I’m a student of life; I see beauty in nature, people and the world around me, small details and complete view. Without the ability to actualize an idea or concept, art would not exist. My work is a constant search for the best way to interpret the ideas that I have about myself and the world I live in. I do not limit myself to one medium, style, or concept.
Inspiration and ideas change. My knowledge changes and grows. Each piece I create is simultaneously an extension from the past, where I’ve come from and what I’ve learned, as well as a preview of the future, where I’m going.
I do not classify myself as just a photographer, as some might think from looking at my work. I am a sculptor, a painter, a photographer, an artist.
If a viewer stops for just a moment to view and reflect on a photograph, a photo collage or a painting I have created, then I have succeeded in my work.
I have a soft spot for black and white photography, it is expressive and minimalist in and very mood enhancing.
Light continues tobe the theme, as it is the thing that uplifts me the most at the moment. I posted yesterday shots of advancing sping yesterday. Today it is raining, slush and snow. Well they do say, new snow is the death of old snow this time of the year. Today I converted few into monochrome images.
“The eye is always caught by light, but shadows have more to say.” ~ Gregory Maguire
Reflections on water
“There is strong shadow where there is much light.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Shadow play on ice
“There’s something strange and powerful about black-and-white imagery.”
Ice and water
Compare to edit, color versus black and white version. But I also with the shadows…
I took this a couple hours ago, after rainy and very misty days, the sun is out, and lots of snow has melted. I went for short drive to Humaljärvi (Lake humaljärvi) it is still covered with ice. This part where the water flows it was open and I got these artistic reflection shot.
This week Sofia invites us to show you what Spring means to us. Is it about new beginnings, Nature reborn or a new chance to go and enjoy the outdoors?
This is a no brainer, I mean, obviously it is about light. Me and so many other when the spring begins to show first signs of more light the constant marvel of it… we do, every year as if this was something unexpected. The joy of it is so awesome, it wakes us up from the winter hibernation, we slowly come put of houses.
When does spring start? In 2023, the official first day of spring is Monday, March 20. This date marks the “spring equinox” in the Northern Hemisphere. That is today!
( Is the spring equinox the same as spring solstice? Equinox vs Solstice An equinox occurs at the start of the spring and fall. The solstice occurs during the summer and the winter. Occurs on March 21 (Vernal equinox) and on September 23 (Autumnal equinox).
No matter where you are on Earth, the equinox brings us a number of seasonal effects, noticeable to nature lovers around the globe. At the equinox, Earth’s two hemispheres are receiving the sun’s rays equally. Night and day are often said to be equal in length.
The fastest sunsets and sunrises of the year happen at this time. We’re talking here about the length of time it takes for the whole sun to sink below the horizon. Sunset or sunrise you have to be quick to act, if you wait long enough you will only see tail end of it.
First you notice is the snow and ice melting.The fields with the soil coming visible and mornings of mist. Everything is brown. Only moss glows green. The lakes and sea is been freed from under the ice.
Everywhere! Forget about the weather for a moment, and think only about daylight. In terms of daylight, the knowledge that spring is here – and summer is coming – permeates all of nature on the northern half of Earth’s globe.
Notice the arc of the sun across the sky each day. You’ll find that it’s shifting toward the north. Responding to the change in daylight, birds and butterflies are migrating back northward, too, along with the path of the sun.
The longer days do bring with them warmer weather. People are leaving their winter coats at home. eople are raking the leaves from their yards. Trees are budding, and plants are beginning a new cycle of growth. In many places, spring flowers are beginning to bloom.
new fresh green – not visible here yet, but it is a sign of the glorious days of spring finaly here.
Spring is full of hope, l ight, beauty and blooming of nature. One of the best of season’s
I discoved his music, all by myself way back in late 1980’s, while stopping to a record shop to buy something different, I went to buy Robert Gray album, after hearing some songs at a friends place. the mood, the voice spoke to me.
The Robert Cray Band performing Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark, from the album named the same.
