Northlight Pictures

Tamok episode finished

admin — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:27:47 +0000

Just finished editing the latest episode of Relate To It. It will be released in few days at TWSNOW website. Tamok episode was definitely toughest to edit so far, we had stuff from all over the mountains and it wasn`t easy job to make it work together. Had to leave some good stuff out to keep things short and entertaining. Tamok is the place to be if you want it all. It has great treeruns, high alpine stuff like couloirs and insanely steep runs, open fields of powder with over 1000m vertical, windlips, cornices and stuff to jump from and you can actually find couple of crazy rails if you don´t find enough to do in the mountains… On top of that, you can surf in the nearby freezing waters of Norwegian Sea.

I spent almost three weeks in Tamok and we had many different crews and riders stopping by. Here are some photos, if you want to see more check out facebook photos as well

Now thats a fine machine

Tamokfjellet from the air

On the top of Blåbärfjellet, clockwise from left: Rami, Miikka, Antti, Nicholas and Arto lurking behind

Shooting from the machine is never easy, me and Rami Hanafi doing our best to get things done. Monopod helps to keep my camera steady and makes it easier for your hands to hold for long periods, kinda like shoulder mount.

We had only couple of days with the heli, and then you just hike...

Antti slashing some Tamok powder

Weather changes fast in Tamok. It was raining and during the night "Huset" was drowning with 30cm of water in front of the house. Next day we had 15cm of new snow at the bottom and 50+ cm at the top!

Our cosy cabin under the northern lights

http://www.anttisworld.com/

Photos for Northwave/Drake catalog

admin — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:46:14 +0000

Northwave/Drake used some of my photos from last season in their catalog. I also took some shots just for this back in november.

I was asked to shoot Antti setting up his new binding, not bindings because we had only one to work with!

Opening spread with Antti at Tamok, april 2011

Original shot

Pilke TV Commercial

admin — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 13:30:42 +0000

TV commercial for Rovaniemi based science center Pilke. Northlight Pictures teamed up with Advertising Kioski for this project. Idea for ad came from the client and AD Kioski. We ended up doing same spot with different sounds coming out of the box. First video was “Falling tree” check out the rest to see which you prefer most.

Bird song

Chainsaw

As always, we encountered few problems on the way. Originally we had only few hours reserved to shoot the whole thing but after 1,5 hours or so the science center was full of kids running around all over the place. They were getting in the shots all the time, and the sounds were only usable from the beginning of the shoot. My own camera was being repaired in Helsinki by Nikon and I had to borrow one from my friend. Thanks Jukka!

Jukka testing the light inside carboard box

Checking focus before take.

Working on “Relate To It” webisodes

admin — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 17:07:31 +0000

Latest addition to Relate To It webisode-series has been out for over a week now. Check it out if you haven´t seen it!

We were filming new stuff at Canada for couple of weeks. This time with different crew and different views of snowboarding. Three days at Monashee Powder Snowcats showed us the easy way of doing things. No hiking and not much of searching spots. Just let the guides take you to different areas and enjoy the powder and mellow ride up with a snowcat. It was the first time to go catboarding for all of us. Definitely worth a try!

Last part of the trip we stayed at Revelstoke building couple of jumps in the backcountry. Stay tuned for more in anttisworld.com

Juuso Laivisto, Markku Koski and Antti Autti checking out the terrain in Monashee Powder Snowcats

The surreal burnt forest called Full Moon had lots of great terrain

Tripod problems

admin — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 16:41:44 +0000

I need small and sturdy tripod for shooting video in the backcountry. Traditional video tripods are way too big to attach to your backpack while snowboarding. Maybe three years ago I found really small and lightweight Gitzo 1158, attached FLM leveling base and Manfrotto 701 video head to it. Whole thing weighs around 2,5kg and is less than 70cm long, just the perfect size for my needs. Gitzos built quality is amazing, probably the best you can get but after few years of heavy use even the best ones give up. Last year one of the legs started sliding off after first extension tube cracked inside. I tried to get spare parts from Gitzo but the model was outdated and the parts were nowhere to be found.I got used to it after awhile and tend to leave it little shorter than other legs and it works just fine. Then little later another leg started to wobble and loosen up from its joint. I repaired it with obvious choice, the gaffers tape and it worked fine for over 6 months. When I got home from the last trip I removed the tape that was left and this loose leg dropped off from its socket. I got lucky when this happened at home and not up in the mountains! I had to get some epoxy to glue it back in and glued another leg that was loose as well. Now it seems to be fine and I´m hoping it will last for another 3 years.

New project on the way

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:45:41 +0000

New season and new project on the way. Last season was all about Antiout the movie. This season I am working with Antti Autti on Relate To It webisodes that will be broadcasted online at Transworld Snowboarding and Onboard magazines and anttisworld.com website.

