Kehrer Verlag Erik Östensson

Published by Kehrer Verlag, the photo book Erik Östensson introduces you to the work of the awarded Swedish photographer known for his surreal works. Simple, poetic and airy at the same time, Östensson’s photographs intertwine people, objects, and landscapes in imaginative ways. The minimalist, textless book allows the photography to speak for itself, and Östensson encourages the viewer to approach the photos with a childlike wonder.

“To catch the viewers’ attention despite the fact that my photos are depicting everyday objects, I have photographed them in new contexts and from new angels. Hopefully past notions are replaced and the meaning of familiar objects get an opportunity to expand. In this way a new contact can be created between the objects and the viewer.

The photographs are made with an analog large-format camera. I use negatives that are 4×5 inches in size (10×13 cm). This type of camera makes the photographic process time consuming. First, I measure the light with the handheld light meter. I then crawl in behind the black cloth to compose and focus with a magnifier against the glass plate showing the upside-down image. Often, I only make one or two exposures. I see the result when the negatives have been developed, which often happens months after they have been exposed. This old technique has helped me to stop and look carefully.”