About
Nina Kostamo Deschamps is a professional photographer based in Northern Finland, specializing in artistic documentary photography, visual storytelling, and practice-based research. She embraces experimental approaches, blending often archival materials into her work while exploring themes of identity, memory, human-nature relationships, sense of place, and communities, with a focus on the Arctic. Her perspective has been shaped by her roots in the North and over 15 years of living internationally in Paris, Madrid, and the south of France.
A graduate of ICP, New York, and holding an MA in Photography (with distinction) from Falmouth University, UK, she is also a service designer who leads creative workshops integrating design thinking, facilitation, and photography, organizes photo walks in Rovaniemi, and enjoys teaching photography. She is available for assignments, exhibitions, and collaboration opportunities.
AWARDS, EXHIBITIONS & GRANTS
2026 Exhibition: Towards Winter, Café Särestö, Särestöniemi Museum, Kaukonen, Finland; selected through an open call (upcoming, November–December)
2026 Exhibition: Towards Winter, Gallery Värinä, Culture Association Valsa, Rovaniemi, Finland; selected through an open call
2026 Exhibition: Usva, as part of the international contemporary art exhibition One Breath, curated by Momoya Yasui, Senkoji Temple, Osaka, Japan
2026 Exhibition: Usva, Kemijärvi26, Cultural Centre, Kemijärvi, Finland; selected through an open call by the Artists’ Association of Lapland
2026 Photobook and Exhibition: Color of Noise, KG+ Photography Festival, Kyoto, Japan; selected through an open call by Ephemere
2026 Selected participant, 13th Annual New York Portfolio Review, organized by The New York Times photo department, Photoville, and the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism
2026 Selected for Thinking Through Photography, Source Magazine, Graduate MA/MFA Photography Online and Print, with the Usva series; Jury’s Pick
2025 Selected participant, Encontros da Imagem Portfolio Reviews 2025, Braga, Portugal; public presentation of the Usva series
2025 Curated exhibition Heinäkuu25, Galleria Napa, Artists’ Association of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland; selected through an open call
2025 Shortlisted finalist, Photo London x Hahnemühle Student Award, with the Usva series; exhibited at Photo London, Somerset House, London, UK
2024 Group exhibition: Landings, Falmouth University, UK
2024 Pre-selected, Les Boutographies, France
2024 Selected artist, Red exhibition, The Glasgow Gallery of Photography, Glasgow, UK
2023 Grant recipient, Finnfoto, Central Association of Finnish Photographic Organisations, Finland
2023 Honorable Mention, Paris International Street Photo Awards 2023, Street Winter category
2023 Shortlisted, Belfast Photo Festival 2023 Open Submission; awarded Highly Commended, Belfast, UK
2023 Group exhibition: Light in the Night (Valoa yössä), Gallery Kajo, Kuusamo Nature Photo Festival, Finland
2023 Group exhibition and projection: Parcours pour un regard: Une exploration sensible, with Klavdij Sluban, Croisière, Les Rencontres d’Arles, Arles, France
2023 Invited participant, Head On Photo Festival 2023 Open Program
2022 Finalist, Photolucida Critical Mass
2022 Group exhibition: Fragile Constellations, International Center of Photography, New York, USA (online)
2016 Exhibition: White Nights, Accenture Art Corner, Helsinki, Finland
2014 Group exhibition: The First, Gallery Kajo, Rovaniemi, Finland
EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS
Long-term Studies
2023-2025 Master of Arts (MA) in Photography, Institute of Photography, Falmouth University, UK (online) – 180 credits, level 7, graduated with distinction
2021-2022 One-Year Certificate Program in Documentary Practice and Visual Journalism, International Center of Photography (ICP), New York, US
2021-2022 Professional Photographer Qualification, Photography & Media Studies, Institute of Visual Communications (VVI), Tampere, Finland – 150 credits
2013-2014 Photography Minor, Faculty of Art & Design, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland
Courses & Certifications
2024 Slow Photography, Muurla College, Finland
2024 Adobe Certified Professional: Visual Design using Adobe Photoshop
2023-2024 Nature Photographer's Professional Skills, Kuusamo College, Finland – 46 credits
Workshops and mentoring programs
2026 PhotoNorth Mentoring Program, Oulu
2025 The Poetics of Photography with Rinko Kawauchi, Fotofilmic, Paris
2025 The Photobook Project Workshop with Raymond Meeks, Eyes in Progress, Paris
2024-2025 Long-term Documentary Workshop, DOC 15, Helsinki
2023 “Parcours pour un regard: Une exploration sensible” with Klavdij Sluban, Les Rencontres de la Photographie, Arles
2023 Publish Your Photography Book, La Luz Workshops with Mary Virginia Swanson & Darius D. Himes
2019 A shooting with Vee Speers. Les Rencontres de la Photographie, Arles
2019 “Les enjeux de l’editing : regard et projet”. Photography Workshop with Sylvie Hugues, Les Rencontres de la Photographie, Arles
2012 Lightning Portraits, Les Rencontres de la Photographie, Arles
Through Studio 67 North, I offer creative services inspired by the Arctic—ranging from workshops and photography training to portrait work and location management. Rooted in the landscapes and culture of Lapland, my practice blends design thinking, facilitation, and photography to create space for hands-on learning, exploration, and visual storytelling.
TEACHING, FACILITATION, WORKSHOPS & PHOTOWALKS
Photography workshops and lectures
Teacher's Assistant at the International Center of Photography (ICP).
Courses: Inside Photo Editing, On the Wall: Exhibition Practices and Techniques, Photographing the Invisible, Realms of the Field, The Loom: Weaving Media
Photowalks, Helsinki & Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi Week 2024: Arctic City in Photographs - Workshop and Photowalk
Portrait sessions in studio and milieu, Studio 67 North
Location management for international media production companies, Lapland
Creative workshops using photography and visual language as tools for creativity
Memberships
PhotoNorth - Northern Photographic Centre
The Union of Journalists in Finland (UJF)
The Finnish Professional Photographers' Association (SAV)
The International Center of Photography (ICP) Alumni
Photographic Centre Peri
The Finnish Nature Photographers Association (SLV)
Open to exhibitions and collaboration opportunities. Feel free to reach out and follow me on Instagram for the latest updates, artworks, and news.
hello@ninakostamo.photography
@ninakostamo