This must be the most beautiful place in the world.
That thought lingers as we climb the steep slope, breathless, muscles aching and sweat beading on our brows.
It’s ten o’clock in the evening, yet the sun still blazes overhead, as it does in the far north during summer. The day was unbearably hot, and even the mosquitoes seem dulled by the heat.
Nature photographers Eeva Mäkinen and Mikko Oivukka pull their cameras from their backpacks. Their movements are confident as they begin shooting the landscape.
From the ridge, we gaze out across tens of kilometres of pristine wilderness: the fells of Riisitunturi National Park and the shimmering Kitka Lakes. Nearby looms the dramatic outline of Konttainen, Kuusamo’s northernmost peak.
This scenery is the reason we are here.
Beyond the ski slopes: Discovering Kuusamo’s wild heart
Finland is known as the land of a thousand lakes. In Kuusamo alone, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of lakes and ponds.Photo: Emilia Kangasluoma
Many know Kuusamo as a winter sports hub, but there’s much more to it than ski trails and snowy slopes.
A vibrant northern town near Finland’s eastern border, it boasts an astonishing diversity of landscapes: forested fells, deep canyons, rushing rapids, winding rivers, and hundreds of lakes.
Nestled just south of the Lapland region, the Kuusamo area alone contains two national parks, Oulanka and Hossa, and three more are close by: Salla, Riisitunturi and Syöte.
As qualified wilderness guides, Mikko Oivukka and Eeva Mäkinen not only lead guests safely through Kuusamo’s landscapes, but also gain a deeper connection with nature.Photo: Emilia Kangasluoma
But Kuusamo’s magic isn’t just in the scenery.
“Look, a red-flanked bluetail (Tarsiger cyanurus)!” Oivukka points to a delicate bird perched on an ancient spruce. He has spent years photographing the region’s elusive flora and fauna and knows the topic well.
Kuusamo sits at a unique ecological crossroads where northern and southern species overlap – some more typical of Siberia than of Finland.
“This may be one of the best places in Finland to encounter a capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) or a red-flanked bluetail, like this one,” Oivukka says.
His enthusiasm is contagious. Kuusamo, with its engrossing wildlife and breathtaking scenery, has quietly become, as Oivukka puts it, “a nature photography mecca.”
A photographer’s northern leap
Mikko Oivukka is a big fan of the Konttainen and Valtavaara areas for taking photos. “This place is a real hotspot for nature photography,” he says. His inspiration is Hannu Hautala (1941–2023), a legendary Kuusamo-based photographer whose exquisite bird images made him a household name in Finland and beyond.Photo: Emilia Kangasluoma
Oivukka is originally from southwestern Finland, but the call of the north proved too strong, and he moved to Kuusamo in 2017. Initially drawn north by birdwatching and nature guiding, he now devotes his days to photography and leading photo tours through his company, Kuusamo Nature Photography.
The courtship display of the black grouse (Lyrurus tetrix) is an annual event in Kuusamo each spring. In April, the conditions in Kuusamo are quite wintry, with snow flurries occurring from time to time. Usually, black grouse aren’t very active during snowfall, but if you’re patient enough to wait in the hide, you might manage to capture a good shot.Photo: Mikko Oivukka
On his tours, participants learn about bird and animal behaviour, discover the best local photography spots, and pick up camera techniques. Many of the sessions take place in hides, offering chances to spot golden eagles, capercaillies, and even bears.
“I was photographing a stunning sunset in early January when I noticed Siberian jays lingering in the same spot,” Oivukka says. “I stayed put, hoping they would fly to the top of the right tree in a perfect position.” Siberian jays (Perisoreus infaustus) are quite accommodating birds, often following the same route several times, which gave Oivukka a chance to practise a few times before getting the perfect shot. “Although I missed the actual sunset, capturing a great photo of the jay was the highlight of the trip.” You can admire more of Mikko Oivukka’s nature photography on Instagram: @KuusamoNaturePhotography.Photo: Mikko Oivukka
“Exploration is an important part of this.” Oivukka says.
