The female gaze is an act of redefining reality through the way we look at it.
We created PhotoVogue Female Gaze, a new series focused on female photographers and their works.
Photography becomes a means to challenge reality and societal constraints, presenting female beauty without compromise.
Thats a good question.
How did I start?
At the time, there wasnt Instagram like there is now.
It was all about blogsBlogspot, for instanceand bloggers were a big thing in Denmark.
So, I started photographing myself, my outfits, and whatever was around me.
I even asked for a camera as a gift and began taking photos of everything.
Over time, it became less about my outfits or having followers and more about the photography itself.
It became more creative, more experimental.
I was heavily inspired by Tumblr, which was all about creative expression and mood.
Thats how it began.
I had no idea what I was doing.
But I loved it.
Thats really interestinghow it all started naturally and evolved into something more creative.
Speaking of self-portraits, your project features a lot of them.
Theres almost a Cindy Sherman vibe to the work.
Could you tell me how you started this project and why self-portraits play such a big role in it?
Its actually quite simple.
It started for practical reasons.
In school, we were encouraged to develop ideas and experiment.
I thought, Okay, if no one wants to do it, Ill just do it myself.
It wasnt planned or conceptual at first, just practical.
Yes, once Im in front of the camera, I dont feel like myself anymoreI become someone else.
Thats always been a part of the process for me.
And while these are self-portraits, the intention wasnt for people to recognize me in the images.
I recognized something familiar but couldnt pinpoint it.
Thats the effect I aim for.
And how did the project with your grandmother come about?
My grandmother has always been playful and loved attentionshe wanted to be an actress but never became one.
The project actually started as part of an assignment in art school with the theme fake.
Im a bit tired of that image now because its old, but it was the start of everything.
The idea of vanity and playing with appearances fit perfectly with the theme of fake.
It was a combination of the assignment and my grandmothers personality that made the project come together.
I think everything I do just comes from intuition.
Im in a certain place at a certain time, and it happens organically.
For example, I was in Denmark, at home, thinking, Who can I photograph?
I only want to photograph people I know and my grandma loves it.
So I thought, FineIll do something fun with my grandma.
I had this wig, and thats how it started.
It was very natural and unplannedit just happened.
How did you work with her?
This project also started because of a book, right?
Something about beauty secrets or procedures that your grandma had?
Did you talk with her about your ideas, and what did she share about her experiences?
How was the actual process?
Over time, though, we started talking more about symbolism and imagery.
She knows so much about art history, especially the Baroque, and Vanitas paintings, for example.
So we started having conversations about capitalism, the anxiety of dying and aging.
I quickly realized we have similar experiences but come at them from such different points of view.
It became clear that things she experienced as a young woman, Ive experienced too.
A lot of our vanities, for example, come from wanting to kindly the male gaze.
But at the same time, were so different because of our age gap.
It was a lot of conversation.
Then at some point, she mentioned this book she got when she was 14.
She would do these things secretly.
Her mom had passed away when she was nine, so she was raised alone with her dad.
Shed try these things in her room without getting caught.
Im really curious about the little things she did when she was young.
Yeah, theres this story of her going out with a friendmaybe to the movies or something.
She wore a purple sweater, not even a flashy top, just a sweater.
Her dad saw her and said, What are you wearing?
She answered, Just a purple sweater.
And he said, Only prostitutes wear purple.
She replied, How do you know that?
He got so angry with her.
Ive thought about recreating that sweater and photographing her in it.
Thats how it goes with this project.
It wouldnt matter if the audience knows the story behind the purple sweater.
Whats important is that these anecdotes inspire the images, allowing them to have different meanings for different people.
Whats the best memory you have of working with her?
For me, its just that we bond so well when we do this.
Outside of photography, shes my grandma.
When were photographing, were equals, theres this unique bondsomething only the two of us share.
Every time we shoot together, its a great experience.
Shes so game for anything.
Shes the most positive woman Ive ever mether glass is always half-full.
Its rare to have this kind of relationship with your grandma, and I really appreciate it.
