We love Instagram and we love Finland, so what better way to combine the two than by launching a weekly series to celebrate them both. Every Wednesday, we’ll showcase a brand new Finnish Instagrammer who is showcasing the very best of super Suomi. We’ll ask them questions about their photos, get them to share their favourites and ask them to do a mini-music-movie with the ace new Finnish iPhone app, LUUP. If you’d like to have the chance to share your photos with over half a million monthly readers worldwide, be sure to hashtag your best work #InkTankFinland.

To kick off the series, we’ve got an Instagrammer whose work I’ve admired for a very, very long time. So please put your hands together the one and only Taru Latva-Pukkila, better known on Instagram (and EyeEm) as @tarulp.

Thanks for being our first ever Finnish Instagrammer of the week, Taru. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Well, I was born on the west coast side of Finland in a little place in the middle of nowhere. I spent a happy childhood in the Ostrobothnia region. In later life, I’ve moved a lot around Finland. I made a few stops along the way, via Great Britain and Spain, before moving to Helsinki 12 yrs ago to finish my Master degree in Arts and Design in Taideteollinen Korkeakoulu. Since then I have been lived and worked closely within the worlds of textiles and design.

Photography has been close to my heart since my childhood. I started my path in Instagram in August 2012 when I bought my first and current iPhone, the 4s. Since then I made a decision that I will focus my mobile photography on Instagram. I’m still using the same old phone for shooting the pics and editing them with various apps. Instagram has become a diary of my life as it moves along.

So, where do you shoot most of your photos and what sort of photos do you like to take best?

I mainly shoot on the streets of Helsinki. Every day I see many beautiful and interesting people around me in the urban environment combined with architecture, shadows and light. I also see so many wonderful details, while walking, observing and documenting daily life all around me.

What are your top tips for shooting Instagram photos in Finland

Don’t worry about the weather, just go out and shoot pictures. People are interested to see your culture and city so even smallest details of your life can make a difference. On the streets, people are often not so willing to be photographed so respect them and keep your distance and use pure common sense.

Which five Finnish/ or Finland-based Instagrammers do you recommend everyone to follows?

@skwii

Jussi is a very talented your photographer whom I met personally on my first Instameet here in Helsinki. He has been growing so much over the years.

@ektara

Meri is wonderful photographer who maintains a certain sparkle in her eye when she shoots and edits. She’s one of the first people I started following on Instagram back in the day.

@__kilu__

Kristian has a lovely touch for nature in black and white photos. The deep dark nuances he uses make some of his photos feel almost like color shots.

@tanukallio

Tanu is a wonderful talented street photographer whose work I’ve followed for a long time.

@j_vallius

Joonas achieves a very nice touch by editing his nature and urban shots with rich and soft colours. His work feels so full of light.

What are some of your own favorite shots from Helsinki?

Christmas in Karhupuisto park, Kallio, Helsinki. Photo by Taru Latva-Pukkila.

Suomenlinna Island, Helsinki. Photo by Taru Latva-Pukkila.

Reflections of Hesperianpuisto, Töölö, Helsinki. Photo by Taru Latva-Pukkila.

Christmas Market, Helsinki Senate Square. Photo by Taru Latva-Pukkila.

Kaivopuisto, Helsinki. Photo by Taru Latva-Pukkila.

Stora Enso Building, Katajanokka, Helsinki. Photo by Taru Latva-Pukkila.

Woman and child at the tram stop, Linnanmäki, Helsinki. Photo by Taru Latva-Pukkila.

Man next to graffiti-covered wall, Suvilahti, Helsinki. Photo by Taru Latva-Pukkila.

Uunisaari Island, Helsinki. Photo by Taru Latva-Pukkila.

Metro train, Helsinki. Photo by Taru Latva-Pukkila.

A woman walking down Kaarlenkatu, Kallio, Helsinki. Photo by Taru Latva-Pukkila.

Senate Square Helsinki. Photo by Taru Latva-Pukkila.

Old Student House, Helsinki. Photo by Taru Latva-Pukkila.

People attending a street food festival in Helsinki. Photo by Taru Latva-Pukkila.

We’re sure you’ll agree these photos give a marvellous insight into Helsinki life. We love them all, but we’d love to hear, which you like best in the comments below. To see more of Taru’s work, be sure to follow her on Instagram. And if you want to be showcased on Ink Tank, feel free to either follow me or hashtag your photos #InkTankFinland.