May Photo Dump: Busy Times Show Your True Priorities

The busiest two weeks are DONE!

Nani here—hello, moi, γεια σου! I’m here to write about my life as a full-time photographer and writer, and as a person who loves dogs and chips equally. One day, I want to do nothing but write to you and photograph for myself, so I’m immensely grateful for your support.

Hey Friend,

I hope your May was as good as mine, but I hope you got to enjoy it at a slightly slower pace.

Since I became a full-time photographer in 2012, the last two weeks of May have always been my busiest. Nature is in full bloom, schools are ending, and everyone is getting ready for summer.

I admit, photography-wise, the best days are either already gone or happening as we speak. Due to the horrible heatwave, everything seems to be blooming earlier than usual.

This post has plenty of images so make sure you click yourself to Substack to view all of them!

But why have I been so busy?

Once I declared that I’d stop marketing my client sessions, they came pouring in. I am extremely thankful for this, as it helps me fix my bank account after a tough 2023.

Another reason for my busyness is the communication projects I've taken on. I was supposed to have one or two at most, but I've managed to say yes to a few more. It's okay; it just keeps me on my toes.

But now, the busiest days are over, and I get to slow down. I’ll be working for two more weeks, and after that, I’ll have an undetermined vacation. This means I don’t know for how long or how I’m going to spend my weeks (except for a couple of photography sessions in July, of course).

What has the season kick-off taught me?

For me, a busy calendar is a wonderful teacher on how I want to fill my days after the holidays. During the stressful, busy times, I learn which tasks I do happily even when I’m busy. I discover what feels light even when other things feel heavy.

I know that writing these posts to you is one of those feel-good things. For the first time, I checked to see who opens my emails. I was stunned to find out that people I know in real life, who have never told me they subscribe to my newsletter, were on the list. And not only do they subscribe, but they open it every single time.

My heart is full

Writing to you is something I want to do more of in the future, of course. But in order to do so—let’s say, write to you weekly—I need to make this easier.

I’ll be sharing more photographs (thanks to

Penny Harrison

, who wholeheartedly raves about my photography, and

Andy Adams

, who kindly reminds us photographers that there is a place for us in the newsletter business) along with some field notes. Perhaps I don’t have to write a full novel every time.

So before this gets too long, I’ll leave you to it.

Talk to you soon,

Nani

I did quite a few sessions in May but this with Emilia Jansson was amazing. She is a wonderful performance artist and an actress. Fuji XT3 + 23/1.4 @ 1.4 1/8000 ISO 160

This location is close to the photo lab I use, and I’ve wanted to create portraits here, in this dramatic light, for a good while. Fuji XT3 + 33/1.4 @ 1.4 1/8000 sec ISO 160

This is probably my personal favorite of the 27 photos I created of Emilia. This is also my favorite image I’ve ever taken with my Fuji 23/1.4 lens. As you can see, I shoot wide open quite often. 😊 Fuji XT3 + 23/1.4 @ 1.4 1/8000 sec ISO 160

I wanted to create an image to my ongoing Moody Plants series in which I create dark and a bit melancholy portraits of plants. Couldn’t choose between these two, because they work so well together. Fuji XT3 + 33/1.4 @ 11 1/30 sec ISO 160

The Wood Anemone is the traditional flower children pick for their moms on Mother’s Day (in Finland the 2nd Sunday in May). Forests are filled with these beauties. I wanted these images (or should I say portraits?) to have some groove, since for me, at the moment, motherhood is anything but stationery. Fuji XT3 + 33/1.4 @ 11 1/30 sec ISO 160

One of the sessions I did was a brand shoot (I hate that term) for Piettolan tila. The idea was to capture something a bit more mystical. Such a fun project! Fuji XT3 + 33/1.4 @ 1.4 1/500 sec ISO 160

Fuji XT3 + 56/1.2 @ 1.4 1/500 sec ISO 160

Fuji XT3 + 56/1.2 @ 1.2 1/640 sec ISO 160

There would be so many wonderful “pro” photos to share, but I want to share something personal too! These are from the cruise ship. The cruise from Helsinki to Stockholm is such a traditional thing to do, and not least because of the ball pit… OR this light. THIS LIGHT! (Shot with an iPhone 11)

When you’re three and just want to get going…

This is probably my favorite frame from May!