People in London 1969 (cropped image), Markku Lepola / JOKA / Finnish Heritage Agency. Objektinumero: JOKAMAL2A02:30

Markku Lepola

Markku Lepola (1946−2016) worked as a photographer for Apu magazine in the 1970s, a time when the magazine was investing heavily in photojournalism and being developed into a general interest magazine for all Finns. Lepola’s collection features both sport and culture. He was there as a photographer when the Formula 1 race was held in Anderstorp, Sweden, when the first Uuno Turhapuro film was being filmed, and when Ylioppilasteatteri (Helsinki Student Theatre) performed on Seurasaari. Lepola was also there when the Shah of Iran and his wife Farah Diba made a state visit to Finland in 1970, and when Emil of Lönneberga met with his Finnish fans in 1973. Lepola also photographed Kalevi Keihänen wearing fur, Åke Blomqvist on the dancefloor and Laila Pullinen in her workshop.

Markku Lepola got into photography at a school camera club, and later studied photography at the Ateneum University of Industrial Arts, from where he graduated as a photographer in 1966. During his studies, he worked for the Raimo Poutanen advertising photo agency. At Apu magazine, Lepola worked as a press photographer and the head of the photography department from 1973 to 2007. He partnered regularly with legendary Apu journalists Tuula Nieminen and Anu Seppälä.

More pictures: museovirasto.finna.fi/joka

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