Female Founders_Soleil Magazine_Iss5

About you....
Originally from Sweden, I have
been based in London for
12 years. I grew up in a very large
family of creatives in Stockholm.
My mum is a musician and
composer and so is my uncle.
My grandmother was a singer
and dancer and my grandfather
was a painter and actor. My
great grandfather was a famous
Swedish opera singer and my
great grandparents on my other
side were bothactors.
My great uncle was a singer
and actor and my great aunt
was a poet and singer.
My cousin trained as an opera
singer and is now a ceramic
artist wiih her own studio in
Stockholm. One of my other
cousins is a cellist. My great
uncle was a singer and actor.
The list goes on. I started training
as a dancer at 7 and went on
to performing professionally for
years before having a change of
heart and leaving dance.
Photography happened almost
by accident. I fell in love with
plant-based food and started
taking pictures of my recipe creations
to share them on social
media. It very quickly became
obvious that my passion was
much more with the styling and
photography than with the
actual recipes I was sharing.
Before I knew it I was getting
requests from people asking
if I could shoot for them. I am
completely self-taught, however
I think that my background in
modelling helped me get started
as I had seen so many photographers
at work. I knew how
shoots were set up and I understood
light. I also studied art as
a child with my grandfather who
was a painter. He taught me
about light, how to paint with
oils and made me study the old
masters.
I make all my surfaces and
backdrops myself. I work with
metal & wood that I rust and
paint for my surfaces and I make
my backdrops usually from canvas
that I paint with chalk paints.
I just finished making 6 bespoke
surfaces for a client shoot and
it’s great to bring that personal
touch to a shoot.
About your company....
My company is very new as I
only started shooting just over
a year ago! I honestly feel so
blessed to already have regular
work and to be able to make
a living. It’s only myself for the
moment but I’m looking to hire
an assistant in the very near
future as more and more work
is coming in. I do have an
accountant, as I don’t love
that side of the business!
Upcoming projects.....
I am currently shooting for
some local start-ups and
restaurants here in London.
I have been asked to take over
the art direction and photography
for a well-known restaurant
here in London this autumn
where I get completely free
hands, which is exiting. I’m also
in talks to going to Moscow for
an exhibition together with local
chefs from London this autumn.
On top of that I’m working to
expand my portfolio, build up
my website and I’m planning to
start working on a coffee table
book with my own plant based
recipes.
What you love about being a
female founder/ owning your
own company...
I just love being my own boss!
I don’t care if I work 16 hours in
one day because I love what I
do.
Advice to other photographers/
how to find work and where to
look....
I think it’s a good idea to
specialize in something. I’ve met
some photographers that
market themselves in so many
different areas of photography
and that complain about not
having enough work.
Pick something that you really
love and specialize in it.I get
most of my work through
recommendation. I also get
work through networking in
person and of course through
social media. Also if you shoot
food it’s important to be
comfortable with using artificial
light. Many restaurants do not
have good natural light.
It very quickly became obvious that my
passion was much more with the styling
and photography than with the actual
recipes I was sharing.