Essays & Stories

FAQ Beyond Nudity

Guilt and taboos still loom large, casting shadows over the playful exploration of life's pleasures. Throughout history, women's desires have especially been forces to control, whether by men, other women, or societal customs.

Why I Keep Returning to the Transformation

For a long time, I thought I was photographing people. After thirty years as a photographer, I am no longer sure that is the whole story.

Naked Clay – No Plan, Just Play

We were together to explore each other. The clay was mostly an icebreaker. I had mixed it with warm water and laid it out, ready to go. Youna had an idea of something sensual — bodies melting into each other. Then something else happened.

A Playful Presence

We had never met each other before. Five people on an island, with no given roles apart from mine as the photographer, and no obvious couples.

Youna Loriot Was Used to Being Directed

Youna seems to move through life with curiosity rather than a fixed plan. Music, acting, photography, travelling — different ways of experiencing the world rather than fixed identities. She doesn't seem particularly interested in being just one thing.

What the hell is this?

Four images. Clay from Lake Hjälmaren. Two bodies. Water, light, and something that might be fading away. You can decide the rest for yourself.

Sensuality Is Saying Yes to Yourself

She lies still. Dark water surrounds her body. Not to hide it. But to hold it.

Not Exactly Sexual. But Not Neutral Either.

As I grow older, I find myself paying attention to different things. Less to performance. More to presence.

From darkness to Kali, the goddess of death

My friends, Jorge and Mathias, along with Shimaya from Beyond Nudity, invited me on a walk outside of Amsterdam. All they asked was that I photograph a ritual—nothing more.

Lilith – A Journey to Freedom and Truth

The name carries power, history, and myth. For thousands of years, she has been a symbol of rebellion, freedom, and independence.

Intimacy Rooted in Love

I first met Nilla and Stefan almost twenty years ago, when I was looking for models for a photo story about presence and the body. It didn't happen then, but we stayed in touch.

From Witch Trials to The Brocken

The last woman to be executed as a witch in Sweden lived only fifteen minutes from my summer house outside Eskilstuna.

Alexandra : Feminine presence lakeside in Sweden

My body lives its own life. Alexandra moves as if the world were a breath and I see it in every gesture.

Alexandra and Mathias : A Human Ritual in Sweden

On a small island in Hjälmaren, white birches stood like quiet witnesses. I was there, camera in hand, watching.

Golden power within the yoni

Being naked is natural. A reminder that we're all born this way – without masks, without filters.

The Kashmiri Massage : Through Light and Touch

I step into rooms where silence has weight. My camera listens more than it sees — to breath, to warmth, to the invisible rhythm between hands and skin.

There's warm boyish curiosity

The water remembers, and in its movements our inner selves are reflected.

Pernille Harder

There is an energy in Pernille that you feel before she even steps in front of the camera — a blend of focus, warmth and movement.

Why Body Positivity Left Me Behind

Lara's life is like a spider's web woven with threads of trust and sensuality. Every moment becomes a meeting place for energies, a dance with the unknown.

In the Sauna, the Goddess Stirs

There they stand at the threshold outside the sauna – between the known and the unknown. Words have fallen away; only hints remain, an enchanted connection waiting to ignite.

Being Naked at Home in Yourself

Between sun and clouds lies a space where everything can be true.

Resistance Against Your Damn Homophobia

Pride events continue to play an important role in Sweden, as a celebration of diversity and a reminder of the right to equality – regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Barefoot in Rotum with Kali

Rotum is not a project, not a retreat center, and not a course. As they say themselves, "a response to the deep human longing to be in the body, in truth, and in the present moment."

The Dragon's Path

In the heart of Lake Hjälmaren, where the waves whisper quieter than the wind and no map tells the full truth, lies a place known only as Stenskär.

!60 Peter Lindström 60!

The party for Peter at Åhyddan in Linköping is over. Here is a selection of my photos from the evening.

Love Ritual on Lake Hjälmaren

It was a grey afternoon when my mother and I went out fishing on Lake Hjälmaren. The sky hung heavy with clouds, and before long, the rain began to fall.

Martin Karlsson's Last Match?

Libk lost the decisive quarterfinal in 2025.. Who cares against whom.. Martin Karlsson is a true warrior on the floor – the kind of player opponents hate to face, but teammates love to have on their side.

Cancer and Friendship – Life Beyond the Diagnosis

Over the years, we have shared countless late-night conversations on Messenger – about everything from joy and dreams to sorrow and longing. Lillemor and I are united by our shared interest in photography.

