Fashion Photographer: Sølve Sundsbø
Who is Sølve Sundsbø?
Sølve Sundsbø is an Emmy award winning, Norwegian fashion photographer and filmmaker based in London. Sundsbø pushes the boundaries of image making and works across a range of platforms such as photography, film and 3D printing. Sundsbø combines conventional techniques with contemporary technologies. His work is described as "effortlessly distinct" (5Eleven, 2021). Sundsbø has photographed for well known publications such as Vogue, Perfect, Love and V Magazine and has created still and moving images for famous brands such as: Armani, Cartier, Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Mugler and Prada.
He created a piece for the New York Times titled '14 Actors Acting' which went on to win an Emmy award for New Approaches to News and Documentary Programming.
Sundsbø started off his photography journey when he moved to London in 1995 to study a photography course at the London College of Printing. He then went on to become a photography assistant for fashion photographer Nick Knight. He was mentored by Nick Knight for 4 years and this helped shape him into the acclaimed fashion photographer he is today as in 1995 he was voted best newcomer at International Festival of Fashion in Hyeres, France.
Through being mentored by Nick Knight he stated "Nick instilled in me that you should be idealistic, you should be courageous, you should be trying to push boundaries" (Johnson, 2015) and although Sundsbø clearly stands on his own as a photographer I feel that Knight really helped him in trying to create 'new and unique' work, which is something that definitely sets him apart from other photographers. However, he did talk about how when being mentored by Nick Knight it was a challenge to define "his own, distinct artistic voice" (Johnson, 2015) although I feel he has been successful in creating his own voice as his images look very unique and there is a reason has had and continuing to have such a successful career.
"It's not a job, it's a calling" (Johnson, 2015)
Sundsbø has always been interested in photography once stating that he found his calling in photography on his journey home from school, at the age of approximately 11 years old, he saw a bush covered in fine ice and the way the light was hitting it made him want to learn how to photograph it as he "wanted to keep that moment because it was so special" (Johnson, 2015).
Sundsbø style doesn't conform to just one, he is very experimental in his work as he feels what "gets really good is when you get the feeling you've created an image that is completely different, that tells a story and is something I'm proud of" (Scott, 2018). This is something that really inspires me is when I see a photographer who has a successful career but hasn't felt the need to stick to one style only as this is something that I think would be hard for me to only adhere to only one style. He mentioned when he hung his images on the wall at the International Festival of Fashion in 1999 people would view his work and say "Oh, did you do that, and that, and that?' There were six different things. People thought, 'Oh, you did all of them but they all look so different.' I remember thinking, 'I'm all of those things, not just one.'" (Johnson, 2015). This was a year into his journey as a fashion photographer so very early on in his career, he knew he didn't intend to stick to one style and now 20+ years later he has stayed true to that.
"I'm quite a restless person, and I'm inquisitive about things, it became clear to me very quickly that I wouldn't find any happiness just pursuing one thing for a long time; it's not my nature, it's not my temperament." (5Eleven, 2021)
Sundsbø has had many images published in famous magazines and this really influences me as that's what I aspire to one day be doing. His work will definitely influence my work for my final major project as it is the type of work I aim to create.
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References
Johnson, R. M. (2015). Sølve Sundsbø, Photographer. Business of Fashion. https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/workplace-talent/creative-class-solve-sundsbo-photographer/
Scott, K. (2018). Sølve Sundsbø - Beyond the Still Image. British Journal of Photography. https://www.1854.photography/2018/10/solve-sundsbo-beyond-the-still-image/
5Eleven. (2021). SOLVE SUNDSBO. 5Eleven. https://www.5elevenmag.com/post/solve-sundsbo
Bibliography
Figure 1 - Hemy, M. (2015). Sølve Sundsbø [jpeg]. Business of Fashion. https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/workplace-talent/creative-class-solve-sundsbo-photographer/
Figure 2 - Sundsbø, S. (2016). Best of Beauty for Allure [jpeg]. Sølve Sundsbø. https://www.solvesundsbo.com/allureaya
Figure 3 - Sundsbø, S. (2022). One of a Kind for V Magazine [jpeg]. Sølve Sundsbø. https://www.solvesundsbo.com/vmagazinegiselestills
Figure 4 - Sundsbø, S. (2018). Flora for Vogue China [jpeg]. Sølve Sundsbø. https://www.solvesundsbo.com/voguechinaflora
Figure 5 - Sundsbø, S. (2013). Beauty for Vogue Nippon [jpeg]. Sølve Sundsbø. https://www.solvesundsbo.com/voguenipponbeauty