Creatures of Night and Day
A photography exhibition featuring nature photographers Benjam Pöntinen and Jukka Risikko will open at the Ostrobothnian Museum in Terranova exhibition space on the 3rd of December 2025. The main characters of the exhibition are animals: foxes, owls, flying squirrels and many other creatures with their young. The selection of photographs represents the nature of Southern Ostrobothnia and is a good cross-section of its vast landscape and forests with their animals. As the land and forests change, the species also change, and preserving diversity is a common challenge.
The flame of a nature photographer does not go out easily once it is ignited. Jukka Risikko recalls the enthusiasm for photography, which started upon seeing a Eurasian pygmy owl. Sometimes it also happens that an animal appears unexpectedly, and the camera is in his backpack. In such cases, it is important to enjoy the encounter and the experience itself. A photo might not always be taken, but the memory remains and you always learn something new for the next encounter. In addition to your eyes, you must keep your ears and mind open. The more time you spend in the forest, the better the photos you take. Taking photos in nature requires calmness, patience and respect for animals. When you respect your subjects, you can look at the photos afterwards with a happy heart.
Creatures of Night and Day photo exhibition was on display at the Museum of Southern Ostrobothnia in 2024 and at the Nature House in Ähtäri in 2025. Some of the photos have been selected to be shown in Terranova’s temporary exhibition space at The Ostrobothnian Museum. The photos are changed monthly, so the exhibition constantly offers something new to see. Visitors can also spot the photographed animals in the Terranova’s permanent exhibition.
The exhibition is produced by Seinäjoki Museums.
BENJAM PÖNTINEN is a nature photographer from Southern Ostrobothnia, born in Lapua in 1953. He has been a professional photographer since 1989.
He published his first nature photo book in 1988 and has illustrated over thirty photo books until now. Pöntinen has held several photography exhibitions both in Finland and abroad. He has also been awarded in several national and international photography competitions, including series wins in the Wildlife Photographer of The Year competition in England. He has become known especially for his flying squirrel and bat photos and his landscapes from Southern Ostrobothnia.
Pöntinen is an honorary member of the Finnish nature Photographers Association. He was awarded the Finnfoto Award from the Finnfoto Association in 2013. He receives an additional state artist pension.
JUKKA RISIKKO is a 43-year-old nature photographer and pharmacist from Lapua. He has been actively photographing the nature of Southern Ostrobothnia since 2016. His subjects include both animals and landscapes. Risikko’s photos have gained visibility, especially through social media. His content is followed by people from all over the world.
Risikko’s nature photos have also been featured on stamps. The collaboration with Posti brought Risikko a double victory in both 2021 and 2022 when the stamps illustrated with his photos won the award of the Most Beautiful Stamp of the Year. He also won the Ifolor national picture book competition in 2020. Risikko is a self-taught photographer and, according to him, still a beginner. He has had a few exhibitions and photo shows in Lapua before. The main aim of his photography is to convey to the public the beauty of nature and remind of its importance to people’s well-being.
