"I find photography a very unique art form. Especially colours and atmospheres speak to me on a level I can't really explain. There is all the liberty of artistic expression yet a possibility to capture very authentic and raw moments in quantities and sequences that you couldn't for instance paint. Although photos suggest a feeling, they have room for interpretation, and over time they tend to become even more meaningful."
Finnish Lapland is where my heart belongs. It holds some of Europe’s last true wilderness areas with boreal nature, endless coniferous forests, vast marshlands and barren fell highlands. Every so often the fells call me for hiking adventures but these areas are not the most easily accessed from the South of Finland. It had been my long-term dream to capture a story of two lovers in the reindeer kingdom but I wanted it to be just right. Finally I was lucky to come across these like-minded people who also loved the outdoors and didn’t mind travelling a thousand kilometres for the shots. While there, we only had a short window of time for the photoshoot. I was hoping for some mystical fog to emphasize the atmosphere that I feel when I’m there, but the downside of my successful wish was that on the fells it was so cloudy that the moisture fell down as rain. After waiting a few hours the rain eased enough though that we were able to hike up. There was just enough daylight left for these two lovers to go goofing around and being absolutely awesome. Their chemistry unfolded so naturally and beautifully that I was is awe just witnessing it. Next goal: a multi-day hiking session.
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Pictures by Heidi Kouvo
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Website & Instagram
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Gear: Canon 5D mk IV & Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L
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Location: Saariselkä, Lapland, Finland
