The winner of the best photo award was a delightful lake landscape on a frosty autumn morning. © Pertti Puustinen
The photos entered to the landscape photo contest again offer a view of October landscapes. A photo taken in Kuopio won the best photo award in this year’s contest, organised by the Ministry of the Environment and Finnish Environment Institute.
The prize was awarded to a photo taken by Pertti Puustinen in Savilahti, Kuopio on 22 October 2023. The International Landscape Day was celebrated on 20 October and landscape photos taken between 16 and 22 October 2023 could be entered to the contest.
“The winning photo is a beautiful picture of a frosty morning in the autumn. The small red cabin behind the trees adds a delightful spot of colour, and it also clearly reflects human presence in the landscape. The jury was impressed by the beautiful tones and layers, and the depth that the hill in the background brings to the photo,” says Annika Uddström, Researcher at the Finnish Environmental Institute and coordinator of the contest.
The winner will receive a gift card with a value of EUR 500 to be used at Rajala Pro Shop. Commendations for their photos were awarded to: Emma Buss (Mustasaari, Sulva 21 October), Tarja Vilmi (Kirkkonummi, Kantvik 21 October), Marjo Myllylä (Pudasjärvi, Taipaleenharju 22 October) and Anne Savola (Pori, Hallituskatu 16 October). They will receive book awards.
The winning photos and other photos entered to the contest will be displayed in the lobby windows of the Ministry of the Environment from 10 November 2023 until 7 January 2024 (Aleksanterinkatu 7, Helsinki).
Among the Landscape Day events was the #arkimaisema campaign on Instagram were people could showcase their everyday landscapes by taking photos and sharing them with others. The celebrations also included guided scenic walks.
The purpose of Landscape Day is to draw attention to the fact that landscapes are a key part of everyone’s cultural heritage, identity, wellbeing and the quality and diversity of the environment. The Landscape Day celebrated each year is based on the European Landscape Convention that aims to promote the management, protection and planning of landscapes. The convention has been ratified by 40 Council of Europe member states, Finland in 2006.
This year the International Landscape Day was celebrated for the seventh time. The preparations were coordinated by and the jury was composed of representatives of the Ministry of the Environment, Finnish Environment Institute, National Board of Antiquities, Rural Women's Advisory Organization, Finnish Local Heritage Federation and Finnish Association of Landscape Industries. The International Landscape Day is part of the programme of the European Cultural Heritage Days.
Inquiries
Researcher Annika Uddström, Finnish Environment Institute, tel. +358 295 251 715, firstname.lastname@syke.fi