According to the Swedish Tourist Board, every year more than 13 million people visit Stockholm for business and leisure. It is an incredible city with a diverse culture that is perfect for capturing on film. If you are interested in people and portraiture, you don’t have to go any further than one of the metro stations. If you want to photograph landscapes, the city and it’s 57 bridges and 14 islands are completely surrounded by water. This creates perfect reflections of light, especially early in the morning, or at twilight. If you want to practise your photography skills, all you need to do is explore the city and be inspired by some of the interesting locations.
Underground photography
Deep inside the Stockholm subway system is an incredible art exhibition filled with unique paintings, drawings, mosaics and murals. These are perfect for a colorful composition. You will have to be careful with the exposure however, as there is no natural light underground. With digital photography and editing you can naturally adjust the brightness levels and colours of your photos. In the subway, Rådhuset or Kungsträdgården are some of the great places to explore. The exposed bedrock at Rådhuset in particular is incredibly dramatic.
Cityscape photography
Right next to the Södra Teatern in Södermalm is the open air terrace, Mosebacketerassen. It’s a very popular place in the summer months both for locals and visitors to the city. Here you can sit a while, have a beer and watch the world go by – the views across the water are beautiful. From Mosebacketerassen you can get great views of Lake Mälaren, Djurgården, Old Town and parts of Södermalm. Here is a great opportunity to photograph the people coming and going, meeting friends and enjoying themselves, all with a stunning backdrop. The area around Stadshuset (City Hall) is also a great place to take pictures of Stockholm. You can even go up into the tower of Stadshuset and get some shots of the wider city and the boats across the water. Or you might go to the opposite side and get amazing views of Stadshuset from Monteliusvägen or Skinnarviksberget (article’s featured photo. Photo credit: Karen Pérez Guzmán).
Artistic photography
There is no denying that Stockholm is a very artistic city, you can’t fail but be inspired by the meandering streets, lakes and rivers. In fact, there are more museums and galleries in Stockholm per capita than any other city in the world. If you want to take some really unusual artistic photographs, head to Millesgården, which is just over the Lidingöbron bridge. It was once the home and workshop of sculptor Carl Milles. Right on the cliffs in the surrounding grounds of Millesgården, overlooking the water you will find some unique sculptures that almost appear to be dancing on the edge. At sunrise and sunset, they have striking silhouettes that can be the focus of a great photography composition.
There is no shortage of places in Stockholm for you to practice your photography skills. The landscape is so varied, and the culture so vibrant, that there will always be something new and interesting for you to capture all year round.
All photos by Karen Pérez Guzmán www.1-way-ticket.com. Except when stated otherwise.
