BIO
Originally from Finland, Merja Varkemaa is a Paris based fine art photographer. A keen observer of urban life, she draws her inspiration from timeless street photography whilst not being a traditional street photographer herself. City life and architecture serve as settings for the random persons she photographs in order to express deeper feelings and emotions. She also enjoys portraiture and capturing the moodiness of empty beaches off season. Merja’s photography is based on her pursuit of light and shadows, using both their contrast and complementarity to enhance the beauty of every instant.
Merja’s work has been been published in Click Magazine, Shots Magazine and F-Stop Magazine and she has attended several juried group exhibitions, including Women Street Photographers Annual Exhibition in New York. Her work has also been awarded a Gold and Honorable Mention in the PX3 - Prix de la Photographie Paris 2020 and 2023 and she is a finalist in Lensculture Street Photography Awards 2021. She has been twice Best in the category Street in the annual VOICE Competition organised by Click & Company and has been selected finalist several times.
She lives in Paris with her French husband and their 17-year-old son.