“‘Idyll’ is a word often used in Norwegian to describe the feeling you get while being in an ideal and harmonic moment or place,” Iggy Smalls explains.
Titled after that specific feeling, Smalls’ Idyll photo series reveals her love for the quiet natural areas of the country she grew up in, but also capture the slightly sad sense of nostalgia that often accompanies a visit to one’s hometown.
“This series of photographs were all taken on short weekly trips home after moving abroad two years ago and does not show the entirety of the diverse culture and nature in Norway,” says Smalls. “It does however reflect the feelings of nostalgia and idyll I feel when returning home. As the Norwegian saying goes, ‘Borte bra, men hjemme best!’ (Being away is good, but being home is best).”
Shot with a medium format Hasselblad 500 C/M, Smalls’ photos evoke a calm, pastoral side of Norway, full of sheep and moss, the analog images shadowed in vibrant yellows and blues.
See our selections from Idyll below, and find more of Smalls’ work on her portfolio, built using Format.
More film photography on Format Magazine:
The Future of Film Photography
100% Analog Film Documentary on Instant Photography
Parker Day’s Glitter-Soaked Headshots
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