Finland

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Photography

Mikko Lagerstedt Photographs the Quiet Grandeur of Snowy Nordic Landscapes

Underneath soft light from the moon or the early morning sun, Finnish photographer Mikko Lagerstedt (previously) captures the quiet magic and mystery of Nordic landscapes. Ice clings to tree branches, an aurora streaks through the sky, and vast fields of snow cover the ground in scenes that are both serene and full of grandeur.

Part of the In The Solitude series, many of the images shown here are single-exposure photos edited in Lightroom, although a few utilize multiple shots to convey the majestic nature of the region. Lagerstedt tends to focus on the unique colors and textures of the area, including stars dotting a deep blue sky, lines etched into the earth’s surface by the wind, and strips of pastel light.

The photographer plans to offer prints of the collection this year, and you can find news about that release, in addition to an archive of his work, on his site and Instagram.

 

Design

Not Just For Bookworms: Helsinki’s Oodi Central Library Connects Residents Through Multi-Faceted Cultural Resources

Readers, researchers, and other curious residents are encouraged to gather together in a massive new ship-shaped library in Helsinki, Finland. Designed by ALA Architects, Oodi Central Library, the long and narrow structure features a sweeping wooden exterior topped with two stories of glass walls. Oodi Central Library is situated in the heart of Helsinki, nestled in the capital city’s cultural district. About one-third of the space is dedicated to books. A cafe, restaurant, public balcony, movie theater, recording studios, and a maker-space broaden the institution’s ability to connect with, and serve the needs of, a diverse population.

The effort seems to have paid off: in the library’s first month about two-thirds of Helsinki’s residents visited the library, and it has had 3 million visitors so far in 2019, according to Tommi Laitio, Helsinki’s Executive Director for culture and leisure. Laitio explained in a recent conference talk in Washington, D.C. that it is essential in their small country for people to respect and invest in their fellow residents. “Our society is fundamentally dependent on people being able to trust the kindness of strangers.” (via Kottke)

 

 

Art Photography

New Finnish Landscapes Captured Within Jars by Christoffer Relander

Photographer Christoffer Relander (previously) uses double exposure photography to “capture” wooded Finnish landscapes inside of glass jars. These images give a peek into the photographer’s past, while also metaphorically preserving the memories he formed as a childhood growing up in the south of Finland.

“Reality can be beautiful, but the surreal often absorbs me,” said Relander in an artist statement on his website. “Photography to me is a way to express and stimulate my imagination. Nature is simply the world. With alternative and experimental camera techniques I am able to create artworks that otherwise only would be possible through painting or digital manipulation in an external software.”

The new series is a follow-up to his black and white project Jarred & Displaced which was recently exhibited at the Finnish Cultural Institute in Madrid. You can view more of Relander’s wooded images on his Instagram. (via PetaPixel)

Photography

The Night Skies Over Finland & Iceland Saturated with Stars Photographed by Mikko Lagerstedt

We’ve long been drawn to self-taught photographer Mikko Lagerstedt’s (previously) dreamy composite photos of Finland and Iceland at night. In his long-exposure images, meteors are seen streaking through the sky and frigid waterfalls appear like mist. Lagerstedt composes and edits all of his images in Lightroom and Photoshop and shares numerous tutorials on his techniques through his website. He most recently returned from a photoshoot at a deserted Yyteri Beach in Finland, more of which he shared on Instagram.

 

Art

Artist Olek Covers a House in Finland with Pink Crochet

First a playground alligator, then an entire locomotive, and now artist Olek reveals an entire two-story house covered roof to floorboards in pink crochet. This new yarn-bombed installation currently stands in Kerava, Finland where Olek worked with a team of assistants to stitch together huge panels of crochet that envelop every inch of this 100-year-old house. Olek shares:

Originally, this building, built in the early 1900s, was the home of Karl Jacob Svensk (1883-1968). During the Winter War 1939-1940, the family fled to evade bombs falling into the yard, but they didn’t have to move out permanently. In 2015, more than 21 million people were forced to leave their homes in order to flee from conflicts. The pink house, our pink house is a symbol of a bright future filled with hope; is a symbol us coming together as a community.

You can see more photos and videos of the pink house on Instagram.

Photography

Candid Moments with Forest Creatures Photographed by Konsta Punkka

Crawling on the ground for hours at a time in the middle of winter at the mouth of a cave doesn’t sound like a particularly fun time, but for Finland-based photographer Konsta Punkka it’s a necessary sacrifice to get the perfect photograph … of a mouse. At the age of only 21, the budding wildlife photographer has proven himself wildly capable of capturing affectionate portraits at extremely close quarters of squirrels, birds, foxes, and other woodland animals.

“My main goal always is to try to capture the emotions and feelings my animals feel while I take the photos of them,” he shares with Colossal. “The animals health always comes first and then I get the shots if I can. All animal portraits that I have taken have been done with trust between me and animals. And with patience you earn the trust.”

Punkka has amassed a sizeable following on Instagram where he shares photographs from his travels around the world.