I was born on 22.08.1953 in Pyhäselkä, in North Karelia. I graduated from "Pyhäselkä Yhteislukio" in 1973. I studied laboratory work in a vocational school 1975-1977 and was employed in 1977 by the newspaper "Karjalainen" as photo laboratory assistant and in the end of the 1980's as photo correspondent. I am still working there.

I have taken several photography courses in the Helsinki School of Art and Design and in the Lahti design Institute. I have taken pictures in Russian Karelia since 1993, both for my work and, more often, at my leisure time. I received a grant from the Patricia Seppälä foundation in 2002. With the help of the grant I was able to work in Russian Karelia in 2003. From the material I prepared the photo exhibition 'Rahvas, moments from Karelia' (Plain people). It was exhibited in Helsinki and Koli in 2004. My picture was taken by my colleague Anni Karvinen at the exhibition premises in Helsinki.