Shooting in Helsinki

baby and crumble

Hey guys,

Been experiencing a bit of 'blah' when it comes to my photos recently... not liking stuff I manage to get in general, but I am heading to Helsinki next week for a conference and I get 3 days to myself over there, and would really like to spend some time working on my seascapes/ landscapes...

Basically, does anyone have any experience of Helsinki, either in general (:cool:) or for interesting plaecs to photograph?

Ballyman

Down by the port is nice. You have the tramlines down there as well so it makes for intersting stuff. There are lots of old nice architectural tyoe buikldings down by the port as well.

Will you be renting a car? If so then it's worth a trip up to Nuuksio where there are loads of lakes and forests. It's only about an hour or less north west of Helsinki. You should get off the motorway (if you have a sat nav its simple) and drive the backroads as well as there is some lovely scenery and farmland.

Enjoy

baby and crumble

Cheers Ballyman,

Don't think we'll be renting a car, sadly, money is tight... Thanks for the tips though, the lakes and stuff is really where i'd like to be heading...

Hearvee

I was there with work back in February, so didn't have a lot of time to get out with the camera. Plus the fact that I had very little free time during daylight and it was bloody freezing all the time!

I've a few shots here:
Helinki pics

I really like Helsinki, but there's not a huge amount to see, a day or two is more than enough.
The countryside/forests outside do look very photogenic, but I never really got a chance to get outside the city.
Definitely get the ferry out to Suomenlinna (takes about 15 mins), it's an island just out in the bay with lots of cool buildings on it. Lots of the typical brightly painted wooden buildings.

Not quite Helsinki, but I'd also recommend getting the ferry accross to Tallinn for a day, the old town there is absolutely gorgeous.
Tallinn pics

baby and crumble

Aww, Hearvee, those shots are gorgeous, so snowy and pretty!

I had been hoping to go to Talinn if budget allows, and deffo planning on heading out to that island. We only have 1 full day there, so that'd be the day for the boat trip. We fly in early on Tuesday and leave late on Sat and I have my work thing on t he Thursda & Friday, so I reckon that should leave us enough time to have a nice wandwer without getting too bored...

Looking forward to it now!

Hearvee

There's a good walking guide here:
Helsinki by foot
Should give you an idea of what's good to see, and includes Suomenlinna.

As for Tallinn, I sailed with Tallink, cost about €35 return, and took 2 hours each way. Plus a day there works out cheaper than a day hanging around Helsinki!

ThOnda

The railway station is great. When I was there, I took a circular train ride to see what is what. You deffo MUST go the the white church. It is amazing place. Striking white building against blue sky is just magnificent. And take picture of the bird's egg you can see from the quays.

Burnt

Like the other posters have stated the architecture in helsinki is quite nice
or at least different; it's quite robust. Interms of things to do see etc...

The Red Church; it's a russian orthodox catherdral down by the port built
from red brick. The interoir is really beautiful, especially in the late afternoon
the light is fantastic.

Power Station, behind the red chuch is a big power station i think coal fired
or at least it was. I feel it has great potential for photography, it has very
strong lines and industrial look.

Silver Balls, near the red church/harbour there are lots of highly polished
stainless steel spheres, about the place.

Sumolinna, a former swedish and russian forteress on an island in Helsinki
harbour, the church also serves as a light house, there is a submarine out
of the water and lots of other interesting a strange things going on. The
baltic ferries pass through a gap between sumolinna and another island
it's bearly big enough for them to get though might be worth a look.

Hotel Torni, is the 4th tallest building in Helsinki and has a bar Ateljee Bar
with great panoramic views of the city, as do the toilets.

Kalio church, big bold industrial type of thing, can't miss it. look like some
thing from 1984.

If you have the time there is an old style passanger ferry the JJ Runeberg
to Porvoo, which still has many of the old wooden finnish tradional homes.
it leaves form the port near in the middle of the market.

baby and crumble

Wow, thanks guys...

Really looking forward to it now- thanks so much for the tips!

Zo