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Photography Update 2020/2021

I’ve been away for a while. Life has changed for many of us during these times, and that includes my life too. Social media has also taken a huge backseat for me – not because I have nothing to like or to share, but just because I have and always will take breaks away from it. I enjoy the feedback and inspiration that comes from spending time on social media platforms, however it stops appealing to me when I start feeling like I have to use it to enjoy my life and my photography. Inspiration pops up in other offline forms and taking a break has brought along an introspection into my creative processes. I seem to have a problem with getting comfortable doing personal projects in a predictable manner over long periods of time, and turning off the usual ways of channeling inspiration in favour of others has often proven useful to me. Occasionally, I enjoy looking online at other artists work in order to spark ideas – other times I’ve found it useful to just pick up a random camera, walk out the door and see what happens – an exercise in creativity.

Me out having fun with my old Rollexflex T camera. Photo by Tana Tiilikainen.

Above: Fun moment from last summer with one of my cameras. Photo by my aunt (Tana Tiilikainen).

Speaking of exercise, I spent a lot of time last autumn hiking and exploring Kontiolahti in the early mornings, often returning to the same spot in hopes of getting the right weather conditions for the shot. I managed to get some decent photos, and just being there in the swamp/near the water was incredible (found some kantarelli mushrooms too). I dabbled in some portrait photography last year, but I haven’t returned to it yet this year. I will do so when the time is right and hopefully I can still take photos of the people that I didn’t get around to doing last time.

A few of my current cameras.

Above: A few of my film cameras.

Film photography has also grabbed my interest to a greater degree in recent times. The old, vintage cameras are incredibly fun to use (when they work), and the many types of film available have been interesting to experiment with. I haven’t been able to get ahold of any professional-level film cameras since they are quite pricey these days, but those which I have found I have appreciated whole-heartedly. There is a real ”hands-on”, mechanical feel to using older gear, and despite the many failures on my part (and sometimes the cameras too), I’ve really grown to appreciate photography in a much deeper sense than before. That being said, I am someone who is generally drawn to old as well as new technologies, music, art etc.

Anyways, enough of my rambling. Here are some of the photos I’ve taken over the last year or so. Hope you enjoy 🙂

”DORIS”. Model: Doris Weiglová. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: Let’s start this off with a smile 🙂 Doris joined me last year for a fun and challenging photoshoot. It was fun in the sense that there were many laughs as well as a few interesting and varied backdrop locations within a relatively short distance. The challenge came in with the weather – harsh sunlight in the middle of the day made it tricky to work around the strong shadows, but we had a blast regardless and many of the photos turned out nicely. Doris was also well prepared and many thanks to her for making the trip.

Camera: Nikon D800 Lens: Nikon 60mm 2.8D Camera settings: 1/250, f5.6, ISO 50 Other: Off-camera flash, softbox Scanner/Software: Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

”DORIS IN FOREST”. Model: Doris Weiglová. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: Another one from the shoot with Doris.

Camera: Nikon D800 Lens: Nikon 18-35mm, 3.5-4.5G Camera settings: 1/250, f8, ISO 100 Other: Off-camera flash, softbox Scanner/Software: Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

You can find Doris here on Instagram.

”LOGS”. Joensuu, Finland.
”MISTY ROAD SIGN”. Joensuu, Finland.
”MISTY ROAD”. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: Last year I started a day job working for a small village outside of town. I made an effort to take my camera with me every day as occasionally some interesting weather would swing by. These photos were taken on the way to work on a misty morning. The grain works well in my opinion for the foggy photos.

Camera: Nikon FG-20 Lens: Nikon 50mm 1.8E Film: Ilford XP2 400 Scanner/Software: Epson V550, Siverfast 8, Epson Scan, Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

”ORANGE MOON”. Finland.

Above: What a moon! I was out fishing on the lake one summer night when this amazing sight appeared. I was lucky enough to have my 300mm lens with me and I managed to get a decent shot despite it being handheld with only a few options for composition. A rocking boat is not ideal…

Camera: Nikon D800 Lens: 300mm AF Nikon f4 ED Camera settings: 1/320, f4, ISO 1250 Scanner/Software: Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

”SUMMER EVENING ROW IN FINLAND”. Finland.

