Lassi Tolvanen
Winner of the First Place, Nikonians Photo Contest 2000

An SU-26 taken by Lassi using his new equipment.

Winning in this kind of competition is like receiving a new start in my photography career. As a freelance photographer for daily newspapers, weekly magazines and aviation magazines, I found the winning set as the best combination for such a work. The F100 body is excellent due to it's weight versus charasteristics. It was easy to learn the functions of the body. I can use it like my F5, but in the aviation photography when shooting air-to-air, I prefer now my new F100. The F100's functions and the ease of use are just great.

Switching from F5 to F100 rapidly under action is piece of cake due the similarity of those two bodies. The AF-S 17-35 mm lens is something I have been dreaming of. Now when I have been working with it, I love it. The quality of the pictures are excellent, no matter which mm setting you're using. The AF-S 28-70 mm is also a masterpiece. This zoom gives me the freedom to compose the pictures rapidly from good wide to light tele. Sometimes my work include shooting sports and it's here where the AF-S 80-200mm and AF-S 300mm come into work. The quick autofocus is very reliable with those lenses allowing me to purely concentrate on the action.

The winner in a Finish F16 Hawk

SB-28 is the flash I never forget to take with me. It has unique cabapility to make the best photographs in any kind of difficult light-conditions where flash is needed. The tripods I won have already been tested in the forest as well as in action. The quality of Manfrotto (Bogen in the U.S.A) is marvelous. My previous tripod was also a Manfrotto and I liked it as well.

The equipment I have won gives me more choices and possibilities to use my creativity when working in this challenging field. As a photographer I am humble and willing to learn more day by day. For me the idea of taking photographs is to capture a moment I want to show to other people.

To achieve a pictorial masterpiece you have to be on the right place at the right time and to be able to use your equipment the way you want. Thank you fellow Nikonians for your support! If I am able to assist any in any way don't hesitate to contact me.

Lassi Tolvanen 2001.

Guiding Lights © Lassi Tolvanen