Light is the most important part of my pictures, but there must also be trees

6 May 2024 Forests in photos

This May, our photo of the month is ‘Misty Sunrise’, taken by Jari Romppainen on the Simojoki River in Ranua, Finland. The photo was a winner of PEFC Finland’s 2021 PEFC Photo Contest and a runner-up in the 2023 Best of the Best contest.

In our interview, Jari told us how forests inspire him and how we can both safeguard and use our forests.

How does the forest continue to inspire you and your photography?

My photography is based on light conditions. Light is the most important part of my pictures, but there must also be trees. Trees with a huge amount snow on their branches are definitely my favourite subjects to photograph. Others are foggy forests, swamps or rivers.

I like to be in the wilderness, and I love old fir forests and dry pine forests with big trees.

How has your photography journey continued since you participated in the PEFC Photo Contest?

I'm working as a principal, but I've made lots of projects through my company for other companies. Next winter, I'll try my business as a full-time entrepreneur. I still make lots of nature photography as a hobby.

What can each of us do to safeguard our forests?

It's important to make things in a responsible way. We have lots of forests in Finland and there is no more ethical material than wood. I think we can use it quite lot in buildings and industry overall.

100 or 300 years is not a long period for nature. That's what I've thought sometimes when people are talking about forest industry. I believe it's possible to take all the wood we need without causing problems for forests or the climate.

I've seen some overreactions about forest industry and some people are ready to take down everything. The truth is probably somewhere in between. I hope money doesn’t play a main role when we try to find the optimal amount of wood we take from forests.

Have you discovered anything about PEFC and/or certification over these past years that you didn’t know before?

I sell prints, cards and calendars printed on PEFC-certificated paper. I think people want to see the paper is ethical.