Fine Art- /Portrait Photography

RESUME

Swedish born Björn Andrén began his career as a photographer at the age of four when his Norwegian mother lent him her Kodak box camera. He has been taking photographs ever since. He has also worked as a woodworking teacher, mechanical engineer, designer, systems analyst, project manager and IS manager. He has worked for many well known companies in Sweden including Volvo, Saab Scania, Volkswagen/Audi/Porsche and Esselté.

Since moving to Florida in 1990, he and his American born wife, sculptor Candace Knapp, have had their own company, “ANDRÉN & KNAPP”. Together they design and create statues, furniture and other Art objects for churches. They work out of their home and studio in Brandon, Florida. Björn designed the home+studio to fit their needs. Björn has collaborated with Candace on several public art works including Courthouse Square in downtown Tampa. He also enjoys Graphic design and designing Web sites for his company (www.andoknap.com) and for his wife Candy (www.CandaceKnapp.com and www.KnappsPlayground.com). He enjoys helping friends who are musicians and dancers with Pictures and Video recordings.

Björn’s photographs include art photography and computer manipulated images. His photographs have been published in several places including Sculptural Pursuit Magazine, Tampa Bay Magazine and a book about stained glass. His computer manipulated images include an edition that was purchased as awards for donor’s to MOSI .

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

“I take photographs of what I think is beautiful and interesting. This includes dancers in motion, interesting people, sculptures, musicians and faces, especially eyes. I prefer color to black and white.
I loved my old Cannon A1 cameras and even more my new Canon Digital SLR camera. Most of my photographs are not manipulated in the computer, however, there are times when I can see that it would be meaningful to combine some of my images or parts of them. I use Photoshop to do this.”

I would like to thank my wife, Candace, for encouraging me. I would also like to thank the Dancers, Choreographers, Dancecompanies, Dance schools: Josianne Fleming, Elsa Valbuena, Gaudere Danza; Erin Cardinal, Cynthia Hennessy, Moving Current Dance Company; Paula Nunez, America’s Ballet School; Kim Hall, Kim Halls School of Dance; Albena Arnaudova, Kelly Ray, Blake HS Department of Dance; Jeanne Travers, the USF Department of Dance; and Christina Acosta, HCC Dance Department, for letting me photograph their performances.