Shared Visions: Laura Lempola - Short guide for crushing down an empire

"I've made my choice, you make yours, this weapon has got a voice"

To make a long story short, I’m currently (and mostly) a concert photographer, trainee promoter, Photoshop-geek, devoted Nikonist, part-time fool, freelance-anything and all-around jack of all trades.

Ones who stick around me a little longer are bound to notice that most of what I do are in some ways related to music and music business; I work at one of biggest live music clubs in Finland (hence the gig photography), do promotional photography and other promo materials and bulletins for bands, and most importantly I’m inspired by music. Well, d’uh, of course, what were you thinking?

Aaaanyways, as a photographer, I’m still developing my style. In gig photography I’ve lately started to find my own way, but in other fields I’m more or less in Sahara without a map. I guess there still shows some echoes of the influence from my three greatest heroes in photography; Joonas Brandt, Vesa Ranta and Terhi Ylimäinen.

So no, no Robert – effin’ – Capa, Caj Bremer, Anton Corbijn or any of the “great” ones, since it’d be friggin’ pathetic to even mention them. Of course I appreciate them to no words, but I’d rather mention as my idols some people that really have influenced me in some ways. In fact, if you want only one reason for why I study photography in the first place, you can put all the blame on Vesa Ranta. Whenever I want to get myself back to the basics, I go to see photos from his site. And yes, I’m a total sucker for black and white photography and traditional darkroom.

Damned artsypants.