Ritva Sillanmäki Photography

Saturday Classics – 07012023

This weeks choice is a classic… if it makes you happy….

“If It Makes You Happy” is a song by American singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow, released as the lead single from her 1996 eponymous album in September 1996.

This song describes a person who seems depressed or upset no matter what happens. According to Crow, the inspiration for the song was her feelings after the massive success of her first album, as her record label and the media put pressure on her to follow it up.

Sheryl Crow (b. 1962) has won nine Grammys and sold more than 50 million albums, but success has not come easily. Crow has had to fight sexism in the music industry as well as her own depression and perfectionism, and she has had breast cancer. His private life has also been exposed in public, so this part of the lyrics make sence

You get down, real low down
You listen to Coltrane, derail your own train
Well, who hasn’t been there before?
I come ’round, around the hard way
Bring you comics in bed, scrape the mold off the bread
And serve you French toast again

If it makes you happy
It can’t be that bad
If it makes you happy
Then why the hell are you so sad?

Lepis is hosting Saturday Classics, you can add your own link here Saturday Classics

On Her page she writes: This blog is back with hosting the Classics after few years break. This time we’ll be playing on Saturdays and you can link straight here on this own page. Rules: There are no rules, as long as the song you play is a classic in your mind. Linking open 8 am and closes 12 pm.

Vacation time

Travel

I will be going on a vacation on Thursday for three weeks, will be enjoying new places, sun and experiencing new foods, hopefullymeeting new people. I will post photos taken with my camera when I get back, I am brave and I am leaving my laptop home. I might post something from my phone, most likely, but who knows.

I bought these tickets two years ago, but all thats been going on has postponed it. But now, so happy to have a break from the winter and the dark season, even if we have snow now. Our plan was to go in February but the fact that we had to postpone also changed the month. Hope the weather is pleasant anyways. last time it was a bit nippy 🙂 in January.

Looking forward to sunny beaches, warm sand under my feet.

Sightseeing is the other part and cooler weather is good for that as long as it doesn’t rain. It will be what it is, but we will be on vacation from the normal life rut. So looking forward to this. We rented a car so we can move from one place to an other, hotels are booked and research done for the places we are going to visit. We are ready.

Saturday Classics – 31122022

Saturday Classics

Wishing you all a great New Year!

Almost hits? Classic . Elvis Costello and the attractions , Everyday I write the book from 1983. This is one of his most beloved songs.

The song contains lyrics using writing as a metaphor for sustaining relationships;

Costello’s clever lyrics are the best, He describes himself as “a man with a mission in two or three editions,” then proceeds to summarize a tumultuous relationship

Chapter One we didn’t really get along
Chapter Two I think I fell in love with you
You said you’d stand by me in the middle of Chapter Three
But you were up to your old tricks in Chapters Four, Five and Six

Then he chronicles the highs and lows of their relationship:

The way you talk, and try to kiss me, and laugh
In four or five paragraphs
All your compliments and your cutting remarks
Are captured here in my quotation marks

he ends the song on a bitter but humorous note:

“With my pen and my electric typewriter / Even in a perfect world where everyone was equal / I’d still own the film rights and be working on the sequel.”

Lepis is hosting Saturday Classics, you can add your own link here Saturday Classics

Happy New year !

Captures from Finland

I wish you all a very New year!

I will leave this year behind with some quotes I can relate to and someone has worded them better than I could.

Here are some winter scenery ro celebrate the holiday season.

“If you’re brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello.” —Paulo Coehlo

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” —Carl Bard

Decorations of the season

Photography, Still life

I have rested and eaten and only photographed with my mobile so this is a great challenge for me, even trying to post it with the phone

For https://photobyjohnbo.wordpress.com/2022/12/25/cellpic-sunday-niagara-falls-up-close/

Saturday Classics – 24122022

Saturday Classics

Wishing you all a peaceful and safe Christmas, with lots of Joy and Love!

This is a classic; Bing Crosby, David Bowie – Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy

Peace on Earth can it be?
Years from now, perhaps we’ll see
See the day of glory
See the day, when men of goodwill
Live in peace, live in peace again
Peace on Earth
Can it be

Every child must be made aware
Every child must be made to care
Care enough for his fellow man
To give all the love that he can

November 2022 marks the 45th anniversary of the Bing Crosby & David Bowie’s duet “Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy” which premiered to a global audience in Bing’s 1977 Christmas special, “Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas”.

