Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Emma Bahrton. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Emma, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
Honestly, I think what keeps my creativity alive is just remembering how badly I wanted this when I was younger. I’ve always dreamed of working in the creative field, and sometimes I think about how my younger self would have freaked out if she knew I’d actually be living and working in LA one day. That pushes me—I feel like I owe it to her to keep going and really make the most of it. I also get a lot of inspiration from moving between Sweden and the U.S. The contrast keeps things fresh. Swedish minimalism is always a part of me, but LA has this energy that constantly challenges me to think bigger. And when I start feeling stuck, I make time to shoot just for fun, no pressure, no deadlines—just to remind myself why I love doing this in the first place.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I’m a Swedish photographer currently based in Los Angeles. I began my journey in photography as a teenager growing up on an island in the Stockholm archipelago, where I started shooting creative portraits with friends. What began as a passion quickly evolved into a career when my work attracted the attention of local brands and agencies.
Over time, I built a client base that included top Scandinavian fashion labels and digital influencers, shooting editorial campaigns and branded content that were published across various media. I’ve photographed for over thirty influencers and several well-known brands in Stockholm, establishing a strong presence in the creative scene there.
Wanting to deepen my understanding of the business side of the industry, I moved to the U.S. to study business communication and further expand my brand internationally. In Los Angeles, I now work full-time as a photographer specializing in Scandinavian brands and public figures who are building a presence in the U.S. market. My work blends Nordic minimalism with contemporary American aesthetics, and I’ve found it incredibly rewarding to bridge those visual cultures.
I’m currently working on a series spotlighting Scandinavian creatives in California, and my long-term goal is to use photography to tell stories that cross borders and challenge artistic norms.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I think the three key things in my journey has been persistence, networking and taking risks.
Persistence was key. I’ve been doing photography since I was a teenager, and honestly, a lot of people (and younger me) think things happen overnight but they don’t and we tend to give up. But some of my biggest opportunities like shooting campaigns, only came because I kept showing up, kept creating, and didn’t give up when things felt like they weren’t going my way.
Secondly, personal branding, building relationships and networking has made a huge impact. All of my bigger opportunities has come through someone else that I’ve worked with and that recommend me. I really believe that you should put energy into building real connections and value those as people prefer to hire people that they are already comfortable around. Some of the people I’ve worked closely with, like Angelica Blick, has also become some of my best friends which is always a plus!
And I think one of the biggest reasons I’ve come this far is because the thought of living a life where I do not take any risks has always scared me more than actually taking risks. Moving abroad wasn’t something that felt easy or safe, it was scary. But I knew the only way I would grow as a person and in my career was to take on the challenge och navigating a new country. I still think about how my younger self would have done anything to have the life and opportunities I have now, and that really drives me to keep pushing forward.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
I believe my biggest growth this year has been working more directly with companies and shooting more product photography and events. I used to shoot a lot of events when I was younger in Stockholm such as Stockholm Fashion Weeks but thought it became too repetitive. However I feel like for the past year I’ve found a way to make shooting such events more artistic and fun and I really enjoy the networking part of it. You can really get to know and share experiences with some really cool people! I’ve for the past month shot events for Snif, Sockerbit NYC, SecondhomePR and the Swedish Chambers of Commerce.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bahrton.com
- Instagram: @emma.bahrton.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-bahrton
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