We started the project from Revelstoke, Canada late last year and currently we are filming in Hokkaido, Japan. With record-breaking snowfalls Japan is the place to be at the moment!

Antti and Miikka Hast at Revelstoke, BC Canada.

Photographer Jani Kärppä from Lappikuva and Antti just before the last run of the day. Me and Jani decided to take a run just for fun after hard day of hiking and filming and Antti had enough energy to tag along. According to Antti the backcountry code goes like: “Never leave your buddies” and thats the way it should be at all times when you are out there with your friends!

New tools for the trade. I wanted to take it easier this year and decided to get a split-board. It saves energy and hikes are way more easier when you don´t have to carry your board and struggle through the deep snow. For steeper and shorter runs I still prefer my regular (goofy) board!

Japan randomness clockwise from top left: #1 Check out this gallon of whisky, Jani is having a laugh and wondering should we take some quality time off from the slopes? #2 Some Japanese guy recognized Antti at local grocery store and wanted to have a photo with him. #3 Our car just before arriving at Niseko, check out that huge pile of snow at the roof! #4 You can get everything from the vending machines, this one had toys, toys, toys and seeds to grow your own radish!

Traveling with photo gear

admin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:49:56 +0000

Traveling with photography- and video gear is pain in the ass most of the times. Not only its heavy but it can get broken, maybe not by you but by someone else. You have to be prepared for everything and that is why there is usually too much stuff to carry around. Everything that you can fit goes in your backbag and inside the cabin if you are traveling by air, and don´t mind the weight limits, the size matters more! When you show your baggage contents to airport officials they usually let you take it with you even if it is too heavy. It gets too risky and pricey for them to get your expensive gear down at baggage compartment. Everything else must go down, and that is something you can´t control yourself. Better to get some Pelican-case or similar if you´re really worried, but I think it gets too heavy and complicated to lug around multiple cases and snowboard bags. You think you packed everything safe and sound but still your gear gets smashed. Lets face it, those airline workers won´t handle your luggage the way you do it yourself.

This was the result after flights from Helsinki via Copenhagen to Bergen in Norway. Thank you SAS! With this protector filter they smashed my 1TB external hard-drive. Both items packed inside tough Dakine bag, wrapped around with couple of shirts, fleeces and beanies. I made the complaint of damaged gear during flight but never got response. After couple of months I called back and the process was started but it has been six months and nothing, not even excuses.

Here is another pic of my trusty old 80-200 Nikkor which was fine after I changed the smashed filter. Another good reason for wearing one at all times!

Harhalaukaus

admin — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:13:58 +0000

This photo was part of exhibition called Harhalaukaus. It was on display at Bar Kuka in Turku last year and at bar Cafe&Pint also in Turku this year. It contained photos from seven different photographers. Photos were eventually sold in auction for charity.

Harhalaukaus, “misfire” or actually “missed shot” in english was about accidentally taken or somehow ruined photographs that otherwise would have been considered useless.

My photo was taken at Scrapbook sessions 2008 in Rovaniemi. Shot was meant to be a backlit photo of snowboarder Miikka Hast. I snapped a photo with my old Yashica D, on the background I saw Teo Konttinen spitting water on the kicker and thought that I needed another, this time clean shot of Miikka. I forgot to advance film and took another photo double exposing them by accident. Result you can see above. I think it is much more interesting this way though.

Photo of the exhibition at Bar Kuka by Niko Vähäsarja, thank you very much Niko for making the exhibition happen!

Breaking things

admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:52:03 +0000

Last year I was out filming and photographing most of my time. During the process a lot of gear breaks up, gets battered during transport or just has poor design. It happens so often that there has to be more to it than just bad luck.

Equipment that I use are supposed to be made for frequent use and they should last the normal wear and tear, without me looking after them with excess care. I admit that I am not the most caring people when it comes to my equipment, but still it happens so often that I can do nothing but wonder the quality of products nowadays.

I wanted to start a new category to my blog because of this and here is the first entry:

It is a flash shoe adapter. Cheap stuff but still designed poorly. Manfrotto should be selling these in 6 packs or something because they are just not made to last, crappiest stuff I have to carry in my bag. Shown in the photo broken in two different ways, one on the left is still holding flash but it is spinning freely and can be pulled out from its socket with your hand. One on the right will not hold a flash in it, you can see the cracks on the top.

Title of this post is stolen from an album of 90`s pop punk band, guess what!

World Snowboard Day 18-12-2011

admin — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 18:31:29 +0000

Miikka Hast BS1 at Revelstoke on World Snowboard Day 2011

New season had great start from Revelstoke, BC, Canada. I arrived in Canada a week ago to film with Antti Autti. Antti joined Protest team riders Miikka Hast and Jonas Hagström who also decided to start their new Snowtour from here due to good early season conditions BC has to offer.

Check out more from:

anttisworld

Protest Snowtour

World Snowboard Day