Scattered notes and structured chaos
Field Notes is where the camera is put down – and the thinking begins.
Here, I write about photography not only as a craft, but as a way of seeing, feeling and communicating. Some entries are reflections – quiet observations from a place, a moment, or a subject that stayed with me. Others are more hands-on: tips, tricks, tools and thoughts on what makes an image work.
I don’t claim to have all the answers. But after thirty years of working with visual storytelling, I’ve learned a few things worth sharing.
This is a notebook, not a manual. A place for ideas, not instructions.
Welcome in.
I’m afraid of heights
In documenting citylife, remember the energies and impact of the invisible people. The ones outside the frame interacting with the subject, the on-looker and then yourself - the photographer. - Jonas Hellsén, inspired by Ansel Adams One of the most inconvenient things...
Landscape photography is all about getting dirty and cold
Great pictures from landscapes and nature carry the feelings and emotions of the photographer. Let them into to your images. If you don’t do it, your image will be a dull piece that no one wants to look at.
Photo shoot in mid-air
You might think that product-photography is easy because you can turn, tilt, flip and light the things exactly as you want. But then you soon realize that the product has no emotions, no feelings and won't move, bend or smile even if you ask politely. One of the most...
Don’t forget to show love on special occasions
A wedding or a celebration is filled with emotion, love and commitment. The same feelings and hard work is equally important to reward your photography with. My second paid job as a freelance photographer was documenting a wedding. It was by far the most horrified...
Be prepared for anything
Stage-photography is exactly as exciting, nerve-wrecking, hilarious, wonderful, scary and beautiful, as what the performer feels when he or she enters the stage. You are totally at the mercy of this flow, and you can never be sure of the outcome. Anything can happen...
You don’t have to travel the world to shoot animals
Photographing animals is all about showing respect. If you don't do it, you almost always end up with a nasty bite. As every other photographer my dream has always been to work as a field photographer for National Geographic. But which photographer hasn’t had that...