“You can’t go out looking for birds with gritted teeth.”
Capturing Kuusamo’s quiet soul
Eeva Mäkinen loves places like Oulanka National Park and Riisitunturi for their easy access. She also has dozens of secret favourite spots discovered through careful map study: “I look for steep slopes, lakes and ancient forests.”Photo: Emilia Kangasluoma
Mäkinen settles on a mossy patch to frame her shot, just at the edge of a precipice overlooking a lake called Konttaisjärvi. Through Instagram, she has introduced hundreds of thousands of people to Kuusamo’s northern beauty.
A misty river valley, snow-laden spruces, the fiery hues of autumn foliage: Mäkinen has a gift for capturing nature’s quiet drama.
Mäkinen’s photographic journey began in her twenties as she travelled abroad capturing classic tourist scenes. But something was missing.
“I realised I wanted to discover my own sights and hunt for stories that made the images personal.”
After a year at wilderness guide school and countless nights under the stars, she was sure: she didn’t just want to photograph nature, she wanted to live in it.
She began leading nature excursions, helping guests find beautiful locations to photograph.
As those journeys increasingly led north, she and her partner asked themselves: what if we stayed for a year?
“Six years later, here we still are,” she says.
This photo was taken in early summer, when Eeva Mäkinen loves spending her mornings in the boggy landscape: “I’d been searching for a scene like this close to home for a long time, and finally stumbled upon it almost by chance. One morning, through the mist, I spotted this view and noticed the sun rising from just the right angle to create the perfect backlight for the shot.” Her Instagram account is @eevamakinen.Photo: Eeva Mäkinen
What captivates her most is Kuusamo’s ever-changing character: “Whenever the moment feels right, there’s always something striking to photograph.”
Winters bring snowy fells; summers beckon with lakes, rivers and swamps.
“I go to the marshes before Midsummer, as misty mornings and the cold earth are just magical,” she says.
Her favourite time? Late autumn, just before the first snow, when orange aspen leaves glow and the Northern Lights shimmer over unfrozen lakes.
“Those photos often raise more questions than answers,” she says. “They’re not so overexposed or familiar. The world seems to hush; time stands still.”
Ethical nature photography in the North
“I had found an interesting spot on the map where I could camp right on top of the fell, surrounded by snow-laden trees,” says Eeva Mäkinen about this photograph. “The forecast for the night was freezing temperatures, but I decided to go on the trip with a friend anyway. As dusk fell, the moonlight illuminated the snow-covered trees perfectly. On this trip, I gained a better understanding of how the size of the moon affects night photography.” The photo was taken in February, with temperatures well below minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus four degrees Fahrenheit).Photo: Eeva Mäkinen
Today, Mäkinen mostly photographs the wild herself, but she also leads international travellers on photographic journeys, from Europe to India and Australia.
Her tours are unhurried. There’s no rushing along ski trails or tallying hiking distances. Instead, she teaches guests to slow down, observe, and respect the environment.
Animals and plants are not to be disturbed. Stay on the trails. Leave nothing behind but footprints.
Oivukka sits down next to Mäkinen on the mossy hillside and lets his camera drop to his lap. He sums it up:
“Respecting nature is everything. We must leave it as we found it. That’s paramount.”
As the setting sun paints the sky overhead, no view seems more beautiful than the one before us, right here, right now.Photo: Emilia Kangasluoma
As the light dims, it seems impossible for the scene to get more perfect. It’s time to make our descent, but there’s time for one last question: What does it feel like to capture a truly great nature photograph?
“Wonderful,” Oivukka says.
“Sometimes you know it the moment you press the shutter. But as a guide, I get even more excited when my guests get good shots.”
Mäkinen takes a moment to reflect. Some of her images have been planned for months, even years.
And when everything aligns – light, wind, mist, sun – it feels like fate is smiling.
“It’s incredible,” she says. “Absolutely incredible.”
At midnight, nature has fallen asleep.Photo: Emilia Kangasluoma
By Emilia Kangasluoma, October 2025
