Markku Lahdesmaki was born in Finland. He was eight years of age when his uncle gave him a simple black-and-white camera to take photos of the family. His second camera was a Hasselblad at the age of 16. His father asked him what he wanted as a birthday present, a Hasselblad camera or a motorbike. He thought that by making money with his camera he could buy a motorbike later.
About ‘Avanto‘:
To most, this is not the time of year to be tempted outdoors for a swim. In Rauhaniemi, however—a beach in Tampere, Southern Finland—taking a dip in sub-zero temperatures seems to be the perfect way to beckon in the New Year. ‘Avanto’ is Finnish for ‘hole in the ice’, and during the winter months spots like Rauhaniemi (there are over 260 registered in the country) are descended upon by brave swimmers, ready to face the cold and plunge into the freezing water. It was during a trip back to Tampere from the sunny climate of his adopted-home of California that Finnish photographer Markku Lahdesmaki encountered the group of lionhearted swimmers that feature in his project Avanto.
