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Tuomas Hinkkanen
@hingane
Landscape photographer based in Finland
Growing up in Finland, it was my grandfather who inspired me to start drawing, when I was 5 or 6 years old. Later on in high school, my professor of Visual Arts encouraged me in everything creative I did. I used to spend quite some of my freetime there, simply drawing. He also introduced me to Graphic Design and suggested that I look into it when deciding on my subsequent studies.
I enjoyed drawing a lot, as well as experimenting with new technologies. It was during an internship that one of the designers showed me cinema 4D and everything you can do with 3D. This knowledge, about lights in 3D software for example, now helps me in my photography.
"When I discovered photography and video, I realized that it also fulfilled my desire to create visuals."
At first I became interested in photography with skating and later I was already involved in actively making snowboarding movies with my friends. While we made those movies, I started to realize how slow the process could be, so that’s when I began to focus on the stills. The idea of being able to share images faster, capture a moment in one single shot, just fascinates me.
Nowadays I shoot and edit almost every day because of my job as an art director. Besides, I keep closely in touch with my customers to understand their needs, provide them with feedback and use my insights and knowledge to advise them on how to move and what to do. It is utterly important to me that the customer is happy, only then I can be satisfied and happy as well. In my free time, I often scout and search new places and angles with my car or bike. Being at my computer at work, I am glad to head outside and be active when I am shooting.
"And I love noticing how my work inspires my photography and vice versa."
"My real passion is to discover new places, angles, cultures."
At the moment, I love the beautiful mountain scenery, combined with a hazy, misty landscape. It’s so beautiful to see how the clouds slowly hover and move through the mountainous landscape. I live in Finland so it’s mostly flat field landscapes everywhere. Because of that I like to look at the atmosphere in the Finnish Archipelago, for example, and try to take advantage of our four clearly notable seasons. The colors in the autumn, white peaceful landscapes and magical snowflakes falling down in winter, the smell of new life in spring and soft meadows and bright waters in summer…
Normally when I go on an excursion I just jump into my car and start driving. I might go to Norway through Lapland or sometimes I use a cruiser and drive through Sweden. The best part: it takes only 1-2 days to get there. I use Google Maps and Instagram a lot to find places as well, but I just love to drive around and to be spontaneous. The thing is that, when doing so, you don’t have expectations. Anything can happen, and it would often make you feel super excited or provide you with intense learning. In both cases, it’s something that you won’t forget soon.
In September of this year when I was shooting in Norway, I was driving my car when a big black figure appeared next to me, flying along. I immediately navigated to the first resting place and I couldn’t believe my eyes. In front of me was a dark brown sea eagle with his strong, impressive wings. It was incredible to see – just right next to me, my favorite animal. An animal that I had seen only in nature documentaries. Until today I wonder what it was that attracted them and made them stay so close to us.
"Another eagle had come after a couple of minutes and they both didn’t seem bothered by me taking photos of them."
"I enjoy these moments shooting intensely. Every moment is transient and I always feel like I don’t want to miss any minute."
But then when I get back home, I equally enjoy editing the shots that I’ve taken. I feel as if I were reliving the moments again. The first thing I do when editing is to get the white balance and mood to be very neutral, then I usually make some adjustments to get the style toward something more cinematic. Sometimes I highlight some areas so it is easier to see what I think is the main focus in the picture. And on Instagram I like to use some entertaining titles to tell something more that you might not see.
I still consider myself a novice photographer, I still practice how I can best fill my frame and make it so that it is impressive, provoking and maybe almost unbelievable. In my opinion, the best thing about photography is that you are never done, there is always something to develop and create.
"My personal favorite picture was taken in my hometown, Turku, in Finland."
The morning was very peaceful, the whole town was sleeping and covered in snow. As the sun rose, beautiful pastel colors calmed my mind. At that very moment, I felt like everything was just fine. That’s why I love landscape photography – everything can be just perfectly beautiful at a particular moment surrounded by nature, while at the same time, the second the light, a cloud, or your angle changes, you keep shooting, and new impressions, new ideas, and new edit visualizations emerge…
It is a continuous process in your mind that allows you to see beauty in constantly changing surroundings. Which, I believe, makes life much nicer; always looking for the positive, the interesting, the beautiful.
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