Hasselblad Heroine Lydia Winters On Her Top Tips For Watch Photography & More

It’s hard to miss the photography of Lydia Winters. One look at any of her pictures and you immediately recognize her unique style. Her images not only capture the beauty of timepieces but also evoke emotions, telling her story as a watch collector. As Minecraft's Chief Storyteller and a self-proclaimed watch nerd, Winters' passion for timepieces has taken her on an exciting journey of collecting, photographing, and sharing her love for watches with the world through social media. 

She was awarded the Hasselblad Heroine in 2022 – an annual initiative by the Swedish camera brand to recognize women for unique examples of stunning and storytelling photography. Also featured on Forbes 30 under 30 list in 2016, Winters has been part of Mojang Studios' immensely popular game, Minecraft, since 2011.

We caught up with Lydia to know more about her interest in watches, photography tips and more.

Which watch are you wearing today?

I'm wearing the new Tudor Black Bay 54, that's on an Erika's Originals strap because I'm waiting for my Tudor small rubber strap to come in.

You're a watch collector, what drew you to this hobby and which was your first timepiece?

Growing up, my parents were fond of watches. And then, in high school, my first few watches were Fossils (I was part of the Fossil girl generation). In 2012, my partner reignited my interest in watches by giving me a TAG Heuer Link and a small Omega. Sometime in 2013 or 2014, he encouraged me to pick a watch for myself, and I chose a Cartier Tank in rose gold. It is an amazing watch, and I felt incredible wearing it every day. My partner, Vu is always like, 'So what's next? What are you gonna get next?' And I was like, 'Oh my god, get off my back.' I mean, this is the perfect watch. It's so beautiful. Why would I even need any other watch? And then, like a month later, we were going up to the North of Sweden to see the Northern Lights. It was freezing cold in January, and I realized I couldn't wear a rose gold Cartier on a leather strap. So I said, 'Look, don't freak out. But I'm gonna go buy myself a Rolex.' And he was like, 'Let's go to the store right now.' He was so excited.

I listened to watch podcasts, specifically Tenn & Two, hosted by Kat and Katlen. Not long after, they invited me on their podcast as a watch collector. Now, I am even more passionate and knowledgeable about watches than my partner, and I feel like I have fallen deep into the watch collector's rabbit hole.

What do you look for in a timepiece?

I would say I'm like a typical early collector in the sense that I have quite a few pieces that I should probably rotate out of my collection. I didn't think about where or when I would wear them, I would just see something cool and buy it. About a year and a half ago, I bought a really cool Vacheron Constantin Harmony from the '80s that I have no idea where to wear. I just thought it was fun and wanted it. Now, as I'm honing my philosophy, I ask myself, 'what purpose does this watch serve that's different from what I have in my collection?' For example, I got the Tudor Black Bay 54 not on a bracelet, but on a rubber strap because it adds something different. I also like the color. It’s what I mountain bike in. I'm trying to be more thoughtful and intentional in my watch collecting rather than just being impulsive like Cookie Monster with cookies.

How did you get into watch photography?

My partner had a watch Instagram account that he started at the beginning of the pandemic. He suggested that I start one too, but I was hesitant because I thought it was weird. During the pandemic, I started taking a lot of photos of flowers. I've been into photography for many years and was a professional at one point, but I'd always focused on people, such as portraits, weddings, and families. When I started taking photos of flowers, I enjoyed photographing objects and thinking of them as portraits. When I started @lydiaswatches, I planned to take a few photos of my watches here and there. To me, it was just a way to put my watch somewhere and take a shot. I fell in love with the process of taking something I already loved, like one of my watches, and thinking about a time, place, story, and creating a portrait of that watch. I got deeply involved in the watch community and met many people online. Some of our best friends are watch nerds in Bristol. We surprised one of them for her birthday, and that was the first time we met. We've since developed a deep level of friendship. Photography keeps me creative and pushes me to try new things, while Instagram allows me to connect with anyone, especially watch women. It's been so cool to connect with anyone in the industry or who likes watches.

Which camera do you use? 

During the pandemic, I bought my first digital Hasselblad camera, which is something I've wanted for years. Within the year after I started my Instagram account, they recognized me as a Hasselblad Heroine, which was surreal. 

The camera goes with my shooting style, which is that I don't like to take a lot of photos or edit them. I enjoy the moment of taking the shot and setting it up. That's why I prefer still life photography over portraits, which have more moving pieces. With still life, I get to spend time with objects that I love, and I can change and move them around. I used to struggle with finding my voice as a photographer, but during this process, I found something I loved photographing and got deeper into it. All the years of photography helped me to develop my own style and preferences. Now, every photo I post, I want my Instagram friends to recognize it as mine without any questions. It's been extra fun and challenging to be creative with these pieces that I love. At the beginning, I felt like my photos didn't look like other people's photos. They were more fun, silly, and sometimes irreverent, like gluing flowers in my hair or adding things to my watch. But I realized that being as creative as possible with the pieces I love is more fun, and it's been nice to see the positive reactions from people.

What inspires you for your images?

The thing that inspires me first is the watch itself. So a lot of times, I take photos of a newer watch that I have because it's exciting. Then, I want to do all these cool things and take portraits of this new thing. I also get inspired by flowers and nature. When I travel, I write down things I see, like a color that would go with a watch or a cool spot to put a watch on. That's where my inspiration comes from. Sometimes I take a watch and think, 'What should I do with it?' But most of the time, I have an idea going into it because of my inspiration. I want to shoot it as quickly as possible, get it out of my head, onto the camera and on Instagram. Otherwise, I'll start overworking it. I remind myself that this is just for fun, so I come up with a concept, work on it, take the shot, and put it up. Then, I take what I learned from that process and apply it to the next one.

