- An artlover who sees your photographs can easily say that you are not belonged to this century. You like old things, old styles, you use old lenses and one of your greatest inspirations is The Renaissance. Classic paintings from that era are still keeping their magnificence but it's not possible to deny the existence of Modern Art, too. What do you think about today's art scene in United States and the rest of the world?

I'd like to preface this interview that I just quit smoking so I may come across as more hostile than I really am! I don't really know much about today's art scene, but I do like Julie Heffernan and Robert Parke Harrison.

- Most people think that, in an artist's life, childhood is the most important part. How did those years effected you? What kind of photograph do you imagine when you think about your childhood?

A lot of my work so far is a direct response to my childhood. Trying to escape the ugly, boring, grey, mundane 70s. The violence at home.

- You lived in Sweden, Spain, Morocco, Italy, New York and now, you live and work in Los Angeles. Imagine that those 6 places are 6 different people in your neighbourhood. What would they look like and what kind of relationships would you have with them?

Everyone except the Sweden would be in constant congregation, always having a great time as neighbors and friends. Hopefully they would notice me one day and invite me into their club. The Sweden I would never meet because we're both too shy and reserved to make contact.

- You were one of the 25 artists in The Anti-War Show, which was held at Corey Helford Gallery, California, at the end of 2007. In your beautiful submission, you used a Muslim woman, covered with the United States flag, as your model. What was the details of the message you wanted to share with the world? How do you evaluate the future of our planet?

The message with a Muslim woman shrouded in an American flag is obviously about imperialism. The future seems very bleak. I'm not very optimistic.

- With your impressive "Victims and Avengers" series, you won the Grand Prize in American Photos' Images of The Year Competition in 2007. Would you please tell us about that experience?

It was a very nice event with a lot of crazy, big prizes. I think it's found me a couple of new collectors.

- As a photographer, who works with both digital cameras and in large format on film, how do you think the digital technology effected the photography field?

I work 95% with film and that is because it is better quality (especially in 4x5 or 8x10) and it's what I'm used to. Digital will keep getting better and that's fine, but the fact that we're starting to lose certain film stocks is a tragedy.

- As an artist who studied Art History in Italy, we want you to imagine that you are in a time machine now and you have only one chance to go back. Which period of history would you prefer visiting and which artist would be your choice to have a dinner together? And of course... Why?

I'd go back to the end of the 16th century and meet up with Caravaggio. Not only would I like to find out a thing or two about light from that great painter, but I understand he had an extremely colorful life and would probably have some extraordinary stories to share over multiple bottles of wine. I think he even killed a man...

- Before becoming a real professional in photography, you worked as a film director. Today, are you still interested in filmmaking and cinema? Which directors do you find closer to yourself in terms of visual comprehension?

I love cinema and always will. Some of my favorite directors: Orson Welles, Milos Forman, Terry Gilliam, David Lean, Ingmar Bergman and Coppola.

- You started your career in an early age by taking photographs of some music shows for your fanzine, in your homeland Sweden. We can easily say that music is an important part of your life. How does it effect your working process and creations? Which genres do you prefer listening nowadays?

I mostly listen to classical music (Stravinsky, Ravel, Satie) and also a lot of Sinatra and Nine Inch Nails.

- Theme of the current issue of Bak Magazine is "Fear". What does this word mean to you?

Unfortunately it means a great deal too much for me. Fear of the unknown is my worst enemy and gets me paralyzed from time to time. I'm trying to learn to equate fear with excitement instead.