Tuomas Puikkonen

Desucon Frostbite 2024 - special portraits Desucon (Frostbite) is an anime convention organized at Sibeliustalo in Lahti, Finland. I was one of their photographers and after the normal studio photo sessions we did this special portraits session. The lights are my impulse purchases from last July and last November. I shot this with Nikon Z8 and the black frame in the picture is Kyuu’s arm. Director: CheesecakeThief @conikuvat.fi @desukun_ #desucon #desuconfrostbite #eventphotography #tuomaspuikkonen - I had a big plans how to use this Instagram account, but then I haven’t published anything, because the bar was so high. So let’s break that bar with this photo.

Ihmisen näköiset 1 (28.-29.2.2020) - 4/4⁠ ⁠ Game masters: Niina Niskanen, Hanna Erkinjuntti, Minna Heimola, Emilia Hjelm, Simo Järvelä, Sara Kannasvuo, Maija Korhonen, Mari Lehtoruusu, Emi Maeda, Paula Pennanen⁠ ⁠ The core scene of the game was Uho & Haastaus (Boast & Bout), a performative community ritual including elements of dance and fight. Ingame functions of the rituals were both to offer a platform to unleash the inner animal and bring the conflicts between individuals or tribes out in the open. In addition, the scene served as the main spiritual rite of the chimera community. Offgame the scene was a climax that brought all players to the same location.⁠ ⁠ ---⁠ ⁠ Short link to the original photo set: mauku.fi/10y-72 ⁠ ⁠ #ihmisennakoiset #kindsofhumanlarp #larping #larp #larpersofinstagram #10yearsoflarpphotographing #larp10y #tuomaspuikkonen #larpphotography #finnishlarp

Ihmisen näköiset 1 (28.-29.2.2020) - 3/4⁠ ⁠ Game masters: Niina Niskanen, Hanna Erkinjuntti, Minna Heimola, Emilia Hjelm, Simo Järvelä, Sara Kannasvuo, Maija Korhonen, Mari Lehtoruusu, Emi Maeda, Paula Pennanen⁠ ⁠ Originally the series was designed as a trilogy, but in September 2020 a decision was made to abort the series due to corona virus situation. It was simply not possible to arrange the larp in a way that would be both safe for the players and up to our standards. ⁠ ⁠ Considerable effort was put in to building the communality and ensemble, and the players gave a lot of positive feedback on them. Losing the built community added to the disappointment of having to abort the series for everyone involved.⁠ ⁠ ---⁠ ⁠ Short link to the original photo set: mauku.fi/10y-72 ⁠ ⁠ #ihmisennakoiset #kindsofhumanlarp #larping #larp #larpersofinstagram #10yearsoflarpphotographing #larp10y #tuomaspuikkonen #larpphotography #finnishlarp

Ihmisen näköiset 1 (28.-29.2.2020) - 2/4⁠ ⁠ Game masters: Niina Niskanen, Hanna Erkinjuntti, Minna Heimola, Emilia Hjelm, Simo Järvelä, Sara Kannasvuo, Maija Korhonen, Mari Lehtoruusu, Emi Maeda, Paula Pennanen⁠ ⁠ Ihmisen näköiset was structured around pre-planned scenes throughout the weekend, and also time for free play was scheduled between the scenes. The scenes were played in and between various locations in Helsinki city. Black box techniques and escape room design were also utilised in creating some of the scenes.⁠ ⁠ Each player was assigned to a specific participation path that defined their role in building communality and supporting other players. Paths are based on the simple idea that players enjoy and are good at different aspects of larping, and need support in others. This dynamic can be made visible and managed through these roles.⁠ ⁠ ---⁠ ⁠ Short link to the original photo set: mauku.fi/10y-72 ⁠ ⁠ #ihmisennakoiset #kindsofhumanlarp #larping #larp #larpersofinstagram #10yearsoflarpphotographing #larp10y #tuomaspuikkonen #larpphotography #finnishlarp

