Summer in bloom

Over the summer, my little social media bubble was talking about how people often share only beautiful photos of good moments, and how that can distort our picture of someone’s life. It is a good reminder for all of us that social media is always just a selection of moments.

As someone who works in a visual field, I genuinely enjoy seeing beautiful images. Aesthetics that resonate with me bring a little happiness, and I do not assume they say much about the photographer’s life or that everything is perfect. I see them more as small joys shared with others, glimpses from everyday life. (Of course, it is a different matter if the intent is to mislead or to present something untrue.)

I am always interested in how people are doing and what they think, whether their posts are highly aesthetic or not. Maybe that is the distinction for me: Beautiful photos can bring good feelings and positive energy, but when it comes to the people themselves, I care more about what is on their mind than about how they look.

In my own daily life, the views are often my laptop screen (like now as I am writing this) or in my free time, the living room taken over by Duplo bricks and toy cars. Even if no one else posts pictures like that, I doubt we are the only ones whose home looks like this.

That’s exactly why I especially enjoy the light and flowers of summer. They are those little everyday luxuries that bring joy and are a pleasure to share with others.

In these photos is an arrangement I created from seasonal treasures in my mother’s garden in Lammi. Through the images, I can hold on to a piece of that feeling and return to it even when the flowers fade and the light grows scarce for winter.

The Collection of treasures is my Instagram photo project. Four times a year, one for each season, I create a composition of the plants available in the garden. You can find all four seasons on Instagram with the hashtag #harjunpelto.