Photographer Erik Johansson creates photos that can consist of hundreds of different images, yet the final shot looks as though he went outside and snapped one picture. Hear how this Germany-based photographer works in our interview below.
You have a unique way of combining images that look and feel as though you went out and snapped the photo in the real world. How did you come up with this style and how have you refined this talent over the years?
I am self-taught in both photography and retouch. I discovered that it was fun to change and modify photos for fun in the year 2000 when I got my first digital camera. I’ve always been drawing for as long as I can remember and when I got the camera I felt like I wanted to do something more with the photos. I started playing around with the photos in the computer and discovered photo manipulations. For me, the realism has always been very important and it’s a challenge to make a sketch come to life in a photo. When you learn the tools it’s just the imagination that sets the limits.
How do you come up with ideas like the one that inspired your ‘Twisted Seasons’ picture?
I’ve always been fascinated by mathematics and shapes and the möbius strip is a pretty interesting shape. It’s a 3-dimensional object but it has only one side. I thought this could be interesting to use in a photograph, like parallel worlds going on at the same time un-aware of each other. I photographed the summer part in summertime and the winter part 6 months later. It took some time but it was a pretty straightforward process to make it come to life.
Using your ‘Go Your Own Road’ image as an example, explain your postproduction process. What programs are you using, what effects, etc?
I only use Photoshop in my work and I shoot all the material myself. I don’t like using 3D or illustrated elements in my work, it’s a limitation but in a good way. I have to capture what I want to create. The ‘Go Your Own Road’ image was not that complicated technically, it is basically two images, one of the road and one of a friend dragging a fabric over some grass. It’s all natural light from a warm summer day in 2008.
Please share an image that you’ve created that was rewarding to complete. Explain why it was a rewarding project.
To me the next project is always the greatest challenge, but some images are more complex than others. I usually have a pretty good idea of what I want it to look like when I start but it’s very satisfying if I accidentally discover something while shooting that makes it even better, like a very dramatic sky or something that makes the image even more interesting.
What’s your go-to gear?
Camera: Hasselblad H5D-40
Lenses: Hasselblad 24 mm + 35-90
Computer: Stationary PC for photoshopping and Macbook Pro on location
Tripod: Manfrotto055 + 410 Geared head
Software: Adobe Photoshop CC 2014
What’s next for you?
I’m currently working on four new personal projects and one new behind the scenes video. It will be a pretty short one this time, yet interesting I hope.
Check out more of Erik Johansson’s work on his website and Facebook page
