Snow Kiting

I took this photo in Tornio Kaupunginlahti area, when I was walking.

Place: Tornio, Finland
Photo: Snow kiting
Date: 26th of March, 2018

Camera: Canon PowerShot SX730 HS
Shot: 1/640 sec. f/5.6 24.731mm

Editing: Clarity, cropping.

That looks fun!

Regards,
Mika

Two Cities - Two Countries - One Photo

I took this photo next to our home in Tornio city center. On the front the buildings are in Tornio in Finland and in the middle there is Haparanda old water tower in Sweden.

Place: Tornio, Finland
Photo: Two Cities - Two Countries - One Photo
Date: 17th of December, 2017 at 14:00

Camera: Canon PowerShot G15
Shot: 1/125 sec. f/2.8 30.5mm ISO 320

Editing: Clarity, cropping.

Like you can see these two cities are in practice one even there is border between. That's why Tornio-Haparanda is also called Twin City. 

Regards,

Mika

Haparanda Old Water Tower and Sunset

Days are already quite short here in North Europe. I took this photo two days ago from Finland and Sweden border towards Haparanda old water tower in Sweden. Time was 14:32 Finnish time or 13:32 Swedish time and like you see sun is already very low. Official sunset time was about 30min later.

Place: Haparanda, Sweden
Photo: Haparanda old water tower and sunset
Date: 16th of November, 2017

Camera: Canon PowerShot G15
Shot: 1/2000 sec. f/3.5 27.849mm ISO 80

Editing: HDR effect using online editor Pixlr, cropping.

It's still little a bit more than one month for the shortest and darkest time of the year. That will be just before Xmas. Hopefully there will be some snow and then it doesn't look so dark. At least after today the view is totally white.

Regards,
Mika

Windmills, Train Bridge and Swans

Today was beautiful sunny day and about temperature was about -5C here in Tornio. I was walking by the river, when I heard there are flying swans towards me.

Place: Tornio, Finland
Photo: Windmills, train bridge and swans
Date: 15th of November, 2017

Camera: Canon PowerShot G15
Shot: 1/1600 sec. f/2.8 30.5mm ISO 80

Editing: Contrast, clarity, cropping.

This train bridge in the photo crosses border. On the left is Finland and on the right is Sweden.

Regards,
Mika

Sun Gate

I took this photo behind the mall in Tornio just on the border of Finland and Sweden, when sun was already setting.

Place: Tornio, Finland
Photo: Sun gate
Date: 3rd of November, 2017

Camera: Canon PowerShot G15
Shot: 1/800 sec. f/2.8 6.1mm ISO 80

Editing: Contrast, clarity, cropping.

I took this photo just after 3PM, but sun was already very low.

Regards,
Mika

Haparanda and Old Water Tower

Here in this photo is old water tower in Haparanda Sweden and Torne riverside, but I took this photo from other side of the border from Tornio Finland. There are also lot of swans in the photo.

Place: Haparanda, Sweden
Photo: Haparanda and Old Water Tower
Date: 29th of September, 2017

Camera: Canon PowerShot G15
Shot: 1/400 sec. f/2.8 30.5mm ISO 80

Editing: Contrast, clarity, highlights, cropping.

Water was also very calm, when I took this photo.

Regards,
Mika

Fishing in Kukkolankoski

Torne river is a border river between Finland and Sweden. It's also popular fishing river. It's well known especially of salmon, but also whitefish. Kukkolankoski rapids (in Swedish: Kukkolaforsen) is about 15km to north from Tornio and Haparanda and there people scooping up whitefish.

Kukkolankoski is also beautiful place to visit. Rapids area is 3500m long and it drops 13,5m. Watch this my video to see more:

Tip! You can buy also smoked whitefish from Kukkolankoski and it's so good.

Regards,

Mika

Road Trip to Seskarö in Sweden

Seskarö is popular beach and camping destination near Haparanda in North Sweden. Here is short road trip video from Tornio in Finland to Seskarö in Sweden.