Lepis is hosting Saturday Classics, you can add your own link here Saturday Classics

Winter Solstice

Captures from Finland, Cities

With the winter solstice, and these citylights I am now starting Christmas preparations and I take this opportunity to

I wish you and your loved ones a Happy and Peaceful Christmas.

I want to thank you all who have taken the time to look at my photos, press like and I really appreciate all the encouraging comments I’ve gotten this year.

These I took yesterday when doing my last minute shopping. The cobblestone streets in Helsinki with the rain made it hard to get really great shots of the season lights in the city from a moving car, but I ended up with moody, artistic shots and with a little help from the editing they came out OK.

Beautiful in Black and White 14

Black and White photos, Captures from Finland

I took several winter wonderland photos last week, so I thought I’d try them as monochrome. Misty fields and snow-covered
roads with trees heavy with snow surrounding it. This is how they turned out.

It is nearly Christmas, and I hope that
these winter shots will help you to get into white Christmas spirit.

The way that light hits objects, I think, is one of the more important things that sculpture and photography share. – Rashid Johnson

Spruce trees by the side of the snowy road

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #230 – Last Chance

Captures from Finland, Photography

For this week’s challenge is hosted by Tina Schell from Travels and Trifles Lens-Artists Challenge #230 – Last Chance we’re show casing our forgotton or should I say our not yet published shots. Now, the challenge is remebering if I’ve posted them or not. I discover that I have not taken all that many photos this year… sad but true. It obviouly also depends how people defines much.

The image above is new from last week. winter can be beautiful

She wrote; But what about the images that are among our favorites but have not fit any of the categories? This year we’re giving you an opportunity to include images on any and all subjects that are personal favorites – BUT, they must have been created in 2022 AND must not have been previously published.

Here are my Last Chance photos, please link your post back to Tina’s original post and tag Lens-Artists if interested in participating in it.

Hailuoto was one of my favorite places to visit this summer, I posted several black and white images from that trip, here are some with colors. I love watching clouds and they played a big part in the photos I took there.

My summer house and the nature is a constant inspitation to me – below

Details from nature are often important things to photograph to me at least as they are found near and are beautiful,

I have taken still life shots that I have not posted lke these pearls

And I found this 🎅 Santa resting on a bench during summer…

Posted for Tina’s Lens-Artists Challenge

Minimalist winter scenery

Captures from Finland, Landscapes

I have been away from my computer, and photos for a long weekend visiting my son and his family. So obviously I have missed a lot. Here are some more winter wonderland shots from last week

Wahat a calm view

Frosty trees at dusk

Captures from Finland, Landscapes, Photography

White trees

I stopped several times to capture the beauty of the moment of lovely winter views with snow covered trees and hovering mist

Snow covered lane

Captures from Finland, Landscapes, Photography

I am just going to put this here, as I went out today to take winter photos, I need to go through them. This is the first ones I am going to post. At this moment the sun was still shining. This Lane/ road looked so lovely I ad to stop to photograph it. Hope you enjoy it too.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #229 – Perfect Patterns

Flowers, Photography

For this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #229 we’re exploring – Perfect Patterns

Ann-Christine wrote, Of course there is no such thing as a ”perfect” pattern…but it could be perfect in Your eyes, perfect for camouflage or perfect for its purpose…or simply radiating ”perfect”! This week we challenge you to find perfect patterns and it would be great if you wanted to tell us why you think they are perfect.

Diagonals and patterns have lots in in common, I could easily use some of the same images from last week. Lets see what I can find in my archives. Patterns are everywhere, but in the purest form they can be found in nature. Nearly all things, big or small have them, if we look closely enough.

Well nature produces most wonderful patterns in flowers, spiderwebs, trees… you name it we can find it

Not to forget man made patterns, in building, textiles,

Our tableware is a place patterns are commonly found, as are the fabrics are made of.

The header photo has patterns, diagonals, and keeping with the season candles, frost and snow….