Ihmisen näköiset 1 (28.-29.2.2020) - 1/4⁠ ⁠ Game masters: Niina Niskanen, Hanna Erkinjuntti, Minna Heimola, Emilia Hjelm, Simo Järvelä, Sara Kannasvuo, Maija Korhonen, Mari Lehtoruusu, Emi Maeda, Paula Pennanen⁠ ⁠ Main focus of Ihmisen näköiset was the balance between being human and being an animal within us all. This dynamic was examined through themes of communality, spirituality, courage, and embodied presence or physicality. ⁠ ⁠ In addition to the 45 players, there was a supporting cast of 12 contributing to various tasks including different support character roles in various pre-planned scenes and blackbox, escape room design, producing materials like webpages, props, texts etc. They also handled all catering, and had an active part in idea creation and feedback throughout the process.⁠ ⁠ ---⁠ ⁠ Short link to the original photo set: mauku.fi/10y-72 ⁠ ⁠ #ihmisennakoiset #kindsofhumanlarp #larping #larp #larpersofinstagram #10yearsoflarpphotographing #larp10y #tuomaspuikkonen #larpphotography #finnishlarp

Ihmisen näköiset - workshop (9.2.2020) - 1/1⁠ ⁠ Game masters: Niina Niskanen, Hanna Erkinjuntti, Minna Heimola, Emilia Hjelm, Simo Järvelä, Sara Kannasvuo, Maija Korhonen, Mari Lehtoruusu, Emi Maeda, Paula Pennanen⁠ ⁠ Ihmisen näköiset (Kinds of Human) was a street larp series for ca. 45 players played in Helsinki in 2020. The series told the story of mythical creatures called harhama (chimera) living in modern day Finland. Chimeras look like humans but inside them is an animal that needs to be let out from time to time. Chimera community has its own rituals and customs, but also share the everyday problems of the human society they live in.⁠ ⁠ ---⁠ ⁠ Short link to the original photo set: mauku.fi/10y-71 ⁠ ⁠ #ihmisennakoiset #kindsofhumanlarp #larping #larp #larpersofinstagram #10yearsoflarpphotographing #larp10y #tuomaspuikkonen #larpphotography #finnishlarp

Debÿtante Moshpit - 2nd run (7.12.2019) - 4/4⁠ ⁠ Game masters: Kimera Artist Collective: Kirsi Oesch, Tonja Goldblatt, Vili Nissinen, Eevi Korhonen, Joonas Iivonen, Arhi Makkonen⁠ ⁠ Debÿtante Moshpit was all about violence and aggression. Violence in Metäl Nörway was more than just physical beatings: the characters threatened each other, spread lies, backstabbed and cast others out, destroyed property and slandered each other. Sexual violence was omitted intentionally as part of the larp's design.⁠ ⁠ Physical violence was simulated with a special paper-shrapnel technique, created by Vili von Nissinen. To simulate violence you threw shredded red paper at your opponent. This creates the feeling of actually hitting even though there is no touch, and you get to do something physical but it is safe. The victim of the violence reacted to the flying paper shrapnel and acted as if hit and got to decide themself how badly the character is hit. The fighting not only felt violent but also looked pretty impressive.⁠ ⁠ debytantemoshpit.wordpress.com⁠ ⁠ ---⁠ ⁠ Short link to the original photo set: mauku.fi/10y-70 ⁠ ⁠ #nordiclarp #heavymetal #metal #moshpit #regency #larping #larp #larpersofinstagram #10yearsoflarpphotographing #larp10y #tuomaspuikkonen #larpphotography #finnishlarp

Debÿtante Moshpit - 2nd run (7.12.2019) - 3/4⁠ ⁠ Game masters: Kimera Artist Collective: Kirsi Oesch, Tonja Goldblatt, Vili Nissinen, Eevi Korhonen, Joonas Iivonen, Arhi Makkonen⁠ ⁠ There were six Great Houses in Bërgen and they each represented and dressed according to a metal genre: black, death, industrial, gothic, glam and trash. The black metallists had the most grandiose corpse paints, but in the larp’s world corpse paint had become fashionable during the reign of Queen Valkyrie I and was thus available for all characters.⁠ ⁠ Debÿtante Moshpit was a very visual larp. It was monochromatic, hard and teeming with metal imagery. The participants were expected to add their part and be involved in creating the vision. Real historical empire fashion could be used for inspiration, but instead of historically accurate costumes we wished to see heavy metal themed creations of all kinds. There were also outfits and accessories available for rent, made from e.g. recycled metal band shirts, as creating a costume might be hard for some players and we wanted to be accessible.⁠ ⁠ debytantemoshpit.wordpress.com⁠ ⁠ ---⁠ ⁠ Short link to the original photo set: mauku.fi/10y-70 ⁠ ⁠ #nordiclarp #regency #corpsepaint #fashion #recycle #larping #larp #larpersofinstagram #10yearsoflarpphotographing #larp10y #tuomaspuikkonen #larpphotography #finnishlarp

