Full name.
Ola Billmont
City and country where you live.
Stockholm, Sweden
How you started with street photography?
It sort came to me after I bought an Olympus EP5. It was so small and neat so I started carrying it with me at all time. And being a city guy the streets was obvious. Didn’t know anything about the street photography scene then. As I don’t today ;)
Why street photography?
It’s easy, you leave your house and it’s there and the scene is always changing. Like a theater right in front of you.
What and/or who inspires you?
I really don’t get inspiration from other street photographers. That depends on that I don’t really consider me being one. I shoot anything with any camera.
I get inspired by photographers like Alec Soth or Todd Hido to mention a few names people might know about. I buy a lot of books that will help me to develop my photography.
Can you tell us which books influenced you most in 2015? They don’t need to be published in 2015.
JH Engström “Tout va bien”, Alec Soth and “Songbook”, Ron Jude “Lago, Bertien van Manen “Moonshine” and Todd Hido “Krystynas world” to mention a few.
Which books are you looking forward to get next? Why?
Trying to find “Finlandia” by a finnish photographer Juha xxxx. He passed 19?? And this book is very rare and expensive. It’s shoot in the 80’s in rural Finland, wonderful.
Other than that I don’t have any books I can think of. They just pop up.
How often do you go out to capture moments?
Not very often but when I do I shoot a lot. Usually when I travel. I really don’t do any shooting here at home in Stockholm.
There are many photographers who love to take pictures when they travel, and some love to take pictures where they live. Some love both. Is there any specific reason why not to shoot at home? I’m quite intrigued about this.
There are no good reasons why not to shoot where you live. For me I need to leave my immediate surroundings (Downtown Stockholm). It doesn’t matter if I go to the Stockholm suburbs, a different town/area in Sweden or Los Angeles.
Do you travel then on purpose to take pictures? Or you happen to travel for work and then put in photography in your travels?
Both
How do you choose your destinations? Is there anything special you’re looking for when choosing your destinations? I suppose you do research about the place you’re going before actually going there?
Yes, there is always a reason and plan for each trip.
What do you look for when you go out on the streets?
I don’t shoot so randomly anymore, but rather with a focus on a specific series and then I usually know what I’m looking for.
Can you tell us more about the process to pick up a project? Is it about the place or about a specific subject? Is it more documentary style?
They are all for different reasons. I am pretty sure any photographer can find a project within their body of work that they have done unintentionally. Or at least a beginning to one.
To start a new project you need an idea. Could be based on interest, or that you are curious about something. Really hard to explain.
Do you interact with your subjects?
Yes sure I do, but usually after. If I do it prior to the shot it won’t be a street photo, i.e. not candid and then it’s just a photo :) I’m quite an outgoing person so it comes natural for me to talk to strangers.
Some of your pictures we can see people engaging towards you like they don’t feel very comfortable with you taking a picture of them. Have you had any “dangerous” situation with a subject on the streets? If yes, how did you manage to solve the situation?
Nothing bad has happened so far.
Many photographers are afraid of taking candid portraits or candid photos of people, they struggle a lot. Could you give an advice on how to approach people with a candid shot?
I think it’s a personality issue, very hard to give any solid advices. SMILE!
How do you challenge yourself to improve on photography?
I think I do that to some extent by swapping between different cameras, the film format or the type of film. As each camera has it’s limitations you can only get a certain type of shot.
Absolutely, have you find a camera that really works for you street-wise?
A few, sometimes a point-n-shoot, sometimes medium format but also 35mm. All analog.
How would you describe your own style?
Don’t know but I do aim for some content, a reaction. Preferably with a little smile when you look at my photos. If that’s a style?
It could be, many of your pictures raise a smile in my face indeed. Have you seen your “style” evolve/change over the years?
Not really, maybe I’ve backed off a bit and the flash is not always so dominant.
Your website has few pictures, although you do take many pictures and have a big archive (I suppose). Can you tell us more about your selection process for your portfolio and why do you like to keep it small (few pictures I mean)?
No real plan. I’m a “less is more” person :)
What is photography for you?
Photography is bottomless in terms of what you can create and do. It’s like music, find a tone and develop it.
What is your personal definition of street photography?
It has to be candid, unposed. And there has to be some human elements in the photo.
Through photography, what have you learned about yourself in the last year?
Ehhh don’t know what to answer on this. Nothing more than that I know it’s pretty darn fun.
What are your future goals with photography?
There are so many things happening right now. Shows, books etc. Can’t make any more goal than that right now.
If you could have a conversation with ANY photographer for an hour, which photographer would you choose and why?
Outside of “street” I can relate to what Alec Soth is doing so I would pick him as he is here now and alive. I’d like to know to understand his way of story telling, how he build a series from idea to execution.
If you could go back in time, what piece of advice would you give yourself to take some shortcuts here and there based on your experience?
Don’t have so many regrets honestly. Photography has to mature with you along the road. The most important thing is that you are perceptive to that and believe in yourself.
What gear do you use? Philosophy: Digital or analog?
I do get commercial assignments and when I do I shot digitally (Leica and Nikon). Other than that it’s all analog and spanning from 35mm up to a Deardorff 8x10. I got a bunch of cameras in between there.
But my two street cameras are a Mamiya 7 II with a 50mm (28mm) and a Nikon F100 with a 28mm. Then I use either a Contax TLA 200 or a Godox 360 Watt flash.
B&W or color? Why?
Depends on the series I’m shooting. Oktoberfest was Portra 160, Raggare is both 35mm BW and medium format color, Solvalla was 35mm BW but street in general I shoot color.
Is there a reason why you shoot in color in the streets? We have seen some of your street pictures in B&W as well.
No it depends where I am and what series I’m shooting for.
What about post processing/developing?
I develop all B&W and slide film in my own house. Right now I shoot mostly slide film if I want to use colors.
The selected picture (cover picture on top).
This photo was taken in the US. As I travel to LA at least twice a year this is where I get the most time to shoot street.
Street Photographers on tumblr you truly admire.
Truly admire? Strong words. But let’s say people I respect and get inspired by.
Magnus Åström for his minimalistic view on the urban landscape. He is now a close friend and we “met” thru Tumblr.
Mark Peter “mpdrolet” for finding all that excellent photography that’s out there
In the “street” category I love Todd Gross aka Quarlo
Then my two friends Dana Barsuhn and Joe Aguirre, both with their own styles
What are some other projects you are currently working on?
I’m now in the process of printing my first book. It’s about a horse race event that happens here in Stockholm once a year. Have been shooting there since 2012.
Last summer I finished my Oktoberfest project and that will also become a book next year.
I also have been shooting “Raggare” for a while and I plan to put that to an end during 2016.
My latest project is from a road trip I did last summer in Alabama, Mississippi and Kentucky. Yjis is ongoing. I will also go back to Detroit to take more “portraits” of houses.
I’m very interested in your Detroit project. These kinda-ghost houses are quite attractive to my eye. It seems you use flash and the perspective seems to be corrected. Can you tell us more about the motivation to start this project and about the project in general?
I started as an assignment for a Swedish design magazine and is now a personal project.
About the Oktoberfest project. For how many years have you been shooting there? How did you come about knowing the project was finished?
I shot it for three years and I got a strong body with enough photos for a book.
Where can we find you?
www.olabillmont.com
http://aboutsweden.tumblr.com/
Any advice from your personal experience?
It plain and simple, experiment with your camera. Long exposures, double exposures, blurry, flash, 2 flashes, odd lenses….and so on.