Ii-based Antti J. Leinonen has worked as freelance photographer and videographer since 2002. His works have been published in several national and international media, ranging from television, newspapers to magazines. In addition to commissioned work, a large proportion of his time is devoted to personal projects.
Leinonen was recently awarded photojournalist of the year in the Finnish Press Photos 2020 competition. In addition his photograph was selected as the best portrait of 2020. The jury thanked his awarded photo series for being strongly present in current phenomena, and said that the series combines calm observations with sometimes humorous situations.
Leinonen’s work navigates between photography and documentarism. For example his series Last Man Fishing began as a project documenting the life of fishermen on the Bothnian Bay, but slowly the visual language turned towards more poetic and timeless narrative.
Currently Leinonen is working on a project about Finnish Americans in Michigan Upper Peninsula. Some of the photographs of the ongoing project were also included in the awarded series.
Leinonen is one of the studio artists of KulttuuriKauppila, a member of the board of KulttuuriKauppila Ii ry and the Artistic Director of Valto Pernu Photo Marathon.
He has held private exhibitions in Finland and Norway, and his works have also been seen at the Fotografiska in Stockholm.