New Cameras
Nine photo exhibitions at Matsalu Nature Film Festival
As in every previous year, so wildlife photographers are in place at MAFF this year in addition to filmmakers. Some bring along photo presentations, others give talks at the Photo Day.
In Lihula, Penijõe and Haapsalu there are altogether 9 photo exhibitions to see..
Mauri Leivo
Let us start with Lihula Manor and Finnish photographer Mauri Leivo photo show „Arctic diver, a bird of the waters“. MAFF’s photo programme director Heiko Kruusi says that this exhibition is a homage to the Arctic diver, an ancient native bird who over millions of years has adapted to a life in the Finnish lakes. „Mauri Leivo’s photos were made in 2009-2012 in South and Central Finland. The majority of the photos are from small forest lakes where the surrounding dense conifer woods cast a perpetual shadow on the water surface. Some photos however are made at larger waters where the divers can glide in sufficient light from the sky,“ Heiko Kruusi says.
The works of Mauri Leivo from the latest years are characterised by an attempt at non-documentarity because nature and encounters with its inhabitants mean much more to him than simply a document or a fact. An important factor in the photos in this exhibition is water. Water creates a constantly changing background to the Arctic diver in which to swim, dive, feed and rest. The water is alive and makes every image unique.
Ingrid Maasik
Also open at the Lihula Manor is the exhibition by Ingrid Maasik, „Colurs and patterns. 65° 53’ Norwegian coast“. Ingrid Maasik says that she has come back in a circle to that which she as a child loved to do most of all – roaming about in nature. During the summers of the last 10 years she has been doing that on the islands on the Helgeland coast in Norway.
The word beach (strand) is seldom used there, because the sections of beach with sand and shell fragments are few and twice a day during the flood tide they too disappear. Much more in use is the word fjære, meaning ebb tide and also the shoreline of rocks and stone fragments.
For the exhibition Ingrid Maasik selected close-up photos of patterns and colours, of which there is a surprising wealth in the cold salty seawater and on the sometimes very bleak shore of Norway.
Samuli Haapasalo
At Lihula Manor there is even space for a third, Finlander Samuli Haapasalo’s exhibition „Migration of large waterfowl at Matsalu“. The main actors of Haapasalo’s exhibition photos are swans, Anser and Branta geese and also cranes. The photos were made in the years 2008-2013 out of love for these birds. Haapasalo has loved birds almost all his life and photographed birds for nearly 40 years. For the author the Matsalu bay and its surrounding wetlands, meadows and fields is one of the very best birding places in the world. He knows this area already since 20 years and hopes to be observing and photographing the birds of Matsalu for a long time yet.
In the barn next to Lihula Manor likewise three photo exhibitions are shown. Traditionally during the festival the best works from the latest largest Estonian photo contest „Looduse Aasta Foto 2014“ hang there.
The photo contest Looduse Aasta Foto took place for the 14th time this year and 1150 authors with nearly 8500 photos took part. Among the winners of all categories the grand prize winner was chosen, who this year was Anrud Allikas with his photo of a severe winter sea.
Arvo Tamula
Next to the best of Loodusfoto, photographer Arvo Tarmula at the voice of Läänemaa, newspaper Lääne Elu,shows a photo selection „Gotland 2013“. Last year Arvo Tarmula joined a one-week trip to Gotland, organised by the Haapsalu congregation. He visited both places of natural beauty and the churches of Gotland as well as places associated with famous film director Ingmar Bergman.
In the barn nature photos from the annual photo show of the Haapsalu Photo Club can also be seen.
In the Lihula Library Tiit Jugapuu’s exhibition ”Rannakalurid – Coastal fishermen“can be seen. The photos in the show of the work of the former Topu brigade fishermen, were documented by the author in 2013.
In the heart of the Matsalu National Park, the RMK Penijõe visitors centre the exhibition „13 – The best of Looduse Aasta Foto 2001 – 2013“ isopen to photo enthusiasts. The survey creates a good overview of the development of Estonian nature photography during the last ”long dozen” of years. “The nature photos by Estonian authors are in world class. The exhibition is worth viewing to get an experience of nature and art and why not also be inspired to take up this nice hobby”, says initiator and organizer of the photo contest, Jaan Riis.
Mikko Tiitanen
Topping it all, in on the first floor of the Haapsalu’s Baltic Hotel Promenaad (at Sadama 22) viewers are expected to Finlander Mikko Tiittanen’s photo show „Veelinnuriik - Waterfowl Realm“, dedicated to the 10th annniversary of the Matsalu National Park and presents its nature values.
How to tell the story of nature in videos and photos?:
Translation: Liis
