When Ebba Lange developed social anxiety during the pandemic, photography became her way to escape. With the camera as a boundary, the 25-year-old Stockholm native was able to overcome her awkwardness. Instead of standing in the corner, pretending to have a good time, worrying about the crowds and the noise, she started taking photos instead.
The results of that lifeline are a series of portraits of post-pandemic partygoers at the centre of Sweden’s growing nightlife scene, capturing young people celebrating a return to real-life connection and post-pandemic partying. The fact these images are shot on film is deliberate too. People get excited by the little analogue camera, Ebba explains, in an era of the ubiquitous camera phones chronicling our every move on the dancefloor. So many of our nights are forgotten, in essence, Ebba says, ironically because we dedicate ourselves so fully to chronicling them for our Instagram stories and TikToks.
“We simply forget to take good photos”, she says. Inspired by the more chaotic, nostalgic dancefloor photography of the 80s and 90s, Ebba, armed with her 35mm camera, is on a mission to help us remember. Here we watch up with the photographer and creative director about her process, her debut solo exhibition in Stockholm, and the joy of a good party.
Did you always know you wanted to be a photographer?
I actually started doing photography recently. I mean, I guess I’ve taken pictures my whole life, but never in a serious way. My passion has always been filmmaking, but it’s hard to make films on your own, and I’ve always believed I’m not good enough at photography. But when I bought my first camera two years ago, it turned out I was actually pretty good at it.
What attracts you to shooting nightlife in Sweden?
I love when people are dressing up, and dressed up people are easily found at parties. At parties, I already have everything set up for me. The set design, the models, the makeup, the styling. All I have to do is bring my camera and start shooting. I love the messiness of it all. Lots of smiles. Lots of drinks. Lots of thongs. Lots of hands in the air. Lots of dramatic poses. When I go clubbing, I usually walk around in some black cargo pants and a black hoodie, so it’s nice to capture the people who actually put some effort in their outfits.
What are some of the difficulties of catching these moments in a nightclub?
I like portraits which means I have to walk up to people and ask for their picture. So the hardest part for me with nightclub photography is feeling like I’m disturbing someone. I can be very shy at times so walking up to someone can be very socially challenging. But I know I will get a good photo, so it’s worth the trouble.
At your exhibition of these photographs, people could take a copy of their favourite photo home. What inspired this novel approach to exhibiting your work?
I had some prints made which I had scattered all over a podium. The idea was to have a little messy vibe at the exhibition, the type of messiness we see at the clubs. That’s why I asked my guests to take their photos with them home. And it was actually quite successful. There were more Instagram stories made about my scattered nightlife photography than my actual prints hanging on the walls.
What made you choose to shoot on film?
I’ve always been obsessed with analogue photos. I think it’s a nostalgia thing. I also love the uncertainty of how the photos are gonna turn out. It’s a thrilling feeling to develop them the day after, not knowing what the photos are gonna look like. Some look crap, and some are even better than you could’ve imagined. People love that I shoot analogue, which makes it more fun. There’s a difference in taking a photo of someone with a digital camera or even worse, a phone. When I pull out my analogue camera, people light up, and for a second, they drop everything and pose for me.
Why do you think the popularity of TikTok and Instagram means we aren’t taking good photos anymore?
I think with TikTok and Instagram, we focus a lot on looking good for our followers. We take quick photos. We just wanna post something fast. And we care more about looking good than we care about the photo being a good picture. It’s become quantity over quality. And suddenly all our pictures and videos look like they’re from the same night. And they all look the same. I like to separate that with my photos. Focus on details.
What sets Swedish nightlife apart from other countries?
We have a thing in Sweden called “Jantelagen”, which is a Nordic code that promotes the idea of never thinking you are better than anyone else. It’s become an unspoken societal rule and the reason why Swedes never talk about wealth or achievements. “You are not to think you are anything special” is a typical Jantelagen saying, for example. I think this mindset reflects how we behave in the Swedish nightlife. Although it occurs, it’s rare to see people flaunt expensive bottles or tables in the clubs, something I believe is more common in other cities.
Our club scene is very small in Stockholm. I’d say we only have three relevant clubs; Södra teatern, Under bron/Trädgården and Spy Bar. But we shine when it comes to bars. We have bars such as Tjoget and Alba who are constantly working with photographers and artists to connect the two worlds [nightlife and art].
Credits
Imagery courtesy of Ebba Lange