Date: 26th of July, 2017
Video camera: GoPro Hero5 Black
Camera: Canon EOS 60D

Summer is in practice already over here, so means also beach season is over. Next summer next time.

Regards,
Mika

Railway Bridge Between Sweden and Finland

Here is another photo regarding old railway bridge between Haparanda, Sweden and Tornio, Finland.

Place: Haparanda, Sweden
Photo: Railway Bridge Between Sweden and Finland
Date: 12th of August, 2017 

Camera: GoPro Hero5 Black
Shot: 1/1000 sec. f/2.8 3mm ISO 100

Editing: Contrast, highlights, sharpening, cropping.

Great Torne River!

Regards,
Mika

Sunset with Twist

I took this sunset photo yesterday here in Tornio. Then I edited and played with the color settings and this is the result. Looks more like a painting now.

Place: Haparanda, Sweden
Photo: Sunset with twist
Date: 17th of August, 2017

Camera: Canon EOS 60D
Lens: Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
Shot: 1/160 sec. f/8 42mm ISO 100

Editing: I took the photo using strong color settings in camera. After that I used in the editor color settings like tint, temperature and saturation. Then some cropping.

Does it look natural? No. Does it look beautiful? Yes. What do you think?

Regards,
Mika

Seskarö Bridge in Sweden

If you go to visit in Seskarö beach or campsite you will see also this beautiful Seskarö bridge.

Place: Seskarö, Haparanda Municipality, Sweden

Photo: Seskarö bridge
Date: 26th of July, 2017

Camera: Canon EOS 60D

Lens: Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

Shot: 1/320 sec. f/13 50mm ISO 100

Editing: Contrast, sharpening, highlights, cropping. 

Seskarö is beautiful place to visit. Even if go to watch only the bridge. 

Regards,

Mika

CarPhotography | Wheels Nationals Classic MotorMeet 2017 Haparanda | Sweden

Place: Haparanda, Sweden
Event: Wheels Nationals Classic MotorMeet 2017 Haparanda
Date: 13 - 15th of July, 2017

Few weeks ago was held Wheels Nationals Classic MotorMeet 2017 in Haparanda. This year it was first time 3 days event. On Thursday the theme was Euro cars and rest of the days all kind of vintage and classic cars.

The event was success. Total about 1100 cars and 10,000 visitors. Good numbers for the small place like Haparanda.

Here is my video where you can see some of the best cars in the event. Enjoy!

So much more cars than last year. Great event!

Regards,
Mika

Railway Bridge Between Sweden and Finland

This is the old railway bridge between Haparanda, Sweden and Tornio, Finland. I took this photo from Sweden side.

Place: Haparanda, Sweden
Photo: Railway Bridge Between Sweden and Finland
Date: 12th of August, 2017

Camera: GoPro Hero5 Black
Shot: 1/1000 sec. f/2.8 3mm ISO 100

Editing: Contrast, highlights, sharpening, cropping.

GoPro has very wide angle lens and I could not take this kind of photo from this place using my DSLR with 15mm lens.

Regards,
Mika

Boats in Haparanda Marina, Sweden

Few days was beautiful summer day and I visited Haparanda Marina.

Place: Haparanda Marina, Nikkala, Sweden
Photos: Boats in Haparanda Marina (Haparanda Hamn)
Date: 31st of July, 2017

Camera: Canon EOS 60D
Lens: Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

Boats closer.

View to the sea.

Fishing boats.

Marinas are great place to visit, when sun is shining and it's warm summer day.

Regards,
Mika

Water Towers in Haparanda, Sweden

I took this photo from Tornio old water tower in Finland and the water towers in the photo are in Haparanda, Sweden. Distance by road between Tornio old water tower and Haparanda old water tower (red tower) is about 2,9km.