Im also conscious of her ageshes 85.
It seems like such a collaborative process.
Have you noticed any differences or similarities in how you and your grandmother see yourselves in the pictures?
Even though Im more of a feminist and body-positive, were both so vain.
All she could talk about was how wrinkly her skin looked.
On my end, I felt my arm looked too big and unflattering, so I cropped it out.
Its cruel, isnt it?
I had the power to crop my arm, but I left her wrinkles because I find them beautiful.
But I couldnt accept myself in the photo.
Its wild how self-conscious we both are.
All I can see when I look at my skin are the scars from my teenage acne.
Thats the only thing I noticejust all the scars on my chin.
Meanwhile, the only thing my grandmother talks about is my young skin and how tight it is.
Shell sometimes say, This looks too wrinkly, talking about herself, but she lets me keep it.
So, you and your grandmother are pretty similar in the way you perceive yourselves in the pictures.
We find each other beautiful, yet we cant see that in ourselves.
I think that vulnerability definitely comes out in self-portraits for me.
But when I look too much like myself, I get incredibly self-conscious.
Maybe thats something that comes with age.
I also wanted to ask you about that diptych of your grandmotherthe close-up portraits.
One is light, and the other has that jelly-like texture.
It reminded me of the movieThe Substance.Would you talk more about that?
I found it really interesting.
Ive taken so many pictures over the years, and most of them just sat on my computer unused.
For instance, with those two pictures, I originally didnt plan to use the one without the slime.
That was just a test shot before I added the slime.
I had this idea inspired by her book, which is full of DIY face mask recipes.
The slimy, jelly texture ties into that.
Yeah, because the jelly-like texture is a recurring theme in your work.
She even made one herself using eggs.
So there was some thought behind it, but it wasnt fully intentional at first.
The picture without the slime just turned out so beautifully.
For me, it was more about showing her how beautiful she is as herself.
As I mentioned earlier, theres an eerie quality to them.
Theyre domestic spaces, yet theyre unsettlingnot cozy at all.
No, theyre definitely not cozy.
Which is interesting, given that in Nordic culture, youre known for creating cozy environments.
But in your photographs, that coziness is completely absent.
Im not entirely sure why I lean toward creating this eerie atmosphere.
When I photograph her in her house, I strip away the personal elements.
She has all these flowers, sculptures, and little lamps, but I remove them.
I want clean lines.
The cleaner the space, the better.
I literally remove the coziness to make it feel more neutral or even unsettling.
I want clean lines, I dont want distractions.
But a lot of the pictures I create start with a practical intention.
Then, during the process, it becomes something else.
I wanted to go back to the book you mentioned earlier.
Do you see similarities in how women have been guided to change themselves?
Both are about being instructed on how to look, whats trending, and how to apply makeup.
Whats changed is who dictates those trends.
Its no longer a white male pharmacist with a radio show or book series being the sole authority.
Now, with the internet, there are countless sources.
Its such a random method, but everyone does it.
Its fascinating that even applying makeup can be dictated so specifically.
Its almost seen as scientific.
But whats really different now is the norms around who can wear makeup, when, and how much.
The book made it clearno dark, smoky eyes during the day, for example.
It was very rigid and had real consequences if you got it wrong.
Women faced societal punishment.
Today, at least in Denmark, that danger isnt there in the same way.
What would you tell the Sophie who started this project?
And what would you like to keep in mind for the future?
What would I say to myself?
Maybe I could say something clever to the Sophie in the futuremore than to my past self.
For me, its almost the reverseIm reminding myself now to be more like her from the beginning.
Its about channeling my younger selfreally trusting my intuition, trusting the process, and just making work.
Ive always found the meaning behind things after creating them.
That makes total sense.
Is there anything you wish you had known earlier?
First of all, being a female photographer is a strength.
Your feminine perspective is valuable.
My advice isnever doubt yourself or your own purpose.
Dont compare your reason for making photographs with anyone elses, because that will drive you crazy.
Your perspective is just as valid as anyone elses.
So whatever your unique vision is, just go for it.
