Today is the final day of the year. New Years Evening. A day to look forward, but also to remember days that has passed. Some make promises, but many are soon to be forgotten. Social media is overflowing with quotes from famous people that make us think about ourselves, friends and our universe. I´d like to share some important words that was told to me many years ago. I remember them well, and I try to live by them every day.

When I handed my very first task to my teacher in photography school, Caldick Lundblad, he asked: Is this the best you can do? I replied that it wasn´t, but I could show better next time. Why?, he asked me. If you know you can do better, so could most certainly also your clients. Never cheat or take shortcuts! Always do your best! And I have tried ever since.

My first job after photography school in Solna was at a hospital, SÖS, as medical photographer. My boss and mentor Margit told me: I know you are young and that you will make mistakes. Please learn by them and only make them once. A wonderful thing to hear for me and that made it all so much easier documenting operations etc.

Finally, this is from Gregory Heisler. I was, together with a large audience, attending a seminar with him at Javitz Center in New York. He said: You can ask me anything. Technical or what ever. I have no secrets. You see, you can´t do my images anyway. And you should not. Always do your own thing. And I have never forgotten that.

Now I would like to recommend an exhibition that will be open for a few more days. My friend Åke Sandström is exhibiting at Galleri Axel, Södermannagatan 16 in Stockholm. The exhibition will be open until the 6th of January. I understand that it will be a finisage at the 8/1. Go and see!!! Here are Åke´s own words about the exhibition.

Bilder borde inte förklaras, namnsättas eller tydliggöras. Kanske skall vi se vad vi ser och känna vad vi känner.
Bilder i kommunikativa sammanhang behöver, eller skall, ha en bildtext eller rubrik som tillsammans skapar ett syfte. De här bilderna skall bara kännas. Det är syftet.

Jag bestämde mig för att bli fotograf redan i 6-årsåldern och då fick jag också min första kamera. Intresset för bilden – både den fotografiska bilden och andra bilder – har alltid funnits. Stillbilden som utelämnar både före, under och efter älskar jag särskilt, därför att så mycket lämnas åt betraktaren.

Jag har sedan 60-talet arbetat som professionell fotograf med mode, reklam och inredning. Det är många år och väldigt mycket bilder. Under åren har jag alltid gjort mina egna projekt och bilder, som många gånger fått stå tillbaka för uppdragen. Nu har jag fått mer tid för mitt eget. Yrkesbilderna på ena väggen kommer från mina ”bra-lådor” och den äldsta är från 1965!

Åke Sandström, hösten 2014

I wish you all a Happy New Year and a fine 2015!

Pelle

I made the  images at the top for the 2014 calendar.