Ice Age

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It's that time of the year when you can expect almost any weather in Finland. A few days ago we had sunshine and spring in the air. Yesterday it rained like it was October. Today the snow has covered the ground completely. Sometimes it's comfortably warm. Sometimes icy cold, like the night when I took the photo in my very first entry of this blog. –10° Celsius, the thermometer said.

Some years ago in early April it was raining although it was like –5° C. Everything got covered in ice and there were tiny icicles everywhere.

I took the camera for a walk, of course, and it felt like walking around in a fairy tale landscape.

Every little part of every plant had a shell of ice several millimetres thick and totally transparent.

One chance only

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In September 1995 I studied to become a photographer (which I did in 1997). One morning the whole class of photography students went to the beach where we walked around capturing surprisingly different things on film. Yes, this was before digital.

I had just bought a second hand Yashica-Mat from 1957. It was a true pleasure to take photos with that camera. I still have it in my office. It's beautiful to look at but also a competent camera to use.
As expected the sun rose over the horizon and created a light that would last only for a couple of minutes. The light coming from a horizontal angle revealed the forms of the sand dunes and made the lines that the sea had cut out glow.

For years I claimed this to be my best photo ever. I still consider it one of my favourite photos. (I honestly don't know if it's the best.)

Since that day I have visited this same beach (Storsand, Monäs, Nykarleby) many times at sunrise trying to get that same photo again. I never managed to do that.

Lesson learned: You only have one chance. Take it or it will be lost. Don't think you can save it for later.

Some react by saying: “How did you get that high to take the photo?” But it's not that big, less than one meter.

Welcome to my photoblog!

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Here's everything you need to know about it:
 

Who?

I'm Ove Lillas, born in 1971, a trained photographer although working mostly with graphic design within my own company Crealio Design.
 

Where?

I live in Nykarleby on the west coast of Finland. Most photos will be taken in this area, but occasionally I'll publish photos from trips to other areas of Finland and other countries around the world.
 

Why?

Every now and then I upload photos on Crealio Design's facebook page but here I concentrate more on the photography aspect and less on the company image aspect of it. You'll find more facts, more stories and more personal thoughts. And more photos.
 

This is me with a flash pointing straight at my face and the Aurora Borealis as a backdrop.