"Sometimes when you pick up your child you can feel the map of your own bones beneath your hands, or smell the scent of your skin in the nape of his neck. This is the most extraordinary thing about motherhood - finding a piece of yourself separate and apart that all the same you could not live without.'
Jodi Picoult

Today I need a bit of snow-free pictures. It has been storming for days and makes me dream of the warm season..

Because like weddings, dance makes people happy too.

Motherhood is bigger than ourselves. We believe.
This makes it overwhelming.
But that's not true. Greatness is simultaneously within ourselves.
It is wrong to believe that where there is weakness and vulnerability, there is no strength. On the contrary.

We ARE the strength that is released in us by having children.
But the way to be it is through weakness.

Motherhood makes you vulnerable, but it can also heal.

Part 1 of this beautiful motherhood session.

I started a blog for the New Year. Thoughts on photography, tips and tricks and other topics that are important to me about a photo session.
I'm curious myself how it will develop... Well, I started with a topic that means a lot to me. The self-portrait photography. Link in my bio.

Motherhood takes everything from you, but most of all it gives you memories! 
Don't forget to hold it as it is. Don't wait for the supposedly right moment. It doesn't matter if your laundry is scattered everywhere, dust fluff plays catch on the floor or you haven't a bath for days... 
Anyway, we all know it, but it's real life and the kids grow up too fast. You are perfect like you are in this moment, your home is your home, authentic and full of love. 
Let's hold on to your story for eternity.

Guess what? My brother @by.aarne is going be a hatter! 
He has found a new creative passion. How cool is that, please? I love hats and can't wait to integrate his creations into my photos. Of course, we had to take a few pictures in advance.
He runs the hostel on the Lofoten Islands in Norway @furuhostel and if you come by, you will already find his clothing brand @islands.collective , soon with his huts, all handmade.

Do you know that when photos that you actually planned to show are pushed further and further? When better ones come along and they just don't fit into the feed anymore. 
Call me the master or a collector🫣

A few self-portraits with my loved ones. December and January are the coldest and darkest months here in the Yukon. Sunrise at 11.15 at the moment.
The mornings are very comfortable. A slow start, late breakfast and a bit of crafting, baking or playing here and there.
Fires have to be added everywhere every 2 hours, because at - 30C❄️🌬️ the wood stoves take sooo much and we heat only with wood - a hell of a lot of material.
A fulltime job.
For us, it means keeping two more buildings warm. The sauna where our water tank is located and the workshop with all the tools and food supplies.
People go into survival mode here. If possible, stay at home, safe and keep their home warm.
So If you are a Yukoner, the challenge is almost done, next week is Tshirt weather with - 5C 🤟✨

I love to reflect the last year at this time, but also to look forward and scribble my notebooks full of ideas and projects for the next few months.
As always, there is already far too much in it.🫣

Here:
My favorite photo from such a beautiful motherhood session that I haven't even shown yet. 
I just can't decide which one to show and this photo just fits too well as a start for the year.
So, let's look ahead, make plans, change them at some point again and make better ones. 🤟

This moment took place in her bedroom, a very dark room with only one small window. I love finding these pockets of light and playing with them.
ISO200-1/125-F2.5

It's hard to choose only 9 images. My top client photos this year for me!❤️
Every single one gives me goosebumps, because it was a magical moment, funny, emotional or a spontaneous inspiration. Moments when you know it's going to be a great picture.
Some of my favorite photos are not even included, because I didn't publish them yet.😉
I'm so looking forward to 2025 to get creative and meet a lot of new and familiar faces and spend an unforgettable time together.

Since she stopped taking a nap, I can't get a picture while she sleeps. But it's so cute, I love to watch her. Lea fell ill yesterday and spent the whole day on the couch. Christmas was simply with too little sleep and too much excitement, the little body has to recover now.

This post is dedicated to all the courageous adventures that dared to build a new home somewhere far away from their families.
Even if the dream of living in a dreamland has come true and you are enjoying the adventure of a lifetime, it is not always easy to be far away from your family. 
A spontaneous visit, eating the delicious cake at mom's, having dad show an important skill, dropping off the kids for a day, picking up a hug because the day didn't go so well today and then the birthdays, important steps of a life and Christmas.
You know, there have been quite a few tiger tears.

Today I am grateful for our friends, who have become our Canadian family over the years.
Grateful for all those who welcomed us with open arms and such big hearts. 
It grows every year, many of our friends have dared to follow the same path and live here far away from their loved ones.
You help each other, share the path of life and suffer in not so easy moments.
It's a big family here, which is really special. 
So, a big hug to all those who live far away from their loved ones. Merry Christmas to you!✨

Merry Christmas from my little family to yours✨
Merry Christmas to everyone I was allowed to photograph and capture their special moments this year and whom I now call friends, to all my friends and family from near and far.
Enjoy your holidays and have a blessed time with your loved ones. ✨

When your children are the only gift that really counts. ✨

It's something that I prioritise in every family session, just being present and play.
Excitement, fun, genuine smiles from cheeck to cheeck. 
This is childhood, don't worry about the next moment.
Something that we parents can learn from our children.

The light in your home goes into the history @elainecurran07!

This cutie knew how to get me. The sweetest hand kisses ever! 🥰

You spend hours searching. You probably have a dream dress in mind before you're even engaged, or even before you've even found the right man to marry. 😅
A dress that transforms you into a true princess.

Christmas vibes in your home. Look at this angel, what incredibly beautiful curls she has.

Thank you for inviting me into your beautiful home @joellehacheyukon.

The most perfect parts of a new life lie in these details. So let's forget about the larger part of a picture and let yourself live in the small moments.
What was yours?
My moment with Lea was always the moment when she fell asleep while breastfeeding and continued to suck in her sleep.

If you are invited to a strange home, I am so excited to see what awaits you. In this case, I was allowed to enter the most beautiful Christmas house I have ever seen. Such a loving atmosphere, candles, home decorated down to the smallest detail and then this little girl who melted my heart. Mama, capturing your love was such an hour.❤️
Too many beautiful moments that I have to show more at some point..
Thanks @cherkatie

It is precisely these memories of the Christmas season that I would like her to remember. Not the many gifts, but these small moments, these beautiful traditions. During the Christmas season, we bake an incredible amount. It brings us so close, a particularly beautiful magical atmosphere is created and it is these memories of a Christmas that are remembered.

So now I finally have to show a little Christmas feeling in my feed. Most of the preparations for Christmas have been done. Cookies baked, presents wrapped, the last photo sessions at this weekend... Most of all, I'm looking forward to my brother, who will arrive very soon and spend the holidays with us. It will be a very special Christmas because we can finally embrace each other again after 5 years.
So, let's get dive into all these magical moments in this nostalgic time.

#pia.paatsonen