On the spot: Julius Kahkonen

If you want to open windows to undiscovered worlds or simply get a new point of view on the one you are living in right now, Julius Kahkonen is your person. Using his personal pictures and a number of distinctive enhancing tactics, this Finnish artist and voyager gives an invitation which is really hard to go on. 

And so in this week’s On The Location, we’re letting Julius just take us on a journey, as we adhere to his nature-inspired inventive ventures. You’re coming with us, no excuses!

You may possibly be a globetrotter, but there has to be a person place you connect with property. Where is it?

I adore to journey and there are a lot of locations I really feel pretty cozy at, but Finland is hard to beat. It is in which I grew up, and no subject the place I go, Finland usually feels the most household to me. I also draw a whole lot of inspiration and commitment from photographing in Finland, and I take place to appear from a very wildlife-abundant area. I bought into wildlife photography mainly because of my house. 

Yet another spot that feels like household, and exactly where I likely have the most do the job from, is Lofoten. I love mountains and come across myself at peace even though hiking during summertime nights in Lofoten. The solar hardly ever sets and in typical, the atmosphere and landscapes are out of this planet.

What conjures up you the most? 

For a long time, I was primarily inspired by mother nature landscape paintings. Today, I’d say my largest inspiration is my travels. Currently being ready to see and capture so a lot of stunning areas often opens my innovative head to new opportunities. 

You are your own boss. How did you get to where by you are now? 

I begun pictures again in 2016 and very first shared my photographs on my private Instagram profile. I by no means actually realized I had an entrepreneurial or creative aspect to me but when I picked up a digicam and Photoshop, it just felt so ideal. I felt like I had found my enthusiasm. I would edit photographs and artworks every solitary working day as part of a regimen, without any distinct target. 

It was not until my Guiding Light artwork – which also takes place to be a bestseller in my fantasy landscape selection on Displate – went viral on Instagram that I certainly understood I wanted to flip touring, pictures and all the relaxation into a entire time occupation. My advantage was that I was 17 decades aged and could place all of my time soon after university into this hobby of mine. I did not truly know what I was performing but I held an open up head and acquired further more phase by stage. Although I produced numerous issues on the way, the 1 matter that I normally did correct was putting up actively. I saved art generation as my range 1 precedence, and all the things else followed.

You are very energetic on social media. How essential do you think about the position of your on the web existence in your creative achievements?

I didn’t established any ambitions at first, but after factors commenced to decide on up on IG, I started out to concentrate additional and more on the business facet and techniques. I feel I would’ve in no way gotten any company suggestions or realized any ventures if it wasn’t for my social media development. It determined me and manufactured me understand I want to establish an art organization. But also I assume I would’ve kept on functioning even if I did not do well on the internet, simply because I actually love the regimen of creating artworks.

Who is your social media local community and how do you interact with them?

My viewers is a little bit divided due to the fact I do so several unique items. I do pictures in unique designs, I edit composites in various types, and I also develop 3D renders. On prime of this, I also teach my abilities, so there are many smaller communities adhering to me for unique types of content. I have interaction with my viewers via DM’s, on-line courses, my Discord server and in typical by means of my social media channels.

A person of the things you train is image editing. When do you know precisely that your function is completed and all set for publication?

This is a tricky dilemma. I believe that lots of artists can concur that it is tough to halt editing. I’m not generally pleased with what really should now be the “end result” and usually discover myself including a lot more and much more outcomes. 

What can help me the most is taking a break from a piece. From time to time likely away from the laptop or computer and coming back again later allows you see your artwork in a various way. For me the image is all set for publication when I lastly get that inner great sensation. Some days I never get it at all and ditch a ton of assignments I start off, other occasions I just nail things at just one consider.

What means do you use? Are they mostly your personal photos? 

Presently it’s quite substantially only my have pics. I really don’t bear in mind the last time I applied a inventory impression for a composite piece, and it makes me actually joyful, because that was my goal when I started out. I desired to be at a stage where I never have to count on copyright-free of charge inventory photos – and that’s the place I am now. 

I also use my very own modifying instruments like overlays and brushes which are developed out of my possess images as well. For my 3D renders I use A Whole lot of diverse sources, but that earth is wholly individual from my images/composite perform.

What is the crucial to having the best picture? 

Only currently being in the proper put at the right time. It does not even constantly subject what gear you have with you. I have learned that the only matter you can’t transform is the weather conditions, and in my feeling, that is the most critical issue when it comes to having good images. Knowing your devices inside out will help with capturing times when anything neat transpires and you have to act genuinely speedy, but just after all I consider it all arrives down to climate.

Getting a photographer is your task and most significant enthusiasm. What will make you delighted when you are not using photos?

I grew up participating in video clip game titles, so when I have time, I check out to activity here and there. I also get pleasure from shelling out time with my girlfriend and pals. Lately, I have picked up a new hobby – disc golf. I also slackline and go for operates each and every now and then.

If you could share a handful of ideas with images beginners, what would you explain to them?

Really do not get annoyed with confined entry to cameras, resources, and other options. Try out to build one thing each individual one working day and continue to keep an open intellect for mastering new matters day by day. Expend considerably less time watching content material on Instagram and a lot more time obtaining influenced to make. Check out not to compare your self to other folks and have pleasurable within your journey.

What are your major desires as a photographer and artist?

I would truly like to vacation to a lot more nations and I hope I can continue to do so with my girlfriend, who also results in artwork. I also want to get revealed a single day and consider to get to 100k pupils with my classes. I adore to aid and instruct so everything I can obtain in that location will make me actually delighted.

Instagram: @visualsofjulius