Run Through the Fire

From Telendos

Nikon D90, Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300 mm at 110 mm, f/4.5, 1/640 s, ISO 220

Last Summer in late June I was visiting Telendos, Greece, with my wife. We were lucky to arrive just in time to see some kind of local festival where people, mostly young men, run through three fires and jumped to the sea in the end of their run.

Graffiti Man Smoking Weed

From Street Photography

Graffiti man smoking weed at Kalasatama Skating Park, Helsinki, Finland, Nexus 5

I enjoy biking to work and I often take a longer route than what is necessary and I like to check the ever changing graffitis at Kalasatama Skating Park and Konttiaukio. This is one of my favourites: a man smoking weed and the fact that the man has a cloud on his head. In the Finnish language weed is called "pilvi" which literally means a cloud.

Lime Hill Quartet at Tikkujamit

5.12.

From Tikkujamit 2014-12-05

Lime Hill Quartet at Tikkujamit, Vantaa. Nikon D750, 50 mm f/1.8, f/5.6, 1/50 s, ISO 640

I shot a gig of my wife's Jazz band Lime Hill Quartet at Tikkujamit in Vantaa. Just two days before I had upgraded my camera from the trusty Nikon D90 to a shiny new Nikon D750. It was quite an experience to shoot in such a dark space and still get usable images.

From Tikkujamit 2014-12-05

A saxophone, Nikon D750, 50 mm f/1.8, f/1.8, 1/50 s, ISO 2800

Siberian Huskies in the Night

From Siberian Huskies in the Night

Nikon D70s, AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 ED, f/7.1, 1/200 s, ISO 1600

I had a great oppornity to shoot a training session of my brothers Siberian Huskies in the late Autumn of 2010. Despite the very low light I managed to get some nice photograph and this one ended up as the cover of Siperianhusky magazine 3/2012.

Helsinki in Black and White

From Black and White

The UPM Building in Helsinki, Nikon D90, Nikon AF-S 35 mm DX f/1.8.1/40 s, f/2.8, ISO 1600.

Make Sense, Not War

Nikon D90, Nikkor 24 mm AI, ISO 200, f/8, 4 s.

Two years ago I wouldn't have believed that Russia would annex Crimea and attack Ukraine. With that and with so many other wars the message of the photograph, Make Sense, Not War, is highly topical. This is my fourth take on Metro Photo Challenge 2014, please vote here.

A light in the Night

From Metro Photo Challenge 2014

Nikon D90, Nikkor 24 mm AI f/2.8. ISO 200, f/8, 30 s

I was returning from work to home by bike when I spotted a single light above the trees. I set up my tripod and took a few photographs. This is my third take on Metro Photo Challenge 2014. Please vote here and share.

Yabusame

From Metro Photo Challenge 2014

Nikon D90, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM, f/2.8, 1/1000 s, ISO 900.

In June a Japanese samurai group visited Helsinki, Finland. One of the hightlights was a yabusame ceremony at the field of Laakso. I got a few nice shots and this is one of my favourites. It's also my second take on Metro Photo Challenge 2014. Please vote for me here and feel free to share the photograph.

Farther Christmas

From Farther Christmas

Farther Christmas, Helsinki, Finland, Nikon D90, Nikkor 24 mm AI f/2.8, ISO 200, f/8.

Abandonded places, or as in this case, a boat named Farther Christmas can have their own kind of special photographical attraction. When I saw this wreck I immediately knew I had to shoot it in the dark.

This is my first take at Metro Photo Challenge 2014. Please vote for this image if you like the picture.

Hawker Hurricane in Finnish Colours

From Finland International Airshow 2014

Nikon D90, Sigma 70-200 mm f/2.8 + TC 1.4x. 280 mm, f/6.3, 1/1000 s.

I visited Finland International Airshow last weekend with a friend and shot many pictures. This Hawker Hurricane was the star of the show. Please note that the blue Finnish Air Force swastika has nothing to do with the Nazi Germany, it dates from 1918.

