***All images in this post are copyright Ulrica Wihlborg.***

NEXT WEEK: Melanie Nashan

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You are very busy and have numerous private as well as commercial clients.  What do you do to keep things normal at home with your family?

I have a great partner in my husband Craig and our household is pretty much 50/50. Also, once I had children I simply gave up a lot of things that used to be important to me in order to have a more serene home life. For example, I try not to answer the phone or spend any time on the computer before 10 am or after 5:30 pm. I try to get all my work as well as personal phone calls and errands done during my "office" hours. Sure there are drawbacks. I miss working out as much as I used to, I miss spending time with my friends and I wish I had a few more moments to myself. But my two boys are young (Gustav is only 8 weeks and Axel will turn 3 in December) and I want to spend as much time with them as possible before they start school. My hope is that as a result, they'll grow up feeling secure and peaceful.

Your work is so beautiful, serene, and natural.  What have you done to ‘come into’ your own style?

I've always been drawn to simplicity, from my taste in design to my life philosophy. My style is simply the way I see the world - as a beautiful place where freeways, skyscrapers and litter have no place. It's a dreamer's world, and I know it's naive, but it makes me feel happy. In order to transfer my vision to photography, I learned by trial and error. I started shooting 35mm film, metering everything. Then I switched to digital photography. Now, I shoot almost exclusively medium-format film using Contax 645 cameras. I shoot manually without metering - I estimate as I go and tend to slightly overexpose my film. It frees me up to focus on the moment I'm trying to capture, and gives my photographs that "happy" luminous feel that I like.

I love the way you’ve edited your images for your website.  You have sweet detail shots that add so much to the story of images.  What is the process you go through in doing such a beautiful edit of your images?

I think details tell so much about a person's life. What they value, how they see beauty...To me a portrait is a combination of the details surrounding a human being as well as the "traditional" portrait of their face. I think we remember so many things about our lives through the little objects we surround ourselves with. Whenever I do a portrait shoot, I ask to photograph details that are important to a person during that time in their lives, be it a favorite pair of shoes or a dress.  My hope is that later on that image will trigger a beautiful memory.

What are the three most important things you do as a businesswoman?

I have to admit I'm a terrible businesswoman and I'm still learning. My husband is the tough one when it comes to business and he tells me daily that I'm too nice! I honestly haven't figured this one out yet. Photography is so personal to me and I always want to make others happy, so I tend to overdo things.

What are the three most important things you do as a mom?

Cuddle, cuddle, cuddle :) Apart from those three things, I also read a lot to them, I always try to meet them with kindness and I do my best to create a home environment that is as calm and happy as possible. Of course I'm not always successful, but I try to do my best!

What does your workflow look like?  What three things do you do to keep it simple so that you’re not overwhelmed and away from your family too much?

Since switching back from digital to film, I'm so much happier. Not only am I happier with my photographs, but I've basically eliminated retouching and my computer time has been cut down by 80%. It's had the biggest impact on my life as a photographer.

You spend a great deal of the year in your home country of Sweden.  How do you make that work with your business here in the states?

I spend about 5 weeks in Sweden every summer and 2 weeks during Christmas time. We just bought a house there and I'm so excited about the prospect of spending even more time there at some point in the future. When I'm in Sweden, I get incredibly inspired. Those weeks are a crucial time for me as a photographer.  I shoot a lot for my portfolio, and my latest exhibit was entirely shot in Sweden. To me, creatively as well as for my business, I need the time there in order to evolve as an artist.  

You shoot mostly film.  Do you use the computer, digital cameras, etc.?  If so what do you do to keep it from overtaking your life?

I basically don't use a digital camera unless I have to due to cost limitations or what not. I scan all my film, so yes, I do spend time on the computer. I also spend time designing albums - I do my own layouts in Photoshop. But I rarely retouch my photos and I deliver prints to my clients, so that cuts down a lot of time.

You have been widely published and recognized.  What tips to recommend for getting published? 

For me, t's basically been pure luck. I have wonderful friends who are often interviewed in the media and have hired me to take their pictures. I also work as a journalist, so at times I shoot my own stories for magazines. I've simply been fortunate. To me, personal relationships have been the key. So as for advice, I'd say try to develop personal relationships with magazine photo editors. Don't be afraid - they're almost always looking for new talent. And in this day and age, getting celebrity clients almost always makes it easy to get published.

What do you recommend women do who are just getting started in the industry?

In the beginning, if you have a day job keep it so you don't have to rely on the income of your photography. It takes the pressure off. Be prepared to do a lot of favors to get ahead. Creating relationships and goodwill is key. I highly recommend working part-time for a photographer who is already established, even though the pay might be very low or non-existent. It will give you an invaluable insight into how successful photographers operate and help you strike out on your own.

To see more of Ulrica's work:

website:  http://www.axelandmoa.com/

***All images in this post are copyright Ulrica Wihlborg.***