The Smoke Detector
  • About
    • About TSD
    • Contact us
  • Art / Design
  • Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Interviews
  • Columns
  • Coding
The Smoke Detector
  • About
    • About TSD
    • Contact us
  • Art / Design
  • Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Interviews
  • Columns
  • Coding
  • Art / Design
  • Interviews

Tommy Ingberg – Merging world of photography and art

  • Ivona Josipovic
  • 19 September 2016

Welcome to the surreal world of Tommy Ingberg where photography and art merge.

I discovered Tommy Ingberg’s amazing images by chance, and they left such a strong impression on me that I wanted to see and know more. In the interview we did, the Swedish photographer talks about his journey of becoming a photographer, what message he wants to send through his work and where he finds inspiration.

tommy ingberg

How did you first get interested in photography?

When I was 15 years old I got my first “real” camera, a Praktica with two lenses. It had no autofocus and the metering didn’t work. I spent endless hours experimenting and shooting as much film as I could afford. It was then that I really decided that I wanted to do photography. I needed a way to express myself, and instead of playing in a band, painting or writing – I chose photography.  What followed were several years of intensive photography, but it was when I was able to afford my first digital camera that I really started to develop. Thanks to the fact that I could see the result directly in the camera, the whole process of trial and error was speeded up tremendously.

Since then I’ve tried several areas of photography; portraits, concert photography, street photography, nature photography and everything in-between. I can’t tell you why I chose photography, but there is something about it that really speaks to me. Even nowadays I can still feel that excitement when I know that I just captured a great picture. It’s often when something unexpected happens in front of the camera. No matter how well you plan your shoots, there is still an element of chance involved, and I love that about photography.

How would you describe your photographs?

With my surrealistic work I am trying to explain something abstract, like a feeling or a thought, expressing the subconscious with a picture. For my work I use my own inner life, thoughts and feelings as seeds to my pictures. In that sense the work is very personal, almost like a visual diary. Despite this suggestiveness in the process I hope that the work can engage the viewer in her or his own terms. I want the viewers to produce their own questions and answers when looking at the pictures. My own interpretations are really irrelevant in this context.

I try to make simple, scaled back compositions with few elements, where every part adds to the story. By making them devoid of any distractions, like elaborate backdrops or figures in the foreground, I also try to achieve a kind of dreamlike silence. Sometimes less is more, and for me one of the most interesting challenges of creating this kind of work is to try to find a simple, but yet ambiguous visual representation of something very complex.

tommy ingberg

How important are Photoshop and retouching in your work?

I always try to do as much work as possible in camera. Well planned and photographed source pictures are a much better option than doing excessive work in Photoshop. In my opinion camera work will always have better quality and look better than something put together in Photoshop. If you do the photography really well you could technically just print your pictures, cut out the parts you want and paste them onto an empty piece of paper and be done with it. This is of course not possible, but I find it to be a good reference to have in mind when planning my composites. In reality, I would say that I spend an equal amount of time behind the camera as in front of the computer. Still,  I can sometimes fiddle with the finishing touches in Photoshop for hours.

What inspires you?

That varies. I read a lot and watch lots of movies and find inspiration in that. My main source of inspiration though is music; I always listen to music and could really not imagine life without it. Despite movies, music, books and other external sources of inspiration I still feel that I need inspiration from inside myself, my life and my experiences. I need to have something to say that comes from within, otherwise there is no real point in creating. I would just be re-telling someone else’s story creating meaningless, empty imagery.

Your favourite piece of equipment you can’t live without?

Personally, I don’t really pay much attention to the technology and equipment part of photography. I only buy equipment that I really need and that somehow improves my work. I have a camera with fast autofocus and sharp lenses that produce big files in good quality, a pair of good studio flash heads that give me even controllable light and a fast computer with lots of storage space, and that’s really all that I need.

tommy ingberg

Do you think that a picture is worth a 1000 words?

Yes, or rather if you show 1000 different people a picture you’ll get 1000 different interpretations and reactions. A picture can be many different things, and the meaning exists in the dialog with the viewer.

Who is your favourite photographer and why do you find her/his work to be so special?

During my years of photographing and trying to find my own voice I have tried almost every kind of photography, and I’ve been influenced by many different photographers. Just to name a few: Henri Cartier-Bresson, Diane Arbus, David LaChapelle and Anton Corbijn. But, there are really too many to name. I have consumed a lot of photography trough the years. What inspires me about all these great photographers is their ability to capture an expression. It’s kind of a vague term, but I don’t know how to put it in words. There is something about great photography that evokes an emotional response in me that I don’t  often get from other types of visual art. My work nowadays is more related to painting than traditional photography, but it’s still in terms of source material 100% photographic, and I try to incorporate that unique characteristic of photography into my work.

tommy ingberg

If you could photograph any person, dead or alive, who would it be and why? 

