My first thought when I read the nostalgia challenge was that this one is written for me.

“As an assignment, create a photographic work that consciously wrestles with the concept of ‘nostalgia’ and photography’s unique relationship to it.”

My second thought was, I don’t even have to do this one because I’ve already done it. I do it all the time; I’m constantly wrestling with the concept of nostalgia. So many of my pictures with the troopers are connected to the theme of nostalgia. Or they are about being a parent exploring the world through the eyes of a child. Or they are about being a child longing for a parents attention or love. Suddenly I started to overthink myself: is this really the concept I wrestle with? I’m not sure…

nostalgia I

nostalgia I by K.Alexanderson

nostalgia II by K.Alexanderson

nostalgia II by K.Alexanderson

nostalgia III by K.Alexanderson

nostalgia II by K.Alexanderson

Anyway, I started this challenge by doing a series of pictures looking back on motive, which I’ve done before. I though this series would be my response to this challenge, but when I looked the series through, I thought it lacked a meta-aspect, as well as the wrestling part. So I decided to go in a different direction.

nostalgia II (alternative version) by K.Alexanderson

nostalgia II (alternative version) by K.Alexanderson

The challenge is to create a photographic work that wrestles with the concept of nostalgia, and since my first try missed the target, I decide to do a fan-fiction picture depicting a tender moment between the dark lord and what could be his child. A nostalgic moment that wrestles with the idea of what could have been… or not.

The Dark Lord - what could have been

The Dark Lord -what could have been…

Anyway, this challenge was fun. I really loved doing it and I’m so impressed with Shelly’s great result!

Kristina