Ann-Christine from LEYA To See a World in a Grain of Sand… , host this weeks Challenge #229 – Perfect Patterns

Snowy nature

Captures from Finland, Landscapes

It looks lovely for sure, blueish skies and white snow, with a a subtle mist hovering over the landscape.That is it nothing elso to say about these photos.

Snow coverd birch trees by the road

A subtle mist hovers over the landscape on these two shots

Saturday Classics – 10122022

Saturday Classics

This is my first entry for this challenge, my aim is to keep up with listening to music. My first pick is, as is is December, and it is snowing and the weather is frightful…

This is a classic; Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! · Dean Martin

Dean Martin was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century.

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!“, the song written by lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne in July 1945. It was written in Hollywood, California. First recorded for RCA Victor in 1945 by Vaughn Monroe,

Despite the lyrics making no mention of any holiday, the song has come to be regarded as a Christmas song worldwide due to its winter theme, being played on radio stations during the Christmas and holiday season, and having often been covered by various artists on Christmas-themed albums.

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”, also known as “Let It Snow”, is a song written by lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne in 1945. The song was written in July 1945 in Hollywood, California during one of the hottest days on record. First recorded by Vaughn Monroe, it became a popular hit, reaching number one on the Billboard music chart the following year. One of the best-selling songs of all time, “Let It Snow!” has been covered countless times by many artists. Due to its seasonal lyrics, it is commonly regarded as a Christmas song. However, despite the song’s cheery, holiday feel, it is a love song that never mentions Christmas.
First recorded in 1945 by Vaughn Monroe, it became a popular hit, reaching number one on the Billboard music chart the following year.

Lepis is hosting Saturday Classics, you can add your own link here Saturday Classics

Sunny winter day

Captures from Finland, Landscapes

The joy of sunshine, the past weeks we have not been blessed with lots of sunlight, but today, of the glorious weather with snow coved trees, blue sky.

I stepped out and took shots to all four directions from or house, and it looked lovely everywhere,white powder snow, blue sky and even the temperature was not that bad -7C ( 23 F ) I am going to post a shot also when its not shining and it looks OK, but there is a difference. On this happy note I wish everyone reading this post a lovely weekend!

at 10 AM View to our south facing backyard

10 AM looking North, this is the view from my office

10AM facing west looking at the spruce and birch trees on a upward hill

AND WHAT A DIFFERECE A DAY MAKES

Beautiful in Black and White 13

Black and White photos, Flowers

I have a soft spot for black and white photography, I was once again reminded about the importance of exposure, light. It is the key element in these photos.

Roses, they look lovely in black and white

The way that light hits objects, I think, is one of the more important things that sculpture and photography share. – Rashid Johnson

Posted for Bren’s Mid-Week Monochrome and Leanne’s Monochrome Madness

Independence Day

Captures from Finland, Photography

Today we celebrate our Independence Day in snowy surroundings! Lanterns give beautiful light to the darkness on my patio

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #228 – diagonals

Photography

For this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #228, we’re exploring the power of diagonals.

We were invited to join this week to explore diagonals as a way to add visual interest and depth to our photos, as well as a sense of action. What diagonals can you find was asked?

Lets have a look at what I can find in a form of leading lines, I try to use them often to lead your way to something. Cityscapes are easy place to find them. They can lead your eye, frame the scene.

Did I find them, I had to stop lookng for them as I once again have an overload of them. Sorry…and as this is mainly a photography blog I will not go into details of the locations, I would not remember even if I tried. Diagonals you will find 🙂 Sit down and enjoy the scene’s as the header suggests.

On the top collage – Photos from Florida, California and Nevada

The second set is from Brisbane – Australia and the last one has bridges from Vancouver BC, first image, Brisbane AUS and the last one is from Sydney AUS

Patti – P.A. Moed CREATIVE EXPLORATION IN WORDS AND PICTURES hosts this weeks Lens-Artists Challenge #228 – Diagonals.

I survived November 2022

Photography, Still life

Lepis kindly made a patch to celebrate us once again surviving the deadliest month of all, November.

Here we are December, I have taken few days to recover from daily posting. As nice at it is listening to music it was hard trying to find every day a photo to match.

I am once again in silence, I think I need to but the music on. I also noticed a slight blue in the sky… it has been gray day out lately. Maybe this will cheer me up

Trying to figure what to post as nothing is really catching my attention. I can go through my archives, there are tons of photos I have not posted, I could re-edit them.

