Photo lecture for inspiration by founder of ALBA, Cecilie Refsum

Photo is an important part of ALBA´s visual identity. Through pictures we tell our story and communicate with our customers. In fact, the focus on images and the esthetic profile have been a key part from day one in creating the ALBA universe. A photo is something that will make you react, stop, look and think.

I have a passion for photos and have always brought my camera with me. It’s only the last few years I have allowed myself to follow the dream and work as a photographer. I am more or less self-taught, except for workshops lectured by Morten Krogvold. His inspiration and great knowledge of history and art has been essential for my own art photo projects.

My task as a photographer is to present the client’s voice through my eyes to emphasize their vision. This is the essence that makes photo so personal. The momentum in the room is what I search in order too find the balancing harmony. By using lines, depth, light, shadows and calmness I thrive to construct a visual harmony by the choice of the camera. Pieces shall fall into place and clearly express the story I aim to communicate.

Interior design is often about increasing the inside of a home from the ordinary to the extraordinary. My aim is to add on the extra dimension to the photos from the energy and the atmosphere in the room. Any room and any house has it’s own history and that is the story that should be visualized.

As a photographer it`s all about being present, decisive and to have reflectivity. I am dependent for any given project to fine-tune myself into each room and catch what has been the interior designer’s idea. I look for shapes and angles and try not to be seduced by the beautiful interior, but instead keep my focus on composing the atmosphere as I see and feel it. Styling and moving furniture around is essential in order to further underline the design language in the room and the sophisticated style created by the designer. It’s a pleasure to be included and be a part of this process.

I only work with natural light, as I am interested in the organic and the authentic feeling without adding light or shadows. That said, I am then in many ways blessed by the weather and I cross fingers for overcast, cloudy and boring weather. I seek an elegant and sobre touch, and at the same time it is the unpredictability of the changing light that also makes the photos more alive.

There are many rules when it comes to photo, but luckily all of these can be broken. Decisions has to be made constantly and instantly as mentioned by the light so the photo becomes intuitive and interesting, as what the camera sees is something else than what your eyes sees.

As a photographer, I have my personal colour echo, my personal tone, my personal light and technique that is my recipe. It’s so many different techniques and options as a photographer. The importance of understanding what the designer aim to show or highlight, to achieve this personal co-operation is important for both parties.

After a photoshoot the editing process starts and here is knowledge about colour and how these harmonize together or not, extremely important to create the correct image. Saturation, clarity, dehaze, sharpening, contrast and smoothness are some of the elements that together underlines the message in the project. Sometimes it is the sarte to be underlined, while in other projects it is the masculine expression I want to communicate. So often the project is a dream come true, which I aim to clearly show in my photos.

With art photography I work differently. Time and silence, awareness and being in the presence is what makes me and photo at one.

Lastly, I would like to encourage everyone to take more photos. Absolute everyone can start photographing and besides being great fun it also communicates with our personal nervous system. We are all designed to create. To hunt and collect. Forget about the technical stuff, it is the moment that is the material and it is there to be enjoyed.

Photography let you find yourself, it is a passport to people, places and possibilities.

https://www.cecilierefsum.com

All photos taken by Cecilie Refsum, owner Alba

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