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Home (Self-portraits)

Exhibition Barnfonden (Malmö)

Last Friday it was the opening of an exhibition that I'm taking part in. It's a collaboration with the fund-raising organisation Barnfonden (www.barnfonden.se) who works for a better everyday life for children all over the world. Some years ago I photographed two campaigns for the organisation in Mali (West Africa). I spent 10 days travelling around in south parts of that huge and super warm country. It was a mind blowing experience that I will never forget. I got to visit villages far out in the countryside, some where the organisation has been active for years and also places where they would start project. It was a huge difference and you can really see the good they are doing. All the photographers had donated prints to the exhibition and when they would be sold all the money would go into projects in Mali. It makes me happy to say that I sold and that money will do some good for someone else. It makes me feel good about myself, that through my photography work I was able to have some small effect on someone's life. We can all help to create a difference, even if it's just a small one. It's easy for people like me and you who has a home, food on the table, easy access to healthcare, the possibility of an education, clean water to drink to forget that we have a responsibility to help others who don't. We must fight poverty and strive for a safe and good environment for everyone, especially children. It's important to not forget that we are all just humans.

The pictures that were selected for the exhibtion. (More images at: www.isabellnwedin.com Projects)

Health clinic Keleya

Pre-school Keleya

The opening night

Emma

I live close to the ocean but I kind of forget that I do. Since my apartment is located in the middle of the city I hardly ever go to the beach even if it only takes 15 min by bike. This Summer has been a joke when it comes to the weather. I don't know how many really warm summer days we have had here in Malmö but I can count them on my fingers. Some weeks ago we got three days like that in a row and I knew then that "I had to make hay while the sun shined". It was really warm, sunny and the light in the evening was magical, like the sky was on fire. I love that light and I find it so inspiring. I would like to live in a place where it's more like that. Sweden is magical in many ways but not when it come to the weather.  The woman in the photos is Emma, a Swedish beauty from the same village as me. The shoot was very spontaneous, I had so much retouching to do but since I know that beautiful summer evening are rare I called her with short notice and she was free. I was really impressed of how well she moved and how well she understood my bohemians visions. It's not everyone who can keep a straight face when I say things like " I want it to look like your connecting with nature, like your making love to it...in a way". I will for sure take her picture again in the future...

 

Ditt bröllop

Last week I got contacted by a beautiful Swedish wedding blog. They wanted me to contribute with images and now they are visible on the site. If you are curious what it looks like just go to http://www.dittbrollop.se/riktiga-brollop/emma-fredrik-sodra-akarp/

Stockholm

Before this summer it had been several years since I had visited Stockholm. She is beautiful but I prefer Malmö, Copenhagen and Berlin. Still, it was nice to go there again because so many of my friends lives there now. One of them is Josefine that you see in the pictures below. I went to Stockholm to photograph a wedding and I stayed with her the hole time. Since my train was leaving late the last the day we decided to have a spontaneous photoshoot. You could say that Josefine was my first model. When we where young teenagers, living in the same small town, we used to play model and photographer a lot. I think we both dreamt about escaping that little world we where in. I dressed her in horrible things and did her make-up in a horrible way. We both thought it looked great back then but now we laugh about it. Maybe I will share those photos with you here one day. When I look at those pictures I can really see how much I have grown as a photographer. I have a tendency of being very critical towards my work and sometimes It's good looking back to see how far I have come.

Your name still feels like sunshine on my skin

but I do wonder where you disappeared to...

She Who Heals (Self-portrait)

Mother, sing me a song

That will ease my pain,

Mend broken bones,

Bring wholeness again.

Catch my babies

When they are born,

Sing my death song,

Teach me how to mourn.

Show me the Medicine

Of the healing herbs,

The value of spirit,

The way I can serve.

Mother, heal my heart

So that I can see

The gifts of yours

That can live through me.

- Unknown

(http://opossumsal.homestead.com/nap.html)