“I know I have gotta find somekind of peace of mind” The brokenhearted, I put the music on 🙂

Time to have a cup of coffee ☕and have some pastry with it and take a photo.

I also need to catch up on commenting and replying to your comments, thanks to all already for doing so !

Beautiful in Black and White 12

Black and White photos, Traveling Australia

I have a soft spot for black and white photography, I was once again reminded about the importance of exposure, light. It is the key element in these photos.

Clouds work well in B&W as do distinct shapes. I took these when visiting Queensland few years back

Bearded Dragon sign – Bearded Dragon Hotel Tamborine in QLD

The way that light hits objects, I think, is one of the more important things that sculpture and photography share. – Rashid Johnson

Posted for Bren’s Mid-Week Monochrome and Leanne’s Monochrome Madness

How to Survive November 2022 – 30

how to survive November, Traveling Cape Verde

I made it, this is the end of November. Thanks to my Novembers survivors Lepis and Susupetal for the company, I have heard songs that I haven’t in a while also made new discoveries. This has also made me again an active music listener, as I’ve grown older the less I’ve listened to music, And it’s a shame! Silence has been a good friend of mine, me and my thoughts, photos and art.

I need to keep up with this positive newly found joy of lisening to music.

Olavi Uusivirta is an actor and musician, As a musician, he is one of the most successful in our country. Three of his albums have achieved gold and Olavi (2016) received the award for rock album of the year at the Emma gala. Olavi Uusivirta has also acted in numerous films and on stage.

“The song tells about a compelling longing for somewhere else, for a new environment away from the familiar and safe, perhaps for a new human relationship — towards the new and unknown. You can also think that the narrator of the song experiences a powerful spiritual experience, after which there may be no going back. However, something happens and ‘the new pedaling takes me with it’!” Uusivirta opens the song.

And I hear a voice in the distance
The new rhythm takes me along
And gravity disappears completely
This is a forbidden game
It’s another reality
And if we’re being reasonable
The game ends with the autumn rains

”Laulu kertoo pakottavasta kaipuusta johonkin toisaalle, uuteen ympäristöön pois tutusta ja turvallisesta, kenties uuteen ihmissuhteeseen — kohti vierasta ja tuntematonta. Voi myös ajatella, että laulun kertoja kokee voimakkaan sielullisen elämyksen, jonka jälkeen paluuta entiseen ei ehkä enää ole. Jotain kuitenkin tapahtuu ja ’uusi poljento vie mut mukanaan’!” Uusivirta avaa kappaletta.

Thanks PARALLEL LINES |in scale for hosting How to Survive November once again.

At the ‘How to Survive November‘ monthly theme we will combine photo and sound. You can select a piece of music to your taste and find a photo to portray the song or you can make a drawing, painting or collage. The picture can be from your archives or you can get it fresh. Enjoy and have fun!

How to Survive November 2022 – 29

Captures from Finland, how to survive November

I saw Kristoffer Kristofferson oin Helsinki in 2016

KRISTOFFERSON’S Singing has always been low and conversational, but that time it is even more so. Age and kilometers could be seen and heard both in Kristofferson’s singing and guitar playing, but it only brought more humanity to the show

It’s also due to his age that this time the legend didn’t talk as much as before, and it seemed like he was going through the repertoire of his familiar songs with a bit of automatic gear. Still with feeling and a style tempered by self-irony.

Don’t look so sad, I know it’s over
But life goes on and this old world will keep on turning
Let’s just be glad we had some time to spend together
There’s no need to watch the bridges that were burning

Lay your head upon my pillow
Hold your warm and tender body close to mine
Hear the whisper of the raindrops blowing soft against the window
And make believe you love me one more time for the good times

Rain on the window

Thanks PARALLEL LINES |in scale for hosting How to Survive November once again.

How to Survive November 2022 – 28

Captures from Finland, how to survive November

Let’s try something else. WINTER

Antonio Vivaldi is a genius and truly stands out as the most creative among the host of composers who brought the Italian Baroque style to its zenith. His works ooze the perfection of the 17^th-century Italian opera and concerto formats.

Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons,” or “Le quattro stagioni” in Italian is a set of four concertos. The generalized views suggest concertos as a conversation between – a solo instrument or multiple solo instruments and a wider ensemble. Antonio utilized the violin as the sole instrument in “The Four Seasons.”

Winter

The concertos end with “L’inverno” or “Winter.” The opening movement resembles a shivering person, stamping his feet in rhythm to stay warm. The middle movement portrays the pleasure of getting warm inside through a crackling fire. The final movement offers people outdoors walking down icy paths, while people inside houses feeling the relentless chill finding its way inside.

At a basic level, “The Four Seasons” is extraordinarily authentic, an association with profound elegance and luxury. It is full of glistening and brilliant sonorities, ingenious innovations with vivid solo lines capturing the essence of nature. The most important factor that renders its popularity is the fact that it incorporates the basic human elements – the passage of time, the cycle of years and nature. The program incorporates seasonal images and sounds spectacular, without constraining the imagination. Each season offers a “point of departure” for a diverse range of metaphors.

Thanks PARALLEL LINES |in scale for hosting How to Survive November once again.

How to Survive November 2022 – 27

how to survive November, People

k.d. lang & Roy Orbison – Crying

This time instead of my photos I added two of my artworks here. If interested seeing more of my art check out myy blog

ART BY RITVA

Roy’s solo rendition of “Crying” that night was flawless. Lang pours even more emotion into that song than he did in her subsequent solo performances of it, and her voice is unbelievably clear and strong. Two spectacular talents.

ArtByRitva – Crying

I was alright for a while
I could smile for a while
But I saw you last night, you held my hand so tight
As you stopped to say, “Hello”
Oh, you wished me well, you couldn’t tell

That I’d been crying over you
Crying over you
Then you said, “So long”
Left me standing all alone
Alone and crying

Roy Orbison was an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. His music was described by critics as operatic. Many of Orbison’s songs conveyed vulnerability at a time when most male rock-and-roll performers chose to project machismo. He performed while standing motionless and wearing black clothes to match his dyed black hair and dark sunglasses, which he wore to counter his shyness and stage fright.

k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter A mezzo-soprano,Lang has contributed songs to movie soundtracks and has collaborated with many musicians. I love her voice.

ArtByRitva- alone

Alone and crying…

Thanks PARALLEL LINES |in scale for hosting How to Survive November once again.

Lens-Artists Challenge #227 – Home Sweet Home

Captures from Finland, Nature, Photography

Tina wrote; On the other hand, there is much to love here in my own country. This week, let’s give that some extra thought. If a foreigner were to spend a week or a month traveling your home country with you, where would you take them? What sights would you tell them to be sure to see? Where have you found some of your own favorite images?

Tina from Travels and Trifles hosts this weeks Lens-Artists Challenge #227 – Home Sweet Home

I live in Beautiful Finland, coutry with four seasons. While I embrace Spring, summer and autumn and winter, I detest November, the greay month. So I will not be posting shots from that month.

Finland, or Suomi as we call it, this is my introduction to of it to you.

First few shots from Helsiki, were I would obviously take you

Finland, officially the Republic of Finland is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland across Estonia to the south. Finland covers an area of 130,678 sq miles with a population of 5.6 million.

Helsinki is the capital and largest city, forming a larger metropolitan area with the neighbouring cities of Espoo, Kauniainen, and Vantaa. Finland is one of the world’s northernmost countries. Of world capitals, only Reykjavík lies more to the north than Helsinki.

Finland’s climate varies from humid continental in the south to the boreal in the north. The land cover is primarily a boreal forestbiome, with more than 180,000 recorded lakes.

First few shots from Helsiki, were I would obviously take you. There also several other cities I would take you too, Porvoo, Hanko, Tampere and Turku and also to Oulu. If I posted shots from them well, no one would look through my post.

Lakes are lovely at all seasons, so I would take to one or two of them

Forests, woods…have asrtong place in Finns hearts, a place walk and calm your nerves.

Pick berries and mushrooms as we have Everyman’s rights. Public access rights, or so-called everyman’s rights, refer to the right of everyone in Finland to enjoy outdoor pursuits regardless of who owns or occupies an area. You do not need the landowner’s permission, and there is no charge. However, you must not damage the environment or disturb others while exercising public access rights.