Reindeer Photography in Finnish Lapland (2025)

George Wheelhouse
4 days ago
4 min read

Christmas is almost upon us, so I thought I’d lean into that, and share some reindeer photos taken earlier this year. It had been five years since I was last in the Arctic Circle (Norway in 2020), so we were due a trip somewhere cold. And we hadn’t been to Finland for eight years, which seemed like something we ought to address. I love the Finnish forest, and it was great to be back. Of course I also have plenty of winter landscape photos to share from this trip, but first up it’s these iconic lapland animals.

Reindeer in the Boreal Forest

Reindeer feel like an inevitable subject for me to enjoy, sitting as they do, in the middle of the deer/arctic Venn diagram. On this occasion, we booked a visit to Eanan, in Levi. After a few emails with herder, Janita, it felt like a good option. She runs a small reindeer farm, allowing tourists to meet the charasmatic species so intertwined with the landscapes and culture of the North.

Often when tourists and photographers are able to photograph reindeer, it tends to be out on the tundra, which can work very well for minimalist or high-key photography, but this was a great opportunity to photograph them in the forest. It's an environment I love, and I think that context and backdrop really elevates these photos.

Reindeer standing in snowy forest with birch trees. Its fur blends with the snow, creating a serene and wintry atmosphere. — Reindeer Beside Tree

In many regions, reindeer will move to higher elevations during the summer, for fresh pasture, and to escape the mosquitos. It's more common to find them at lower altitudes and in the forest during the winter, where there's more lichen to eat, and the trees provide protection from high winds and storms.

Reindeer walking through a snowy forest, surrounded by snow-covered trees. The serene scene is dominated by white and gray tones. — Woodland Reindeer

These reindeer are all female - evident by the fact that they retain their antlers into the new year. The males shed theirs at the end of the autumn rutting period.

With their surprisingly large footprint, they move through the deep snow with ease. I kind of love being put to shame by animals so much better suited to life than I am. It only serves to add to the reverence with which I see nature.

Reindeer walking through a snowy forest with tall, snow-covered trees. The scene is serene and wintry with a calm atmosphere. — Wandering Reindeer

I shouldn't pick a favourite, but this individual would be it. I like the slightly boxy, almost rectangular form of some reindeer, including this one. It's so idiosyncratic of the species, compared to other deer like the red deer I'm so familiar with.

White Reindeer

Speaking of individuals, I'm reliably informed this girl remains the most popular with visitors. Small, almost entirely white, and surprisingly friendly, she would court the attention of all of us. I'm sure she's a hit with visitor's Instagram reels. I got 2-3 photos of here, but only this one made the grade for this post.

Close-Up Reindeer Encounters

All my deer photography at home is with a telephoto lens (200mm to 600mm), but here that was not only unnecessary, but also kind of a shame to lose the stunning winter forest around us. So I went relatively wide-angle option (24-120mm), in order to achieve this more immersive result.

Reindeer standing in a snowy pine forest with tall trees, under a bright, clear sky. The scene is peaceful and wintry with soft colors. — Reindeer in the Forest

As I was doing so, I also provided great amusement to the reindeer herders, who thought it was bizare and hilarious that I kept laying down, and scrabbling around in the snow for these photos!

Reindeer standing in a snowy forest, surrounded by snow-covered trees. The scene is calm and serene with a cold, winter atmosphere. — Forest Reindeer

This individual was particularly trusting, and allowed me to get some relatively close-up portraits and detail shots.

A reindeer stands in a snowy forest, with tall, frost-covered trees in the background. The scene is serene with soft, cool colors. — Friendly Reindeer

Is this the weakest shot in the collection? Probably. But there's something I like about it, from the detail in the antler to the frost on the nose.

Close-up of a reindeer with snowy fur, antlers visible, in a wintry forest setting. Soft lighting creates a calm, serene atmosphere. — Reindeer Close-Up

Ooh, now we're talking. I'm sure if you've seen my blogs before, you'll know I love a frame-filler, and I wasn't going to miss this opportunity. I don't mind admitting I've sat and stared at this several times. It's so indicative of a reindeer, yet at the same time, the subtle shifts in tone and colour remind me of a top-down landscape or river abstract. As much as I love to capture 'hero' style portraits of animals, I also love these quieter, more subtle images, that set a tone without detracting from thier surroundings.

Close-up of a reindeer's short, gray and white fur with subtle color variations, conveying a soft texture. Abstract nature photography. — Reindeer Fur

Speaking of 'hero' images, here we go. This was a shot I really wanted, and I got it. In fact I got three of them! - but this is my favourite.

Reindeer in a snowy forest, standing on white snow. Tall trees covered in snow surround the serene scene. Soft, muted colors. — Reindeer Encounter

I really enjoyed this opportunity to meet, and photograph reindeer in Finland. It's something I'd been looking forward to for many months, and it didn't dissapoint. I think I got some pretty neat photos too, showing these impressive and characterful animals in their natural surroundings. For me, this last one is the one I remember most fondly. It's exactly what I had in mind for this shoot, and it combines the inquisative, friendly nature of the species and their enchanting forest home.

I haven't added any of these to my print gallery for now, but if you would like any of them, just get in touch, and I can arrange that for you.

If you'd like any of my prints for Christmas, please don't leave it too late to order - as each one is printed especially, and shipping delays are more common during this busy time of year.

More Finland Nature Photography

Coming next on the blog will be a collection of landscape photos from this trip, and a little more about the area we visited.

In the meantime, check out my other posts about photography in Finland, including an article in Elements Magazine earlier this year, where I shared some of my favourite photos from my previous visit to Finnish Lapland.

For now I'll sign off with the only reindeer photo I got last time I was in Finland, but it's one I really like, and it's available to order in print now!