Seasons in Sweden: A Photo Essay
Winter
where we are now, where we will be for a while.
In November grey clots the sky, swaddling you as you try to go about your daily business. You transition into wearing chunky knitwear but there’s a permanent, non-committal drizzle and fog in the air and it makes everything damp.
When the snow comes, even if there’s no sun, it makes everything brighter. Take what joy you can from the fact your nostril hairs will freeze together. Do not chew minty gum and then go outside. Be glad that the snow makes everything so quiet, and can put on such a show.
Trees in Kiruna / Photo credit: Emma
Uppsala in late winter / Photo credit: Emma
Trees by Flogsta housing, Uppsala / Photo credit: Emma
The Church in Kiruna, January 2018 / Photo credit: Emma
Kiruna in the winter / Photo credit: Emma
Me in the wintertime, Kiruna / Photo credit: Raeed
An outtake / Photo credit: Raeed
The outskirts of Uppsala, March 2018 / Photo credit: Emma
Fjällnora / Photo credit, Emma
Early afternoon, January 2018 in Kiruna / Photo credit: Emma
Afternoon in wintertime Uppsala / Photo credit: Emma
Industrial / Photo credit: Emma
Frozen undergrowth, Kiruna 2018 / Photo credit: Emma
Pink wintertime light, flying away from Kiruna 2018 / Photo credit: Emma
Skating in Uppsala, March 2018 / Photo credit: Ivanna
Spring
sneeze and you’ll miss it. Is it March – May? Is it April – May? The snow is like that friend at a party who says all of their goodbyes at 11:00pm, promising to call it a night now, but every time another Frank Ocean song comes on over the aux cord says, “I can just hang around a while longer!” Before you know it it’s 8am the next day and they’re still there, incomprehensibly.
You’ll need a bigger backpack to accommodate the extra sweater, the rain mac, the gloves (just in case), your umbrella.
Everything is in flux. The gravel from the streets to protect against the ice gets in your shoes.
Daylight savings comes, everyone exhales.
A spot for sauna in Stockholm / Photo credit: Emma
Temperature of the water outside of the sauna / Photo credit: Emma
Sakura in Stockholm / Photo credit: Emma
A bedroom window view, Uppsala 2019 / Photo credit: Emma
Early evening in Stockholm / Photo credit: Emma
Pride flag and pink building in Uppsala / Photo credit: Emma
Stockholm tube, 6pm in the spring / Photo credit: Emma
A sleeping boat in Uppsala, Spring 2019 / Photo credit: Emma
A pink spring sky, Uppsala / Photo credit: Emma 
Spring trees, Uppsala 2018 / Photo credit: Emma
Uppsala 2018 / Photo credit: Emma
Summer
don’t close your blinds before bed, be woken up by the sun at 3am and – for one night at least – watch it make its golden arc upwards.
Get your walking boots on and hike into the night without worries.
Go out to the islands, swim everywhere, be outside whenever you can be.
A student room in early August morning / Photo credit: Emma
A 3am walk home in Stockholm, Summer 2019 / Photo credit: Emma
An 8am morning swim, July 2018 / Photo credit: Emma
Church in Odenplan, Stockholm / Photo credit: Emma
Hot air balloon in Sofia, Stockholm / Photo credit: Emma
Woodland walk, July 2018 / Photo credit: Daryl
Statues and trees near Södrateatern, Stockholm June 2019 / Photo credit: Emma
Swimmers in Stockholm 2019 / Photo credit: Emma
Friends after a swim, early September 2019 / Photo credit: Emma
Österlen, southern Sweden, June 2019 / Photo credit: Emma
Boat and Swedish flag, 2018 / Photo credit: Emma
Stockholm archipelago / Photo credit: Emma
Light at 12:30, Stockholm, June 2019 / Photo credit: Emma
Early evening (or late morning, I can’t remember), a church on Södermalm, Stockholm / Photo credit: Emma
Gamla Stan, Stockholm / Photo credit: Emma
Caramel and pistachio ice cream, Uppsala 2019 / Photo credit: Emma
A late August swim in Stockholm city, 2019 / Photo credit: Emma
A friend by a lake out the back of Stockholm University, 2019 / Photo credit: Emma
Abisko National Park, June 2019 / Photo credit: Emma
Abisko National Park, June 2019 / Photo credit: Emma
Abisko National Park, two friends walking, June 2019 / Photo credit: Emma
Abisko National Park, June 2019 / Photo credit: Emma
Abisko National Park, June 2019 / Photo credit: Emma
Abisko National Park, June 2019 / Photo credit: Emma
Abisko National Park, June 2019
Abisko National Park, June 2019, two friends / Photo credit: Emma
Abisko National Park, June 2019 / Photo credit: Emma
Fjällnora, Uppsala 2018 / Photo credit: Emma
Stockholm 2019 / Photo credit: Emma
1:30am in a woodland area just outside of Stockholm / Photo credit: Emma
Autumn
start taking coffee in a thermos on walks in the forest. Watch the leaves shimmer off of trees when waiting for the bus.
Walk home with your head held up, facing forward. The wind and rain and snow are yet to come.
A friend in Stockholm / Photo credit: Emma
Walking in the forest / Photo credit: Emma
Taking in the autumn sun on Södermalm / Photo credit: Emma
A walk in the woods, Autumn 2019 / Photo credit: Emma
A walk in the woods, a red wooden house, Autumn 2019 / Photo credits for this and all photos below: Emma 
Comments (6)
Wooow, love the photos, Em! <3
Ahhh thank you babes!
Hello Emma,
I was looking for studying next year in Sweden, and it’s such a good thing to find “real” photos from someone who lives here.
Thanks for sharing !
Ah no worries Mathieu! And wishing you the best of luck – if you need any further guidance just ask in the comments here 🙂 / Emma
Haha such a beautiful photos 🙂
Ahhhh what a comment from the queen of photography – thanks babes!