Florence Channing in Conversation with Photographer Ninja Hanna

“Disposable dump”, “Polaroids from summer”, “Captured on film”. These are all examples of typical social media captions used to describe photographs that capture the aesthetic of the 70s. In the last few years, the film aesthetic has become a universal and global trend with people worldwide. Consequently,  it is no surprise that posting photos with a nostalgic aesthetic online has become a profoundly popular trend. The images produced from taking photographs with a film camera are much richer in aesthetics and seem to signify that the scene captured was a momentous event in time. 

This trend has impacted the virtual world positively. The variation between iPhone-captured and more nostalgic-looking photographs is appreciated and has arguably provided social media posts with more depth. The only concern with this trend is that it may suggest that if one takes photographs on a disposable camera, they are inherently cooler (which is true).

In an exclusive with MADE IN BED, Swedish-based artist and photographer - Ninja Hanna - discloses how her photographic style has developed. Moreover, she discusses the impact of the ‘nostalgic’ aesthetic in her work and the inspirations that have led her to commit to this style.

The Simple Life.

Florence Channing: What inspired your style and aesthetic of photography?

Ninja Hanna: My style has evolved from different parts of my imagination. I tend always to reimagine something that interested me at an early age and that I’ve since always carried with me. I had this huge crush on Pamela Anderson when I was nine, and to do a shoot with her today, how I visioned her then, would be so amazing. 

Today I scavenger hunt for vintage magazines any chance I get. It’s something in especially 70s magazines of any kind (but preferably nudies, if I’m 100% honest) that just sits right with me. Few things fuel my imagination, like a 70s issue of Lui or Playboy. I’m a very nostalgic person, and I think it comes from there. And 90s music videos and movies, in general, are also a significant source of inspiration for me. However, I get the most inspired and come up with most of my ideas while walking around. So I do a lot of that often.

FC: Is there a photographer, icon, or artist that helped shape your style?

NH: Steven Meisel, always and forever. For me, he’s like the DaVinci of fashion photography. But I’m also pretty sure I wouldn’t be where I’m today if I hadn’t discovered LaChapelle when I was ten and Sarah Moon and Deborah Turbeville early on in my student years.

Do The Right Thing.

FC: The colours in each photo are bold and striking - your work is highly impactful. How important is colour when enhancing the messages you convey in your work?

NH: Oh, I would say it’s everything to me. It’s the most significant creative part for me. Of course, shooting is a huge part of the image-making process, but sitting in front of the computer and finding the exact right look for each image is super important for me.

FC: You say that your work is “fuelled by nostalgia” - do you think that this aesthetic best represents conversations around gender, identity and sexuality best? Or did you ever experiment with other aesthetics?

NH: I’ve experimented with different aesthetics, lots of them! But in hindsight, it is important to master the skills to achieve what I want with my photography. I’ve always been nostalgic since I was a small child. Something about the past - even a past I’ve never lived through myself - appeals to me. Not politically, of course.

I grew up in the 90s, in the middle of a very hyper-sexualised ideal for women, and that has (of course) shaped how I approach issues surrounding those topics today. So I think it’s easier to look at it from a ”what was” perspective if that makes sense? So to answer your question, I would say that nostalgic aesthetics is best for discussing these topics.

Do The Right Thing.

FC: In what ways does your work best challenge traditional attitudes to the female gaze?

NH: Such a tricky question to answer about your work.

I never think about my work that way beforehand. However, I often strive to incorporate some sort of humour - especially if it’s something that would be considered more classically ”sexy”. Maybe that’s the biggest challenge.

I enjoy playing around with what is considered “sexy”, like an on-the-nose type of sexy and then trying to twist and turn that so that you have to stop and think about it - for at least a brief moment. I often stop and think, could I do this if I was a cis-male? If the answer is probably not - that amuses me. To think that I stole the aesthetics back in a way.

FC: Why is humour an important component to incorporate into your work?

NH: Same as I said before. But elaborating on that, I approach everything I do with slightly sarcastic humour as a protection mechanism. And fashion tends to take itself very seriously, and I like to challenge that. Oh, and I love kitsch, I’ve tried not to love it, but I do. And I guess I need those small nuggets of humour to feel alive in this industry. It sounds so dark, but it’s not. So I prefer people to feel amused when they're looking at my work.

Not Feeling Sorry.

FC: Do you think your photographic style will evolve or change into something different?

NH: Oh yes! I certainly hope that. I always strive to evolve. If I stop evolving, it’s time to do something else.

FC: Are there any artists or people working in fashion that you would like to collaborate with in the future? 

NH: Well, Playboy would be a full-circle moment for me.

All images are courtesy of the artist.

Thanks to Ninja Hanna on behalf of MADE IN BED.

To learn more about Ninja Hanna, check out her website, or follow her on Instagram.

Florence Channing

Contributing Writer, MADE IN BED