Place: Haparanda, Sweden
Photo: Water Towers in Haparanda, Sweden
Date: 29th of June, 2017

Camera: Canon EOS 60D
Lens: Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS
Shot: 1/400 sec. f/7.1 250mm ISO 100

Editing: Contrast, highlights, sharpening, cropping.

Tornio water tower is great place to visit. Visitor can see from the tower the whole Tornio-Haparanda border area including mighty Torne River, which is longest free-flowing river in Europe.

Regards,
Mika

Swan with the Babies 2017

I heard that the swan near my home has got two babies, but it's not anymore on the nest. Today evening I decided to search the swans and finally I found them. I took all of these photos below about 10PM, when here are still lot of light.

Place: Haparanda, Sweden
Photos: Swan with the babies 2017
Date: 2nd of July, 2017

Camera: Canon EOS 60D
Lens: Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS

Mother also hided the babies to long crass for a while. Only mother's head was visible.

Very quickly mother and babies came back to water.

It was easy to see that mother was still very careful and watched around all the time.

Great to see small swans again like last year.

Regards,
Mika

First Dragonfly for the Summer

This year summer was late and of course also all the insects. I took this dragonfly photo just few days ago.

Place: Haparanda, Sweden
Photo: First Dragonfly for the Summer
Date: 29th of June, 2017

Camera: Canon EOS 60D
Lens: Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS
Shot: 1/320 sec. f/10 250mm ISO 400

Editing: Contrast, sharpening, cropping.

This dragonfly was not so colorful like some dragonflies last summer, but summer has just started here in north.

Regards,
Mika

Whitewater rafting in Kukkolankoski - Tornio, Finland

I posted earlier photo from Kukkolankoski rapids, which I took in this winter. In summer time there is possible to try also whitewater rafting. For this summer the season has not started yet, but it will start soon.

I took this photo six years ago from Finland side and the building on the background are in Sweden side.

Place: Kukkolankoski, Tornio, Finland AND Kukkolaforsen, Haparanda, Sweden
Photo: Whitewater rafting in Kukkolankoski
Date: 27th of May, 2011

Camera: Canon EOS 60D
Lens: Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
Shot: 1/250 sec. f/8 85mm ISO 100

Editing: Sharpening and cropping.

At the moment the view is not as green at all yet, but hopefully soon. Spring and summer is so late here in this year.

Regards,
Mika

Kukkolankoski Rapids in Winter

Kukkolankoski Rapids is part of Tornionjoki (River Tornio) and it's 15km to north from Tornio. The rapids is 3500 meters long and height is 13,8 meters. The rapids area does not freeze totally even in the winter, when temperature can be sometimes close to -40C.

I took this picture from Sweden and the landscape behind the river is in Finland side.

Place: Kukkolankoski Rapids in Finland/Sweden
Photo: Kukkolankoski Rapids in Winter
Date: 19th of February, 2017

Camera: Canon PowerShot G15
Shot: 1/1250 sec. f/2.8 13.75mm ISO 80

Editing: Cropping and sharpening.

In summer the view is totally different and there are people fishing on the rapids area.

Regards,
Mika

New Year's Eve Twice in Tornio Finland and Haparanda Sweden

Yesterday evening was New Year's Eve. Here on the Finland and Sweden border new year is every time twice. Even Tornio in Finland and Haparanda in Sweden are almost like one city, there is anyway border between and both countries Finland and Sweden have different time zone. This means also fireworks is twice.

This time the both cities celebrated the New Year's Eve together in the same place just on the border. First band played, then fireworks in Finland, band continued and one hour later fireworks in Sweden.

Place: Tornio, Finland

Photos: New Year's Eve

Date: 31st of December, 2016

Camera: Canon EOS 60D

Lens: Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

Temperature was about -5C, but party band After Ski played and kept the people warm before fireworks.

Band and the screen.

Party band After Ski.

Fireworks.

More.

And more.

Today is 1st of January 2017, so here starts the new year. Happy New Year!

Regards,

Mika