Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

Beauty abounds in Finland. Every season of the year, everywhere one turns, there is a picture just waiting to be taken. Statuesque trees lining a pristine, clear lake; an isolated cabin in the woods; awesome tree art in abandoned felled tree roots. From the warm colors of the brief summer months when life is full of blooms to the vibrant contrasts of trees changing their color in the autumn, to the naturally formed ice sculptures along the shores of frozen lakes in winter and the reassuring return to spring and new life. There is so much to see. So many images to capture.

Hemmo Vattulainen is an artist with a camera. His coffee table book, Finland: The Four Seasons of Nature, captures a vision of a country few people, other than the Finnish, have the privilege of seeing. His vibrant images, some crystal clear to perfection, others blurry like an Impressionist painting, reveal the pure character of Finland’s landscape, from its mountains and valleys, to its forests and lakes. His photos are striking and contemplative as well as just a joy to look at. This is a book you will want to look at over and over again. There is very little text in this book – perfect for the picture book enthusiast. A few more descriptive passages would have been helpful for the non-Finnish reader who wants to learn about the country and where these images were taken (some of the photographs have been identified as to their location). A fascinating photographic journey into the wilds of Finland.