Forest and nature – this is life
As the years go by, we see less and less nature in the city. KIRA has always felt a special connection with nature, which is why we wanted to bring a piece of greenery and idyll to everyday life with our nature photo sweatshirts.
Priidu Saart, one of the authors of nature photos, said that nature is therapy and without it he would be in a much worse place with himself. Urban conditions are designed to create anxiety – rushing people, endless honking cars, tall buildings and too many electric scooters. Priidu believes that stress and the city go hand in hand in the same way as peace and nature.
He is known to Estonians for his breathtaking nature photos, but he is also often found in the swamp with his snowshoes looking for a picturesque lake or walking on a safe marked trail.
A NATURE LOVER’S SEED IN THE SOIL
The seed of Priidu’s love for nature began to grow in the grove of his childhood home. “Today, a young tree has grown from a seed, which I figuratively water every time I go to the forest, and thereby keep the bond alive and strengthen it,” said Priidu.
Priidu loves nature in every season. In the summer, the photographer enjoys the cloudy evenings of August, the reunion with the starry sky after the white summer time, the rustling of clovers and walking in dew-soaked grass. Fall has come to love the endless fall of leaves, crisp coolness, stormy days, the first crisp night frosts and the frost of the sunrise.
What makes Estonian nature special is the diversity – we have everything. It changes with the seasons, every day, every week something has changed again and something new can be discovered and the nature of Estonia becomes even more attached.
TO BE IN THE MOMENT
Priidu feels most in touch with the forest when he has a camera with him. He can disappear for hours photographing the morning mist and listening keenly to the sounds of nature around him. By that time, the future, the past are left behind the forest and line and only moments of the present remain. Priidu described the situation: “I feel that this place and moment is exactly where I need to be and where I belong.” Even if the camera is left behind, Priidu still feels a strong connection with the forest while picking blueberries by hand. Forest and nature – this is life.
Priidu advised people who are not the biggest hikers to choose a safe marked hiking trail. The goal is to be in the moment, in the arms of the nature, and forget what the next Instagram-worthy post is. “Keep this moment only for yourself, don’t share it with anyone, and miracles will happen,” said Priidu.
HIKING RECOMMENDATION
One of Priidu’s favorite hiking spots in Estonia is the Karula National Park. According to him, there is little characteristics of Estonian nature, because there you can find steep ascents, descents and a picturesque dome landscape. Karula National Park offers something for all kinds of nature lovers: there are forests, grasslands, swamps and lakes.
Text: Birgit Anette Bibikov: I Photos: Hans Markus Antson, Priidu Saart, Rasmus Pitkänen