Kalle Saarikko

I am a photographer from Finland. I focus mainly in landscapes, seascapes and natures abstractions. Sometimes a bit architecture and other things also. My work leans on the minimal side, obviously.

Photography has been a part of my life from the mid 90’s. I had a guitar teacher who was also a photographer. I used to look his nature and landscape photographs in the wall while training guitar at his house. That started to direct me towards landscape and nature photography.

Landscapes have always drew my attention. I think I was traditional sunset lover at the beginning of my photographic journey in my teens, but then I slowly started to find more nyanses as I grew older.

The other significant influence in my youth were album covers. Especially the imaginative work of Hipgnosis, who created classic album covers for Pink Floyd and many more artists.

My journey towards minimalist photography really started when I picked up my camera again about seven years ago after a long break of photography. I knew in my mind that I wanted a certain approach to my photography. I just couldn’t quite grasp the idea. Then I saw the works from Michael Kenna for the first time since the 90’s. That made a huge impact on me, and the pieces started to come together.

A friend of mine once told me: ”There is not a lot to look at in your images, but they are still so intriguing.” I think there is a quite accurate definition!

Minimal photography is reconstructing the photographic theme to its bare essence. It might sound easy to take a photographs minimal style. But actually it takes a lot to carry the image with only few key elements.

For me, minimalist photography is also a state of mind. It forces you to slow down and focus on the moment. It isolates you from everything else and gives you your own private space. Something that is much needed in a hectic modern world we live today.

Michael Kenna, who I have already mentioned, is probably the most influental one for me. Hiroshi Sugimoto is another. Especially his seascapes. You can definitely see, how their minimal and contemplative style have influenced my approach on photography.

And even thought my work concentrates mainly on minimal landscape and nature, I am inspired by many different styles of photography. Ernst Haas is one definite favourite of mine. Joakim Möller deserves also to be mentioned. Incredible young talent.

First of all, Black and white has that classic vibe. It is timeless. In minimal photography, black and white helps to isolate the essence of the image. When other colors are removed, the subject, light, texture, shapes and composition take the main character in your photograph. When these come first, the impact of the image is usually more stronger. In color photography, you tend to react the colors first. Or at least I personally feel so.

Colors have definitely their place in minimal photography, of course. I have experimented with colors more in a past year or two. But I have to take a different kind of approach to your photography whether you use color or monochrome.

I keep this one short and simple: The one that stops you and gives emotional connection.

Not at all. What happens behind the lens is what counts. Of course it is convinient to have equipment that fills your needs. But other than that, I suggest everyone to concentrate on your photography skills instead of your camera gear.

I use Fujifilm cameras with couple of different lenses and some filters. They work very well for my purposes and that is the main thing. But other than that I don’t pay attention to my equipment much.

That list is long: Music, literature, theatre, movies, architecture... All of these give you new perspectives. And it is also inspiring to see or experience what we can achieve with talent, persistance and hard work.

There’s a question I really haven’t thought about! Arctic Tern would be a fascinating choice. It travels about 70000 km in a year, moving from Antarctica to the North and back. Free as a bird through the globe, that could be quite an experience.