Swedish photographer Lina Scheynius has opened up about the profound influence that French writer Hervé Guibert's book 'Ghost Image' has had on her artistic approach, describing his writing style as feeling "like life itself." In a feature interview for the latest Autumn/Winter 2025 issue of AnOther Magazine, Scheynius explores how Guibert's unique literary perspective on photography has shaped her understanding of the medium.

Scheynius particularly highlights a powerful passage from 'Ghost Image' where Guibert describes preparing to photograph his mother. Despite the book containing no actual images, Scheynius explains that she can vividly envision the photograph through his detailed description. "He goes to great lengths to ensure the image is perfect, that his mother looks a certain way," she notes, explaining how Guibert meticulously prepares for the shot.

The story takes an unexpected turn that resonates deeply with Scheynius's artistic philosophy. At the end of Guibert's essay, readers discover that the film was blank and no photograph actually exists. "I love how that relates to what photography is, a moment captured," Scheynius reflects. "Technically speaking, he fails to do this, but even though the image doesn't exist, the memory of it does."

This concept of non-existent imagery creating lasting impressions has become central to Scheynius's approach to photography. She believes that readers can visualize this phantom photograph through Guibert's description, with each person perhaps imagining something slightly different based on their own experiences and memories. "I suppose I've never known anyone write about a photograph that doesn't exist before," she admits, adding that "his writing feels like life itself. It's how I would like to write about photography."

For Scheynius, who has been working professionally as a photographer since 2007, images function as "dancing ghosts" that serve as extensions of memory. She approaches photography through an instinctual and diaristic lens, collecting and treasuring moments as a way of preserving the past. Her work consistently focuses on intimate and sensual subjects, with a particular emphasis on self-portraiture that deliberately blurs the boundaries between vulnerability and performance.

The Swedish artist has established herself as a significant voice in contemporary photography, having published 19 photobooks to date and showcased her work in solo and group exhibitions around the world. This year marks a significant milestone in her career with the release of her debut prose work, 'Diary of an Ending,' which represents both memoir and autofiction.

The new book, translated by Saskia Vogel and published by Prototype Publishing, documents the final months of a long-term relationship through a combination of black and white photographs and essays. The work explores complex themes including motherhood and the concept of home, offering readers an intimate glimpse into personal transformation and emotional transitions.

Scheynius's artistic evolution from purely visual work to incorporating written narrative reflects her deep appreciation for the literary approach that initially drew her to Guibert's writing. Though she cannot recall exactly how she first encountered the French author's work, she now considers his influence indispensable to her artistic development, stating that she "can't now imagine not knowing about him."