How Bruno Ehrs became a contemporary neoclassical master

Architecture, portraits, still life, food, travel. Regardless of genre, for more than 40 years, Bruno Ehrs’ byline has stood for quality and stripped-down simplicity where nothing has been left to chance.

WORDS: Oskar Hammarkrantz
PHOTOGRAPHY: Bruno Ehrs

Without a doubt, Bruno Ehrs has been one of Sweden's most important and diligent photographers in recent decades. He moves seamlessly across the genres with an extremely eclectic portfolio; nevertheless, an Ehrs photo is always recognizable.

“It is never about the motif itself. It is all about the conformation and how you relate to the subject. It doesn’t matter if it's two potatoes or a skyscraper you will depict”.

Ehrs started as a cultural and architectural photographer for the Stockholm City Museum in the mid-’70s. And throughout his career, you can see traces of the architectural photography he learned to master at a young age, always combined with equilibrist technique.

“I am fascinated by compositions, geometry, proportions and volumes. I never try to capture the moment. Instead, I want to bring order to the chaos”.

Ehrs’ images are never overloaded with details or sub-stories. On the contrary, they have a minimalist elegance, perhaps taken from classical architecture.

“Everything in the image should be there to help the image and the viewer. Nothing should detract from what I want to tell. The image should always be direct, clear and simple”.

”The image should always be direct, clear and simple.”

In his late teens, Stockholm-born Bruno Ehrs was determined to become a journalist. He was curious about the world, and he wanted to tell stories. But when he failed the test for Journalism school, his father suggested him to apply for photography school instead. And as soon as the young Ehrs entered the dark room, he realized he had found his calling.

”I have a desire to share my experiences. Instead of the written word, it became visual stories. But the will to find the story is the same regardless of the medium”, says Ehrs.

After examination from Photo School in 1976 and a two-year stint at the Stockholm City Museum, Ehrs started to work as a press photographer for prestigious magazines and newspapers before becoming a freelancer in the early 80s. Among his commissions, you will find numerous cookbooks, travel stories, nature photography, and commercial still life.

”I never try to capture the moment. Instead, I want to bring order to the chaos.”

Especially Ehr’ skill as a portrait photographer has attracted attention, and he has taken many of the most iconic images of the Swedish Royal family. Portraits of the King and Queen were used as the original for a collection of stamps in 2010.

Ehrs is also well represented at the prestigious Swedish National Portrait Gallery, partly with his portraits of the Royal family, but also with a number of commissioned honorary portraits of important and iconic swedes.

“The challenge is to create a single defining portrait that shows the very essence of the person. In addition, the image must be charged with energy and drama. I always try to find the geometric lines in the picture. For a portrait, I first look for harmony in the surroundings; then, I insert the person. Usually, there is only one optimal place”.

Besides commissioned work, Ehrs has also ventured into various personal art projects.

One morning in the early 2000s, Ehrs got a strong sense of his own childhood when he saw his sons playing at the croft on northern Gotland. Forgotten memories were revived, and Ehrs decided to try to capture them. He let his sons act in the surroundings for a few days every summer. The series resulted in the book Memories of, a masterful showcase of Nordic light, timelessness and reinterpretation of classic photography.

Ehrs has exhibited his work at several solo exhibitions worldwide, debuting in 1987 at the Museum of Modern Art in Stockholm, Sweden, where his images are also included in the permanent collection.

”It is never about the motif itself. It is all about the conformation and how you relate to the subject. It doesn’t matter if it’s two potatoes or a skyscraper you will depict.”