@Meterminated

Introduce yourself and say where you’re based from.

Hi, my name is Mete and I’m based in Helsinki, Finland.

How did you first get into photography?

I got into photography as a kid. My mom always had a camera with her, and I remember being inspired watching her document everything. I shot a lot of digital from around 2007 to 2017, but later I found my way to film. It brought back a certain nostalgia from my childhood, and that feeling really stuck with me.

You shoot a lot at night what made you want to photograph in the dark?

I’ve always felt that places become more interesting in low light. There’s a certain mood and mystery you don’t get during the day. Also, living in Finland, it’s naturally dark for a big part of the year, especially in winter when it gets dark around 4pm. So it just became something I leaned into and embraced.

Are you metering carefully at night, or shooting more off instinct at this point?

In the beginning I was very careful with metering, especially while learning how to shoot in low light. But now it’s become more instinctive. I’ve shot enough to recognize how certain scenes behave, so I can often just go with the flow.

Trains, roads, and empty streets show up a lot in your work what keeps you coming back to those subjects?

I’m heavily inspired by movies, and those kinds of scenes always stand out to me, trains passing, empty roads, quiet streets. They turn simple, everyday moments into something cinematic. There’s also a sense of freedom in them, the idea that you could just take off and go anywhere.

What keeps you coming back to using film?

Honestly, I just love everything about it. The feel of metal cameras, loading a roll, the mechanical process, and of course the grain. There’s something about it that digital can’t replicate. I keep coming back to it because it feels more real to me.

What has been your favorite camera to use and why?

The Canon AE-1 has been my main camera for a long time, and it still means a lot to me since I’ve taken some of my favorite photos with it. Recently I picked up a Nikon F3, and I’m currently shooting my first rolls with it, it feels amazing to use. It might become a new favorite.

Do you ever see yourself switching to a different style of photography?

Not completely, but I’d like to expand. I’d love to shoot more during the day and in different environments. I’m really drawn to daylight film photos from places like the southwestern United States, the whole Americana feel, with highways, motels, and open landscapes. That look on film is something I’d love to explore more.

Do you ever shoot the same scene multiple times, or do you prefer capturing it once and moving on?

There are definitely places I return to. Living somewhere with four distinct seasons, the same location can look completely different depending on the time of year. I like revisiting scenes and seeing how they change.

What are you still trying to figure out in your photography right now?

Right now, it’s about finding ways to spend more time doing it. I just want to be out more, walking around with a camera and turning everyday moments into something cinematic. I feel constantly inspired by what I see around me, it’s just about giving that more space in my life.