I had the absolute pleasure to send me incredibly talented Lasse Erkola some questions about his work!
Check out the interview below!
1.Tell us a bit about yourself and how you became a photographer….
My name is Lasse Erkola, and I work as an art director in a Finnish videogame magazine called Pelaaja. I never made the decision to become a photographer. I guess I unconsciously wanted to be one, but it evolved slowly and gradually, until I happened to be knee deep in this lovely mess.
2. Did you study photography or are you self taught? What do you think about art education? Do you think that photography is a subject that can be taught?
Self taught. Art education can be awesome with the right teacher, but no matter how much you educate yourself in photography or any other art form, it can’t replace proper experience.
3. What is the most challenging aspect of being a photographer? Is there anything you don’t like, or would change about it?
Portraits. I’m a bit of a lurker. Other than that, sometimes it’s challenging to actually see your picture properly in the field while shooting. Composition and so on. It happens too often, that after a long day of shooting I check my favourite pics on the computer and only then I notice that I should have done things differently.
4. One of the most under discussed parts of photography is the business side and marketing your work. How have you found running a photography business alongside working as an art director and how has art direction impacted your approach to creating photographs?
Well, I wouldn’t actually call my photography a business, at least not yet. But it is possible that it might change into one. But for it to make that transformation, the business side would need a ton of attention. I’ve never enjoyed doing those things, but it is a must if you want to be more than a hobbyist. Many photographers might have a hard time accepting the fact that most of the time it’s just not enough to be good. There are so many mediocre or even bad photographers who make a good living because they have their business side worked out.
5. Your work is just incredible and you have an outstanding portfolio. I love the way that your images of Japan happen to be very quiet and pensive, which is a great contrast to the general reflection of the city. Was this idea of capturing these quiet moments something you were deliberately looking for and what was the experience of shooting somewhere so culturally different like?
At first capturing those quiet moments wasn’t completely intentional. Sometimes it’s just a matter of doing something long enough that you start to narrow down what you like about what you are doing, slowly progressing to what makes you tick. Shooting in a different culture like Japan feels almost essential for me. Sometimes I find it hard to get myself inspired to shoot in Finland. Almost feels like Japan is the only place I really become a photographer.
6. Your work has a very strong cinematic style to it, and I think that this adds a really interesting dynamic to your imagery. Is this style something you deliberately included in your work, or has it been a description that has been attached to it by others?
It’s something that I always wanted to have in my pictures, but only recently have reached a point where I feel I’m confident with it.
Additionally, why do you think a lot of photographers like to explore the ‘cinematic’ sensibility and how do think this style adds to or expands the way we read such photographs?
I can only speak for myself, but I think it detaches photographs from the real world in a nice dreamlike way. It makes them more like paintings. It is a way of enhancing any mood you wish to convey in a picture.
7. Over the years, you’ve amassed quite a strong presence on social media, especially Instagram, but do you think that social media is helpful for creatives and are there any negative aspects to it?
It’s a double edged sword. It can give you a really big push in the right direction, inspiration and contacts. But if you want to become “big” in social media, you not only need to be good at what you do, you also have to dedicate a lot of time to it, and this of course can lead to burnout and anxiety. Just like there are many great photographers who don’t make a dime, there are even more photographers who are excellent in what they do, but still don’t have any followers.
8. Additionally, do you think that images lose something when commerce is added to the equation? If a photographer is being paid to photograph, does it affect what they choose to create?
No, a great picture is still a great picture even if there’s money involved.
9. Similarly, do you think that posting work online lessens its impact? Artists often have no control over where their work may end up on the internet, so how do you try and make sure that people can understand your images even when viewed out of context?
Posting online definitely can lessen the impact, but most of the audience is there, so that’s something you just have to live with. I just try to keep it simple. I would like to think that my pictures don’t necessarily even need proper context to be enjoyed. That’s the goal at least.
10. What is your photo shoot process like? Do you typically have a clear idea of what you want to photograph before you go out to shoot or are you more spontaneous? How many frames do you usually take during a shoot and how many do you post?
My process is fairly laid back and spontaneous. I might have a certain place in mind that I haven’t been to. Then I’ll go and wander around looking for anything interesting. Sudden changes in weather can also be big triggers for going out for a photo shoot. Rain, fog and mist are the best! I do what many other street photographers do as well. I find an interesting spot and try to make it work. Sometimes it involves a lot of waiting, waiting for someone to pass by.
