Kilpirjärvi: autumn in pictures / trip planning guide
Engineer on tour
by Alexander Popkov
2y ago
Let me introduce you to Kilpisjärvi. Within a hundred kilometers to the Norwegian border, the scenery changes drastically. Gradually, trees become smaller, and mountains appear on the horizon. This place is uniquely different from the rest of Finland! I like to call it miniature-Norway. With a body of water located between two mountains, it bears some resemblance to Norwegian fjords. But proportions are significantly smaller. In Kilpirjärvi, the focus moves onto Nordic forests. The peaks are just high enough to see everything them the top, and, unlike Norway, the hikes are easily manageable.&n ..read more
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Street-art in Pasila, a colorful labyrinth
Engineer on tour
by Alexander Popkov
3y ago
East-Pasila, I’m really glad they gave this district to street artists. It has a good pedestrian infrastructure, but the gray houses look so depressing. Well, not anymore. Now it is home to different pieces of street art scattered all around the place. In this post, I will walk you through the colorful labyrinths of Pasila. You will see the major pieces of street art and will have an idea of what to expect from the visit. As usual, the post is accompanied by HQ, full-screen images. In the end, I will give some information about the composition and gear used to take the photos. Just imagine how ..read more
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Pure versatility, Canon RF 35mm F/1,8 IS review for travel photography (ver. 1.0)
Engineer on tour
by Alexander Popkov
3y ago
Canon RF 35mm F/1.8 IS, how good is that lens? There no short answer, good, but not without its quirks. It is probably the most versatile prime lens I’ve owned. I would argue that its versatility makes it better than a prime lens. Here, I will break down the cases when the RF 35mm can be used in travel photography and tell what kind of advantage it has over a zoom kit lens. In the end, I will talk about limitations. This is my Canon RF 35mm F/1.8 IS review. We will see how the 35mm fits into travel photography… (shot made in Suomu, Finland)…and break down the major use cases.Disclaimer This po ..read more
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Labirynth of frozen trees, Riisitunturi in pictures
Engineer on tour
by Alexander Popkov
3y ago
“Rice Mountain”, that is the meaning of Riisitunturi in the Finnish language. I guess the name was the reason I’ve chosen this place to see the famed Lappish white trees. A forest, that is completely covered in snow, indeed bears a strong resemblance to pieces of rice. This is Rissitunturi in pictures. We will see it in the daylight…   …during sunset…   …and at the blue hour I wouldn’t say that this is the only place where you can see such views, however, few things make it a bit special. It is located right on the southern border of Lapland and unlike the north of Lapland, trees are ..read more
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Non-touristy Lapland in pictures (during covid-19)
Engineer on tour
by Alexander Popkov
3y ago
Would you rather see authentic life in the North or visit a convenient tourist destination there? In Finnish Lapland, popular ski resorts are comfortable, but everything there is built for tourists. In comparison with real towns, I find them convenient but lacking character. Let’s take a closer look. In this post, we will take a bit of an alternative look at Finnish Lapland. I will share my opinion about small northern towns and what differentiates them from purely touristic destinations. We will visit Kemijärvi, some lesser-known, almost abandoned* ski resorts, and see things in between. *The ..read more
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Porvoo 2.0, rediscovering Old Town at night
Engineer on tour
by Alexander Popkov
3y ago
So, Porvoo. Let’s assume you’ve enjoyed all the Old Town vibe, visited the small design shops, and had all the local sweets. I suppose it is a good point to see Porvoo in different colors. Have you ever thought about visiting it at night? I think it is totally out of the regular bucket list, but it is one of the coolest things to do in Porvoo. I have rediscovered Porvoo, and I hope, with my images, you’ll do it too. In this post, I’ve gathered my favorite night shots. Have you ever seen Porvoo like this? Let’s find out more… The universe of blue and orange Everything in the old town close ..read more
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You need a pancake lens! Canon 40mm review for travel photography
Engineer on tour
by Alexander Popkov
3y ago
Thin pancake lens, the smallest for Canon’s DSLR and with a useful focal length. Size and versatility and the lens’s main advantages, as well as the main points of this review. Here I will break down the travel photography scenarios when I find the 40mm pancake lens useful.  This is Canon 40mm f/2.8 STM Pancake review. But most of the things are true for Canon 24mm f/2.8 Pancake APS-C lens* and for equivalents of other manufacturers. If you are not using Canon – you will still find this review useful. The list of equivalent lenses is at the end.  *24mm on APS-C is an equivalent of 35 ..read more
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Lofoten Islands in pictures …at COVID-19 time
Engineer on tour
by Alexander Popkov
3y ago
Snowy mountain peaks next to colorful miniature ships, there is no place like Norway. The world knows higher mountains that impress with their sheer size, but they miss the long-lived, fascinating marine culture. Lofoten Islands is an archipelago that has it all, concentrated in quite a small area. It stands out even among other world-famous Norwegian sights. I have visited Norway in the summer during the COVID-19 pandemic, precisely in mid-august. The sad circumstances did significant damage to the tourist industry. But at the same time, though, it made the trip trouble-free. We didn’t need ..read more
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Shining Rainbow, Aputure MC Review for Travel Photography
Engineer on tour
by Alexander Popkov
3y ago
Aputure MC, this on-camera light can perform any color, and it comes with a softbox, which makes it well defused for portraits. This miniature thing became my permanent travel companion. In this post, I will explain why. I will tell what kind of value it can bring to a travel photographer and more. Here is my Aputure AL-MC review.  There are many applications for this camera light, but my favorite is taking street portraits. (on photo Anna, follow her on Instagram) This light does an outstanding job for many applications, but pay close attention to the last chapter, where I discuss limi ..read more
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3 Best Hikes in Lapland – the Land of Nature and Distances
Engineer on tour
by Alexander Popkov
3y ago
This is a guest post by Alex from Outdooreer blog (more info in the end in author’s BIO) Hike after hike, my boots know it already, every step makes me feel connected to nature in those lost and desolate lands called Lapland. When only the horizon is the limit, the excitement, and adrenaline flow in the blood.  With my all senses sharpened, fully alive, I anticipate the joy of experiencing again those unspoiled landscapes, wild nature, and territories full of colors and emotions. In my mind, I follow those trails of always dreamy precious valleys. Like an eternal promise, Lapland never di ..read more
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