Therese Asplund is an internationally awarded portrait and fine art photographer known for her distinctive lighting and artistic vision. A thirteen-time Swedish Champion, she was named Overall Winner of the WPE Awards 2024 and received the 2025 Luminance Award for Best Lighting. She holds two Master QEP qualifications with FEP and is a Senior Master with WPE.
Her work ranges from classical fine art portraits to bold, graphic fashion and underwater imagery. An experienced judge and international lecturer, Therese is also an Elinchrom Global Ambassador, Nikon Creator, and Canson Infinity Ambassador. Through her workshops and mentoring program Play to Learn, she inspires photographers worldwide. Her work has been widely published, and in 2023 she opened her own art shop for her photographic artwork.
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For Therese Asplund, light is far more than a technical necessity. It is the creative tool that shapes mood, character and storytelling. While she is known for her colourful fine art portraits and fashion-inspired imagery, her approach always starts with understanding how light and shadow work together. As she often says, "the magic happens when you master the shadows."
Rather than adding more lights, Therese focuses on placing light with intention. Small changes in angle, distance or direction can completely transform a portrait, creating anything from a soft, romantic atmosphere to a bold and dramatic look. Her goal is always to control the light well enough that she can focus on the person in front of the camera and the story she wants to tell.
Whether she is working in the studio, on location or underwater, Therese believes that understanding light gives photographers the freedom to be creative. The better she knows her lighting tools, the less she needs to think about the technical side and the more she can concentrate on styling, posing, expression and connection with her subject.
Therese chooses her lighting equipment based on flexibility rather than a specific genre. The compact Elinchrom ONE and THREE allow her to travel light and work efficiently on location, whether she is creating portraits in city streets, photographing couples outdoors or teaching workshops around the world. The combination of portability and power makes it possible to create polished, professional lighting almost anywhere.
For studio work and larger productions, the Elinchrom ELC PRO HD1000 provides the power, consistency and reliability needed for fine art portraits, fashion photography and commercial assignments. When continuous light is the better creative choice, Therese turns to the LED 100 C, allowing her to shape and preview light in real time while maintaining the colour accuracy she relies on throughout her workflow.
For Therese, the real advantage of the Elinchrom ecosystem is that every light works in a familiar and intuitive way. This allows her to move seamlessly between studio and location work while maintaining complete creative control over her lighting
Therese's photography spans fine art, portraiture, fashion and underwater imagery, but a consistent use of light connects all parts of her work. From painterly fine art portraits to graphic fashion images and emotional personal projects, she uses light to guide the viewer's attention and strengthen the story behind the image.
In her portrait photography, light is often used to sculpt faces, create depth and enhance connection. For fashion work, she enjoys experimenting with colour, direction and contrast to create bold visual impact. Her signature stylings, often created from unexpected materials, are brought to life through carefully controlled lighting that highlights texture, shape and detail.
Even in her underwater work, where controlling light becomes significantly more challenging, the same philosophy applies. Understanding how light behaves allows her to create images that feel intentional, elegant and emotionally engaging, regardless of the environment.
Explore Therese's educational content and discover how she uses light to create award-winning portraits and fine art photography: