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PHOTOS: Joni Niemela Photographs Finland's Night Skies

As a macro photographer, Joni Niemela is used to zooming in on a subject. But Niemela has broadened his scope and turned his lens upward for his series of night sky photographs. Areas near his home in South Ostrobothnia, Finland have minimal light pollution, making for a spectacular view of the heavens.

"I've always been interested in the night sky and stars, especially with northern lights," Niemela told weather.com. "There's just something magical about the darkness and all those stars in the sky and I want to convey that feel in my photos."

(MORE: Spectacular Northern Lights Photography by Neil Zeller)

The photographer insists that weather is a very important element when photographing the night sky.

"There's no point going out to shoot at night if the whole sky is filled with a thick blanket of clouds, so monitoring weather forcasts is a must," he said.

For more information, visit Joni Niemela's website.

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