Windows of Life by Jukka Heinovirta
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Windows are all around us. They reflect our daily life or provide a teleport to another world. As a street photographer, I’m intrigued by windows. In urban environments, there are windows everywhere. Sometimes you compose your photos so that the windows are a very important part of the photo. Sometimes the windows are an essential part of the photo without the photographer’s intention. The title of my photo series, Windows of Life, comes from portraying people in different ages using windows. To children, windows are often a portal to unknown worlds or undiscovered places. Like in the photos where children are looking through the windows to a heavy metal shop or to the library. There are so many interesting things behind the glass. To a street photographer, this kind of kids’ activity is a very interesting subject.
In adulthood, people tend not to think windows are as interesting as the kids do. In street photography point of view, windows are typically backgrounds or light sources. But, as in the photo where a man is sitting lonely on the pier, the windows reflect the image of the buildings of the city but in a distorted way. The windows create art by themselves. And the man seems to be looking at them like in an art gallery. Sometimes windows create contrasts between real life and the world behind the window. Like in the photo where there are people not in that good shape in front of a window advertising running equipment. The people on the bench hardly look like running specialists. I’m not saying they aren’t, but the photo creates an illusion of the contrast. Contrast is created also in the photo where two elderly ladies are walking by the beauty parlor. Inside the parlor, the world is full of youth and vitality and on the other side of the window life goes on at a slower pace.
This photo series is not built by going out and trying to find windows and how they reflect life. I have selected the photos from my works over the years. This is an ongoing project - every once in a while there comes an opportunity to portray life through windows.
Jukka Heinovirta (Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)is an acclaimed street photographer whose artistic journey began in childhood when he received his first camera at the age of seven. This early introduction to photography ignited a passion that has driven his creative endeavors throughout his life. Heinovirta is on a mission to discover and highlight the beauty that resides in the everyday, transforming mundane scenes into captivating narratives through his lens.
With a distinctive minimalistic approach, Heinovirta sets himself apart in the world of photography. He prioritizes the story within the frame over the allure of perfect lighting or intricate details. According to Heinovirta, each photograph harbors a tale, not always as epic as 'War and Peace' or 'Doctor Zhivago,' but always present and waiting to be discovered by those who take the time to look closely. This philosophy guides his work, enabling him to capture moments that speak volumes about the human experience.