Ethereal Evenings: Nightscapes of Finland by Mika Suutari

Shrouded in darkness and mist, the natural world during nighttime is like an alternative reality of a once familiar place. Everything just doesn't look as what they seem, and photographer Mika Suutari plans to see and capture the evening's entirety.

All self-taught, Mika believes that humankind has been inspired by the stars long ago; like people from the ancient times, she finds art in the heavens as well, and she'd probably restlessly study them for thousands of years, the same way old astronomers have done so.

Mika found the magic of nighttime in the natural terrain of Southern Finland. Hailing from Nurmijärvi, Mika is blessed with unique sightings such as the northern lights, shooting stars, purple-to-blue skies, misty forests and roads, and the beaming moon.

To maintain the atmospheric and ambient qualities of her images, Mika would look for her light source within the night -- usually the moon and stars, sometimes her flashlight to capture that 'enchanted' natural landscape. Apart from evenings, Mika would also photograph the dawn -- the middle of evening and morning.

"I really enjoy these moments being alone in the nature in the middle of the night. It's really therapeutic too, as it clears my mind from everyday things. I can't really say which is more important to me - photographing or these calm moments alone in the nature! Sometimes I forget the camera and just admire the stars in the sky, waiting to see a glimpse of a shooting star or catch the northern lights in all their beauty."

Stay tuned for our exclusive interview with Mika soon. For now, browse through her website, Instagram and Flickr for more of her works. Images are with permission from Mika Suutari.

written by Ciel Hernandez on 2017-04-09 #people #finland #nightscapes #night-photography #landscape-photography #mika-suutari #night-landscapes