Nature photography tips

 Finnish Lapland is so full of beauty, of spectacle, of quiet moments and momentous celebrations, it’s a photographer’s dreamland. So whether your camera of choice is your trusty iPhone or you lean more toward the Canon Mark 5, you won’t be able to turn your head without seeing something photogenic. Here you’ll find collections of the most Instagrammable places, tips for catching the auroras, and some advice from Lapland’s–and the world’s–best photographers on how to capture a moment in all its glory.

Lapland attracts photographers like wildflowers attract butterflies. Even if you don’t think of yourself as a shutterbug, there’s little doubt you’ll begin whipping out your phone to get a picture of that reindeer, that foggy fell in the distance, the sparkling stars, or unbroken glistening snowscape. When it comes to photogenic, you’re unlikely to find anywhere else on Earth with so very much to see and capture.   

If you’re looking for the photography tips to help you capture Lapland, who better to ask than local photographers and experts and enthusiasts from around the world.    

Kirsi Tasala will suggest you use the winter light and Polar Night to your best advantage, while reminding you to bundle up. It’s cold out there. Eetu Leikas will give you permission to enjoy yourself–after all, this is your holiday! The experience comes first, photographs second. Iina Askonen will point out that your camera can take hundreds if not thousands of photos. Don’t be afraid to take as many photos as necessary; it’s all about getting the right shot at the right time.  

Aurora photography is perhaps one of the most difficult skills to master, and the Northern Lights draw photographers from around the world. Like Hisayoshi Kadowaki, perhaps Japan’s most celebrated aurora photographer, who has returned to Lapland time and again to see the auroras unfold in the night sky. Or professional aurora hunter, Alexander Kuznetsov, whose pictures for All About Lapland are the gold standard in exciting and unforgettable Northern Lights photographs. 

Nature photography. That’s an easy one. When you have the most nature in Europe, and it’s just so damn pretty, so breathtaking, of course you’re going to have nature photographers. Kristoff Göttling ended up in Salla and has taken some amazing photos of Santa’s helpers and other forest fauna and flora. Marinella Himari is not afraid to get up close and personal, to approach natural subjects on their own terms, and from their own perspectives. And Mark Roberts knows that sometimes, you have to get up before the sun in order to take the photo opportunities waiting out there.  

So whether you’re an amateur taking selfies on the stony fells of Pyhä, or an influencer showing off the distant peaks of snowy Saana, or a grizzled veteran with celluloid in your blood, you won’t find a better place to point and shoot than Finnish Lapland.