On the spot: Julius Kahkonen

If you want to open up windows to undiscovered worlds or merely get a new standpoint on the 1 you’re living in right now, Julius Kahkonen is your person. Working with his own photos and a amount of different editing tactics, this Finnish artist and voyager offers an invitation which is hard to pass on. 

And so in this week’s On The Location, we’re allowing Julius consider us on a journey, as we abide by his character-inspired artistic ventures. You’re coming with us, no excuses!

You may be a globetrotter, but there has to be one area you connect with household. Where by is it?

I really like to journey and there are a lot of places I sense pretty at ease at, but Finland is challenging to defeat. It is the place I grew up, and no subject wherever I go, Finland normally feels the most house to me. I also draw a ton of inspiration and enthusiasm from photographing in Finland, and I materialize to arrive from a quite wildlife-abundant spot. I bought into wildlife images largely because of my dwelling. 

One more position that feels like residence, and where I most likely have the most get the job done from, is Lofoten. I like mountains and discover myself at peace although hiking for the duration of summer months evenings in Lofoten. The sun by no means sets and in general, the atmosphere and landscapes are out of this environment.

What inspires you the most? 

For a very long time, I was mainly impressed by nature landscape paintings. Currently, I’d say my major inspiration is my travels. Getting equipped to see and capture so numerous gorgeous sites usually opens my artistic thoughts to new alternatives. 

You are your have boss. How did you get to the place you are now? 

I started off images back again in 2016 and 1st shared my illustrations or photos on my private Instagram profile. I by no means actually understood I had an entrepreneurial or creative side to me but when I picked up a digital camera and Photoshop, it just felt so ideal. I felt like I experienced found my enthusiasm. I would edit pictures and artworks every single single working day as component of a schedule, with out any particular aim. 

It wasn’t until finally my Guiding Gentle artwork – which also transpires to be a bestseller in my fantasy landscape selection on Displate – went viral on Instagram that I genuinely comprehended I wished to change traveling, photography and all the relaxation into a entire time work. My gain was that I was 17 many years previous and could put all of my time following faculty into this passion of mine. I didn’t genuinely know what I was performing but I stored an open mind and received further phase by stage. While I made a lot of errors on the way, the 1 factor that I always did right was publishing actively. I kept art generation as my quantity one particular priority, and every little thing else adopted.

You are quite lively on social media. How important do you contemplate the position of your on the internet existence in your creative achievements?

I didn’t set any plans at first, but after matters started to pick up on IG, I begun to concentration much more and much more on the organization side and approaches. I think I would’ve hardly ever gotten any business suggestions or recognized any ventures if it wasn’t for my social media growth. It determined me and designed me know I want to construct an art organization. But also I imagine I would’ve retained on working even if I did not realize success online, simply just because I really appreciate the regimen of making artworks.

Who is your social media neighborhood and how do you have interaction with them?

My viewers is a bit divided since I do so many distinctive things. I do photography in diverse designs, I edit composites in unique variations, and I also create 3D renders. On top of this, I also train my abilities, so there are quite a few smaller communities pursuing me for different sorts of content material. I interact with my viewers by way of DM’s, on the web classes, my Discord server and in common via my social media channels.

1 of the factors you train is photo modifying. When do you know exactly that your get the job done is done and ready for publication?

This is a challenging issue. I think that many artists can agree that it is tricky to cease modifying. I’m not normally content with what really should now be the “end result” and normally locate myself adding a lot more and a lot more outcomes. 

What helps me the most is getting a break from a piece. From time to time likely absent from the personal computer and coming again afterwards lets you see your artwork in a different way. For me the impression is completely ready for publication when I at last get that internal very good emotion. Some days I really do not get it at all and ditch a ton of projects I begin, other times I just nail items at one try out.

What sources do you use? Are they primarily your personal images? 

Presently it’s fairly significantly only my individual pictures. I really don’t bear in mind the last time I made use of a stock impression for a composite piece, and it makes me definitely delighted, since that was my purpose when I started out. I wished to be at a level where by I do not have to rely on copyright-free of charge inventory illustrations or photos – and which is wherever I am now. 

I also use my individual enhancing instruments like overlays and brushes which are created out of my possess photos as nicely. For my 3D renders I use A Ton of unique sources, but that world is fully different from my images/composite perform.

What is the key to having the best image? 

Merely remaining in the correct location at the appropriate time. It doesn’t even normally make a difference what equipment you have with you. I have realized that the only thing you can not transform is the temperature, and in my impression, that is the most important point when it comes to taking superior pictures. Realizing your gear within out can help with capturing moments when one thing interesting takes place and you have to act definitely quick, but just after all I assume it all will come down to weather.

Being a photographer is your task and largest passion. What can make you satisfied when you’re not having images?

I grew up taking part in video online games, so when I have time, I check out to sport below and there. I also get pleasure from shelling out time with my girlfriend and buddies. Just lately, I’ve picked up a new interest – disc golfing. I also slackline and go for operates just about every now and then.

If you could share a couple of guidelines with images beginners, what would you notify them?

Never get pissed off with constrained entry to cameras, tools, and other chances. Consider to develop anything each one working day and hold an open head for mastering new things day-to-day. Shell out fewer time observing articles on Instagram and more time receiving encouraged to build. Attempt not to evaluate you to many others and have enjoyable within just your journey.

What are your greatest desires as a photographer and artist?

I would seriously like to vacation to additional nations and I hope I can go on to do so with my girlfriend, who also generates art. I also want to get revealed one particular day and consider to get to 100k students with my classes. I love to enable and instruct so anything I can attain in that space will make me really pleased.

Instagram: @visualsofjulius