I’m 32 and I still cannot call myself an artist. I am not sure why, but it may be because:

a) I have been brainwashed by society into thinking that if I do have not a degree in arts, then I am not an artist;

b) my job is not in arts;

c) I have no idea what art is.

For now, I’ll leave a) and c) for other posts. In today’s post, I’ll focus on b), and I’ll try to explain why I think it is important for me to separate my job from my art (or whatever it is I do with photography).

Sometimes I think that if I was working on photography full-time and my income was entirely coming from it, I would not enjoy it. Even though I would like to get more recognition for it (whether it is monetary or not), I don’t do it for the money and I intend to keep it that way. Needless to say that if the money comes in through photography, great, it’s very welcome! My bare minimum being: I hope that my photography - as a hobby - pays for, at least, whatever I spend on it. That’s my goal. The surplus of that is just a bonus.

Having said that, a hobby does need work as well, and it is very easy to get distracted away from it if you do not financially depend on it. Since I don’t, I struggle to get inspired to photograph after a full day of work, or during the weekends when all I want is to be with my family… And here is where personal work comes in.

So far, all of the photographs you have seen on my website stemmed from personal work - ALL OF THEM! They stem from my travels, my day-to-day life with my family, and occasional headshots of friends. That is why they are so important for me, because it’s with these personal projects that I learn.

Every time I use photograph for a personal project, I get to experiment with a camera I am not that comfortable with, or with a film stock I have never used, or a new light setting I never got to enjoy photographing.

I hope you get an idea of why you see so many of my personal projects. I also use both Instagram and this blog to document my learning process, so that also explains a little why you see them =)

In early August, I asked one of my dear friends living in Copenhagen if she could pose for a few shots with a urban vibe. We didn't plan much more than this. We met after work, before going out for dinner, and just started enjoying the full blast of the last hours of sun. This is the result.

I chose to try out the Efke KB 50 on my Bronica ETRS before the sun started to set. On my Canon A1, I had Ilford HP5 Plus 400, which would be the perfect comparison to have with the not-so-contrasty Efke KB 50. Then I ended with a roll of Kodak Ektar 100 on the Bronica to get those vibrant colours, and one of Fujifilm Superia 100. What do you think of the mix? I prefer less saturation in the colour shots, but I thought this would be a very good opportunity to get out of my comfort zone.

Now, all that is left is to thank my friend: Thank you, sista! Remember we have to do it again soon ;P

Back in October of 2017, my dear friend Camilla Jørvad opened up the bookings for her Bed & Breakfast Sigridsminde. I decided to book it for a long weekend for me, my husband and my daughter. We went there this May and we could not be happier with it. The quietness, the slow living lifestyle, the nature - all of which I deeply crave on a daily basis - were all there.

The Bed & Breakfast is truly inspiring and, with no doubt, the best room I have ever stayed in. I am all for minimal decoration without compromising comfort and style, and my friend Camilla nailed it. Look for yourself below and at the official Sigridsminde gallery.

Our three days there were full with some of nature’s most amazing colours and sights. #dandelionfuzz

Sigridsminde is at the Ærø island, 10 min walking from Ærøskøbing - a tiny town full of colour, hygge and slow living.

For this series, I used my Canon A1 and my Bronica ETRS, with efke KB 50, Kodak 200, FujiColor Superia 200, Lomography Earl Grey 100 and Ilford HP5 Plus 400. I also used a slide stock - Fujichrome Provia 100F on my Bronica - but that one came out empty [insert sad face here]. I hope you enjoy this series as much as I did.