Mattias Bergstedt : Featured Photographer

This month’s featured film photographer is Mattias Bergstedt. He lives in the countryside outside the Swedish city of Örebro. I set out to discover what drives his devotion to film photography. The following interview is lightly edited for clarity.

When did you start shooting film and why?

I started to shoot film when I was in my teens. When I was in high school between 1996 -1999 I studied photography and film. I acquired knowledge of film photography and darkroom work. From my twenties to my mid thirties I barely photographed at all. Instead I was focusing on playing music, and started a band. The music has always been what I’m most passionate about. A couple of years ago I found my old Olympus XA camera in a box in my garage. I thought it would be fun to test it out. I found some Swedish retailers that had film in stock. And then the ball was rolling. I bought more cameras and started to develop both b&w and color film. I also built a small darkroom so I can get my black and white photos on paper.

What do you love most about shooting film?

The thing I love the most about shooting film is that I have to wait for the result and that you have to take your time when shooting. I can’t go out and just throw away a couple of shots (although I do sometimes). And of course I love the feeling you get out of shooting film with the grain and everything. I know, it sounds cliché, but it seems that I can’t get the same feel or better photos with a digital camera. I think a good photo is always a good photo, but in my case it feels like the analogue workflow makes me more creative. Or maybe It’s just my mind playing me.

The images you provided show that you are equally at home shooting black and white or color. Do you have a favorite film or films of each type? Why are these favorites?

I can´t say I have a favourite film. Each film has its own characteristics and I like to use different filmstocks. With that said I always have some Ilford Delta 400 and Kodak Portra in my camera bag. So I guess you can say that I do have some favourites. When talking about color photography I haven’t found any other negative color film that beats Portra. I just love the colors you get from that film.

Do you like to shoot at random or do you plan your photo expeditions?

I like to shoot at random. I always have a camera with me wherever I go. You know the saying. “You never know when the perfect photo is coming your way”. I have some projects going on as well and for those I plan more or less. When I have time to spare I love to go on road trips alone with my cameras.

You have a good eye for action shots of skateboarding. Are you a skater yourself? What is your favorite type of skate photography – street action or skate park?

Thank you. I guess you can say I’m a skater. Nowadays I skate when I have time to spare. We are a couple of older skaters that used to meet up and skate pools, bowls and miniramps. Skateboarding is a great activity and the skate community is fantastic. Here in Örebro we have a great skate park. I tend to shoot more park skating because that’s what I usually skate myself. I’m a bad street skater. I would love to shoot more street action though.

Please share anything else you’d like our readers to know about you and your film journey.

 I’m not really seeing my film photography as a journey. It has more become my way of working with photography. In the end it´s about catching a moment, and you can do that with a digital camera as well. I really don’t know why but it feels like I’m taking better photos when I work with film. I hope I can afford to go on shooting film. The price of film is mad nowadays and I have to charge more for my photo jobs. I have plans to make some exhibitions and hope to be able to put together a photo book in the near future.

Our final selected image is really beautiful, and Mattias provided this poetic description:

Swedish summer night at its best. All the people are gone and you are sitting alone with your thoughts, watching the sun go down in the west and the moon rising.

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We at FSC hope you’ve enjoyed this feature, and will take a closer look at Mattias’ work. You can follow him on Instagram . Mattias also sells some of his prints at https://printler.com/sv/print-shop/8510-mattias-bergstedt/

Morning Routine | Katya Rowny

For my first curated photostream I chose the topic of “morning routine”. I often think of myself as a creature of habit with my one cup of coffee every morning, usually staring out the window pondering the day’s to-do list. I have to remind myself that sometimes the simple and mundane are the most beautiful. With this photostream we get to have a glimpse into other people's everyday lives. From Natalie’s photo of her chair and coffee cup in the sun to Marina’s breakfast on the go photo, these glances help remind us of the beauty in the everyday. Thank you to everyone who submitted, it is always a joy to see and share your work!

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Film photographer Katya Rowny is based in the Pacific Northwest. Connect with her and see more of her work on her Instagramand website.

Double Exposure Fim Swap | Barbara Murray / katie mollon

Film Shooters Collective members were challenged late in 2022 to complete a film swap project. Here we present the results of one collaboration. In this type of double exposure, one photographer shoots the roll of film, rewinds, and sends to the second photographer to shoot a second set of images. The results are always surprising, often beautiful and sometimes downright amazing.

For this swap, Katie Mollon and I swapped two rolls of film. Each of us shot one roll in areas around their home towns, then swapped by mail. That gave two sets of fun results. Since Katie lives in Detroit and I live in Cardiff by the Sea near San Diego, some interesting juxtapositions resulted.

KATIE : For the first roll, I took photos on a sunny fall day at Elmwood cemetery in Detroit. It's the oldest non-denominational cemetery in Michigan, so it has a ton of variety. I brought along my Lensbaby Omni filters, and experimented with them on each frame. I imagined that this would add to the surreal quality of double exposures.

BARBARA: I shot my images for this roll at a local street fair on a sunny day. Unfortunately the images didn’t line up as well as we would have liked but we still got some interesting results.

BARBARA: I shot a second roll mostly at locations near my house, then sent it to Katie. I tried to emphasize shots that were distinctly local, with a lot of palm trees and some sunsets. I think some of the results from this roll are really spectacular.

KATIE: For the roll I got in the mail from Barbara, I loaded it in my SLR during a photo meetup in downtown Detroit. It was a rather nondescript, chilly day. I was happy to have this roll with me, because I had already photographed a lot of the subject matter several times during the pandemic. Knowing that there would be a surprise in every frame kept me excited to keep composing my shots. Overcast days are great for film swaps, because the skies won't blow out the other person's subjects.

KATIE: Like with most of my work, which is experimental, I liked some results better than others. I will continue to do film swaps, because the ones that turn out the best keep me invigorated about the process! The mysterious qualities about film are what fuels my passion. 

BARBARA: Like Katie, I enjoy experimenting with photography. I think having a general idea what types of images your partner shot, but not an exact image listing, makes the project more fun. But, you’re free to plan a swap in as much detail as you want. Try it yourself with another film photographer and send us your results.

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Film photographer Katie Mollon is based in Michigan. See more of her work & connect with her on Instagram.

Film photographer Barbara Murray is based in California. See more of her work and connect with her on Instagram!