Stillkuva

Stillkuva is a Finnish term used to refer to a still image—either a single photograph or a frame extracted from a moving image. It functions as a visual illustration in journalism, film, and digital media. The term is commonly used in Finnish media to distinguish non-moving images from video content and to describe both standalone photos and still frames taken from footage.

Common uses include accompanying news articles online, illustrating stories when video cannot be displayed, or providing promotional material for films and broadcasts. In filmmaking and television, production stills—often called stillkuvat—are taken on set to document scenes and to be used in press kits, catalogs, and marketing materials. Stillkuvat can also be produced for stock libraries and licensing purposes, enabling publishers and advertisers to include high-quality imagery without using video.

Format and rights: Stillkuvat are typically delivered in standard image formats such as JPEG or PNG and may be requested in higher resolutions for print or archival use. Licensing varies by source; production stills may be owned by the production company or credited photographers, with usage governed by contracts, credits, and rights clearance.

Origins and usage notes: The word combines Finnish kuvat (pictures) with the English loanword still, emphasizing a motionless image derived from a video context or a still photograph. In professional contexts, the terms still and frame are sometimes used interchangeably, but stillkuva generally signals a non-moving image used for illustration, promotion, or archiving.