kuvattaessa

Kuvattaessa is a Finnish adverbial participle meaning “while photographing” or “in the act of taking pictures.” It expresses that the action described in the main clause occurs at the same time as the act of photographing. The form is derived from the verb kuvata, typically rendered as “to photograph” or “to depict,” and is common in written Finnish, especially in manuals, instruction texts, and descriptive prose.

Grammar and usage: The suffix -ttaessa is a present adverbial participle used to indicate simultaneous action. Kuvat taessa (the form in question) attaches to the verb stem to create a clause that describes what happens during the act of taking pictures. This construction is more frequent in formal or instructional Finnish and can appear in procedural descriptions, guidelines, and legal or regulatory texts, rather than in casual speech.

Examples:

Kuvattaessa tapahtumasta otettuja kuvia tulisi käsitellä huolellisesti ja yksilön suojan turvaamiseksi. Translation: When pictures of an event are taken, the photographs should be handled carefully to protect individuals’ privacy.

Kuvattaessa kadulla on tärkeää huomioida muiden ihmisten yksityisyyden suojan vaatimukset. Translation: While photographing on the street, it is important to respect others’ privacy protections.

See also: Related Finnish adverbial participles include forms such as kirjoittaessa (while writing) and lukiessa (while reading), which likewise denote concurrent actions in descriptive or instructional text.