Anchors

Side quests, strange poles, and the comfort of having something to look for.

Some days you head out not really knowing what to photograph. Adding to a folder that keeps growing over time, weeks, months, years, each image just feeding different photo projects.

That’s partly why I’m currently detoxing from photographing poles.

If you’ve been following my work, you’ve probably noticed them circulating my feed: poles in threes, skewed poles, hidden ones, funny ones, unsettling ones. Strange poles scattered through the streets.

Before that, it was houses, only the traces left behind, faint outlines on walls still standing.

Others might collect bus stops, cars, shop windows, or discarded objects.

These recurring subjects become anchors. Something to lean on when you’re out looking for frames. Little side quests. Extra Pokémon to collect along the way. They give you an extra eye, something playful yet focused, and, over time, they often grow into something larger than you first intended.

*BLUES (plural) - Blue anchors with @tom.nordpole

I truly believe this way of working helps you become a better photographer. It trains your attention, sharpens your curiosity, and gives purpose to days when inspiration feels thin.

Hopefully, some of these examples might inspire you to start your own small obsession.

This week, Stavanger Foto handed me a Hasselblad 501CM. With the weather stuck in that familiar grey state, it felt like the perfect moment to return to an old project, one I’ve wanted to continue for a long time: Oslo’s Underground.

Subways and underground spaces are classic subjects, but there’s a reason they’re called classics. They keep offering new frames, new moods, new stories, if you stay long enough.

Stay tuned for an upcoming video featuring a classic camera and a classic photo project.