🌊 Finland's sea lighthouses: islands, wind and shots "at the edge of the earth"

Finland's lighthouses are not just "points" on a map.
They are pieces of maritime poetry: granite, wind, red and white towers, lighthouse keepers' houses, echoing waves and the feeling of "I am standing at the end of the map".

If you love shots with lots of air, clean lines and a touch of northern silence, this is the place for you. In this article, we'll take a look at four of the most expressive lighthouses: Bengtskär, Söderskär, Utö and Kylmäpihlaja. I'll show you where to stand, what to shoot and how to make friends with the wind.

Bengtskär — a granite legend (and Finland's tallest lighthouse)

Bengtskär is 46 metres of pure granite surrounded by dramatic seas.
The light here works in its own way: the tower catches warm reflections even in cloudy weather.

⚠️ Note: Wind is a frequent visitor to Bengtskär.
Choose a stable position and hold the camera close to your body: gusts of 10–12 m/s will affect your composition.

Söderskär — the minimalism that cities lack

Söderskär is one of Finland's most "graphic" lighthouses. The tower and small house look like a pair of figures in a minimalist landscape.

The best shots are taken as follows:

● Stand so that the house and tower are in "dialogue"

● Leave a lot of space at the top — an empty sky makes the shot more powerful

● A telephoto lens will slightly flatten the horizon line, making the composition cleaner

Söderskär is a good spot if you want to take a series of calm northern shots in the "less is more" style.

Utö is the real "end of the earth"

Utö is a windswept island where a lighthouse stands on a cliff, surrounded by low houses like a flock.

Light
The morning brings golden side rays. The evening brings cool blue tones, ideal for dramatic shots.

Kylmäpihlaja — a lighthouse hotel and pure geometry

Kylmäpihlaja is an austere lighthouse that stands out sharply against the flat coastline.
The red and white elements provide bright accents, and the rocks by the shore work perfectly as the bottom layer of the composition.

Shooting tips

● Find a spot where the tower stands against a blank sky

● Include a thin line of rocks by the sea in the frame

● Shoot from a slight angle so that the shrouds and elements of the facade create vertical lines.

This is one of the easiest lighthouses to photograph: there is plenty of light, the angles are clear, and there are enough details.

How to work with sea light and wind

Finland is a windy country. And the further out to sea you go, the more noticeable the wind will be in your shots.

Here is a mini cheat sheet:

● Wind 5–8 m/s: shoot with an emphasis on something stable

● 8–12 m/s: switch to short exposures and hold the camera steady

● Sun + waves: look for reflections in micro-clearings in the water

● Cloudy: shoot details, the texture of stones, rust, wood

And also:
clouds often move faster on islands — use this to create movement in the sky (exposure times of 1/8–1/15 give light trails).

Mini lighthouse route — if you want to photograph four in one trip

If the trip is short, choose one:
Söderskär — minimalism,
Bengtskär — dramatic granite,
Utö — character,
Kylmäpihlaja — pure geometry.

Finnish lighthouses are not just "photo spots." They are places where the wind speaks louder than people, where granite preserves the memory of storms, and where the light is different every time.
When you stand there with your camera, it's as if you're a little further than the usual travel map, on the edge where Finland itself subsides.

💬 Share your photos and experiences

Have you been to one of these lighthouses?
Have you photographed the morning at Bengtskär or the evening calm at Utö?
Planning a route around the islands?

Write in the comments: which lighthouse called to you, which wind took you by surprise, which shots became your favourites. Share your photos and questions — we read everything and make the next articles better and more useful.