Interview with Peter Rask
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Cheers everyone, my name is Peter. I’m originally from Denmark and I’ve been living in Tallinn for the past six years. Moving here wasn’t part of some grand plan, but it ended up changing both my life and my photography more than I expected. Tallinn is quiet compared to many capitals, especially outside the tourist areas, and that slowness seeps into how you move and how you observe. Over time, I’ve come to appreciate that pace. I don’t come from a background where I felt an urgent need to define myself as a photographer early on. Instead, photography slowly became part of my life as I settled into new surroundings and routines. You can find me on Instagram here.
How did you first get into photography?
I grew up in a family where both my father and brother were deeply involved in photography, but for a long time it didn’t really register with me. It felt like their thing, not mine. That changed during a 30-day trip to India, when I was offered a Fuji X100T to take with me. Somewhere along that journey I realized that making images lit a spark I hadn’t found elsewhere - a creative impulse I’d been searching for without knowing how to name it. Photography didn’t feel inherited in that moment, it felt discovered.
Why street photography?
Street photography felt natural because it’s where I first experienced photography as something meaningful. Walking through the streets of India and reacting to spontaneous, often random moments gave me something real to hold onto. There was no intention behind it and no idea of genre - it was simply the first way I ever took photographs.
What are the best/your favourite photo locations in your city and why?
Hmm it’s tough to come up with a favorite in Tallinn. The city is quite small for a capital and I would say it depends more on the weather conditions where I go shoot. I like my ground point to go from the freedom square in the center though.
What does photography mean to you?
Photography, to me, is first and foremost about freedom - the freedom to create and to respond intuitively to what’s around me. But it’s also something I’ve learned to respect. You can always see when the passion is missing - good images don’t come from half-hearted effort. Earlier this year I had a back injury that forced me to slow down. During recovery, the weather outside was exactly how I like it - foggy and dim - and after weeks of mostly lying down, I decided to go out shooting again. Physically, I was very limited. I couldn’t move the way I usually would, and that made me realize how demanding street photography actually is, and how precise you become chasing a moment that disappears almost as quickly as it appears. When you rush to get a shot and everything suddenly aligns in the viewfinder, that feeling is hard to replace. It’s rewarding - and slightly addictive.
What gear do you use?
I shoot with Fujifilm. At the moment, my two cameras are the X100VI and the X-T5, which I use with the 56mm f/1.2 lens. They give me two quite different ways of approaching street photography, and I like having that flexibility. The X100VI is great when I want to keep things simple and just walk around without carrying much equipment. It’s compact, discreet, and easy to have with me. The X-T5 with the 56mm is a different experience because the longer focal length lets me isolate subjects and work with a little more distance. That suits the minimalistic compositions I often look for, especially when I want one person to stand out from the surroundings.
Do you prefer shooting in the chaos of a busy street or in quieter, more intimate spaces?
When I first started shooting street photography, I was all over the place. I loved capturing anything that moved, and I never aimed for anything specific. Over time, I found a style I connect with, and now I try to bring that sensibility into my frames. Sometimes I do revisit locations I’ve noticed before, waiting for a moment I pictured in my head. I tend to focus on a single person in the frame, which supports a minimalistic approach and creates a subtle connection to that isolated figure. It gives the image balance and a quiet intimacy, even in a busy environment.
What are your favourite shooting conditions?
I like all weather but my favourite conditions are no doubt foggy. I experienced it first time when I was in Vietnam in 2020. When the low clouds drifted in to a neon filled city a cold evening my jaw simply dropped. It was quite a sight. That encounter changed my direction on what I like to shoot.
How do you decide on what moments to capture and which ones not? Or do you just shoot everything?
Over the years, you naturally become more selective about what you want to include in your work. It can be frustrating - if a scene is promising, it only feels right when all the elements come together, and I’ve spent hours just waiting for that to happen. I also sometimes “follow” interesting subjects, in a very respectful way, especially people with striking clothes or appearances. It’s not about forcing a shot, but about noticing moments that feel alive and worth showing.
Colour or Black and White?
I’m definitely a colour guy. It’s actually pretty rare that I dare to play with black and white, although it’s something I’d like to explore more in the future. Colour is such an important part of what attracts me to a scene in the first place, especially when I’m shooting in fog or around artificial light. I love how different colours interact with the atmosphere and how they can completely change the feeling of a photograph. Sometimes it’s a small amount of warm light against a much cooler background, and sometimes it’s a combination of colours that you wouldn’t normally expect to work together. Removing those colours would take away a big part of what made me photograph the scene. That said, I do appreciate strong black-and-white street photography, and I think it could be interesting to challenge myself with it more often.
What is the most challenging thing about photography for you?
The most challenging thing for me is maintaining the passion. The last couple of years have been tough in terms of keeping the drive to create. Life, fortunately, teaches you lessons in ways that don’t always involve photography, and for me, it’s been my own journey outside of the camera that sometimes put a pause on my work.
Do you listen to music during your creative process and if yes how do you think it influences you?
When I’m out shooting, I actually prefer not to listen to music. I like to use all my senses, and I think that’s particularly important with street photography. Focus is key because things can happen very quickly, and sound is part of understanding what’s going on around you. You might hear someone approaching before you see them, or notice something happening just outside your field of view. I also think you need to stay aware of your surroundings for practical reasons, especially when you’re walking around busy streets with traffic. You really do have to watch your back sometimes.
Who are some photographers or other artists that inspire you?
This question is great cause over the years I have noticed a tendency amongst photographers. I don’t really buy into the idea that inspiration has to come from iconic names. Photography has a bit of an ego problem in that way. Most of us are influenced by our peers, by people we discover online and by things we see casually rather than in history books. And that’s completely fine. Nothing remains unique for very long anyway - images get repeated, refined, and sometimes detached from their origin. What matters more to me is how honestly you engage with that process.
How do you know when you have nailed the shot? Is it instinct or something else?
I think you just know. There’s this feeling of chasing something and finally getting it, and then that moment when you shoot something and are genuinely surprised by the result you got. Slow shutter shots can create those “wow” feelings - for me, at least.
How important is composition in photography?
For me, composition is everything - it separates the wolves from the sheep I’m not really an “order” kind of person, so I don’t strictly follow rules like the rule of thirds. I often place my subject dead center, which traditional photography advice usually frowns upon, but for my style it just works. Composition isn’t about following rules blindly, it’s about finding what feels right for the image and for the story you want to tell.
What is your advice for someone who wants to start exploring street photography?
Start by shooting whatever grabs your attention, and let your curiosity lead the way. The key is to find joy in the act of photographing - if you’re passionate, improvement comes naturally. Street photography isn’t complicated, anyone can pick it up. Learn the basics, get out there, shoot constantly, and figure out your editing style - that’s all it really takes.
How important is lighting in photography?
Lighting is crucial, but it’s not just about perfect conditions. Some of my favorite shots come from weird, messy, or unexpected light sources. What matters is how the light interacts with the scene and how you use it to tell the story.
How do you approach editing?
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