me with a grade 1st, and it really made me ready to work even harder! Read about the work here
Again I was helping out fashion students. This time being Sian's final designs for her Fashion designs BA
June
Summer approached and I wasn't ready for vacation just yet and decided to do some images of Dagny, with my great friend and makeup artist Tone. Take a look at the final results here
July
In July I photographed this for my friend Doffen's second album
...and I attended a few small festivals in Norway, all of them surrounded by amazing nature -and not being there with an assigment to photograph! Had a great time, with great people! Thanks to Edward for taking this photograph of me at Rock'n'Lol.
The biggest shock, and down of 2011 was the terrible act of terror that happened against Norway, and more particular innocent young people! It devestated me as it did with the rest of the country. When looking back at it though I seem to only remember how warm it felt to see how Norway responded to it. With love. Everyone being so kind to eachother. It made me proud of being Norwegian, and I will never forget that. Norwegian singer posted a cover of 'Mitt lille land' that i posted here. Truely beautiful and reminds me how great we all can with eachother. This is taken at Giske festival not long after July 22nd. If you wish to see more images from Giske Festival you can have a look here
August
In August I did alot of work with these two great girls, contributing to their amazing Norwegian FIN-Nettmagasin. Go on there and search through their archieve, enjoy the stories (some are in English!!) and some of my photographs! This is an image I took of them, Stine and Maren for a story about them and their magazine.
I also took some images for a wedding at Ulriken mountain in Bergen which you can have a look at here . They were really happy about them, and I'm glad. The ceremony was beautiful!
September
In September I didnt do much work I only enjoyed myself. First I went to live in Oslo for a few days catching up with friends, and from there I went to live in London for a week to see how it would be like to live there. These two kids girls were great hosts!
I am really determined to live in London after the summer of 2012, its amazing!
October
I was writing on my essay this month, can barely find any images anywhere from this month at all!! Bloody essayyy (which I will post as soon as its been marked my tutors).
November
This is one of the great opertunities I mentioned introducing this blogpost! I shot a streetstyle fashion spread for Norwegian blog and streetfashion magazine Streetstyle. It covered alot of pages (and you can view some of the photographs here), and I hope to work with them again!
Norwegian free newspaper Natt&Dag was all over the city during November with my cover photo of Nathalie Nordnes on it! I posted a blogpost about it here. I thank everyone for great comments on this. You can have a look more of the images I took of Nathalie on that shoot, some more were featured inside the newspaper
December
In December I did some more video work, filming musicians/music students in a church. I will post a blogpost about this and the full work as soon as it has been exhibited at our assessment show in January! Meanwhile you can have a read about some of it here
Thats enough "looking back" for now. It is time to look forward! Looking forward to new friendships, achievements and goals. In 2012 I want you to think "Yes, I can do it" to anything you may think of. If someone says you can't do it, even your own mind - tell them to mind their own buisness, and fuck it! (Sorry). Only the ones foolish enough to think they can change the world are the ones that do! Good luck, and enjoy it. It is here for us - So bring it on: 2012 ! Happy new year everyone!
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December 17th 2011
My friend Caroline Wågsæther released her website www.coccodesign.no yesterday showing her graphic design work. Suggest you have a look at it!
Here's a poster I helped her out with last year
It is a good example of my old crude budget lighting. Lit with one speedlight flash for several shots and then put together as a composite.
The splatters on the wall are made by Caroline entirely.
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