Around the World in Analogue: Spring in Estonia
5In this edition of Around the World in Analogue, film photographer Oğuz Ali (@cerulionfrost) shares about a spring spent in Estonia, of the shifting sunlight, the wooden houses and seaside views, captured in films such as the LomoChrome Purple and LomoChrome Turquoise 35 mm ISO 100-400.
A Baltic country bordering the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland, Estonia is home to beautiful landscapes and multi-faceted, historic architecture, an underrated gem in Northern Europe. Oğuz Ali talks about it and more.
Name: Oğuz Ali
LomoHome: @cerulionfrost
Social Media Account: @oguzalihncgl
Camera: Canon EOS 300, Canon Sureshot Tele Quartz Date, Nikon F60, Nikon F80
Films: Kodak Gold 200, Kodak Ultramax 400, LomoChrome Purple 35 mm ISO 100-400, LomoChrome Turquoise 35 mm ISO 100–400, SantaColor 100
Locations: Mostly Tallinn, Rummu, Riga
I’ve been living in Tallinn, Estonia, for almost two years now, so most of the pictures were taken here. I personally believe you need to see the place you live as a tourist so you can capture your surroundings with a sense of wonder and curiosity, just like when exploring a new destination.
To spark my curiosity, I wander through the city like a flâneur, letting my steps guide me to the spots I love. I revisit these places again and again, experimenting with different lighting conditions and compositions to make each photo work.
Some of my favorite locations featured in this album include Tallinn’s Old Town, Kadriorg Park, the areas around Kalamaja and Linnahall, Balti Jaam, and my own neighborhood, Kristiine. Beyond Tallinn, I had the chance to photograph Rummu, which is a small town known for its quarry, and Riga, the capital of Latvia.
One thing you constantly pay attention to as a photographer is light, where it comes from and how it falls on your subject. What surprised me the most in Estonia is how dramatically the angle of the sunlight changes throughout the year. In winter, the days are very short, and the sun rises and sets at completely different positions compared to summer.
Even within just two weeks, the spots where the sun casts shadows during golden hour can shift significantly. That’s something I find fascinating every time. Looking at the album, the light changed dramatically between late February and early June. Estonia is definitely a place where nature surprises you more than people do.
Using Lomography film stocks has been a dream of mine for a long time, and I’m so happy I finally had the chance. For me, colors play the most important role in shaping the mood and feeling of a photo. LomoChrome Purple gives a melancholic, moody vibe, so I plan to use it more in autumn to capture Tallinn’s dark and dramatic atmosphere.
LomoChrome Turquoise, on the other hand, is a completely different experience. It transforms the familiar world into something entirely new, making even the most mundane scenes striking and surreal. I definitely want to shoot more of it in the future. I also have LomoChrome Metropolis and LomoChrome Color ’92 Sun-kissed in my fridge for upcoming projects.
Estonia is often overlooked as a destination, but for photographers, Tallinn’s Old Town offers an incredible medieval setting. During Christmas, the snowy atmosphere and the Christmas market are perfect for night photography, I highly recommend it.
In winter, even during the day, light can be rare to find, so I suggest bringing a tripod or using high ISO film stocks. In summer, you’ll have the opposite: long daylight hours and beautiful golden hours, perfect for exploring the wooden houses around Kalamaja and the city’s seaside spots.
Bring enough film with you. There are shops here, but they can be pricey. And most importantly, enjoy the whole process! Don’t forget to try local Estonian beers. If you can find it, I highly recommend trying smoothie beer, it’s quite an experience.
We'd like to thank Oğuz Ali for sharing his spring stories and images with us! To view more of his work, visit his LomoHome and Instagram page.
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written by sylvann on 2025-09-01 #people #places #around-the-world #spring #estonia #around-the-world-in-analogue #cerulionfrost
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