Aino Kannisto is both the protagonist and photographer of her staged scenes. “The person in the picture is a fictional narrator in the same way there are narrators in literature,” she has said. “My pictures are fantasies. I represent an atmosphere or a mood through fictional characters. Fantasy is a means to speak about emotions.” Kannisto captures emotional states and short snippets of narrative in her work through careful staging and choice of props and costume. She cites Nan Goldin, Diane Arbus, Sally Mann, and Francesca Woodman among her influences.