Flash on the Street with Johan Jehlbo

Street Photography Magazine

In today’s episode we welcome award-winning Swedish photographer Johan Jelbo. Fresh off his win of the series competition at the first annual Dublin Street Photography Festival, Johan discusses his use of flash photography on the street journey, insights, and future endeavors in the realm of photography.

Johan’s love affair with photography began with simple compact cameras, but his passion soon evolved into a serious pursuit of street and portrait photography. Inspired by legendary photographers like Bruce Gilden, Johan transitioned to using flash, mastering its technical aspects and using off-camera flash. His approach brings an edge to his candid shots, setting his work apart in the increasingly crowded world of street photography.

He spent over 10 years of documenting the rural markets of southern Sweden where honed his street photography skills. This project culminated in the publication of his book “Stranger Than Fiction,” which documents the evolution of these events from a “sins nest” to what are now tame venues for family outings. In the process the project reveals the evolution of Johan’s own style. Along the way this work raises ethical considerations, such as photographing children and obtaining consent at public events.

A passion of Johan’s is his involvement with the Full Frontal Flash collective, a group dedicated to street photography using flash. Despite the challenges of project coordination, this collective has pushed the boundaries of traditional street photography, bringing new perspectives and techniques to the forefront.

Johan shares the emotional process of creating a photo book. As for the future he has a desire to to take on new projects and continues to share his journey with his social media audience. And he currently has work exhibited at the Arbetets Museum Norrköping Sweden through January 2025

Links from the show

• Johan’s Website
• Instagram
• Full Frontal Flash Collective Website
• Arbetets Museum Norrköping