The invention of the world

A creative person, a graphic designer, is sitting at a desk in the middle of a meadow with a sheet of paper in front of him and a pen in his hand. He looks skeptical, pondering what the new brilliant idea might be. The young man is surrounded by hundreds of standing clones of himself... and more and more of them are arriving from afar. They watch him and wait for him to finally invent something new - they expect the best from him. The 33-year-old photographer from Sweden currently lives in Prague. However, his workplace can be anywhere. He often changes his location because, as he says himself, the world is his studio. He avoids pictorial repetition and creates contrasts by changing his surroundings. This is also reflected in his incredible photographic works, which almost have to be seen as large-format works of art. So many small details can be discovered again and again in every picture. An infinite expanse and dramatic scenery are part of it every time.

He photographs something real and familiar that actually exists and combines it with elements that appear in his imagination. The reality is twisted, but remains intact and is still familiar and by no means alien. It is important for him not to cross this creative boundary. He doesn't just take a photo, he creates a photo. A surreal picture is created from many different shots, which are put together in a unique way.

Many things are edited, processed, removed or added, but the person in the picture
remains unchanged. Normal people are used, like you and me, and never professional models or actors. These people are often found alone in bizarre, unusual scenes that belong in another reality or in a dream.

The production of one of his pictures can take from several weeks to a whole year. There are always several projects running at the same time, so that a step back can be taken with each concept in between. A fresh look brings new inspiration and adds new details.

The idea arises from a simple abstract thought, an unexpected situation or a feeling that wants to be shared, and is initially recorded in a sketchbook. The most time-consuming part is planning the idea, which naturally evolves over time.
This requires a lot of patience. His props consist of anything he can find that fits the current concept in terms of shape and size. If, for example, several glowing moons are needed, as in the photo "Full Moon Service", and the real sky only provides one or no moon, several round paper lanterns are packed, modified with spray paint and placed in the desired position.

The main images for a new project are produced in a maximum of two days. Always with him: a
tripod and his camera - a Hasselblad H6D-50c. It's not the lightest camera and not really suitable for
fast action photography, but it produces very clear colors, offers just the
right look and captures the scenery perfectly.
Erik Johansson likes to share the creation and process of his work with the world in the form of a short video on his YouTube channel. This way, everyone can see how he goes about it and get a better understanding of his works. The observer's reaction is important to him, regardless of whether it is positive or negative. He is curious to see whether the energy behind a picture is transmitted, whether his visual language is understood. "I want to make people think and maybe I can inspire them too," he says.