WINTER DIP

Winter Dip In the series Winter Dip, I portray people who have overcome their fear and bathe in ice-cold water during winter in Sweden. Winter bathing became very popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, as it was an activity you could carry out without risk of catching or spreading the virus. The exposed bodies and dark water are both enticing and frightening. Feet and hands go numb. First-timers often hyperventilate and may find it hard to breathe. “It’s important to take control of your breathing”, say those who have overcome their fear and defy all laws of nature. ”Before I entered the water the first time, I was afraid of dying from the cold”, said one man, who when I photographed him broke his own record of staying in the icy water continuously for ten minutes. Bathing in ice-cold water really is something extraordinary. It requires great courage and faith in your own body’s ability to cope with extreme conditions. “If you can do it, you are rewarded with an incredibly good feeling afterwards”, testified several winter bathers. “It’s wonderful to be enclosed by nature even in winter”, said one. ”I’m no longer depressed”, said another, ”and my joints no longer ache”. To me, as a bystander, it’s like throwing yourself into a death and still managing to survive. The pictures are taken in different locations in Sweden between 2020-2023.