Here in this interview, Swedish photographer Erik Enrico Ersson shared insights into his creative process, offering a glimpse into the artistry that fuels his breathtaking imagery. From the serene landscapes of Sweden to the bustling streets of metropolitan hubs, Ersson’s work evokes a sense of wonder and introspection.
Through his lens, he captures the essence of fleeting moments, weaving stories that resonate deeply with audiences worldwide. With a keen eye for detail and an unwavering passion for his craft, Ersson’s interview serves as a testament to the profound impact of visual storytelling, inspiring aspiring photographers to pursue their artistic visions with authenticity and dedication. Scroll down and inspire yourself.
A few words about you?
My name is Erik Enrico Ersson and I live in a beautiful part of Sweden. I would describe myself as an advanced hobby photographer that shoot with Canon and pilot a DJI drone. I love testing different photo genres and I´m not afraid to try new things.
How did you develop your interest in photography?
I started playing the photography game Gurushots online with a mobile camera 2018. At first it was fun playing with HDR filters and the saturation lever. The different challenges gave me a chance to try many different types of photography. Choosing the Canon Road was natural since my girlfriend had many lenses I could borrow. I´m now on my third camera and have aquired a lot of hardware down the road; flashes, lenses, filters and god knows what. I try to defend my gear addiction that it will leave me with creative opportunitys for many years to come.
Last year I attended a photography education that really widened my perspectives within the field. I joined the course with the expectation of learning how to take even sharper and technically perfect shots. Already on the second week, when we became familiar with visual poetry i learned there is more to photography than that. Each week we studied a new photographer and I left the course with a much wider understanding of photography.
How did you get interested in nature photography?
I guess many photographers start out by shooting landscapes and a beautiful sunset or sunrise. And those types of shots, with an ND filter and slow shutter speed will always have a soft spot in my heart. I also like to take photos of mushrooms which was my photo project at school. Another type of nature photography, when you sit and wait for the perfect moment, when a bird or an animal show up is exciting but it has not yet become my thing.
What catches your eye to produce such wonderful photographs?
An easy recipe for a great photo is to catch an epic subject in perfect light and gorgeous surroundings. I love scouting stunning locations for landscape shots, if there is some eyecatching structure or landmark I try to be there at sunset or sunrise. For model shoots I love to try out different equippment like filters, prisms, gel lighting or flash to achieve different effects.
I like Beautiful, epic and colorful photos. At this phase in my photography journey I´m not drawn to expressing the ordinary and mundande but have a huge respect that is something that can grow onto you.
Could you please share your post-processing techniques?
I always work with only one photo at a time and never do batch editing. I open it up in Camera Raw, make the global adjustments, gradial filters and colour grading. As far as I have a style it will often include lifting the shadows and lowering the highlights. If the vignette isn´t applied in Camera Raw it will probably be added in Photoshop. I use two different panels in photoshop. One for portraits that follow a workflow that for example include frequency separation and dodge and burn. The other panel is great for masking and also allow me to apply different kinds of effects.
Your favorite photographers?
I appreciate many photographers skills in their respective genres. If I had to pick one it would be Gregory Crewdson for his impressive, large scale conceptual photographs with outstanding composition. Annie Liebowitz doesn´t need any closer presentation, it´s also her composition and the staged photos that attract me most.
Henri Cartier Bresson because he inspired the best. Paolo Roversi is another favourite, his play with light on his models is mesmerizing. Of the modern photographers I admire Jake Hicks for Gel Light photography and Mkcaptured for his new take on Street and Architecture, he created a new edit style which is rare these days.
I recently discovered Brandon Woelfels work with prisms and neon colours and what I like about him and the new photographers that share their work on youtube is that you get a chance to learn more about their creative process and how to achieve these looks.
One thing you have learned through photography, you would want to share with our readers?
Find role models, study the masters, and know what to look for. It could be classic or contemporary photographers, painters or random guys on Youtube. Combine it with your passion and somehwere in that mix you will find inspiration, composition rules and an edit style that will let you express yourself in the way you desire and have your work stand out.
What is the best compliment you received so far?
Tough question since many people have been kinde enough to say my photos are good. A sincere compliment, especially from an initiated peer is always appreciated.
Any favorite photography books?
I seldom read books since there is so much information on the internet and Youtube. But if it´s okay I would recommend the movie “Gregory Crewdson
Brief Encounters” by Ben Shapiro.
What’s your personal motto?
When I was young I moved to Italy to work with my father who was an entreprenuer. Being used to having an employment I asked him how many weeks vacation I would get each year. He got pissed and asked, “what do you mean, don´t you like this? With me it´s always work and with me it´s always vacation.” Guess the latter part would make for a great personal motto for me, something in the style of liking what you do.
Other than photography, what are your hobbies and interests?
I live in a beautiful part of Sweden so I like being out in the nature, and also travel to new places so I can take new photos. Photography have led me into videography and drone photography so that is something I want to explore more. Besides that I like my field of work in digital marketing, spending time with my family and watch a movie or a serie.
Thanks again for providing 121 Clicks with this opportunity to interview you. Any final thoughts for our readers?
Gurushots was a great way for me to take different types of photos, I think that´s helpful for everyone, not start by nisching you down to being only one type of photographer. Attending a school that give you insights in different styles, genres and the work of great photographers will skyrocket your skills and the way you look at photography. I learned there it´s so much more to photography then just taking the sharpest photo and having the biggest amount of pixels. Find what you want to express and the way you want to express it, and have fun doing it.
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Copyrights:
All the pictures in this post are copyrighted Erik Enrico Ersson. Their reproduction, even in part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.
