In this edition of the Meet the Creatives series, we're excited to introduce Antton, VIBAe's newest team member and the calm force behind the lens.
Wise beyond his years and soft-spoken by nature, Antton's eye for visual storytelling and his grounded presence have already left a mark on the team. When he's not shooting or editing, you'll find him somewhere in the Finnish wilderness, pitching tents, swimming in lakes, and playing frisbee golf. Let's get to know the quiet visionary behind the camera (and sometimes in front!)
Q: You walked into the store one day and asked for a job — what gave you the confidence to do that, and what were you hoping for?
A friend of mine had been singing VIBAe's praises: big ambitions, a small crew, and apparently a real need for someone who could wield a camera. I was freelancing at the time and was simply hoping to find a new client. I didn't think much further than that. Kalle and Minna welcomed me warmly, and after just a couple of minutes of chatting, they were already talking about sending me around the world filming documentaries about VIBAe. Knowing them, that might still happen. They do love to dream.
I'm not entirely sure why, but people tend to trust and believe in me even when I doubt myself. Maybe it's the calmness. A relaxed take on life has a way of putting people at ease.
Q: You're the youngest on the team — do you ever feel that, or has age never really come into it?
If it weren't for the wrinkles (which we do love, both on skin and on our shoes) I wouldn't believe my colleagues' ages for a second. Age hasn't really come into it. If anything, I'm eager to learn from people with more experience. The only area where the gap has shown up is technology: camera settings, that sort of thing. They've taken to calling me näppärä, handy. I'll take it.
Q: Where does your eye for photography come from, and how do you know when a shot is right?
It goes back to childhood. My mum has always had a deep love of literature, and my dad wrote children's books, painted, and did woodworking. Photography was always part of family life. I grew up watching and making home films with my siblings. I think the intuition for when something looks right was built in those early years, and then refined through courses and a lot of self-teaching as an adult. The foundation was laid long before I ever thought of it as a career.
Q: Nature clearly plays a big role in your life — does it feed into your creative work, or is it more of an escape from it?
There's a quote I keep coming back to: "The internet used to be an escape from the real world. Now the real world is an escape from the internet." I think that captures it perfectly. More than anything, I find I'm the best version of myself when I step away from the noise: the comparisons, the bad news, the endless scroll. Nature doesn't just recharge me. It brings me back to myself.
Q: You've recently become a father — how has that changed the way you see things?
It's made me more grounded. A little more careful, more responsible. But above all, it's created this deep desire to become a better person, to work on myself so that everyone around me benefits. I want my child to grow up with an open, hopeful, and trusting view of the world. That starts with me.
Q: You're calm and soft-spoken — what does that quietness bring to a team full of big ideas and energy?
Balance. When you're deep in the creative process, it's easy to get completely lost in your own ideas and lose the punainen lanka, the common thread. I can be a little reserved, a little realistic, but I think that's exactly what's needed sometimes. Not every idea needs more fuel. Sometimes it just needs someone to quietly make sure it's pointed in the right direction.
And there you have it: proof that you don't always need to be the loudest voice in the room to make an impact. Antton just smiles, nods, and quietly gets on with it. And the results speak for themselves. Stay tuned for our next Meet the Creatives feature. You never know who you might find yourself in.
