STUTTERHEIM Shot by: Lauri Talja
Helsinki-based photographer and musician Lauri Talja got into photography while on tour in Europe with his band. An urge to capture the people and places along the way made him pick up the camera. Little by little, he started shooting the streets of Helsinki on his way to work and after borrowing his girlfriend’s analogue camera, he was completely hooked. Nowadays he mainly shoots on film and his portraits and street photos have a recognisable analogue style. Becoming a photographer wasn’t an informed decision for Lauri – it just sort of happened.
Helsinki, Lauri’s hometown, is well-known for its urban culture and architecture and Lauri especially enjoys the closeness to nature – the city is surrounded by Nordic nature and the Baltic Sea. He spends a lot of his time out in the streets, capturing everyday moments with his camera, but also likes to spend it with friends, playing football, eating pizza and making music. He’s inspired by movies, architecture, music and urban culture – trains and metro stations are an obsession of his, which doesn’t come as a surprise when looking at the scope of his work. But as the biggest source of inspiration, he cites the Finnish filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki and his films made together with cinematographer Timo Salminen.
“It's kind of funny that when it rains it's usually called "bad weather" but to me, it actually means good weather to shoot. I think there are a lot of fantastic moments and locations in a city that most people just don't notice in a rush. I try to capture the best bits of them through my lens and present them in my own way. I often hear that my pictures look cinematic, which is a bit cliche to say, but maybe there is a grain of truth in it.
Photography helps me to stop and be happy about the little things in life.”
We asked Lauri to shoot our SS24 collection in his distinctive style, in Helsinki. The result is a grainy, urban, underground journey through the city with a visual language that speaks to Wong Kar-Wai and a love for cityscapes and escapes.
To see more of Lauri’s photography, check out his website or follow on Instagram @laurifromthenorth.