Creative talk

Adam Esser

Adam started shooting analog long before the trend spread among our social media, he took his first pictures with a small children's camera, thinks that the definition of a good photographer is someone who dares to be bold, is highly topical with his first book that has not something to do with photography and really knows what it means to get life back.

Adam!
It feels very fun and exciting to talk to you! A sense of photography and art, you recently starred in After Ten with Malou and have a heart of steel! Tell me, who are you?
Adam Esser. Born and raised in Gothenburg but now living in Vasastan in Stockholm. I love to run around with my camera at full speed and a regular simple little walk often tends to take four times as long with photo breaks, settings, finding the right light, depth and angle and more. Constantly looking for unique motifs and appealing environments and any photos that could be something special. Everything can become content in my eyes. I am also very likely a very unique person with a very special life journey when in 2018 I had a cardiac arrest, was in a coma for a month and was very very close to disappearing from the earth for good. But miraculously got my life back against all odds. And have of course had a slightly tough time lately where I have struggled hard to get back to a relatively normal life after being without pulse in both heart and brain for over an hour. Tough to say the least. But I struggle and take small steps with each passing day.

When did you discover your sense of photography?
Good question!
Always wanted to create memories and immortalize moments and situations with my loved ones. It started with the first mobile phone with its own camera in the early 00's or rather already before that, then I was working on small cameras for children that I got from mom and dad. Took pictures of everything that moved, developed the pictures and did it over and over again. But it became more for real around 2016 and not least when I had the honor of joining Wall of art. But would like to say that there has long been a built-in creativity and a certain aesthetic disposition that laid the foundation for the ability to create my current photographic art.

What attracts you the most with photography?
It is an old and beautiful traditional art form that has received a real boost recently. An art form where you can express yourself very freely and where only the thoughts set limits. A bit like abstract art overall. Where you are free to create and act as you wish, what the outcome or image should look like. A timeless art form. Without framework. It intrigues me. It can be seen as an era of time that evokes emotions, photos that reflect and show sheep at the same time. Here and now as a historical document. There is something beautiful about it.

Would you describe yourself as a creative soul?
Yes. I have a law degree and work at a multinational company where I work with international tax law, which in a way is far from something creative you can get. With rules and regulations to relate to in exactly everything you do at work. Therefore, photography is a kind of escape from everyday life for me where I can live out and get an outlet for my creative vein. Act and be in a completely different way.

What do you dream about?
Settle in Palma de Mallorca. And that the pandemic disappears so that Håkan Hellström can do his show at Ullevi in August.

Your life took a real turn in 2018, in what way has it changed you?
I have felt the fragility of life. I was close to losing my life. I saw death in the white eye. Of course it gives a perspective on what we have. Appreciate small things and what you have. You never really know what tomorrow will look like and what might happen. I'm just happy to be alive. And that I was spared from severe brain damage, which all doctors and experts call a miracle. It makes me humble towards life

How do you see the future?
What we have all probably learned during the pandemic is that it can only get better. And that mantra reached me already when I was in a coma and during my heavy hard rehab after my heart surgery. It can only get better. For me, then, it is in a double sense. And for everyone out there. Now it gets better, brighter, warmer. Wait until spring

Which camera are you working with?
I shoot a lot with my Sony a7ii 24-240 mm which is my favorite. But has also long photographed analogously with an Olympus om50. (Long before it became an influencer thing with analog) but now I still have a new analog camera. A Nikon that I use a lot and think is very fun. It gives a certain special retro feeling in the pictures and a completely different color scheme and tone that I love. Many also claim that analog photography is the right thing to do and that the modern digital camera is a bit of a cheat. So it's fun to shoot analog which is the classic photography art. Where it once began. The majority of my photos here at Wall of art are just analog photos from a classic analog with film reels that are developed. It's really fun!

Your best tips for those who dream of expressing themselves through photography?
Try to find a niche in photography. Maybe it's taking pictures of nature or animals, maybe it's taking pictures in a studio with models, maybe action photography, or why not interior design or food ?. Maybe it's lifestyle / feelgood as what I'm trying to create. There are lots of fun and interesting entrances. Just pick and choose. And skip using Photoshop to much!

What do you think is a good photographer?
Someone who goes his own way. Does not follow rules but runs his own race. Dare to take the turns and create something new. A photographer who creates something timeless that we can look at in 100 years and get the feeling that "wow that is still good"
Looking up to Slim Aarons who inspires me a lot. His works are wonderful in so many ways. Then I like what Maria Svarbova does too, which is awesome cool stuff.

You are now up to date with your book where you talk and tell about your accident, what is it called and where can we find it?
The book is called "Som ett hjärta som vägrar sluta slå" and can be bought on regular websites online for books but also via me privately on instagram @adamesser

Last but not least, do you have any hidden talents?
Makes Stockholm's best bouillabaisse!!