Biography

I am Tero Leponiemi, teacher of visual culture, photo documentarist and photographer. I have worked in the field of visual culture since 1996. Art schools, studios and advertisement agencies have introduced me to the various sides of a picture and how to use it.

My interest towards the diversified phenomena of human life took me to the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, where I completed the Master’s degree in Ethnology and Folkloristics. My wife has given me a second home country and language, always changing and on the move – Estonia.

Recently, I have worked more and more with how to read a photograph and photography documentarism. I also find the relationship between a photograph and marginal groups, like problem youth or immigrants, very fascinating. Taking a photo or posing for one is an often neglected factor for one’s self-construction and building a view of the world.

A photography document is not just capturing a moment or an event. It also tells a story and speaks out. I do not find nor think that it should be free of values. A photograph is always defined by the personality, the values and premises of its author. In my own action I want to focus on photography driven by social change and photo documentarism.