Underneath the Surface — Mikko Lagerstedt

As a creative, I try to push myself to develop new ideas and visions. I had this strong pull to do something different, to push the boundaries of what I could capture with my camera and convey the ever-changing beauty of our planet.

I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone and express the emotions of transformation. I wanted to connect this piece to my roots, guiding the visuals with Finnish literature, Kalevala, the theme of the mythic transformation of nature, light, and darkness. This was the start of the birth of my new photography piece, Underneath The Surface.

I packed my gear and headed to the stunning landscapes of northern Finland, unsure how I would bring this dream to life. It sure wasn’t easy. The project turned into this intense journey of battling sleeplessness and the brutal cold of Finnish Lapland. Imagine spending hours in freezing water, trying, failing, and then trying again the next day.

But then, there was this moment. After all those attempts, I finally got the shot I was after. Sitting there in the icy water, watching the Northern Lights, I felt this overwhelming sense of connection and change. Time stood still, and I was there, soaking in every second.

It’s funny how we often scratch the surface of things, isn’t it? But we must keep pushing and trying, no matter how often we stumble. And that’s what makes us succeed.

This piece blends the natural world and the mystical stories from the Kalevala. It invites you to step into a scene where these two worlds collide, showing the ever-changing nature of our planet alongside those age-old stories. Through this process, I learned so much about myself and how pushing your limits can lead to some amazing discoveries. Below, you can find a behind-the-scenes video and a chapter on how this photograph was captured.