OM MIG
I was told I was too much, too loud, too sensitive.
I believed it…sometimes I still do.
But the camera taught me to see without judgment, and one day I finally saw what I’d been missing all along.
Now, I cater to the dreamers, the loud ones - the ones who always saw themselves as outsiders.
Just like I did…
There's something I want you to know before we meet.
Every single person I have photographed has walked in feeling the same way you do right now, self-consciousness screaming at you, not knowing what to do with your hands, the worry that you'll be the one who just doesn't photograph well.
All of those feelings aren't flaws, nor are they yours to carry alone. They belong to every human being who has ever stepped in front of a camera, myself included.
I have been on both sides of this. I started my career as a model, which means I have spent more time in front of a lens than most people ever will, and I still feel it every single time. That awkwardness doesn't really ever go away, and to this day, when I stand in front of another photographer’s lens, I feel at times insecure and don't quite know what to do with myself unless they actually guide me.
What changes things entirely is having someone on the other side who knows how to work with all of those voices in your head, who isn't waiting for you to relax on your own, but who will gently guide you there.
Knowing what to do is my job, not yours. And it's not just about taking a good photo, but about taking care of you while we create them. And frankly, feeling guided and taken care of makes for a much better portrait.
I'm Sissela,
A portrait photographer based in Älmhult in southern Sweden. I work regularly in Copenhagen and across Scandinavia, and travel throughout Europe for out-of-this-world destination sessions. I have been doing this since right around 2011, and in that time, I have learned that the most important thing I can bring to a session is not my camera or my eye, but my patience, compassion and empathy.
I work deliberately and without a clock. We talk before anything else happens. This is as important to the final outcome as the session itself. Me getting to know you and how you see yourself, what you've always wanted to see in an image, what you're afraid might show up instead, are vital steps in securing portraits you will recognise yourself in.
The people I photograph are individuals, creatives and professionals across Scandinavia and Europe, though some also travel from across the pond.
Some come because they need images for their work, and they know that a personal brand built on generic photographs isn't really a personal brand at all. A strong personal branding portrait does something a logo or a tagline cannot. It builds instant trust. It tells people who you actually are before you've said a word, and, done right, it will generate money for you.
Some come because something has shifted in their life, and they want portraits that reflect who they are now. Some come because they've simply been putting it off for years, and they're finally ready.
Whatever brings you here, you are in safe hands.
In conversation with Sean tucker
