Ajaton Joki » Personal

My Love of Finland – If I Could Design A Postcard…

admin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:48:36 +0000

Today, I thought it would be fun to do a shoot that really showed just how beautiful Finland is in Winter. If I could design a postcard of an amazing Winter wonderland, then these are what I’d submit as the artwork.

Presenting a 9 year old Finnish girl, her reindeer, a book on antique Finnish maps, and a beautiful snowy day in January.

The First Snow

admin — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:12:32 +0000

It took half the Winter, but we finally saw snowfall here in Helsinki.

The light and scenery is so exquisite this time of year. Soft and light and lovely. We’re fortunate to have a mild Winter – not too cold for tea parties with friends!

Autumn Finland Schedule

admin — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 12:00:02 +0000

I am booking up quicker this year for Autumn sessions. I have limited availability on weekends and I’m completely booked from October 15 through November 15 for Christmas sessions. If you’d like an Autumn session in Finland, I recommend booking as soon as possible to ensure better choices for dates/times.

Welcome Spring!

admin — Fri, 13 May 2011 20:39:07 +0000

Can you tell I live in the most beautiful place on Earth?

The Cusp of Spring

admin — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 20:58:51 +0000

Between the bits of melting snow, we can actually see ground again! The warm Spring sun means that although there is the white stuff still on the ground, it is warm enough to bring out the Summer clothes.

Of course, with that much golden sun out there, I’m going to take advantage of it! I love the glow and warmth from shooting out in that full sun. It really exemplifies the beauty that is Spring and the emergence from a very long Winter!

Revisiting the Little Red Theme

admin — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:41:37 +0000

Before the snow melted this year, I really wanted to revisit a Little Red Riding Hood themed shoot. Of course, I never want to be too literal and I want to always keep that bit of magic and mystery behind the fairy tales intact.

This was actually photographed alongside a road to a school in the middle of the City of Espoo. These trees were wind barriers along the road but they were also interesting enough that I really wanted to shoot here.

May The New Year Bring Your Happiness

admin — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 18:29:53 +0000

A special thank you to clients, friends, and family who have supported Ajaton Joki this year. It was an unparalleled year full of unexpected growth and travel. I’ve made many new friends around the world and am thankful every day to have the ability to share my love of location and design in photography.

Thank you – and may the new year bring you all the happiness you and your family can hold.

Andrea

An Historical Railway Platform

admin — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 19:09:29 +0000

I had shot this particular location several years ago but somehow had never returned until this past weekend. The skies were heavy with clouds and rain – necessitating some extra lighting in certain areas. But what a wonderful place for a photography session.

The terminal area dates back to the World War II era and was heavily bombed during the Winter War. Several crates exist in the area around the terminal and it was rebuilt several times until finally being abandoned in the early 1990s.

I used my long lens for the shoot to compress the background and make a long platform seem much smaller and cozier. And occasionally brought in a speedlight to lift shadows and bring further subject focus.

Autumn Rain

admin — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 19:37:14 +0000

We had to wait in the car until the storm passed – but definitely worth it after the sun came out in full effect. Autumn always brings showers in Finland and I admit I welcome them. There’s a reason why movie set decorators water down the streets before a shoot – all those spectral highlights, reflections, and especially rich bokeh that comes from water can make an image rich and lush.

This shoot was all about using a longer focal length lens to let background compression retain the far background in the bokeh or to overcome height issues due to the perfect spot being atop a large mound. We had only a few minutes here before the sun disappeared and rain threatened again. But oh how I love the color and feel of Autumn in Finland.

These were all shot with natural light and no reflectors or modifiers. The light was just so sweet at this particular moment and I am so grateful for the time I spent learning how to read that light and shoot it to its best.

And how could I resist a portrait from the reflections in a puddle.

Sneak Peak: M Family

admin — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 21:41:35 +0000

And a special thanks to this wonderful family for perfectly chosen outfits – it was a pleasure to process these with all that vibrant wonderful color!