Kali—the goddess who asks for no permission

The balcony door was open, and the cool Amsterdam air flowed into the room. Outside, seagulls cawed in the trees, their cries annoying Shimaya's cats, who were curled up on the windowsill, flicking their tails in irritation.

From Faith to Body – A Sacred Revolt

Emma and Mathias grew up in worlds where the body was something to control, where desire was a sin, and where freedom came with conditions.

The nude body as a brush

How free can art really be? When Emma came for a few days of photography, I had no idea that a background would become a work of art – with her whole body as a brush.

Anneke views sexuality as something profoundly sacred.

Anneke began her career as a teacher for children with special needs. For ten years, she gave everything she had, but eventually, she burned out.

Beyond Nudity exhibits at "What is Happening Here Gallery" in Amsterdam

Joker is dangerous, sweet, and decadently toxic Beyond Nudity.

Bloody wonderful people

Party night with good old boys

"These artists are turning 60. Hippa and Coste are legends on the punk scene in Linköping, and tonight there's going to be a celebration 🙂"

Under the Skin of Linköping

Portraits Are Encounters with People. A moment of total attention — an attempt to see beneath the surface, into something more.

The Beauty of Bonds in 'Beyond Nudity'

Among the finest gifts one can receive is shared time and an open, curious presence. Physical touch holds great significance, but when it blends with a welcoming of the mental space, something truly powerful unfolds—a storm of connection and creativity.

Golden power within the yoni

Shimaya wanted to reconnect with the polarities within herself. She brought the group Beyond Nudity into a ritual centered on "primordial mother energy."

Maya: A Tantric Self-Exploration

"I wanted something more than the usual yoga," Maya says. "I was sure there were deeper dimensions of presence and energy that I hadn't experienced before."

Profoto is da shit

I drove to Malmköping. My former partner Peter Lindström has bought a house there together with his newlywed wife Tatjana Teyka.

Vulnerable on Naked Attraction Sweden

Mathias Risberg from Beyond Nudity, where the black-and-white images come from, takes part in the show Naked Attraction Sweden, in which broad-minded, open people date naked at their first meeting.

Mystery and Vigilance = the Grey Heron

Grey herons are extremely alert and react quickly to movement and sound in their surroundings. This makes them hard to approach, which only heightens their aura of mystery and inaccessibility.

Nude emotions on the Dunes of Amsterdam

Xena and Mathias met again, this time in the sand dunes outside Amsterdam. It was a day dedicated to exploring bodies and minds.

Nude fine art under The Lamp

For some reason, the bridge has a strong attraction for me. The feelings it brings up are hard to explain – they're just there, deep and intense.

What Is a Pigeon?

At the café outside the airport in Lisbon, a pigeon was searching for treats. She was limping; something was clearly wrong with one foot.

Dad pees standing up. So does Ylva.

The worst shriek of rage! I woke up and banged my head on the bunk above in sheer fright. What had happened?

Vulnerable and Fierce with Beyond Nudity

There was tension in the air. We were supposed to meet and create with Beyond Nudity but came from different parts of the country.

Emma, observer and subject

In a world where superficial things occupy our time, the ability to disconnect from the environment and search within the soul is a rare ability.

Luna DVil: BDSM Atmosphere

Luna is dominant woman dressed in a black leather outfit and high-heeled boots, sitting confidently on a chair with legs spread apart. She holds a whip in her gloved hand, set against a misty background, creating a powerful and commanding presence.

Punk is damn well the shit

What's an ordinary Friday in Linköping? Could be live music on several different stages. At Platens bar I got my earwax knocked loose when Mad Sin and Lowriders cut loose, deafeningly to say the least.

Surfing in the Eisbachwelle

Surfing in the Eisbach in München has a bit of a reputation for being challenging due to the constant flow of water and the narrow space. It's definitely not for beginners.

Pictures, wine and food are CITAT

Citat is a restaurant in Linköping. Niklas Lillman has long dreamed of starting a restaurant of his own, a striking meeting place.

Meeting in the world of tantra

Carlotta and Mathias met in the European world of tantra and together with me, they wanted to create images that at best challenge taboos while advocating sensual freedom with consent.

Living the dream

What makes you buy a house from 1885 with 45 rooms that has been abandoned for the last 40 years? Mild madness I would say.

