Printler x Sandra Linnell
Sandra Linnell is one of our dear ambassadors. She is a passionate photographer who never ceases to amaze with her wonderful nature-inspired patterns and symmetries. Taking photos with Sandra is incredibly exciting. She sees what no one else sees and comes back with pictures no one has taken before. We caught up with Sandra to get to know her background as a person and as a photographer.
Hello Sandra! What were you like when you were 7-8 years old?
Oh, it's been a while. Hmm… I was a very happy girl who loved to sing and perform in front of people and I always wanted someone to play with. I've always enjoyed crafting and making things with my hands. If I couldn't find anyone to play with, I'd knock on the nearest door and ask if there wasn't a girl who wanted to play with me. That's how it worked most of the time! ...
And who are you now, almost 30 years later?
I'm probably not that different today, but when I knock on doors these days, I don't really care about gender ;)
When was your interest in photography awakened?
For as long as I can remember I've tried to make compositions out of what I see in my head. That's how I've always been by nature.
Photography felt very scary and spooky for a long time and more like a world I didn't have access to. But one summer in high school, I went out with my camera and took pictures. I was so looking forward to all the images that would be developed, but to my great disappointment everything became blurry. I had no idea how a camera worked and that's about where my interest in photography literally died. But somehow this curiosity stayed in the back of my mind, although I didn't really dare to admit it to myself.
Ten years later, when I was in textile college, I bought a camera—but didn't dare buy any decent gear because I didn't think I had the skills. After a while I started taking pictures a little loosely, most of the time in auto mode.
I took a lot of photos "hands on" - such as shadows and lines and abstract things. There were many images that I had no idea what to use.
When the smartphone camera got better and better and there was Instagram, my interest in photography really came to the fore! Sharing shadows and lines and getting credit for it gave me an incredible kick. Also, all of this came at a time in my life when I was having a hard time finding creative outlets elsewhere. That's the satisfaction I'm constantly chasing and that's why I photograph.
Sandra's photo art
Your pictures are very decorative...
... and therefore very well suited for interior design. How come you work in such an abstract and minimalist way?
"Yeah, how come? I don't know. I had a theory for a while that maybe it was because when I started taking pictures a lot, I was just shooting with my smartphone. So I had no choice but to I want to shoot minimalist and abstract, but there are a lot of people who take photos with their smartphones and don't, so I've started to dismiss that theory.
My other guess is that it's because I learned hand weaving just prior to photographing. Weaves are very much lines, patterns and stripes. Maybe I became addicted to weaving precisely because it's so graphic and I just like that expression. Maybe that's why my photos are so abstract and minimalist."
We know you like patterns, symmetry and lines. How is your home?
There are indeed many patterns, symmetries and lines in my house. (laughs)
Do you decorate a lot with photo art?
About 10 years ago I received a book of postcards with pictures of handwork. I have decorated my apartments incredibly often with these. I've grouped them into different color scales based on what room they're in. So at home I probably have more photos of art and no photo art ;)
More of Sandra's foto art
