In the silence of the frozen forest a mountain hare pauses in its tracks. Gliding across the snow on his skis, Antti knew he had to remain silent so as not to disturb the timid mountain hare. Using tree branches to frame the distant hare, he captured the stillness of the moment and, he says, ‘the magic of a frozen boreal forest on a polar night’.
Polar nights occur in the far north where the sun does not rise in winter, creating days of just a few hours of twilight. Ambient light paints the landscape an eerie shade of blue. The mountain hare is camouflaged against the thick snow blanketing the ground. When the snow melts, its fur will turn brown again, disguising it against the dark forest floor.
Finland
Antti is an author and photographer specialising in Arctic and subarctic wildlife, biodiversity, climate change, indigenous issues and conservation. He studied mathematics and theoretical physics before becoming a full-time author and photographer, and his work has a strong scientific basis. He travels only on skis, on foot or by boat, pulling a pulka or carrying a backpack.
Help us harness the power of photography to advance scientific knowledge, spread awareness of important issues and nurture a global love for nature.