Above: I gravitate in a nostalgic sense towards this photo. It symbolises summer for me in many ways – being out on the lakes fishing, exploring and just enjoying the rarity of baking under a toasty midnight sun. In terms of the conditions, there are a few things I think that would have made this photo better, but in the end it’s a photo that’s more to me about the moment and the memory than the ”wow”, factor.

Camera: Rolleicord IIe Film: Portra 400 Camera settings: Can’t remember Scanner/Software: Epson V550, Epson Scan/Silverfast 8, Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

”FISHING ON THE LAKE”. Finland.

Above: For many years my uncle had been pointing out a particular large rock to me. Its height was very near to the surface of the water, so we decided to have some fun and put a chair on the rock for him to fish from. I took this snap for fun and decided to keep the dust and scanning issues etc., in the photo.

Camera: Rolleiflex T Film: Ilford XP2 400 Camera settings: Sorry, my dog ate them Scanner/Software: Epson V550, Epson Scan/Silverfast 8, Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

You can find more of my uncle here on Instgra… just kidding, he doesn’t give a fuck.

”LONE TREE”. Finland.

Above: This image was cropped from a square format photo taken on one of my old film cameras. I was rowing a lot over the last summer and came across this tree that sat fairly far out on the lake. I wanted to capture it when the sun was going down and when the direct sunlight was only hitting the tree and the background. I tried waiting for the sunset to kick in and for the colours to become more subdued and golden, but by the time that stage came by the light was not singling out the tree anymore. I’m still happy with this shot despite the lack of the regular shades of sunset colours, and I’ve also learned to take more landscapes at times of the day other than sunrise or sunset. It was important for me that the tree was lit well in this pic.

Camera: Rolleiflex T Film: Portra 400 Camera settings: N/A Scanner/Software: Epson V550, Epson Scan/Silverfast 8, Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

”LONELY SWAN”. Kontiolahti, Finland.

Above: I was out in Kontiolahti on my way back from a shoot when I heard this swan calling out for its partner. I grabbed my 300mm lens and took a few photos of the swan on this misty pond. Eventually the second swan arrived and by that time I was happy enough with my day, so I decided to pack it up and leave.

Camera: Nikon D800 Film: 300mm AF Nikon f4 ED Camera settings: 1/320, f8, ISO 400 Scanner/Software: Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

”SUNRISE ONKILAMPI”. Kontiolahti, Finland.

Above: I’ve been to and photographed this jetty many times, but I just can’t help photographing it when I’m in the area. I had an excuse this time though – there was a nice sunrise going on and I’ve never tried it with film before 🙂

Camera: Rolleiflex T Film: Ektar 100 Camera settings: N/A Scanner/Software: Epson V550, Epson Scan/Silverfast 8, Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

”ONKILAMPI MIST”. Kontiolahti, Finland.

Above: Same place as the previous pic but different morning. Felt it gave off an incredibly mysterious vibe so of course I had to do it.

Camera: Nikon D800 Lens: Nikon 18-35mm, 3.5-4.5G Camera settings: 1/250, f11, ISO 400 Scanner/Software: Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

”MOTION”. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: A rocky lake shore in Joensuu. I’ve done this style of photography for a long time and will probably continue to do it, if not only for the fact that I appreciate being near a lake and watching the sun go down.

Camera: Nikon D800 Lens: Nikon 18-35mm, 3.5-4.5G Camera settings: 1/2 sec, f16, ISO 50 Scanner/Software: Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

”MISTY SWAMP TREES”. Kontiolahti, Finland.

Above: I visited this swamp so many times last autumn in hopes of finding misty mornings. I got lucky a few times and it was a really awesome change for me since I’ve never done a lot of morning photography, especially at that location. These trees were really amazing to discover and to photograph – many similar looking ones mixed in with the occasional odd one – kind of like people. The cool colours of the fog mixed with the warm autumn tones of the foreground were a real treat for me. Also, I’ve learned that a lack of good boots leads to wet socks, as well as slushy sounds coming from the feet whenever movement occurs.

Camera: Rolleiflex T Film: Ektar 100 Camera settings: N/A Scanner/Software: Epson V550, Epson Scan/Silverfast 8, Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

”SUNRISE SWAMP TREES”. Kontiolahti, Finland.

