Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)
– Walt Whitman, Song of Myself, 51
This harmony of chaos and order has laid the path to all of my most treasured moments in life. Venturing out from the country of my birth. Meeting my Swedish-Finnish husband and building a life in a new country. Graduating as an Architect. Becoming a mother. Honing my craft as a photographer. Exploring 37 countries. I am large, I contain multitudes.
I value integrity, genuineness, reliability, and movement (choosing to never stay stuck); and am intentional about building beautiful experiences for the people around me.
And I bring all of myself to every wedding.
My images go beyond capturing beautiful moments. For me,
art is a reflex.
Composition as intuitive as breathing.
I studied photographic art under Francisc Mraz Ferko and I have a Master's degree in Architecture. Combining these two passions with the emotion and story unfolding in front of my camera produces timeless memories which, like your love, transcend time and space.
Working with me
feels like exhaling.
You wake up on your wedding day with a surge of thoughts and emotions filling your mind. You've been anticipating this day, putting so much of your time and heart into preparing for this. And as your feet connect with the floor beneath you, an unspoken question lies before you: Can I trust that everything is in place? Can I surrender to presence and give myself over to fully experience this day?
To do so, you need to have unwaivering confidence in the people you have entrusted to carry out your vision. Especially the person tasked to freeze in time every detail of this all important day.
And when you work with me, you can exhale. I've got this.
I place an extraordinary value on my own consistency. I am consistent in my intention to produce art; in my ability to lead when appropriate; in my desire to support you throughout your day, allowing you to be present and immersed in the moments that truly matter.
"Maria is a wonderful photographer and really goes above and beyond
to help capture your special day. She even helped me pick the perfect venue which made
the most gorgeous backdrop for my wedding portraits.
She’s incredibly talented and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed!"
Olivia + Tyler | Helsinki, 2020
My love affair with imagery.
My journey as an international wedding photographer began in Helsinki, in 2008. Long before this, as a teenager, I would invest my small savings into purchasing film and developing images. But as much as I loved it, I was unable to see it as a valid career choice and began studying Architecture instead.
While planning my own wedding however, I became fascinated with wedding photography: I found it was exciting, creative, and challenging, and I quickly decided to pursue it professionally. I enrolled to study photographic art under Francisc Mraz Ferko and began cultivating my unique modern fusion of fine art and documentary wedding photography.
I still vividly remember the first critique day in the program. Most of us students presented images of beautiful landscapes or portraits but our teacher's response was, “This is something God created. But what did You create in this image?.” I learnt to think creatively and build atmosphere in my images with the use of simple elements. My wedding photography work mixes strong composition with beautiful light and flattering expressions.
My Master’s degree in Architecture didn't go to waste though, as it holds a strong influence over my creative work. It has taught me how to see space, texture, interaction of light, and perspective. It has also guided me in valuing quality and design, which further enhances the artistic value of my images.
I am among the first and most experienced documentary wedding photographers based in Finland, having covered over 300 weddings across the globe. I have been recognised with severals awards and publications both in Finland and internationally.
When I tell you I love to travel, please understand – that is the understatement of the century.
I eat, sleep, and breathe travel.
Yes, the big, grand adventure of it all. But more than that, it’s all the varied ways people can encounter one another; the way sounds and smells bind precious moments and commit them to memory; the way different flavours still draw us to tables, no matter where we are in the world. It’s the way that, underneath all the many ways there are to be human, we all still search to love and be loved.
Because of this, I have a special place in my heart for inter-cultural and destination weddings. These love stories that hold so much adventure and culture it's like an opportunity to travel simply by stepping into your world for a moment in time.
To date, I have visited 37 countries, lived in 5 cities, and given pieces of my heart to more corners of the world than I keep count of.
Discover the map below to see some of the places my work has taken me, and the incredible love stories I've gotten to capture along the way.
Take me anywhere.
I’ll come with an open heart and a fresh pair of eyes.
RANDOM FACTS
Featured In
Covered Weddings in
Awarded by
France • Italy • Finland • Sweden • Spain • Portugal • Croatia • Greece • UK • Austria • Belgium • Brazil • Zanzibar • Thailand • Japan
• 100 Finnish Photographers
• Fearless Award by Fearless Photographers
• Top 10 Wedding Photographers in Finland by Kamerakoulu
Martha Stewart Weddings • 100 Layer Cake • Looks Like Film • Häät Magazine • Nordiske Bryllup Magazine • MunaLuchi • WedVibes • Bride and Breakfast •
Let's start planning your wedding!
They say the eyes are the window to the soul. But I would say, it is the soul that truly sees the world.
Underneath my photographic style, my approach, my technique – is the lens of who I am. My VISION is to create art so HEARTFELT and EXPRESSIVE that it binds you, soul and spirit, to the very essence of your love. That in the decades to come you don’t just look back and think, “God, we were beautiful” but, “Look, how deeply we have loved.”
And so I much look forward to get to know you as we plan your wedding. I’ll be ready to document every detail and moment of your day in a more honest and heartfelt way.
