All is Well - A Morning of Street Photography in Stockholm Sweden

I spent three weeks visiting Stockholm in June 2024. It was a mix of a trip to see family and attend my sisters wedding and also wandering the city taking photos. This is what you can expect when photographing in Stockholm

This was a day after I landed from Bangkok so my body was still on Indochina time so getting up early and wandering the streets was the best way to take advantage of the jetlag.

Coming from 35 degree Bangkok to 15 degree Stockholm was a bit of a shock to the body. Some of the locals were in shorts but a hoody and a jacket was needed to keep me warm.

All the photos were captured with a Leica M10-P paired with an Elmarit-M 24mm f/2.8 lens. I purchased the lens in January from a dealer in Bangkok, and it proved to be an ideal all-around option for tight spaces and crowded scenes. It was a bit wide and more challenging in Sweden’s as there is so much more space.

Gamla Stan is a tapestry of warm, colorful facades, intricate details, and historic architecture. The golden-yellow and terracotta tones of the buildings glow beautifully, especially during the soft morning. This was the obvious choice but was the main area for me to walk around during my stay in Stockholm.

Street photography in Sweden is generally legal, especially in public spaces. But many street photographers find Scandinavian countries a bit difficult to photograph. Swedes are very aware of their surroundings and value privacy, so aspiring Bruce Gilden’s should be cautious because confrontation is almost certain.

The city is infinitely walkable. The city is spread across 14 islands, but everything feels close. You can easily stroll from one neighborhood to the next. The streets are clean and wide, tons of parks everywhere and the city is safe in al the areas I was able to visit.

I had visited Stockholm many times before but not for the past 10 years. A lot has happened in that time and for some reason the architecture hit me in a new way on this visit. It wasn’t just the old medieval buildings but every neighbourhood seemed to be different in it’s own way. There was also the repurposing of the old, keeping the classic elements while upgrading to modern design.

This is part one of a series on my time in Sweden.