Join my VIP list

SUBSCRIBE to a free monthly newsletter, containing articles, book reviews, tips and inspirational quotes.

* indicates required
I'd Love To Connect With You On…
© 2007-2023 Eva Polak.

All rights reserved.

Erik Malm Interview

He works both traditionally and more experimentally. Erik has worked a lot with developing his "camera painting or impressionist/expressionist" technique, to use the camera as a brush, which results in images more looking like paintings than photographs.
image taken be Erik Malm

Why do you create photographs?

To express feelings! And hopefully also to tell some kind of story, as a single image or together with others. Sometimes the motif in itself has something to tell me through/with help by the motif and my photographic style (camera movements during long exposure times).

Where do you find inspiration?

Mostly in music. Earlier in my life I was a professional musician in the "symphonic" world. The music, but also the nature, is my true soul. These together give me lots of inspiration, along with my daughters and girlfriend. Also the experiences from life and the emotions these give. And to watch good dance...

image taken be Erik Malme

Which artist do you admire the most?

In music is it the composer Gustav Mahler, especially his fantastic symphonies. His music IS really me; mywhole soul is described through his music. Claude Monet and the other "impressionists", the Swedish painter Anders Zorn, but also many other painters. Within nature photography there are lots of good photographers, but few are working out of the (yellow frame) box. My friend Anders Geidemark here in Sweden has his own style, especially in his book "Allen" (a play with the Swedish word for "alone"). The Norwegian photographer Pål Hermann has also tried to find his tonality in his more artistic images. And you Eva, you have also tried to find your own ways.

When do your best ideas come to you?

During the nights, together with lot of other ideas, which result in my sleep not always being so good. Also when I listen to music, lots of ideas come to my mind.

image taken be Erik Malm

How do you feel about criticism?

I think I am like other people. If something is more close to your own heart and soul, then you are more sensitive. Constructive criticism is very good, but people who just want to tell their opinion without knowledge, feeling or interest about what they are criticising - their words pass quite quickly out into space.

Do you keep your camera with you at all times, just in case you find the perfect subject?

I try to do that, but sometimes I just want to be without a camera as a filter. But of course, then often the best situations occur...

What are your artistic goals?

If I, with my images, can sometimes reach what the composer Gustav Mahler did with his music, then I have reached my goal!

image taken be Erik Malm

Do you have any more words of wisdom to share with us?

Life is fantastic, and unique. As far as we know at the moment, there is life only on Planet Earth. What are we doing with our own lives, surrounding life and all our possibilities, to survive here also in the future? This is what I am thinking a lot about and working with in my life project, "Dedicated Life".

Can you please tell us about your creative process?

In my "camera painting" images I move the camera during long exposure times. My ambition is to develop this ICM (Intentional Camera Movements) technique to perfection, but just as a tool to reach the artistic expression. For 99.99% I use single exposures and, extremely rarely, double or multiple exposures.

I nearly always have an idea of what I want before I take my images. What I want to express, what story I want to tell, together with other images.

Can you tell us more about your nude project?

This is another part of my Dedicated Life project. I want to try to develop also the art of nude and erotic photography with my own style, to show the FEELING of the sensualism more than just the bodies as subjects. The main theme is LOVE, the most important thing in the world, and I want my images to really show this, even if the images are more erotic.

image taken be Erik Malm

For more information please visit http://www.erikmalm.com/


More Interviews

Wendy Roche Interview
Chris Friel Interview
Paul Pacey Interview

Did you enjoy reading this interview? Yes? Then share it!