Above: Another patch of trees that really stood out for me. I just found the lighting to be amazing, as well as the misty backdrop.

Camera: Rolleiflex T Film: Ektar 100 Camera settings: N/A Scanner/Software: Epson V550, Epson Scan/Silverfast 8, Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

”SWAMP TREES ON A MISTY MORNING”. Kontiolahti, Finland.

Above: This photo doesn’t have the ”wow factor”, but it’s another that I quite like. I went really simple with the editing as I have started to do with a lot of my photos. There are some that I will edit a lot, and others that I feel don’t need it at all. This one needed subtlety, and I reckon the cool misty tones work better with it in that way.

Camera: Nikon D800 Lens: Nikon 135mm f2.8 Camera settings: 2,5 sec, f16, ISO 400 Scanner/Software: Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

”GREEN SWAMP TREES”. Kontiolahti, Finland.

Above: Greeeeeen! Damn it was green that day 🙂 This is the same swampy area as before but on a different day. I waited a long time until the direct sunlight only hit the trees in front and not in the background. Think it worked well and I’m always happy to get a shot that is unique in it’s own way, since I usually don’t have such strong greens in my photos.

Camera: Nikon D800 Lens: 300mm AF Nikon f4 ED Camera settings: 1/100, f7.1, ISO 1250 Scanner/Software: Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

”ONKILAMPI TREE”. Kontiolahti, Finland.

Above: Another shot I decided to keep things simple in terms of editing. This scene caught my eye as I was really drawn towards the variety of colour, the mood and the character of the tree. Autumn is amazing here in Finland – so much to offer.

Camera: Nikon D800 Lens: 300mm AF Nikon f4 ED Camera settings: 1/100, f8, ISO 400 Scanner/Software: Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

”MISTY MORNING TREES”. Kontiolahti, Finland.

Above: Similar story as above but cooler colours.

Camera: Nikon D800 Lens: 300mm AF Nikon f4 ED Camera settings: 1/125, f8, ISO 400 Scanner/Software: Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

”FILM FAIL”. Kontiolahti, Finland.

Above: For the above shot, I spent years meticulously planning and racking my brain to finally pulling off this highly creative shot. No, just kidding, my film camera jammed and this is what happened. Was a surprisingly interesting mistake though 🙂

Camera: Rolleiflex T Film: Ektar 100 Camera settings: Oops Scanner/Software: Epson V550, Epson Scan/Silverfast 8, Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

”ROOTS POLAROID”. Kontiolahti, Finland.

Above: Photo of some roots. Not much more to say.

Camera: Polaroid Onestep + Film: Polaroid i-Type Camera settings: N/A Scanner/Software: Epson V550, Epson Scan/Silverfast 8, Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

”SPRING REEDS”. Model: Rosa Summanen. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: Last spring I found a patch of reeds nearby to where I live and decided to contact Rosa once again for a shoot. It was nice to get outside and shoot outdoors for a change.

Camera: Nikon D800 Lens: Nikon 60mm 2.8D (love this lens) Camera settings: 1/250, f8, ISO 50 Other: Off-camera flash, softbox Scanner/Software: Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

”ROSA FILM 1”. Model: Rosa Summanen. Joensuu, Finland.
”ROSA FILM 2”. Model: Rosa Summanen. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: Some film photos of Rosa shot in studio. Really enjoyed trying this out and hope to do more in the future.

Camera: Nikon FG-20 Lens: Nikon 50mm 1.8E Film: Ilford Pan F Plus 50 (Left photo), Ilford XP2 400 (Right photo) Scanner/Software: Epson V550, Siverfast 8, Epson Scan, Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

”SHADES”. Model: Rosa Summanen. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: The digital camera version. Edited the eyes etc.

Camera: Nikon D800 Lens: Nikon 60mm 2.8D Camera settings: 1/60th, f8, ISO 50 Other: Off-camera flash, softbox, light modifiers Scanner/Software: Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

”SHADES – POLAROID”. Model: Rosa Summanen. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: The Polaroid version. Wish I would have had black & white film for this one, but I still like it regardless.

