Embracing Stillness with Agnes Maltesdotter

1 January 1970

As a photographer and digital marketer, the co-founder of Tori Retreats, proud husky owner, and soon to be mother, Agnes Maltesdotter shares her perspective on preparing for motherhood, appreciating nature, and capturing the still moments.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m Agnes, 30 years old. I have lived in the most northern part of Sweden, Kiruna, for the past 5 years. I grew up in Stockholm, together with my family. I have always loved nature, so Stockholm never really felt like home – or more or less a place where I could breathe, but it does have the biggest place in my heart. I have two Alaskan huskies, Samir & Billy, and I’m waiting for my first child, together with my boyfriend, Jonatan. So I'm very excited for this upcoming NEW chapter in my life.

How would you describe the emotional landscape of waiting for this new chapter to begin?

It’s really hard to describe the love I already feel for this creature, the calm and excitement. I never thought I would become a mother, but here I am just weeks away from having him in my arms. Feels surreal!

How have you experienced the passing of time right now?

Just like you are saying, time flies. But our due date also feels so far away. I feel like the third trimester is the hardest one for me, it’s like waiting for Christmas with a stomach full of food. But I love every single moment of the process, it is a journey and I don’t want to rush it. I’m just very excited to see my body adapt and change. It’s such a wow experience.

Do you feel you can balance the stillness and the rushing?

Since rushing is not really a problem for me I would say yes. I need to rush some things – like buying a baby-nest, diapers, starting to think of a good name for him, packing the bag for the hospital if he joins us earlier than expected, but otherwise, time is now: day by day, step by step, moment by moment, the joy and pain.

“The pregnancy has really helped me slow down and appreciate the small moments, and helped me to relax and take some extra time to observe nature.”

Are there any practices or small habits that help you slow down and truly savor this time?

I have never felt this calm in my entire life before. The pregnancy has really helped me slow down and appreciate the small moments, and helped me to relax and take some extra time to observe nature. I love it. Normally I would just go for a long run, but now I go for a slow one, resting underneath a tree. I might lay down there, watching the tree, the sky, taking some extra time to hug my dogs, rest on the sofa, or cook some delicious food - and I’m so thankful for this.

There’s a unique kind of love in waiting—a love for someone you haven’t met yet. How would you describe that feeling?

I’m so excited for this new chapter, I do love him so much, and can’t wait to hold his hand in mine. To hold him in my arms when he cries, to bring him on my adventures, to show him the world… I didn’t know that I was longing so much for this. And sharing this with my best friend and love, Jonatan, makes me cry of pure happiness.

“I want him not to be afraid of following his own path and I believe everything starts with letting him be a part of that.”

What made you fall in love with photography?

I grew up with photography, and I just love light. How it touches our skin, nature, the sky, the ocean and so on. There is something magical about also catching those moments.

Why do you think it’s important to capture those everyday glimpses?

I love them, I feel something, and I love to look back at those small moments. Daily life is life.

Looking ahead, what kind of memories do you hope to preserve for your child through photography, and what do you want them to feel when they one day look back at these images?

I want him to observe the sky as his roof, the ground as his floor, nature as an open door, I want him not to be afraid of following his own path and I believe everything starts with letting him be a part of that. I want him to feel whatever he wants to feel but I want to give him freedom and a sense of what nature means to me.