Natural Beauty, Rustic Charm - Christina Strehlow

Natural Beauty, Rustic Charm

Christina

Strehlow

“I love it when the model is natural. It’s so important that she feels comfortable, as the best picture often captures movement—the unexpected.”

Country living and the simple life take an aspirational leap in the soft, melancholic tones of Christina Strehlow’s photography. Blending wistful subjects with the romantic movement of flowing vintage fabrics, the subtle lure and evocative portraits of this Swedish photographer will leave you dreaming of florals, warm tones and bucolic charm.

“We have a summerhouse in Österlen, in the south of Sweden. I find most of my inspiration there through my love for nature, the old house, the sea—there are just so many things that I want to shoot there, I never get tired,” Strehlow shares.

Channelling cool tones from the sea and the warmth of fields awaiting harvest, Strehlow shoots with natural light to capture the earthy charm, rustic femininity and delicate palettes of her family’s seasonal lifestyle in Österlen.

“Riding my bicycle, I check for new places to photograph. Other times, I’ll be visiting the flea market with my car and notice a magical place as I’m driving,” Strehlow describes, “Foggy days are also inspiring to shoot. I love the mysterious atmosphere.”

As a self-taught photographer with an eye for simple beauty, Strehlow prefers natural settings and authentic modelling styles. It was in her early teens when she first developed an interest in photography and taking pictures of her younger sister allowed Strehlow’s passionate hobby to blossom.

Today, Strehlow continues to photograph the women in her family, particularly her two daughters. “When I shoot, I love it when the model is natural. It’s so important that she feels comfortable, as the best picture often captures movement—the unexpected.”

The familial bond she shares with her daughters allows for unique, vulnerable portraits that invite the viewer to peer through the lens into intimate pockets of time at the Strehlow’s Österlen summerhouse.

“When you have worked together for so long, sometimes you don’t need words before photographing—my daughters just now how I want the photograph to be,” Strehlow explains of their collaborative ability to create “melancholic, dreamy” portraits, “We have something unique together when we take photos. I don’t like perfection, but prefer moments and movement—those make for perfect photos.”

In addition to the compelling collection of her personal photography, Strehlow works with various image agencies and companies as a photographer and has recently begun to sell prints of her work on her new website. While work for her clients blends versatile elements, such as elegant props placed against the contrasting backdrop of a dilapidated setting, the signature style of her personal photography consistently features her daughters as subjects, along with vintage fashion, French porcelain items, and florals held in artisanal baskets.

“I always do the styling, choose the location and shoot on my own—everything is controlled by me,” Strehlow explains of her organic approach.

Working with natural light, minimal soft edits and her Canon EOS 5d Mark ll, the seemingly effortless photography of Christina Strehlow breathes a gust of fresh, pure air into the arts community. Now branching into e-commerce for her artwork and receiving a photographer profile feature in Art + Commerce/Vogue Italia, Strehlow’s photography presents the refreshing vision of a contemporary and gently polished pastoral pastime.