Finu Bruseby

@coloursthrumylens

Best of the week 17 at #nomadict 2026

Swedish landscape photographer Finu Bruseby won Nomadict’s Best of the Week for a sunrise shot above a fog-swallowed town. In this feature, Finu shares where the passion for nature began, the lessons learned in the field, and the story and process behind the winning image.
Since childhood, I’ve been drawn to nature’s beauty, always preferring the peace of the outdoors to urban settings. I remember being fascinated by how established photographers captured both grand landscapes and the delicate macro details of Mother Nature. However, it wasn’t actually photography that initially sparked my creative drive. I had, and still have, a deep fascination with the worlds created by painters. I loved looking at the dreamy, eerie, and atmospheric landscapes produced by the great artists, and I desperately wanted to create that same feeling myself.
 
Since my own attempts to draw and paint failed enormously, I turned to photography. At the time, a simple point-and-shoot camera was all I could afford. It started as a companion just to document where I had been, but very soon, I developed an eye for the creative side of nature. It wasn’t until I joined Instagram and connected with talented photographers from Sweden and around the world that I was inspired to take nature photography seriously. Today, I like to call photography “my way of painting nature in colour with my lens.”
Finu Bruseby @coloursthrumylens_Nomadict_2
Finu Bruseby @coloursthrumylens_Nomadict_8
I’ve learned so much out in the field, but these four lessons are the ones I carry with me every day:
 
1) Dedication is vital
 
Weather conditions change by the minute for a landscape photographer. If you are truly dedicated, you get out there to capture nature in its purest form, no matter what. Sometimes you return home without a single shot, but you can’t let discouragement win. Showing up often is the only way to catch that dream shot.
 
2) Dress for the conditions
 
This is an absolute must. In the winter, standing still in a crisp -30°C chill waiting for the Aurora Borealis requires the right layers and a thermos of a hot drink! Conversely, during northern Swedish summer evenings or endless summer nights, protecting yourself against insects is crucial. I am prone to severe allergic reactions from insect bites, so I’ve learned to never leave without a mosquito net, a bucket hat, and light-coloured, long-sleeve clothing, which mosquitoes are less attracted to.
 
3) Always check your settings before heading out
 
I’ve had the misfortune of missing shots when a fox or a moose suddenly crossed my path, simply because my camera was still programmed for an Aurora or sunset shoot from the night before. Double-checking your settings, batteries, and memory cards before you leave is just as important as the shoot itself.
 
4) Honour your own artistic journey
 
I’ve learned to create the art I am capable of, rather than chasing someone else’s vision. Everyone’s journey is different, and you cannot compare your first step to someone else’s twentieth step — that only breeds stress and takes the joy out of photography. Along the way, I’ve found my niche in misty, sunrise landscapes. I love soft, sentimental, and calming, poetic images that evoke deep feelings. That is what I choose to focus on, and I make sure to always have fun creating and sharing them with my audience.
Finu Bruseby @coloursthrumylens_Nomadict_14
Finu Bruseby @coloursthrumylens_Nomadict_9

Winner
Best of the Week 17

That morning, my adventure companion and son, @kevinbruseby, and I headed out chasing fog. At first, we couldn’t find any subjects to shoot in the thick, grey blanket, so we decided to drive up to the nearest hilltop to see if the visibility was any better. To our amazement, we suddenly found ourselves standing above the clouds hovering over the town. The view was breathtaking; the backlight beautifully enhanced the layers of the landscape, creating a soft, creamy tone.

The entire town below us was completely swallowed by the fog. It was fascinating to imagine people going about their morning routines, thinking it was just a dull, cloudy day, when in reality, the sun was shining brilliantly just above them. The thick fog was the only thing making the world appear gloomy down below.

I am always chasing light and misty sunrises, and I love shooting directly into the sun, especially when it’s foggy. When this view unfolded right in front of me, I knew I had to capture it. I tried several different angles until I found a composition that felt right. I wanted a clean, uncluttered shot where the trees elegantly popped through the misty morning light. Since I prefer to showcase nature in its purest form with as minimal post-processing as possible, I had to ensure that all the “ingredients” I needed for the final image were perfectly aligned right there in the viewfinder.

Finu Bruseby @coloursthrumylens_Nomadict_1
As with most of my work, my goal was to keep the image as natural as possible. The colour tones you see are very close to what my eyes experienced that morning. In post-processing, I mainly focused on enhancing the contrast and subtly playing with the highlights to make the silhouettes of the trees pop against what was originally a somewhat flat and dull RAW file. I wanted the editing to elevate the natural atmosphere, not rewrite it.
 
My editing process is minimalist and deliberate. The most vital step for me is transforming the flat, dull RAW file back into the magical moment my eyes actually witnessed while taking the shots.
 
In foggy photography, it’s all about creating depth. My process focuses heavily on contrast separation, subtly deepening the shadows of the tree silhouettes while gently lifting the highlights where the morning light hits the mist. I also pay close attention to colour harmony, ensuring the delicate balance between the cool blues of the shadows and the soft, pinkish glow of the rising sun is perfectly preserved. It’s not about changing the reality, but rather breathing life and emotion back into the frame.
To this day, my most important personal project has been an ongoing one, documenting the quiet, atmospheric transitions of northern Sweden’s seasons, specifically the misty dawns and the endless light of the midnight sun.
 
What I’ve learned from this project is the art of ultimate patience. Nature doesn’t operate on our schedule. You can’t force the fog to roll in or the light to break perfectly. It taught me to slow down, read the weather, and become completely present in the environment.
 
In terms of my career, this project has been everything. It allowed me to move away from just taking pretty pictures and instead develop a distinct, recognizable style rooted in mood, sentimentality, and mist. Defining this signature style is exactly what connected me with a global audience on Instagram, led to a proud, long-time collaboration with Think Tank Photo, and brought me features like this one on Nomadict. It has given me the confidence to truly call myself a visual artist.
Ten years from now, I hope to still be out there in the quiet mornings, chasing the light and the fog, carrying a camera in my hand for as long as my sight allows. For me, photography has never just been about the final image; it is deeply therapeutic. Slipping out into nature before the world wakes up has been my sanctuary, helping me overcome stress and tune out the noise and negativity of the world. My main strategy for the future is simply to protect this sacred relationship with my craft and ensure it always remains a source of personal healing.
Beyond my own journey, I want to continue building the beautiful community that has grown around my work. I am endlessly grateful for the heartfelt messages and comments I receive from people who tell me that a specific image, or the words accompanying it, was exactly what they needed to get through their day. Knowing that my art can provide comfort and inspiration to someone else is incredibly humbling.
 
In the next decade, I also hope to deepen my connection with the creative community. It brings me immense joy when talented painters and artists use my photographs as references, interpreting my vision through their own brushes. Ten years from now, I want to look back and see a legacy of mutual inspiration — a continuous cycle of painting nature’s colours with my lens, and inspiring others to paint them on canvas.
Staying true to my own pace, remaining present in the mist, and letting gratitude guide me is how I will get there.
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