15 August 1963 – 11 September 2010, was a Finnish photographic artist whose work focused on documentary and contemporary photography. He was born and died in Helsinki and was also active as a magazine and rock photographer. His photographs were published widely in Finnish media, including Image, Rumba, and Helsingin Sanomien Kuukausiliite.

He studied photography at the University of Art and Design Helsinki and painting at the Free Art School in Helsinki. From the 1990s onward, his artistic practice was largely based on long-term photographic projects that examined Finnish youth culture, everyday life, and social realities. These bodies of work were presented in exhibitions and photobooks and are characterized by a direct, often confrontational visual language.

Photobooks played an important role in disseminating his work, particularly his series documenting young people and subcultures in Finland, including Nuoret sankarit (“Young Heroes”). His photographs were shown in numerous solo and group exhibitions in Finland and internationally, and his works are included in public collections such as the Finnish Museum of Photography and the Helsinki City Art Museum.

Alongside his artistic practice, he taught photography at several institutions, including the University of Art and Design Helsinki, the Lahti Institute of Design, and Turku Arts Academy. After his death from cancer, the Jouko Lehtola Foundation was established according to his wishes to support young documentary photographers and to promote awareness of his work.

Reference
Biography text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), Finnish edition. Retrieved February 8, 2026.
https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jouko_Lehtola