My frame count varies very much, and I don’t usually post my pics immediately or in a chronological order. On top of that I’m really sluggish at posting pics online. My current pace is about one picture a week.
11. Whilst shooting, what do you look for in an image or location and how do you know if the location you’re shooting at will translate well through a photograph? Does knowing that your images will most likely be viewed online change the way you photograph or edit?
I look for anything really. Shapes, shadows, peculiar characters and interesting sources of light. I will just know it when I see it. Sometimes they work sometimes they don’t. I don’t like to pay too much attention to the online aspects when shooting. Maybe slightly more when editing.
12. How much post processing do you typically do to your images? Do you think that there is a point in which images can become over-edited and when you’re editing, how do you know when to stop?
Some pictures need more processing than others, but in general my style is quite dependent on it. It’s a big factor in how I differentiate from others and make my stuff more personal. As a general rule, I aim for something that is slightly unreal, but never fake.
It’s true that you can become blind to the edit when you are at it for an extended time. It’s always a good idea to take a second glance at the picture the next day with a fresh pair of eyes. For me this means that I will almost always reduce saturation by about 20%.
Additionally, do you think that it is important for photographers to learn about photo editing?
Very important. Even if you like to keep things very natural, it’s still a great way of emphasising your message. Almost all the old great photographers from the analog days did some sort of photo editing. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.
13. One of the fascinating things about your photographs is that they document the places you have been to. Considering this, do you think that photography is the best medium for preserving memories and should it be used to reflect the world, as opposed to recreating it?
I’m not too fond of shoulds and shouldn’ts when talking about art. It can be used for both, reflecting and/or recreating.
14. You are originally from Finland, which is a really interesting place. Have you ever considered creating images of your homeland and if you could travel anywhere to shoot, where would you go?
I do take pictures in Finland as well, I just think my best stuff comes from Japan. Whenever I have the chance to travel I want to go back to Japan. I know it’s a bit sad, but what can I say, I am an addict. Well, South Korea and Hong Kong are on my list too.
15. How important is showing the process of creating your work or do you think that be showing the process takes away from the magic of the images?
I haven’t shown my process publicly that much, which probably means I don’t feel it’s that important. But if I’m being honest, I’m just too lazy to show it and there’s nothing special about it.
16. We live in a very visually oversaturated society, where everyone has access to a camera, but does this mean that anyone can be a photographer? Is there a difference between an image taker and an image maker?
It’s not about what we have, it’s about what we do with what we have. So yeah, anyone can be a crappy photographer if they want to. I think there is a difference between an image taker and an image maker. For me, both aspects are important because of my cinema inspired style.
Additionally, do you think that photography is still considered important nowadays or has it lost its value?
Good photography will always have value. But sadly yes, it has lost some value because of the gigantic amount of content produced daily. This is also one of the reasons I want to post less but better images.
17. In your opinion, what makes a good piece of art? What was the last image/piece of media that captivated you and what was it about it that left an impression on you?
A good piece of art is something that never lets go of the illusion of the world it has built. I just recently stumbled on the amazing works of Zdzislaw Beksinski. His devastatingly beautiful and haunting paintings are perfect in every way. Color, composition, emotion…
18. How often do you search for inspiration and do you ever feel the pressure to create more work as your career has progressed?
Sure, it’s natural to feel that pressure. But I try not to give in to it. I actually sometimes have very long periods when I’m not shooting at all. Then after a long pause I will travel to Japan and shoot like crazy for a few weeks. As for the inspiration, some days are better than others. But in general you shouldn’t wait or search for inspiration – you should work for it.
Additionally, how often do you consider the viewer’s reactions to your work before posting it online? Do you create work for yourself or for others?
It’s really hard not to think about the reactions. But I try not to. I would like to think that I create work primarily for myself. I know I would eventually feel empty and hollow inside if I only created work for others.
19. Copyright, especially in the technological age, is a huge problem. What actions do you take to ensure that your work is not being used without your permission, and have you had any experiences with plagiarism? Is this an issue that you think about and what are your thoughts about intellectual property rights for artists?
The one thing I like about Instagram is that the posted pictures are quite low resolution. Of course it’s bad for the sake of the art, but it’s safer for the artist. I have notified people who have used my pictures on instagram without my permission. Usually they just take them down and that’s it. But it can be tricky when some people honestly don’t understand these basic rules at all.
20. What are you currently working on and where can people find more about you and your work?
I’m planning on creating my first proper photo book from Japan.