What makes a good watch photo?

For my personal taste, I like photos that have a story or a thought behind them. The story can be about the watch itself or the things around it. I love colors and textures, and I want to see something that catches my eye and is a little weird, fun, or interesting. I also like photos that tell me something about the person who owns the watch, like where they are or what they own. Sometimes, I take photos that are about a place in time, like when I was on stage for a big show. These shots are like a journal for me, but for others, they get to know something about me. When it comes to brands, I like to see representation for men, women, and people of color. The photography that brands use tells me whether or not they want me to wear their watch. Sometimes, brands are telling me that their watch isn't for me, and I pay attention to that. If all the women in the photos are very proper, then that's not for me.

What are some of the challenges?

I think the biggest challenge for me with watch photography, which is just for fun right now, is my own self-doubt and self-criticism. I always laugh with my close friends about this creative journey of having an idea, thinking it's good, then thinking it's terrible, and then thinking it's good again. As soon as I hit “enter,” I question myself, and it feels terrible. That's the most difficult part for me. I've tried to be open in my account and show BTS shots because knowledge should be free and openly shared. I want more people in the community who want to take photos. I aim to be accessible and share a little bit about myself, so maybe people can learn something. Since it's just for fun, I haven't felt any big challenges, but keeping it fun can be a challenge. Sometimes, I feel like I need to post all the time, but that's not how I get inspired or enjoy it. I don't want it to feel like another job. So the biggest challenge for me is keeping it as something that I can be creative with and have fun with.

Top 3 tips for someone getting into watch photography? 

1. Spend time developing your style.
Tip number one is that developing a style takes a long time. Don't expect to find your style overnight. It takes years of learning and practice. I used to think that one day someone just found their style, and I couldn't find mine. But it's a gradual process. 

2. Take watch photos that YOU like. 
Don't just take photos that will get more likes or that others may prefer. Take photos that are fun and creative for you. This helps develop your own style and helps you learn from there. 

3. Try new things. 
Not everything works, and that's totally fine. I have tons of shots that I would never post, but I learned something from setting them up and trying them. The more you try and do, the more you learn each time.

Which is your favorite watch to photograph from your collection?

My first colorful watches were the turquoise Rolex Oyster Perpetual and the yellow Oyster Perpetual. It's fun to have a watch that stands out with its color, and I enjoy thinking about how the background and other items can make the color look even better. With my Explorer, I can put it anywhere, and it looks good because it's classic and beautiful. But with the colorful watches, I get inspired to do weird things like finding paint or eyeshadow that matches the color.

Do you see any similarities between being involved at Mojang Studios for Minecraft and your passion for watches and photography?

Throughout my career at Mojang, I've been on camera, making videos. But with watches, it's been fun to see what my colleagues and partners wear around the office. It's a talking point that immediately sparks a conversation about our shared passion. It's like an icebreaker that works well because you can see the watch on someone's wrist and ask why they chose it. 

I also see similarities in the communities between Minecraft and watches. When I got into Minecraft in 2010, I was able to search the hashtag and find friends in the digital community. It was the same feeling when I got into watches in 2020. Even though the watch community on Instagram is relatively small, it's still a tight community where you can connect with anyone and send a little 'hi.' It reminds me of the early days of Minecraft and how I could travel to a city and know five people I met online. The same applies to watches, where I can plan to meet up with watch friends in different cities. The community aspect is strong, involving both industry professionals and enthusiasts. I love being part of communities like that.

I love the openness of the watch community. I also see similarities between the watch industry and the gaming industry in terms of shifting to become more diverse and inclusive. When I started at Mojang, I was the first woman on the team and the seventh employee. Now, there are women all around the office, and we're continuing to add more people of color and women. It's similar in the watch industry and community, where women before me have paved the way for more representation. It's great to enter a community that's farther along than where I was when I started in gaming 12 years ago. I want to do more to ensure that everyone who collects watches can be represented in the community.

Have you ever thought about merging the worlds of gaming and watches? If yes, how do you see yourself doing that? 

From an enthusiast's perspective, it would be very fun to have a watch based on what I work on. We do have watches for kids, and I think that's a cool thing. Maybe these watches will get them interested in collecting later in life. For example, someone might say, 'I had this cute digital Minecraft watch when I was eight, and now I'm a watch collector.' I hope these stories inspire people to get into collecting.

Hasselblad Heroine, Forbes 30 under 30 and of course, Chief Storyteller for one of the biggest games in the gaming industry, Minecraft – what’s next for you?

All of the things that I'm proud of and thankful for came from a baseline of passion and trying something new. With Minecraft, I didn't know anything about it, but I jumped into the community and world of it, and then I took a job in Sweden without ever visiting there. It's about saying yes to things and following my passions in my own way. Being recognized for my role in Minecraft or my passion for watches is extra amazing because it's something that I love and am passionate about. Even with starting our YouTube channel, I try not to think too much about making it big or hoping people will love it. Instead, I jump in, ride it out, and see where it takes me. I don't have any big plans other than continuing to find things I'm passionate about and going with the flow. For example, I sometimes think about taking watch photos for brands, but I'm not sure if I want to turn my “fun” into a job. So, I'll just keep going and see where my passions take me.

*All of the images, including the banner image, have been captured by Lydia Winters.