One of our founding principles has always been to showcase and champion people from around the world who do things a little differently. We’re fortunate to have connected with 100’s of people through social channels, trade shows and other experiences over the years and during the pandemic, we wanted to celebrate these people and acknowledge their efforts.Â
Cato reached out on Instagram and with his good friend Thomas, have created some amazing images that they have very kindly shared with us along with their own story.
You’ve been selected as a Pioneer for &SONS - What’s your definition of the word Pioneer?Â
To me, a Pioneer is someone who is not afraid to explore all that life has to offer, both the good and the bad sides. People who never say no when they get the chance to do something not everyone would do, and always look for new ways and solutions to conquer obstacles in their path- These are the true Pioneers in my book. Never go square!
Tell us your story. How did you begin your career and what led you here?Â
Our journey began in a suburb of Oslo. Thomas and I grew up in the same neighbourhood, went to the same schools, and explored the same areas as youngsters. In our youth, we belonged to the same circle, which was strongly inspired by urban culture - Music, dance and art. We have always expressed our creative sides, sometimes in different ways. Thomas worked for many years as a professional dancer and choreographer, before an injury made him start focusing on photography. I have always worked creatively - both in front of and behind the camera. My life has been a voyage marked by many different creative projects that have pushed me forward throughout my career.
Both of us are perfectionists to the teeth and have never contented ourselves with mediocre. This together with a desire to always push the boundaries to see how far we can go have taken us on journeys we never could imagine when we walked the streets of suburbia as teenagers. We have not always shared each other's travels, but for long periods explored the world in different ways.Â
Thomas moved to Hong Kong in 2010, established himself as a photographer, and stayed there and worked internationally for almost 10 years. I have done projects that have taken me through high conflict parts of the world and experienced the harsher side of humanity. Experiences that have affected me, but which I would never have been without. We have always kept in touch and worked together when projects came up that suited our busy schedules.
In 2016, we again had the opportunity to work more closely and then worked for a couple of years with several of Asia's largest fashion brands. Since 2018, we have further developed Sandfield Productions as a creative collective. Where myself and Thomas act as a nucleus, and other creatives come in and out as desired or needed. This way of doing things works really well for us with both fluid and concrete roles in the projects we have on the table. Over the last few years, we have done many compelling projects, and despite Covid we have been lucky to still be working with some really awesome international brands and institutions. Our plan for the future is to push on hard, look for new interesting people and hopefully create a little magic.
In your work, what values do you cherish the most?Â
This has developed over the years - but working with ambitious and adequate people who share our joy of working across industries has always been something that made us push the extra mile. Working collectively towards a goal and then succeeding is sometimes pay enough.
What 3 words best describe you?
Explorer
Loyal
Quality conscious - In all aspects of life
The creative process can be very different from project to project.
Tell us a bit more about your creative process.
The creative process can be very different from project to project.
Our experience is that the collective always creates better. We thrive when the team gets the opportunity to work freely without too many guidelines from the client. The result is also received well by the other party in most cases.
The projects we work on constantly include photo-video and location for our shoots is something we always work hard to get right, as the location, we used in the project with &SONS.
The shoot was done at a sandpit that was established when they built Norway's new main airport, Gardermoen. The contrast of the landscape in this area is enormous - A large man-made wound in an otherwise scenic landscape.
Nature is an important element in our lives, and we always try to intertwine it in subtle ways.
How does it begin?
Who inspires you?Â
How does it begin?
It never stops.
What do you do for inspiration?Â
We are both sci-fi nerds and often start the creative process by getting inspiration by watching old sci-fi movies. Wireless headphones and music are also a good weapon of choice when you have to dig a little extra to bring out the best.
Who inspires you?Â
Great minds and creators have always been a source of inspiration to us both. People who have a grand idea and go through with it. The people we work with are also an important source of inspiration. We are both committed to working with people who bring a large dose of positive karma into our projects. We avoid working in toxic environments that ultimately kill the creative process.
What is your favourite piece from the &SONS Collection?
What brands inspire you?
Our wardrobes consist of high-end designer pieces and mid-range stuff from quality brands with a strong focus on details.
Sustainability is also important, but I often find it difficult to verify whether the garments are really produced in an environmentally friendly way. The big trend of today is to push a brand on us consumers as an environmentally friendly alternative, but I often find that in many cases that this is only a gimmick when you look through the seams.
What is your wardrobe essential? The piece you couldn’t live without.
All black everything, with a splash of colour these days. Bold overshirts for spring.
What is your favourite piece from the &SONS Collection?
The Carver. I use mine a lot and have plans to get someone to paint a design on the back to personify it a bit. This winter it has been a faithful middle layer, it is perfect for that. It will also be with me into the Spring season, which will hopefully be here soon. Need one in black though.
What is your favourite album, artist or Spotify playlist?
Like I already said - Urban music has always been a large part of our lives. At the moment we work closely with the young and amazing RnB singer-producer, Nadia Essah. We are as often as we can in a studio where she produces her first EP, which is released sometime early fall - 21.
Sandfield Productions produces all of her visuals - We have really high expectations for this project. Watch out for us pushing awesome tracks from Nadia in our SoMe throughout this year.
Any recommendation on the best podcast to listen to?
I’ve been digging deep into podcasts on American politics over the past years. My interest has waned a bit since the election in November and the world feels a little safer. But I would still recommend Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill and Politically Re-Active with W. Kamau Bell & Hari Kondabolu. If you want to nerd yourself in details such as buttons and curiosities such as zippers, The MR PORTER Podcast - The Detail is a good alternative.
Image Credit - ThomasÂ
Image Credit - ThomasÂ
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