I wonder

I wonder about the love you can't find

And I wonder about the loneliness that's mine

I wonder how much going have you got

And I wonder about your friends that are not

I wonder I wonder I wonder I do

( I wonder / Sixto Rodriguez )

Linn, Part 1

Outside my window the cold wind is blowing hard, there is snow on the ground and people are hurrying from one place to another. It's Sunday and I'm in front of my mac with a big cup of tea. I love sitting here and editing photos and listening to music. Last night I saw Searching for Sugar Man and I fell in love with Rodriguez voice and lyrics. I have been listening to the soundtrack over and over while I've been playing around with the photos I took 2 days ago. Since I need more studio photos in my portfolio I did a test with make-up artist Lovisa Fredriksson. We got to borrow the adorable and beautiful Linn from Sweden Models. The day before the shoot I went and selected some amazing vintage clothes from OddLovin (http://www.oddlovin.com/) Linn is wearing rings that I bought at a market in London plus one silver ring from SannaSilver www.sannasilver.se. This is just the first series from the shoot, more will follow soon!

Press photos / Jenny Beckman

I took these photos yesterday of Jenny in my cute little studio in Malmö. I'm really happy with how much variety I can get from such a small place. We started out using the studio lights but in the end we could also use the sun coming in through the big window. I really love the natural light, it's just so alive.

Thursday boredom (self-portrait)

Jennifer

I have gotten more and more interested in video making so when I found a workshop close to my town in fusion I booked it right away. I realized that it's much more difficult than I thought to film, I feel like a beginner again. But I know that I just have to practise and practise and hopefully I will be able to show you something beautiful soon. Even if the workshop was about filming and editing I just had to take some photos of my gorgeous model Jennifer. It was so cold but she was such a warrior, thank you again dear!

Represented by Harvest Agency

I've been wanting to share these great news with you since the end of last year. As usually I don't like to say anything until I know that it's for certain. I'm very exited about being represented by a professional agency in Sweden and curious to see where it will take me. To see more go to http://harvestagency.se/

I won a contest! :)

A while ago I found out that I had won an award in a portraits photography contest in Sweden (Fotosidan Master del 3). I was only allowed to compete with one picture so my hopes were not that high and the surprise even bigger. Today I picked up the magazine where it had been published and it brought a smile to my face. The jury had written some really nice things about the photo and I will try to translate it into English for you:

A picture that asks questions is often more interesting than a picture that only gives answers. The gentle expression combined with movements creates a drama that appeals to more senses than just the sight. Listen to the picture! Taste it! The layers creates an interesting tension and it's technically well made. What's also interesting is the timelessness, there is nothing in the photo that really tells when it was taken. I want to know more!

P.s the photo is included in the giveaway on my facebook site http://www.facebook.com/pages/Isabell-N-Wedin-Arty-Farty-Photography/185146198173331?ref=hl

Wanna get some of my favourite photos for free? Now you have the chance!

From today and 7 days forward you have the chance of getting a free postcard with 7 of my prints 10x15 cm. There is a total of 15 postcards. All you have to do to be part of this giveaway is to like my page on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Isabell-N-Wedin-Arty-Farty-Photography/185146198173331 and then like the status about the giveaway :) What are you waiting for?! ;)

Memories

A couple of years ago I saw an exhibition of Nan Goldin. I found myself sitting a long time in front of a video where she talked about photography. What captured me the most was when she said something like "I took pictures to remind me of what I got but now they only remind me of what I lost" Many friends of her died in aids but I think those words can apply to many things. When I loose someone that is important to me because they can't be part of my life any more, for different reasons, I like to take all the photos of that person and hide them away in a folder deep on my hard drive. I do that because they remind me of good things that I can't have anymore, things that are forever lost. I'm not good at switching my mind off and luckily I have only had to do this twice. I would never erase them because time heals everything even if it doesn't seem like that at the moment. There will come at time where they will just make me feel nostalgic, even a little bit happy. Until then all I can do is wait...

Thoughts...

I believe it's so important to have something that is only yours, something that no one can take away. I'm not talking about something material or another person, I'm talking about creativity. No matter how bad I've felt in the past I've been able to stay over the surface because photography is mine and no one can take it away from me. It doesn't disappear, lies or cheats and most important I make it come alive. When I think about life I picture it as the two legs I'm standing on. One leg is what I do for a living, my occupation and the other leg is simply love in the shape of a partner. As long as you got one solid leg to stand on your ok, it's when you feel like you have nothing that you fall. Today photography is that stabile one while the other leg is still trying to find ground.

It's important to believe in yourself and to see what you are capable of. We all need some guidance but you should never listening to people that doesn't matter to you and trust the opinion of those you love, respect or that you simply look up to. I do believe in being critical about your own work but it's also important to allow yourself to get that amazing kick of endorphins that only a newly taken photo can give you. That feeling makes me think that everything is possible...

I would lie if I didn't say that it makes me happy when someone likes my work but it's not why I do it, I do it because I have this hunger to create. I've asked myself many times why photography makes me feel good. It's hard to explain but obviously the human kind has a hug need for creating art. I think it's a mix of wanting to make the world a prettier place and also to confirm your own existence in a place that most of the time makes no sense. 

Published in OPPA! Magazine Issue 1

About a month ago I got contacted by the newly started London based magazine OPPA! It's a bimonthly print and digital unisex fashion, photography, arts, lifestyle and travel magazine. They wanted to do a feature on me and here you can see the result. To follow the magazine on facebook go to http://www.facebook.com/oppauk?fref=ts and to get/read the magazine go to: http://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/511716

They also published my illustrations that I created 2009. It's been a long time now since I did any new once but I am pretty sure that I will pick it up in the future. They are all inspired by fashion pictures that I found in magazines and they are supposed be a little bit sexy and funny. You find all of them on my website www.isabellnwedin.com / projects / Ice ice babe

Comtesse de la forêt (for Amra Magazine)

Styling: Julia Emanuelsson / Make-up: Hanna Andersson / Hair: Lina Hjalmarsson / Model: Tess W / Location: Malmö (Swe)