When Love Comes With Claws

Love is—most of the time—shared. But sometimes only just.

An And Never Walks Alone

I was driving across Tullbron in Linköping when traffic suddenly slowed down. The reason? A family of ducks crossing the bridge.

Hanging Beneath a Bridge: The Moment Fear Turns Into Courage

Eliska: "Am I crazy? Yes. Crazy is my name. Am I afraid? Yes. Is it worth it? Yes." Challenging yourself often begins right there—at the meeting point with fear.

My last picture as a journalist: Stefan Hagdahl

"Stefan Hagdahl, the story behind a picture." "We've met in many strange places, always with smoke or accidents around us."

Powerful Flora at the dunes

It was that day. We had decided to meet on the dunes by the sea outside Amsterdam to create pictures.

The Jacket Has Been Hung Up for Good

Stockholm 210111. Lasse Berghagen RIP 231019.

A dog's life has ended

We didn't want a dog. But a good friend and colleague of Anette's said we ought to go and take a look at a dachshund that wasn't doing well in its family.

HOJAB Parking Service – complaint upheld

I parked. You were supposed to enter your registration number, and I did. The machine was satisfied and approved the payment of 66 SEK.

Theatre: Gustav Vasa in Svärdsjö

2023 marks 500 years since Gustav Eriksson Vasa was elected King of Sweden at the Riksdag in Strängnäs. The occasion is commemorated in a historical summer play written and directed by Theresia Holmstedt Jensen.

Nude yoga and fineart without stress

Beyond Nudity met at Hjälmaren in central Sweden to have fun and create for an upcoming event. We got five sunny days filled with laughter, food and photography.

Avoid Strong Sunlight…?

How many times have you heard that you should avoid photographing in strong sunlight? Forget about it, try for yourself.

Two Nerds at the Editing Desk, One Colourful and Then a Quieter One

Meeting Deep Torkel Knutsson feels like standing in the path of a freight train.

den-svenska-tanten-blir-utstalld

Bernt-Ola Falck was a much-appreciated photographer at Östgöta Correspondenten in Linköping. He was born and raised in Småland and had a great passion for capturing people's lives on camera.

A Giant's Throw or Ice Age Memory?

Glacial erratics — large stones transported and left behind by glacial ice, often far from where they originally came from — have always fascinated me.

What If You Are an Erotic Artist

It was a perfectly ordinary Saturday in March. Except that it was Podcast Festival at Fotografiska in Stockholm.

With hypnosis, anything is possible

As a young man I played bowling and trained seriously to get good. In bowling, just like in golf, shooting, darts, and surely many other sports, a great deal comes down to what the brain believes is possible.

Drag Race Sweden 2023

Sorry, I'm not in it 🙁. I just happened to have the TV on that Saturday evening when the competition Drag Race Sweden got going.

The Allure and Curse of Backlight

Railway outside Linghem - I was out driving yesterday outside Linköping and felt like checking where Bjärby Saloon is.

Melodifestivalen in Linköping, Theoz to the Semi

We met a few times long ago, it was 2017 and the lad had just started singing too. Dancing he was already king of back then.

NATIONAL GOLDEN RETRIEVER DAY

Alfons is the friendliest dog of all the ones I've met over the years. He's a Golden Retriever, and February 3rd is that breed's day.

18 months months with Ylva

Time passes, and suddenly 18 months have gone by. I feel deep gratitude and pride that we live where we do, in Sweden.

Table tennis — how much fun is that?

How much fun is it to knock a plastic ball back and forth over a net? Unexpectedly fun, I'd say.

New disc golf course in Linghem

I took the dog for a walk in the Linghem forest. Lots of friendly people who said hello and smiled cheerfully.

New camera and a nice visit = A good day

In the end I couldn't handle the pressure. These photos were taken with a new mirrorless Canon R5.

The Santa Hat and Ylva, a Lesson in Negotiation and Compromise

What is time? Two years is definitely time. It is also how long I have known that I would become a grandfather.

Joy, sorrow and a longing for something else

Goodness, how many late-night conversations we've had over the years on Messenger. About everything — joy, sorrow and a longing for something.

The shape of an iron one

Keeping track of his body and understanding how it works is important to Maya. Testing the body's healing ability is his science.

The beginning of the journey with Mathias Risberg

It started in March 2017 with a slightly bewildering phone call. A man, Mathias, called the editorial office and explained that he and two friends were going to hitchhike from Stockholm to Thailand.