Black-headed Gull against a waterfall

From Birds 2014

The Mill Museum and the rapids in the old town of Helsinki are one of my favourite places in Helsinki. A few weeks ago I was shooting birds there and this picture is one of the more pleasing ones.

Kalasatama Skating Park by Night

24.4.2014

From Helsinki by Night

Every once in a while one finds a place which one has to take picture of. A year, maybe two, ago I stumbled into this skating park while taking an unusual route biking to work. I could see this place in the dark.

Surfacing Common Merganser

25.11.



Common Merganser surfacing after catching a fish. Nikon D90, AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED, 300mm, ISO 1400, f/5.6, 1/640 s

Yesterday I was lucky to spot uneven water at Tokoinranta, Helsinki so I was able to wait for something and I was lucky enough to have camera pointing more or less into the right direction. The framing is not perfect, but nevertheless, I do like the result.



Another version of the photograph where I tried to extract more details of the bird.

The Glass Wigeon, Bird Competition: #23 Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)

Eurasian Wigeon. Nikon D90, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM, 200mm, ISO 1600, f/2.8, 1/30 s.

In the morning I spotted a Wigeon on the shore of Töölönlahti. I think it looks very much like the famous glass design birds by Oiva Toikka, doesn't it?

Mute Swans at Töölönlahti

A young Mute Swan spreads it's wings at Töölönlahti. Nikon D90, AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED. ISO 400, 210 mm, f/5.3, 1/640 s.

Mute swans nested in the Summer at Töölönlahti and one can see them almost every day there. I've only once spotted them at Eläintarhanlahti, the next bay. They are very tame and easy to shoot. This is just one of the many photographs.

Bird Competition: #39 Canada Goose (Branta Canadensis)

31.10.



Nikon D90, Nikkor 24 mm AI f/2.8, ISO 200, f/8, 1/400 s

There are a few lingering Canada Geese at the shore of Töölönlahti and today I shot them with a wide angle for a few minutes. Shooting birds with a manual focus wide angle lense is not something what one does often, mutta I like today's results.

Freedom Tower Construction Site in Fog

28.5.2013



Freedom Tower in Fog. Nikon D90, AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED, 18 mm, ISO 1600, f/3.5, 1/30 s.

In the late evening me and my wife Heidi were returning from the Brooklyn Brewery and after some obligatory shopping we saw Freedom Tower in Fog. I had only the kit lens with me and I was quite sure that it would be too dark to shoot without a tripod, but I was pleasantly surprised when I checked the pictures back in Finland.

Konttainen in Infrared

21.7.

From IR

Konttainen in infrared. Nikon D90, Nikkor AI 24 mm, ISO 200, f/8, 30 s.

I had the opportunity to visit Kuusamo for the first time in July thanks to my wife, mother and father in law. The trip was a very pleasing one. One of the things I wanted to shoot was Konttainen in infrared. I used my old, trusty Nikkor 24 mm AI, planted my tripod into the Lake Konttainen and took the picture. Here's the result. While I like the picture it seems to me that ultra-wide lens would have been a better choice. Unfortunately I do not have an 77 mm infrared filter for my Nikkor DX 12-24 mm.

Bird Competition: #5 Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

From Birds 2013

A mallard drinking from an ice raft. Nikon D90, AF-S DX VR Nikkor 55-300mm 4.5-5.6G ED, 300 mm, ISO 1600, 1/1600 s, f/5.6.

Harlem Meer in Infrared

29.5.



Harlem Meer in infrared. ISO 200 Nikkor AI 24 mm, f/8 30 s.

I visited New York City again in May in order to join my wife Heidi when she graduated from the New York University and help her to move back to Finland. This time I dragged a tripod with me and I had the intention of doing some infrared photography. I ended using the tripod only twice and this is the only publishable IR image from the trip. It's not perfect, but I like it.

I don't have a camera modified for IR photography but I have a 52 mm IR filter which I can use with several of my primes. The downside of the relatively cheap price is long exposure times, but it's still fun way to do photography.