Mats Skoglund | Nordic Landscapes and Cityscapes in Light

My interest in photography began when I was 13, with a small red Konica Pop on a family trip to the USA. I didn’t know anything about shutter speeds or aperture, but I loved being able to capture my own memories of places like Niagara Falls and the Empire State Building. That feeling of bringing home a moment has stayed with me ever since. Today I photograph both close to home in Stockholm and when I travel. I’m drawn to landscapes, seascapes, and city scenes — sometimes simple places, sometimes famous landmarks, but always with the aim of capturing them in my own way. For me it’s less about being original at all costs, and more about being able to frame a picture and say: I was there, it looked like that, and I brought it home with me. What I love most is being at the location itself — especially when the light is right and everything comes together. Of course, it’s not always that way; sometimes the forecast is wrong, parking is impossible, or a construction scaffold blocks the view. But that’s part of the process, and it makes the rare perfect moments even more rewarding. I enjoy the whole chain, from scouting and shooting to editing, printing, and even making the frames. Photography isn’t my profession, but it’s a passion I put real care into. If someone chooses to have one of my prints in their home, I see it as an honour, and I want them to feel the same joy and quality that I put into every step.

My process

I love the process of taking a photograph from the screen to the wall — capturing it in the field, bringing it to life in editing, watching it emerge from the printer, holding it, making the right frame, and finally seeing how it changes a room when hung.
Some photographs are the result of a long journey: scouting locations, carrying gear, waking before sunrise, waiting for the right light, taking hundreds of frames to capture just one, and then spending hours editing. To both bring out a photograph’s best and to honor the care behind it, I give the final steps of printing and framing the same thoughtfulness.

I print on my own professional inkjet printer and make the frames in my workshop. Much goes into that process too — finding the right proportions, paper, matting, and frame. I use only fine art papers designed to last for generations, and I work with solid oak when left natural, or pine and other solid woods when painted. In this way, the same care that went into creating the photograph follows it all the way to the wall.

The photographs I offer in my print collection are those I know will look their best as prints, with the detail, quality, and longevity they deserve.

My Photography Gear

I don’t mind carrying a heavy backpack through airport security or on long walks. It’s a small price to pay for what waits ahead — new places, new light, new photographs. And when the journey ends, the gear that has done its job travels back with me, ready for the next one.

I’ve chosen equipment that strikes a balance: not too big to bring along, not too small to handle real work. My cameras and lenses are tools I use, not objects I collect. They exist for one reason — to help me capture the scenes and light I’ve been waiting for.

The X-T5 is my main camera, replacing my previous workhorse for one simple reason: freedom. With in-body image stabilization I can sometimes leave the tripod behind and still shoot in low light or handheld when the moment appears, and the higher resolution gives me more space to work with — room to crop, refine, and print larger without compromise.

It’s a camera that feels balanced: compact enough to carry everywhere, yet capable enough for serious work. Most of the images on this site come from it, whether it’s a cold morning by the sea or a neon-lit street far from home.

The Fujifilm X-T5, my everyday companion from city streets to mountain trails.

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