Tore Johnsson (1928-1980) was a Swedish photographer, best known for his “photographie humaniste”, a sort of street photography aimed at illustrating street life in the city, combined with some realism and poetry.
You can see many of his shots here.
Born in Saint-Leu-la-Forêt, France in 1928, Tore Johnsson was the son of renowned author Eyvind Johnson. He embarked on his photography career in 1948, working as an assistant to the established photographer K.W. Gullers.
Early recognition came in 1949 when he participated in the “Young Photographers” exhibition in Stockholm. A formative period followed in the early 1950s, where he spent several years in Paris alongside other Swedish photographers. This experience significantly shaped his distinctive style, characterized by a blend of realism and poetic sensibility. Johnsson became celebrated for his captivating images of urban life and its inhabitants, captured both in Sweden and during his travels to places like Congo, the United States, France, the Arctic, and the Gulf of Bothnia.
From 1954 onwards, he was based in Stockholm, undertaking assignments for various Swedish and international publications, most notably for the magazine “Vi”. In 1958, he co-founded the photographic agency “Tiofoto” (Ten Photographers).
Johnsson’s body of work encompasses a diverse range of photographic styles. It includes reportage and commissioned work, spontaneous street photography, and intimate portraits of his family and friends in Stockholm. While he frequently worked for the weekly press, his photographs also graced the pages of numerous books published throughout the 1950s and 1960s.
I feel there is a realism in Johnsson’s photos, an aesthetic kin to Kertész and Bresson. The black and white style and that many of his photos are taken in Paris probably contributes to that.
I’d urge you to check out Tore Johnsson.