Doing a portrait of Salvador Dalí would be fun, I think.

The moment in your career so far that you are most proud of?

I still feel like this is something I do mainly for myself because I love doing it. And every time I set out to create a new picture it’s really exciting to see how the idea develops into a finished piece. In those moments I feel a bit proud, when I look at something I’ve just created out of nothing but an idea.

 

 

Make sure to check out Tommy Ingberg’s Facebook page, official website and Instagram.

Share
Tweet
Pin it
Share
Share
Related Topics
  • art
  • interview
  • photography
  • surreal
  • tomy ingberg
Ivona Josipovic

Ivona Josipovic is a co-founder of The Smoke Detector, writer, fashion stylist, social media manager, curious creature, chocolate lover.

Previous Article
  • Uncategorized

Saturday Sounds – Andrew Belle

  • Doina Tatu
  • 17 September 2016
View Post
Next Article
  • Fashion

Best trends for fall, winter 2016/17

  • Ivona Josipovic
  • 21 September 2016
View Post
You May Also Like
View Post
  • Fashion

Nordgreen Copenhagen watch review

  • Ivona Josipovic
  • 8 August 2020
View Post
  • Fashion
  • Interviews

Interview with Joanna Bark and Elena Ekström, founders of Bukvy

  • Ivona Josipovic
  • 30 March 2020
View Post
  • Fashion

The evolution of male red carpet style

  • Ivona Josipovic
  • 18 March 2020
View Post
  • Fashion

Christian Louboutin Exhibition, L’Exhibitioniste – Paris 2020

  • Ivona Josipovic
  • 25 February 2020
View Post
  • Fashion

Best Fashion documentaries – part 3

  • Ivona Josipovic
  • 6 March 2020
View Post
  • Fashion

Best handbag brands to know in 2020

  • Ivona Josipovic
  • 11 February 2020
2 comments
  1. Patricia de Conjuntados.com says:
    20 September 2016 at 08:47

    Nice post, I love it!
    https://www.conjuntados.com

    Reply
  2. LENPARENT says:
    20 September 2016 at 16:55

    What a beautiful post! Thanks for sharing! Have a wonderful day!
    much love, Len
    http://www.lenparent.com

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Featured Posts
  • 1
    • Fashion
    Nordgreen Copenhagen watch review
    • 8 August 2020
  • 2
    • Fashion
    • Interviews
    Interview with Joanna Bark and Elena Ekström, founders of Bukvy
    • 30 March 2020
  • 3
    • Fashion
    The evolution of male red carpet style
    • 18 March 2020
  • 4
    • Fashion
    Christian Louboutin Exhibition, L’Exhibitioniste – Paris 2020
    • 25 February 2020
  • 5
    • Fashion
    Best Fashion documentaries – part 3
    • 6 March 2020
  • 6
    • Fashion
    Best handbag brands to know in 2020
    • 11 February 2020
  • 7
    • Fashion
    Best fashion quotes with strong messages
    • 31 January 2020
  • 8
    • Fashion
    10 ways fashion has changed in the 2010s
    • 4 January 2020
  • 9
    • Art / Design
    • Interviews
    Interview with Elisabeth van Aalderen, the photographer behind Vitiligo photo project
    • 16 December 2019
  • 10
    • Art / Design
    Illustrators celebrating womanhood we love following on IG
    • 10 January 2020
Reflection. 🌴
The world need more love. BLM! 🖤 Regram from @inesabouchard .
Don't miss reading our interview with the founders of the amazing @bukvybag brand. This female-led accessories brand is based in Stockholm and focused on creating practical pieces for everyday life. 😍 Link in bio. #bukvy #bukvybag #interview #femalefounders
Daydreaming of places as this one... 💙 Follow the super talented @salvalopez for more amazing images like this... #photography #pink #daydreaming
Gorgeous images by @nina_zimolong. 💟 In case you missed our interview with the talented photographer go to our site to read it. #photography #interview #love #stunning
Lazy Sunday mani inspo from @vanessahong. Nothing like some cute polka dots for mood boosting, right? 😍 #cute #manicure #loveit #polkadots
The Smoke Detector
  • About
  • Art / Design
  • Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Interviews
  • Columns
  • Coding
The Smoke Detector covers photography, fashion, art, design, cool people and places

Input your search keywords and press Enter.