Helsinki Wildlife Photography Workshop

Private Wildlife Photography Workshops

Do you want to enhance your photography skills? Or just to explore and learn more about nature? Book me as your guide and I’ll share my knowledge and skills with you!

Days available for 2024-2025!

Where and when?

I offer private wildlife photography workshops in the Uusimaa region, including Helsinki and its surroundings. The exact location will be determined based on your preferences, current wildlife activity, and the season. The best times for capturing stunning photos are generally between April and October, with peak activity occurring in May and June. However, I can also organize winter workshops when there is ample snow, as this can create beautiful, photogenic environments. Regardless of the season, I will work with you to ensure that you have the best chances to photograph a wide range of wildlife and landscapes.

What do we do?

My workshops are tailored to your specific interests and experience level. Whether you are a beginner or more advanced, I will design a program that meets your needs and helps you achieve your goals. Some possible topics we can cover include: basic camera settings, composition techniques, how to approach and photograph different types of wildlife, and more. Let me know what you'd like to focus on, and I will create a workshop that will help you improve your skills and capture beautiful photos of the natural world

What animals can we see / photograph?

While I cannot guarantee sightings of specific species, there are certain locations where we can often find animals to photograph. For those just starting out in wildlife photography, it is helpful to practice with easier-to-find and approachable species such as red squirrels and birds. If you wish, we can also try to locate and photograph more elusive species at various locations. I will inform you of the options and chances of seeing specific species at the time of the workshop. Luck is required to find many rare or shy species.

Who is this workshop suitable for?

These custom wildlife photography workshops are suitable for photographers of all levels. Whether you are a beginner or more experienced, you will benefit from the personalized program tailored to your goals and interests. You are welcome to attend alone or with a small group. No matter your level of expertise, there is always something new to learn in the world of wildlife photography.

What kind of gear do I need to participate?

You can use any kind of camera equipment you have. However, it is generally beneficial to have a lens with a focal length of at least 300mm for wildlife photography. If you have questions about your gear or need recommendations for additional equipment, please don't hesitate to contact me before booking a workshop. I will provide any necessary equipment recommendations before the workshop begins.

How about photo editing?

Post-processing plays a vital role in wildlife photography, and I am eager to assist you in this process. During our workshop, we can incorporate photo editing either by reviewing and editing photos immediately after shooting or by booking a separate editing session. More information about my editing lessons can be found at https://www.soosseli.com/editinglesson.

I teach editing mainly with Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop.

Cost:

The price of the workshop will depend on factors such as length and location. Please contact me for a customized quote based on your specific needs.

Here are some examples of pricing for previous workshops I have led:

  • Half-day workshop (2-4h in nature + 1h photo editing): 400-500€

  • Full-day workshop (e.g. morning + evening + photo editing): 500-750€

  • For any longer workshops I will make you an offer

  • Photo editing online lesson (1-2h, via Zoom etc.): 175€

The above prices are for groups of up to two people. Please contact me for a quote for larger groups. Prices may vary based on the time of year.

During the workshop, feel free to ask any questions you may have. I will do my best to provide thorough explanations and guidance. We can also delve into the theoretical aspects of wildlife photography and discuss strategies for growing your social media presence. Please don't hesitate to ask for assistance or clarification on any topic.

Ethics:

Meanwhile we try to get as close to the animals as safely possible, we will also respect their privacy and keep a proper distance (depending on the species) and avoid disturbing them. We don’t bait the animals with food - the only exception can be feeding squirrels or birds next to a public feeding station. Ethical wildlife photography also means that I wish you won’t share the exact location of any of the animals without permission.

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“I had the pleasure of attending Ossi’s workshop earlier this summer, where he showed the best spots for photographing the adorable inhabitants of Helsinki and after a couple hours out in the beautiful Finnish nature, he showed us how he usually edits his incredible photos. A couple days before the workshop he and his friend introduced me to the undoubtably cutest inhabitant of the Finnish forest; a fox cub, which was such an incredible experience. And afterwards they showed me an area where I could see and photograph moose. All in all such an incredible afternoon/night. I would highly recommend Ossi as a guide/teacher; not only his he extremely talented but also super nice and very funny.”

-Frederikke Jensen, Denmark

“ I would highly recommend working with Ossi to improve your editing and post processing skills. I had a number of images which i felt were really good RAW files but had spent hours attempting to edit them and never really being completely satisfied with the final image. Ossi talked me through his process first and then we spent over an hour reviewing my images and each and every one Ossi found a way to improve in a way I hadn't even considered. I am really pleased with the outcome on those photos but I have also been able to apply the knowledge Ossi has shared with me to all of my images and feel much happier with my end product.

The workshop with Ossi covered everything from start to finish, his editing process, editing my photos, how to get the best out of lightroom, photoshop and even how to remove noise using some other tools.

Perhaps most impressive though was Ossi's skill in identifying the best "plan" to edit an image and some of the key principles he applies. It was very clear he is very skilled at visualising a final image and then using the tools to create it. ”

-Alex Eames, United Kingdom