Camera: Polaroid 636 Close Up Film: Polaroid 600 Camera settings: N/A Other: Off-camera flash, softbox, light modifiers Scanner/Software: Epson V550, Epson Scan/Silverfast 8, Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

”SUBMERGED”. Model: Rosa Summanen. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: ”Submerged”. This is one of the photos/images that of course needed tons of editing. It was created in an interesting way – using my photos from my studio of Rosa and long stretches of material mixed with underwater GoPro shots of some fish I have taken many years ago (I knew they’d come in handy some day!). Other effects etc., were added in Photoshop.

Camera: Mixed Lens: Mixed Camera settings: Mixed Scanner/Software: Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

You can see more on Rosa Summanen here on Instagram.

”JOENSUU NIGHT”. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: Joensuu town hall at night. Changes have been made around the park and marketplace so I decided to take a photo.

Camera: Nikon D800 Lens: Nikon 18-35mm, 3.5-4.5G Camera settings: 20 sec, f16, ISO 50 Scanner/Software: Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

”KOLI SNAPSHOT”. Koli, Finland.

Above: I went to Koli not too long ago and took a quick shot with my phone from one of the the few available places to explore (the paths were extremely slippery and covered in snow). I really hope to visit more often in the future so that I can spend more time photographing the area. It’s a truly incredible place to be and one of the few places in Finland that has a more elevated terrain (or at least I believe so).

Camera: Samsung something something phone

”KOLI FILM”. Koli, Finland.

Above: Another quick shot from Koli, but using one of my old TLR film cameras. Really need to get back there to do more.

Camera: Yashica 635 Film: Ilford XP2 400 Camera settings: N/A Scanner/Software: Epson V550, Epson Scan/Silverfast 8, Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop

So that’s it! For now at least. I hope you’ve all been keeping well through these times and are able to pursue your creative endeavours. I’m aiming to get back into photography more often so that I can learn and further develop my personal style of creativity.

P.S I will be doing some scouting/hiking/exploration for future projects etc., during the spring, so if you’re in the Joensuu area and have any suggestions for locations or are looking yourself for something to photograph, feel free to give me a shout 🙂

Enjoy this post? Feel free to contact me for projects, collaborations, or if you have any other queries:

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Portraits, Polaroids and a Bit of the Usual

This year started off with me heading into more unfamiliar territory in terms of my photographic/visual development. I started working more often with people than with lakes (turns out they are quite different), and bouncing ideas around with others has been great fun. Time spent learning new sides of photography takes time away from the already familiar landscapes, but I believe that I must continue to explore in order to grow and maximise my creative toolkit. The goal for the future is to strike a good balance of exploring the less familiar and striving to perfect the familiar.

Thank you to everyone that has been following, taking part in and appreciating my work. I hope to create some great images this year and I wish you all the best during these strange and difficult times. Below are some images from the first few months of this year.

PORTRAITS:

After deciding that I wanted to further explore portrait photography, I posted a notice on Facebook calling for collaborations. I was really surprised with the amount of interest that I received and I’m happy to keep moving forward with this.

”LAURI POLAROID”. Joensuu, Finland.
”IN THOUGHT”. Model: Lauri Ruotsalainen. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: I was really glad to have Lauri on board for this project because of his great character. The image on the left was a quick Polaroid photo taken at the end of the shoot using studio strobes. The image on the right was created by shooting through a sheet of wet glass and then blending those images in Photoshop with other various images of Joensuu at night. A fun, interesting process that I will be using again in the future.

”VEXED”. Model: Lauri Ruotsalainen. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: This was my second idea for the shoot, and one that I am very happy with. Lauri was great at getting into the right vibe for this, and it all came together very nicely in the end. I have used this technique before, shooting firstly the base image and then adding the smoke later in post production. I generally take photos of burning incense and composite them into the image accordingly. Even though I’m against smoking, I can’t help but acknowledge its visual impact and additional story-telling qualities that it brings to the plate.

– Lauri on Instagram –

”AILA”. Model: Aila Reittola. Makeup & Hair: Lenore Reittola.
”AILA III”. Model: Aila Reittola. Makeup & Hair: Lenore Reittola.

Above: Aila (model), & Lenore (makeup artist), were the first people that I chose to work with for these projects. The idea was to do something simple, subtle and to make use of hanging fabric in some way or another. I think that the theme suited Aila well and I’m really happy with how these turned out. Lenore did a great job with the hair and makeup – a whole other side of this world that I know little about but was appreciative of. Every detail counts, I believe.

