Our team

Kuusamo Nature Photography was founded with two passionate nature and wildlife photographers Olli Lamminsalo and Paavo Hamunen who wanted to create opportunities for others to learn and improve as photographers of nature. In 2023, Mikko Oivukka took over and now leads the team of professionals (Jarmo Manninen, Anna Välimäki and Juho Salo) who wish to follow Hannu Hautala in his legendary footsteps – and make their own.

With our network of over 30 hides we can offer bird photography opportunities practically throughout the year. We have bird watching and bird photography day trips, landscape photography excursions, and workshops for all skill-levels.

Nature photography tours in Kuusamo

Kuusamo is one of the best known locations in Europe for nature photography – a paradise for nature photographers, Europe’s capital of nature photography. Its ”mayor by virtue of his office” was Hannu Hautala, our grand old man and a world-class pioneer of nature and wildlife photography.

Kuusamo is in the northeast Finland, close to the Russian border, with the Gulf of Bothnia in the west and the White Sea in the east. Kuusamo has a widely varying topography, and considering its high northern latitude, an exceptionally high biological diversity. Thanks to the lime in the soil the flora of the area includes such rarities as Calypso bulbosa, Lady’s slipper, Mountain avens, Alpine arnica to name a few.

Kuusamo specialities include owl species such as the Hawk Owl, Great Grey Owl, Pygmy Owl and Tengmalm’s (Boreal) Owl. Other interesting birds in Kuusamo are the Black Grouse, Capercaillie, Hazel Grouse, Willow Grouse, Red-Flanked Bluetail, Rustic Bunting, Little Bunting, Waxwing, Smew and Black-throated Diver.

Kuusamo Nature Photography arranges nature photography tours specializing in birds and landscape. For the past 10 years, we have been offering bird and nature photography courses and workshops.  With an extensive network of photo hides – over 20 hides for different bird species, such as the Golden Eagle, Black Grouse, Capercaillie, Owls, Woodpeckers – we take the needs and wishes of wildlife photographers seriously. Our team has over 20 years of experience in bird guiding in and around Kuusamo.

Together we arrange nature and wildlife photography tours and guided birds excursions for small groups all year round. To contact us, write to info@KuusamoNaturePhotography.fi