Porvoo Jazz Through the Lens of Martti Vilmingo - Jazz Finland 100

At the exhibition opening on September 10 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., visitors will be treated to fresh Finnish jazz as the newly formed trio Saga takes the stage for an intimate performance at the Porvoo Jazz Club—admission is free.

When photographing jazz gigs, you have to throw yourself into the moment without knowing what the result will be. You have to let yourself be carried away by the unpredictability and trust your experienced eye. You have to follow your instincts. Yet every time, there’s still that uncertainty: will you be able to create something unique, or will the photo simply replicate something that’s already been captured hundreds of times?

For Vilminko, the best part is when he feels he is responding to a musician’s improvisation with his own visual improvisation. At its best, each photograph is its own jazz solo—like a rhythmic, visual extract. Vilminko began his professional photography career in 1986. As a press photographer, he has shot for publications such as Borgåbladet, Uusimaa, Hufvudstadsbladet, and several organizational magazines.

I’ve taken some long breaks from photography at times, but I never gave it up entirely. My passion for photography was reignited when it crossed paths with another old passion of mine—jazz.

The Porvoo Jazz Festival’s annual fall lineup, along with its monthly jazz clubs, has offered a diverse and high-quality selection of top-tier artists from both Finland and abroad. There aren’t many gigs that Vilmingo hasn’t photographed. In fact, nearly all of the photos in this exhibition are from the festival or the clubs.

Vilminko feels that in a black-and-white photograph, rhythm is captured in its own, timeless reality. On rare occasions, when the tones are in perfect harmony, he allows himself a bit of color improvisation. Black-and-white, however, remains his foundation.