The image on the left was the base idea, while the image on the right was secondary. I personally prefer the second due to the variety of shades and shapes in the cloth. The warmer tones on the model and cooler tones of the fabric help to separate the subject from the surroundings and to create a nice balance of colour throughout the image.

”AILA II”. Model: Aila Reittola. Makeup & Hair: Lenore Reittola.

Above: Another image using the second idea. A small change of expression and overall colour makes a world of difference in my opinion. Almost as though the second version would be of someone you know, and the first one of a complete stranger.

– Aila on Instagram –

– Lenore on Instagram –

”STUDIO POLAROIDS”. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: Messing around with studio lights and a Polaroid camera. I believe it’s good to mess around as it could lead to greater ideas down the road.

”POLAROID PROFILE”.

Above: I decided to create a new profile picture by incorporating my photography and graphic design skills into the image. I came up with this as I thought it would accurately represent my new-found interest in Polaroid cameras, as well as strobe lights with coloured filters/gels attached. It’s most likely just a phase, but I’m going to run with it while it’s fresh and exciting.

”WEEKEND PORTRAIT”.

Above: A random self portrait.

”HARMONY”. Model: Rosa Summanen.

Above: Rosa is back again and did an awesome job with this one. This image pushed my skills in a very different direction and I really enjoyed creating it. It involved the use of many images and techniques. I will definitely do more of these heavily-edited images in order to develop my skills further, and perhaps I will also post a separate blog showcasing the process etc. Fun.

”Rosa Polaroid I”. Model: Rosa Summanen. Joensuu, Finland.
”Rosa Polaroid II”. Model: Rosa Summanen. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: Polaroids of Rosa using studio lights and a powerful hairdryer 🙂

– Rosa on Instagram –

”IWONA IV”. Model: Iwona Wincławska.

Above: Iwona was great to work with and the shoot was very rewarding with many different options to choose from. The shoot started off traditionally with a more natural colour palette, but then it slowly developed into something really moody and mysterious. This image was my personal favourite.

”IWONA”. Model: Iwona Wincławska.
”IWONA II”. Model: Iwona Wincławska.

Above: A few more of Iwona. The image on the left was my initial favourite, and was the first photo that I edited from the shoot. It ”pops”, more than the first image and many prefer this version. The image on the right lacks the mysteriousness in my opinion, but the arms being in the frame with slightly-reflective black table are nice additions.

”IWONA POLAROID III”. Model: Iwona Wincławska. Joensuu, Finland.
”IWONA POLAROID II”. Model: Iwona Wincławska. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: Yes, more Polaroids 🙂

– Iwona on Instagram –

LANDSCAPES, CITYSCAPES & OTHER:

I’ve had a slower start to this year in terms of landscape photography, but I believe it will pick up as the year progresses. The previous winter was not what I had expected, and although I made many plans to do wintery landscapes, I ultimately ended up being disappointed with the conditions after spending time on location. When this happens, I either leave or stick around and force myself to make the best of it. Sometimes it works (even ending up better than the original idea), and other times not so much. A bit of a gamble, but in my eyes it’s always better to go out anyways.

”ROCKS & RAIN CLOUDS”. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: An amazing moment as these stormy rain clouds drifted rapidly by during a sunset. I found a few rocky friends (as usual), and did my best to quickly get a composition together before the clouds passed.

”EVENING BLAZE”. Joensuu, Finland.
”ICY SUNSET”. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: Another rocky sunset. Two images of the same place, but on different evenings. The icy layers in the water can either work by adding interest and seasonal context to and image, or they can be distracting and overwhelming to the eyes. Can be tricky, but at that point I was just happy to be outdoors. Conditions can make such a big difference.

”ICE”. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: Took this one while waiting for the sunset. Amazing what interesting details one can find in the ice.

”JOENSUU MARCH CITYSCAPE”. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: A time-blended, spring cityscape of Joensuu. I really can’t get enough of the golden/blue-hour cityscapes from this river (Pielisjoki). During this time of the year (April), the evening sun hits the windows and creates some incredible lighting effects.

