When the press file had Alzheimer’s disease, the son picked up the camera: – It was very difficult

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Håvard Haugseth Jensen talks about a time of crisis when he had to turn the camera on his own life to process grief.

It didn’t happen until after his mother’s death in 2016 Harvard Hogseth Jensen And the sister understood that the father was ill.

journalist johan o. Jensen. He, who has been a member of the Professional Committee on Journalism for fourteen years, has led the committee for seven of them, and in 2007 was awarded the King’s Gold Medal of Merit, among other things, for his great efforts in journalism and as a principled trustee of journalism. Morals, he lost his direction.

Slowly, he slowly disappeared into his own world.

– We made a promise to our mom that we would take care of him and make sure he was okay, Jensen told reporters.

It’s been a few years now. Jensen describes the years as a time of crisis.

It was like standing over an abyss.

He treats grief

Although they arranged home care and various solutions to make the father live at home, it eventually became an impossible task.

Haugseth Jensen began taking pictures of his father on the trips they took together to and from the cabin in Stugudalen. He himself has worked as a photojournalist for Adresseavisa for 16 years and had no big plans to create a project from the images when he started shooting.

He continued to take pictures of his father. Photography has become a way to process grief.

Apart from being a journalist, my father was keen to be in nature. We often went for walks together. Then I discovered that my father often collected flowers with him, before putting them in a vase or cup, says Haugseth Jensen.

continued:

– Gradually I understood that this is a love story. He was picking flowers for my mom. Then there was light in the darkness. It became a good thing to do, rather than focusing on the fact that he was ill.

As a photojournalist, the job often involves documenting the lives and tragedies of others.

– It’s a really bad diet in the first place, says Haugseth Jensen.

continued:

– But then you can’t get close to him. You don’t know people before. It was very difficult to point the camera at my private life. I’m glad I spent some time on it.

Haugseth Jensen talks about the process of grieving the loss of both parents. He says working through the photographic process was difficult.

– You must constantly look at the pictures and think about the situation. Your father will disappear.

recorded calls

The documentary project has been called “Søssa and Johan O”. Although it took two years to prepare, it was shown for the first time globally in exhibition form on the town hall square in Trondheim in connection with the Olafsfest.

Feedback not long in coming. Many appreciate being open about the disease.

His father is so ill now that he didn’t necessarily realize the project was finished, but before he got really sick, his father and son had a conversation about the project.

– He is a longtime journalist, and has always worked for transparency. Jensen says he demands the same principles he fought for.

– A few years ago, I recorded several conversations with my dad, and showed him almost all the photos that I had taken up to then. I told him I wanted to publish this in book form, says Jensen.

He adds:

– He agreed, even though he’s sick now, I feel like my back is covered.

– Dad said when I showed him the exhibition – I should feel proud, but I’m not sure if he fully understood the scope of the project.

Dignity is important

Excerpts from the conversations It was published in Adresseavisa this summer in conjunction with the opening of the exhibition.

Working on such a special project was difficult for an experienced photographer. He says that although the process was long and difficult, he also learned new things about the role of a photographer through the work.

“When you meet people who are in a vulnerable position, it is important to meet them with dignity,” he says.

He adds:

– I think it’s very important to communicate that, because it has a driving force in the whole project.