My First Self Portrait Photoshoot

Hello friends!

I sit here with my salt rock lamp glowing beside me, candlelight flickering softly, and a big plate of pasta in front of me. I felt inspired to write because dinner time is such a comforting moment to slow down, connect, and share the events of the day. So tonight, I thought I’d welcome you to dinner with me and maybe you’ll share a little about your own day in the comments.

Today, I spent most of my time preparing for a self-portrait photo project. I brainstormed themes close to my heart, journaled about my personal experiences, and explored ways to express my inner world through visual poetry. I’ve been drawn to self-portrait photography for years, long before I even knew what it was called. And today was the first day I truly tried it. It was love.

I had so much fun even though I was freezing in my dress, surrounded by snow, with icicles falling straight into my tea. Somehow, it was still perfect. Photographing in nature makes you feel like you become part of it, like it’s holding you. It’s an amazing experience. I put together a mini video blog you can watch at the end.

I’ve always been fascinated by the connection between humans and the vast natural world — partly from an environmental conservation perspective, and partly because I believe nature is deeply healing for our emotional wellbeing. Being back to my roots and living close to nature helps me feel emotionally safe again. Here, I don’t feel any outside pressure. It’s just me, the wind, and the silence. It’s the safest I’ve felt in a long time.

I understand now that I truly accept myself as I am. But I also see that I struggle when I’m surrounded by people who don’t accept themselves — because they project their insecurities onto me, and suddenly I start doubting myself. It’s all very subconscious on both sides. Over the past few years, I’ve learned that being self-aware helps me understand what energy belongs to me and what belongs to others. Without that awareness, I take on too much, and it leaves me feeling disconnected from myself. If I let it go too far, my emotional wellbeing suffers, and then my physical wellbeing suffers too.

But here, alone in nature on this island, none of that weighs on me. I feel more connected to myself than I have in years. Some people might think I’m running away from the world or from my problems — but I’m not. I’m reconnecting with myself. I’ve made a conscious choice not to run away, but to move toward myself again. Back to my heart. Back to who I actually am. And through that, I hope to build healthier, more loving relationships with others.

So on this photoshoot, I wanted to capture this moment in my life: this return to my heart and soul, my emotions, my purpose, my roots, the earth. I want to live more in tune with nature and let go of the heavy expectations of others. That’s why I chose to come back to this part of the world.

I also understand why artists often feel their work is never finished. After I wrapped up taking photos, I met a lovely older man named Ulf who lives on the island, along with his daughter’s dog, Ego. We chatted for a while and I introduced myself. He spoke with a strong island dialect one you don’t hear very often anymore. Because this island is so close to Norway, the dialect carries a lot of Norwegian influence. I think it’s one of the most beautiful dialects I’ve ever heard.

Here are some more photos from today’s adventure. It was truly a special day.

And here’s a little video capturing the highlights.

The hours outside in the snow felt like minutes, and I barely felt the cold because I was so excited. For my first attempt at self-portrait photography, I’m really happy with the results. I’ll definitely keep experimenting and growing. I did notice the image quality wasn’t as crisp as I expected do you know what might have caused that? I shot on my Nikon D850 in RAW and on manual with my 50mm lens.

I’ll say goodnight now.
Enjoy the rest of your day.

Puss och kram ꨄ