”JOENSUU POLAROID CITYSCAPE”. Joensuu, Finland.
”JOENSUU BRIDGE POLAROID”. Joensuu, Finland.
”JOENSUU CHURCH POLAROID”. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: Polaroids of Joensuu. I find the temperature to play a great role in the outcome of the images. The photo on the far left was taken in cold weather and placed directly into my pocket after exposure, which didn’t seem to sufficiently warm it. I like it though in some ways, and that’s just the thing about Polaroids – It’s risky and surprising, disappointing and rewarding (for me at least).

”JOENSUU CHURCH AT NIGHT”. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: One of the few local churches, glowing along the riverside during a blue hour. Although there is a possible lack in foreground interest, I found the clouds worked well in leading the eyes to the church. Taken on the way home from another shoot at the lake.

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That was all for now! I’m still busy editing images from these various shoots and planning new ones as well. The current global situation will surely change my approach towards many projects, but I’m still going to make the best of it. Maybe it’s time to try still life, macro or some other indoor photography?

I hope that you all manage to make the best of these difficult times and find different ways to manage your creativity. One could take it as an opportunity to learn.

See you out there! Or maybe not for a while 🙂

”TRIPOD FAIL”.

Above: Extra image. My camera was taking photos as the wind blew the tripod over. Thankfully nothing broke. Fail -> win? Nah.

 

Enjoy this post? Feel free to contact me for projects, collaborations, or if you have any other queries:

 

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July 2019 – Photography

This summer has been a bit slow for me in terms of photography. Although the season has many unique and interesting weather conditions, I found myself staying up late for the midnight sunsets only a handful of times. July was definitely not my best month for photos, but it was still a blast to be outdoors and enjoy the heat, sauna and swimming. Autumn is around the corner and I have a feeling that it will inspire me once again to create some interesting images. Below are a few photos from July.

”SUMMER MOON”. Finland.

Above: I spent a fews days at the summer cottage again this year. This is a simple shot of the moon over the lake.

”SUMMER EVENING ISLAND”. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: Another of my favourite local island ”Voiluoto”, here in Joensuu.

”SUMMER NIGHT SWIM”. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: Summer is great for swimming. Another simple shot on a summer night.

”SIBELIUS MONUMENT”. Helsinki, Finland.
”SIBELIUS POLAROID”. Helsinki, Finland.

Above: I was in Helsinki this July for a week or so, and finally decided to visit this monument dedicated to Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. If you visit this site, make sure to go underneath it and grab a shot. Interesting.

”JOENSUU POLAROID”. Joensuu, Finland.
”JOENSUU POLAROID II”. Joensuu, Finland.
”NATURE POLAROID”. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: A few Polaroid photos from around Joensuu using my SX-70.

”PUPPY”.
”PUPPY POLAROID”.

Above: My portraits for the month 🙂 One of my family members recently got a dog, so I spent a bit of time in the yard with this little dude and snapped a few. I’m still editing a lot of photos from my previous shoots with Rosa Summanen, so I will probably add more of those to my website when they are ready.

 

That was it for July. I think that autumn will bring the weather conditions that I crave and I hope to get some great shots once again. Hope you all enjoy the rest of your summer and get some great photos!

 

See you out there at the lake!

 

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June 2019 – Photography

Summer is here and so are the amazing colours that come with it. The days feel long due to the sun only setting around 11pm, so staying awake until late is crucial if one enjoys the golden hour style of photography. I managed to get a few nice landscapes and did a couple of fun portrait shoots again with Rosa. I also got a chance to visit Helsinki and to use my classic Polaroid Sx-70, which is always an intriguing and unique experience in my opinion. Below are my photos from June.

LANDSCAPES:

”SUMMER SUNSET”. Finland.

Above: Late night sunset somewhere over Lake Kapustaselkä.

”SUMMER SCENE”. Finland.

Above: I don’t usually post photos that I’ve taken during the middle of the day since I find the colours around sunset to be more pleasing, but I thought I’d add this one just to show what the nature looks like on a sunny day here in Finland.

”SUMMER DAY”. Finland.

Above: This photo was taken before sunset somewhere on Lake Kapustaselkä.

POLAROID:

”SUMMER HELSINKI”. Helsinki, Finland.
”SUMMER HELSINKI II”. Helsinki, Finland.

