A photographic exhibition highlighting the importance of work
The “True Stories from Working Life” photo exhibition and online campaign were part of a nationwide Working Life Forum event, which took place on 31 August at Pikku-Finlandia in Helsinki and online. The project provides a platform for telling different stories of working life and sharing experiences. The project is part of the TYÖ2030 programme and a joint project between Jaakko Sahimaa, an occupational psychologist and entrepreneur. Its original idea was born when Sahimaa toured around Finnish working life for a year as part of his #Koeaika project.
The exhibition presented the career stories of 12 professionals from different sectors, highlighting the diversity of working life and the human experience. The aim of the campaign was to raise awareness about good careers – what makes work enjoyable, motivating and supportive of well-being.
I went to photograph each person in their real working environment in different parts of Finland, such as in the capital region, Tampere and Turku. The filming was done with mobile studio equipment, which allowed for controlled lighting in any environment.
I used colour filters to give the images a unique atmosphere and to highlight the specific features of each working environment. The end result was a visually striking and narrative piece that highlights the meaningfulness of working life from different perspectives.
The exhibition and campaign “True Stories from Working Life” highlighted the diversity of working life and the human stories that make it possible. Each image and story tells a unique perspective on what makes work meaningful. This project was a great opportunity to capture real moments and people in their own work environments – illuminating, inspiring and sparking ideas for a good career.
