Tapio Ritvonen

Step into a world of dreamlike, black-and-white photography
My fine art is a blend of minimalism, ethereal moods, and stories that invite you to hit pause.


What does “ethereal” mean to me?
n my photographs, it represents a delicate, minimalist, and timeless atmosphere that feels almost weightless — like mist, soft light, or a moment suspended above the everyday routine. To me, it means a dreamlike clarity that clears away all the background noise, leaving space for pure emotion and beauty.

In this page you can find selection of my artworks. Please take your time to explore and send me direct message, if you are interested some art of piece.

Freezing Lake Pielinen

This aesthetic and mystical black and white photograph captures the minimalist beauty of a freezing Lake Pielinen. The interplay of dark and subtle grey tones conveys a deep sense of calm with the distant treeline grounding the ethereal scene. A timeless moment of Nordic serenity. Gazing at this shot is soothing after a busy day. This photograph has received an honorable mention in the Monochrome Awards 2025 photography competition.

One light in the room

A dark and gloomy night, only one window in the apartment house is lit. Why only one window? Are there other people staying in the apartment house or are they just awake in the 16th floor apartment and what is going on in the room?

Portrait of a mallard

A very dark and minimalist “portrait” of a mallard highlights the features and small details of the beautiful creature’s head. Soft light hits the mallard’s neck, adding depth to the image. This photograph has received honorable mentions in the Monochrome Awards 2024 and Monovision 2025 photography competitions.

Freedom to be yourself

The freedom to be yourself exactly as you are is one of the most important values ​​of humanity, with all your strengths and weaknesses, both physically and mentally. A black-backed gull (Larus ridibundus) in its winter plumage was photographed in late autumn in Hailuoto. The focus in the photo is on the black-backed gull, so the dark clouds preceding the autumn storm in the background form a soft contrast with the details of the black-backed gull.

Foggy bridge

The dense fog and long exposure create a soft and dreamy landscape. Even the iron bridge becomes soft surrounded by fog and still water. You can sense the silence of the landscape. When looking at the picture, you can become still and be present in the moment.

Light in the fog

A single light penetrates through the dense fog, which also reflects off the surface of the water. Using a long exposure also soften the water, making image even softer and more ethereal.

Tapio Ritvonen – an artist

I remember how, as a child, I played with my grandfather’s old film camera, which was in a brown leather case. There was no film, but I took a lot of “pictures”. As a child, I also liked to draw birch trunks, even then black and white pictures apparently pleased my eyes. I don’t know the reason why black and white pictures please me, but one reason may be my demanding personality, especially my demandingness towards myself, the end result of what I do has to be excellent. Justice can also be described in black and white, i.e. right or wrong. I either take everything I do to the fullest or not at all, this can also be seen in black and white.

I bought my first SLR camera in 2013. Due to other hobbies and busy schedules, photography was not much of a part of my life, and learning how to photograph was also lacking. During the Covid-19 period, when I was sick and recovering for a longer period of time, I thought about hobbies that would allow me to be outside, move lightly, and do things that would make me feel good. That’s when I remembered my camera in the closet and decided that now I would learn the secrets of using a camera and taking photos. With the help of videos on YouTube, I quickly got to grips with the secrets of the camera and shooting techniques. When my health allowed me to go outside, I was able to truly learn and develop as a photographer. My demanding personality in learning new things enabled me to learn and develop quickly. This new hobby took off and photography and photographic art have become a significant part of my life. I want to bring joy and well-being to everyone, through my aesthetically beautiful photographic works of art. I get an incredible amount of energy and pleasure when people want to hang the works I created in their most valuable spaces.

My works are usually very dark, black and white and minimalist. With darkness and minimalism I want to create a calm and slightly mystical, dreamlike atmosphere. When photographing, I often use long exposure times to soften the water and sky. I am often distracted by other objects in my photos, such as trees, bushes and buildings, which means that the subject itself does not stand out enough. The colors in my own photos also often make me feel disgusted, which is why my photos are black and white. Most often, in image processing, I fade other objects into the darkness and use a short focal length to blur the background. This way, the object I am photographing comes to the fore and the photo turns into a work of photographic art. All photos are taken by me and I do not use artificial intelligence to create the images. I use the masking tools of the image editing program to fade the areas I want out of the image.

Sometimes nature, such as fog, rain and thick clouds, blur and soften the background and other surroundings to make them more pleasing to the eye. In this case, less image processing is needed, but the importance of taking the picture is emphasized, so that the background and other surroundings are in a pleasant balance, without annoying details. The subjects of my photographs are often found in nearby environments, such as animals, landscapes and architecture.

Black and white images are timeless, add value to a space, and are suitable for any space and interior. I want my works to last as physical elements for a long time, which is why my works are made using the best materials. In addition, each work is produced in a limited quantity so that the value of the works remains and grows all the time. Valuable art is an investment whose value in the future can be immeasurable.

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