First of all thank you very much for your contribution to our project. Can you please introduce yourself for us?

My name is Helena Börjesson, I am half Swedish, half Spanish, born in Granada, Spain, where I grew up in a cave house surrounded by nature. I studied fine arts and dedicate myself to both painting and photography. I currently live in Zürich and continue to work on my personal projects.

How did you start in photography?

Photography has been a constant presence in my home thanks to my father, who as a young man developed his own photos in a home lab. However, the advent of the digital age brought with it a fascination with megapixels and the "convenience" of taking photos. At the age of 12, my father enthusiastically gave me my first digital camera. I fiddled with it, capturing moments of my family and the things I liked, such as insects or plants, but without further pretensions, were saved in a folder on my computer.

It was after I was a teenager when I started to commit myself to photography and decided to venture into analogue photography, I fell in love with photobooks and always went to the library to research, I realised the power of photography as a language. Analogue photography became my preferred medium, for me the most sincere form of self-discovery, I began to capture the intimacy of my life and my thoughts.

In general, what inspires your work?

I am inspired by the everyday, nature, landscape, womanhood, bodies. I explore the beauty and serenity of nature in contrast to the humanity and intimacy of my everyday life.

There are many things that inspire my work. Poetry, films, other artist and sometimes I am inspired by the people I love, through conversations deep or banal. The simple act of breathing and observing the small details that go unnoticed in our daily lives, even though you don't always see them. The relationship with creativity can be complicated. There are days when you don't see anything, just dust, but suddenly one morning you look at that same dust and realize that it is unique. Something that you see every day fascinates you; you can capture it and make it your own. You just have to be prepared to look; you can't force it.

With photography I am honest. Through it I discover myself. I photograph myself and my surroundings. It is my medium to communicate ideas, emotions and personal narratives.

What are the topics that you like to address with your work?

In my work there is something about the passage of time. Things that remain unchanged for years, while the world is constantly changing around them. Moments of light, the ever-changing sky, portraits, small details, everything converges in a constant search for myself.

I want to create a mystery, but also to express my own feelings. They are metaphorical images that speak of how fragile our world is and how fragile we can feel. I always keep in mind the idea of the cycle of life and death, observing the ephemeral beauty of nature.

Who are your favourite photographers / artists?

There are lots of artists that I find inspiring, Sally Mann, Rinko Kawauchi, Lina Scheynius, Francesca Woodman, Wolfgang Tillmans, Alessandra Sanguinetti...

What is your favourite photo book?

It's hard for me to have a favourite photobook, but I would definitely include in my list "Pictures from home" by Larry Sultan and “Night calls” by Rebecca Norris Webb.

Thank you very much for your time and contribution to analog magazine.

All images © Helena Börjesson