Above: I’ve really been enjoying my Polaroid Sx-70 recently. Using this old instant camera from 1974 has given me a reason to approach my photography in a different manner, and every shot feels in a way like a gamble. The photos develop in around 10-15 minutes, and you never know exactly what you’re going to get. I’m constantly looking for an excuse to use it despite the cost of each photo, which works out to around 2-3€ per photo.

PORTRAITS:

I had a really fun shoot with Rosa Summanen at the beginning of June. The weather was great and so were the flowers, giving us a good chance to get outdoors and get creative with the colours. Below are some photos from the shoot. Please go and check out Rosa Summanen’s Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/rosesummanen/

”BRIGHTER DAYS I”. Model: Rosa Summanen. Joensuu, Finland.
”BRIGHTER DAYS III”. Model: Rosa Summanen. Joensuu, Finland.
”BRIGHTER DAYS II”. Model: Rosa Summanen. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: Photos from shoot with Rosa Summanen. Joensuu, Finland.

 

So that was it for June. Not so much to show this month, but it was fun and rewarding as usual. Hope that you all have a great summer!

 

See you out there in the bushes 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

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April 2019 – Photography

April was a bit of a mixed bag. The lakes have been thawing nicely and I have managed to get out into the nature, but in the end there were only one or two landscape photos that I thought were useable. It’s that time of the year where the scenery is mostly brown and patches of snow scatter the landscapes. Sure, these moments should ideally be used as a means to stir ones creative juices, but the photos that I have taken in the forest or by the lake just haven’t stood out for me enough. The rest of my photography time was spent developing my portrait skills in the ”studio” (my lounge), taking cityscapes or trying out older vintage cameras. April was an interesting and greatly rewarding month for me. Below are some of my photos from April 2019.

 

”SNOW WOLF”. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: Joensuu’s local wolf-dude statue caked in snow. A snapshot from an early morning walk.

”SPRING CITYSCAPE”. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: ”Pielisjoki”. Our local river that runs through the city was one of the first places that I noticed had thawed. This is a panorama of one of my favourite spots for a cityscape photo. I’m a sucker for reflections.

”POLAROID ROSES”. Joensuu, Finland.
”POLAROID – JOENSUU ART MUSEUM”. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: This April I got my hands on an old Polaroid SX-70 from around 1974. I’ve wanted one of these cameras for a very long time now, and I finally decided to get it. I like the idea of having any instant camera for taking photos that focus on family, friends and other personal details that could one day serve as memories. The physicality of using a Polaroid has a unique feeling to it, and reminds me that not everything needs to be perfect or predictable when creating an image. I hope to do a full blog with more of these Polaroid photos.

”RED APPLE PORTRAIT”. Model: Rosa Summanen. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: Rosa Summanen was back again in April to help me out with my journey into portraiture. This image above is a photo from a simple, red-themed shoot. As someone who has relied mostly on natural lighting for my landscape photography, learning how to manipulate and control the light has given me goosebumps. It’s been great to develop my skills and I’m now starting to feel more confident with this side of photography.

”RED APPLE PORTRAIT II”. Model: Rosa Summanen. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: Another one from the red-themed shoot.

”LIGHT WAVES”. Model: Rosa Summanen. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: Experimenting a bit using a combination of flash and continuous lighting.

”SPRING REEDS”. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: A soft and muted lake scene at golden hour in Joensuu.

”SPRING SUNSET”. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: My only decent sunset photo of April. Being back in the nature and enjoying moments like these have reminded me of what brought me into photography in the first place. Can’t wait to do more.

”SMOKEY”. Model: Rosa Summanen. Joensuu, Finland.

Above: I’m really happy with this image. I did another shoot with Rosa for this one, but this time we went with a noir-style theme. The smoke was added afterwards with Photoshop, and was created with another photo of burning incense that I took separately. I definitely want to do a separate blog post detailing the whole shoot, as there were many interesting images, many of which I’m still busy editing. The photo above was definitely one of my favourites, and I was really happy to have it featured on the Fstoppers Instagram feed.

That was it for April! I hope you enjoyed the photos and please go and check out more of Rosa’s modelling skills here on Instagram.

Have a great May! 🙂