At first glance, it may appear that Morten Andresen’s photography focuses on people. His shots are full of foregrounded figures, their silhouettes prominent in the centre of the frame. Most give the impression not of being photographed but of moving through the image, the camera capturing one slice of their journey. Look longer, and it becomes clear that the surroundings, the character of Oslo, are equally important to these photographs.

Andresen is a street photographer, but before that he worked in the television industry for two decades. Coupled with his childhood love of bright comic book panels, the inspiration for these shots becomes clear. In stills from around the city, Andresen uses the vibrant colours of old buildings, modern electronic signage, and the light of the sun to contrast his subjects with their surroundings. Shot in such a way, the subject’s individuality becomes less important than their existence in the environment—the darkened silhouette of a commuter rushing past a vibrant blue kangaroo painted on the side of a building could be anyone in the city, and probably has been at many points.

To see more of Andresen’s work, visit @morten.clicks.

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