New year, same tricks???

Well, 2024 is sunny to start with – so off to a promising start!

1st of January and in the next four weeks or so – hopefully many things will be confirmed for the 12 months ahead in the way of photo work and stuff.

But regardless of what things are agreed with clients, what will I look forward to covering in any case during 2024??

JANUARY : Baltic Sea Cup 2024, unbelievable but true, this will be my FIRST ever visit to cover this. And what a brilliant way to tip-off the International games in 2024 – shooting both U16 and U18 National Teams in action. Finnish Cup Final 4 – what is now soon starting to feel like a tradition, the mid-January weekend in Hell (or otherwise known as Helsinki).

FEBRUARY : FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualification – week with the Susijengi over here. Although not that these should be called qualifying games for Finland, as we are one of the hosts, so we have qualified again!

MARCH-MAY : This will either be filled with various personal projects to get basketball content to a ‘new’ level and bring some cool things (in my opinion) to life. Or – just as exciting, shooting the 60 pesäpallo teams profile images and living the van life for three months.

JUNE-AUGUST : Susi-training camps, warm-up games, content creation, tournaments and just all around fun stuff to be part of the pack. As for events, Men’s Olympic Qualification, WU17 World Cup, MU18 EuroBasket – those are three things I definitely look to shoot. If Finland qualify for Olympics – then will need some strings pulled to get there as the answer I got when asking about this was ‘Federation/Team photographers are available to apply for Olympic Accreditation’ … but, if we get there, let’s not lose hope :-) WU17 World Cup, probably the event I look most to covering. Right after the Men’s Olympic qualification – should be a great two week set in Mexico, and after shooting the MU17 (or was it MU19?) World Cup in Zaragoza in 2016… I will definitely want to be here to witness this event. MU18 at home in Tampere, another great tournament with Europes best there, warm-up/test for the EuroBasket in Tampere in 2025. Also – can’t wait to see what kind of programme the Women’s national team get for the summer!! With the way we performed in November and with the roster we have, I am sure few teams will look to come to Finland for warm-up games or invite Finland to visit them – future is BRIGHT for the women!!

AUGUST-OCTOBER : Korisliiga start of the season .. need I say more?

NOVEMBER : EuroBasket qualifying for Men and Women.

Putting things down like that – sure doesn’t sound like much, but sure sounds fun! And honestly, after having taken some time off now in the last month or so, there is a head full of ideas that I would want to do with players/teams/federations.. just need to sell my ideas to them and make them happen!

Now having said all this, most likely something will happen and I won’t get any of these things done and go bankrupt and live in debt for the rest of my life. Should have learned not to make too many plans and think things ahead too much.

Goal for the year is to create more unique content, be it for paying clients or for my own channels – be more creative, take enough time to rest, be kinder to people, appreciate the opportunities I am given – and maybe once again try to kick the Red Bull habit of mine!

See you on the baseline, at the photoshoots and where ever this coming 12 months takes me!