Kuvaajaksi

Kuvaajaksi is a Finnish translative noun form derived from kuvaaja, meaning to become a photographer or, in film terminology, to become a cinematographer. The translative suffix -ksi signals a change of state or role. The corresponding essive form kuvaajana means “as a photographer” in a temporary or ongoing role, while the base kuvaaja refers to the person as such.

Usage in Finnish involves verbs of becoming, such as tulla or ryhtyä. Common constructions include Hänestä tuli kuvaaja or Hänestä tuli kuvaajaksi, both indicating a change into the role. Another example is Hän ryhtyi kuvaajaksi, meaning she or he took up the position of a photographer/cinematographer. In contexts where the person is currently active in the field, phrases like Hän toimii kuvaajana projektissa are used, meaning “he works as a cinematographer on the project.”

Context and nuance: The term can be ambiguous because kuvaaja can refer to either a photographer (still photography) or, in film and video production, a cinematographer (director of photography). For a still photographer, the more common term is valokuvaaja, whereas kuvaaja is more typical in film contexts.

See also: valokuvaaja, kuvaaja, translative case.