Debÿtante Moshpit - 2nd run (7.12.2019) - 2/4⁠ ⁠ Game masters: Kimera Artist Collective: Kirsi Oesch, Tonja Goldblatt, Vili Nissinen, Eevi Korhonen, Joonas Iivonen, Arhi Makkonen⁠ ⁠ The larp explored violence and aggression, which were practiced in workshops. One of our goals for the larp was to offer people who have been brought up not to act aggressively, especially women and nonbinary people, the chance try out and play with aggression and (simulated) violence during the larp. Historical gender roles also went out of the window in Mëtal Norway and anyone could play a badass character regardless of gender.⁠ ⁠ The larp had mechanics for escalating conflicts and also for regulating the pressure so that everything didn’t explode right away. The situation could be defused with a meta technique of pressing palms together and locking eyes and then just walking away. The meta technique stipulated that no one lost face, but nothing was resolved either and so the fight could be picked up again later.⁠ ⁠ debytantemoshpit.wordpress.com⁠ ⁠ ---⁠ ⁠ Short link to the original photo set: mauku.fi/10y-70 ⁠ ⁠ #nordiclarp #metal #regency #moshpit #larping #larp #larpersofinstagram #10yearsoflarpphotographing #larp10y #tuomaspuikkonen #larpphotography #finnishlarp

Debÿtante Moshpit - 2nd run (7.12.2019) - 1/4⁠ ⁠ Game masters: Kimera Artist Collective: Kirsi Oesch, Tonja Goldblatt, Vili Nissinen, Eevi Korhonen, Joonas Iivonen, Arhi Makkonen⁠ ⁠ Debÿtante Moshpit was a Nordic larp that was run twice, first in Finnish and then in English in December 2019. ⁠ ⁠ The larp's setting was Very Alternative History, a Regency Era Heavy Mëtal Nörway (any resemblance to actual Norway is purely coincidental). The genre was defined as "high energy tragedy with blast beats and blasphemous riffs". The larp walked a fine line between the absurd and the dead serious, and the contrast between the reserved regency society and the brutal metäl aesthetics and attitude was delightful.⁠ ⁠ The larp told a tale of violence and the cycle of revenge and family feuds, where the schemes and power struggles of the old Houses reached their culmination at the most wickedly awesöme Debutante Ball in Bërgen in 1818. A special choreography, inspired by the historical dances of the era, was created just for this. A room full of regency nobles dancing to Rammstein and then exploding into a moshpit like no tomorrow was truly a sight to behold.⁠ ⁠ debytantemoshpit.wordpress.com⁠ ⁠ ---⁠ ⁠ Short link to the original photo set: mauku.fi/10y-70 ⁠ ⁠ #nordiclarp #heavymetal #metal #moshpit #regency #visitfinland #larping #larp #larpersofinstagram #10yearsoflarpphotographing #larp10y #tuomaspuikkonen #larpphotography #finnishlarp

Do Crime - 3rd run (12.10.2019) - 2/2⁠ ⁠ Game master: Pihla Lehtinen⁠ ⁠ Mid-game, the characters made a dream journey seeking visions to help in the difficult decisions they have to make. In the dream they encountered some of the other characters and could influence each others visions. Originally designed to be a minor scene, this one turned out to be a much more important one and creating a lot of emotional content.⁠ ⁠ ---⁠ ⁠ Short link to the original photo set: mauku.fi/10y-69 ⁠ ⁠ #queer #queerlarp #docrimelarp #larping #larp #larpersofinstagram #10yearsoflarpphotographing #larp10y #tuomaspuikkonen #larpphotography #finnishlarp

Do Crime - 3rd run (12.10.2019) - 1/2⁠ ⁠ Game master: Pihla Lehtinen⁠ ⁠ Pacts with the spirit world are formed in cirles and committing to one means turning away from others, both in the type of the pact representing a tactic of resistance/survival and in the people forming the circle. ⁠ ⁠ ---⁠ ⁠ Short link to the original photo set: mauku.fi/10y-69 ⁠ ⁠ #queer #queerlarp #docrimelarp #larping #larp #larpersofinstagram #10yearsoflarpphotographing #larp10y #tuomaspuikkonen #larpphotography #finnishlarp