The most commercially and critically successful blues artist of his generation, Robert Cray took his music to the upper reaches of the pop and rock charts when many major blues acts were counting their sales in the tens of thousands. On the strength of his breakthrough album, 1986’s StrongThe most commercially and critically successful blues artist of his generation, Robert Cray took his music to the upper reaches of the pop and rock charts when many major blues acts were counting their sales in the tens of thousands
Dead of the night baby We’re finally alone I’ll pull up the shades If you’ll unplug the phone
Put on some music Marvin Gaye’s real nice Once we get settled I’ll turn off the lights
Don’t be afraid of the dark Don’t be afraid of the dark I’ll be there to hold you Don’t be afraid of the dark
It might be scary Til your eyes adjust Don’t fear the shadows Me you can trust
I’m at my best In a pitch black room Hold on tight baby You’ll feel the power soon
Don’t be afraid of the dark Don’t be afraid of the dark I’ll be there to hold you
You might tremble You might shake Scream out loud You may even pray
I know which moves Suit you right You’ll beg for more You’ll forget about the night
One of the most important things that set Cray apart from his peers on the blues scene in the ’80s and ’90s was his focus on songwriting rather than guitar heroics. While he was an impressively strong player, his soloing was clean and concise for the most part, without excessive showboating, and his songs were more closely related to vintage Southern soul in their storytelling and sense of character than in the typical 12-bar paeans to whiskey and women favored by most blues acts of the era. 1983’s Bad Influence was the album that first earned Cray a major buzz among blues enthusiasts, while 1986’s Strong Persuader was a near flawless set of songs that made him a star and allowed him to cross over to the mainstream on his own terms. ( All Music)
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.
I was looking for a specific photo, by the way; I did not find it, instead of that this popped up. The old glass in the window makes the woods hace a rippled effect, very artistic with out any editing.
I can hardly wait until we have this green surroundings again. All this white… enough
We went toenjoy a day at the beach. There we also saw these girls posing on the beach, slightly different kind of photos they were aiming for. They were well aware of lots of people taking photos of them. I even got direct looks and smiles 🙂 I took few and had fun editing them in different styles.
I have come across so many doors while looking at my fellow bloggers posts. So I thought I would post few too. Here are some colorful doors 🙂 from Savannah, Georgia.
I am continuing to participate in 52 frames – this week the theme contrasting colors, as its still all snowy here in Finland trying to find contrasting colors in the nature is a real challenge, so I did not take it on.
I had oranges on the table – I have a blue wall in my living room, with light coming in from the side from a big window. I have a matching blue linen dress to place on the sidetable to get my still life props in order, Easy solution from thing found in the house.
As you can see all of them are VERY similar, with slightly different lighting and contrast , as well as the blue looks a bit different in all. This is something I spend too much time at… well that what I do, and then trying to pick a hopefully the best one for the challenge, second guessing my choice all the time.
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #240 – The Road (most often) Taken.
John from Journeys with Johnbo is hosting this week, this week’s theme is metaphoric–and not about a physical road. For this week’s challenge, I want you to think of your favorite type or style of photography as the road you’ve chosen to take most often.
I got my first own camera in my late teens. I took photos of friends and family and photos when traveling. Safe to say there are not that many photos from back then, film was expensive as was the development, and you never knew how they turned out until you got the envelope back.
When I got my kids, well I took tons of pictures of them, here I found few from the archives that I have scanned. So safe to say, I am a people photographer from the beginning. I must say, I have improved a lot, even if I say so myself over the years. I love taking photos of people trying to capture something real, and try to find the beauty we all have in ourselves, fing the best angle to get a the essence of what I see. Now I photograph my grandkids and my husband is often in my photos if I need to get a heasshot for some challenge.
Eventually when I got my first good camera I started taking photos of nature, photos from our travels. Then I got a new macro lens – then details. I learned to edit my photos and that made my photos get better, me being able to highlight more what I what to showcase in the photo.
I have mixed some of my early on photos with some newest ones. Basically I take photos of what ever I fancy, anything that catches my eye, that I find intersting I take photos of.
I have to say that hiking to place that are far and through difficult tracks is not my thing. Even though I admire the beautiful photos other have captured from these place. I look for topic near me 🙂
I discoved his music, all by myself way back in late 1980’s, while stopping to a record shop to buy something different, I went to buy Robert Gray album, instead of buying only that album I also bought this album, Bring the family, I did not regret it.
This song isn’t the most recognized, that would be ”Have A Little Faith In Me”, I’m sure.
John Hiatt is an American singer-songwriter. He has played a variety of musical styles on his albums, including new wave, blues, and country. Hiatt has been nominated for nine Grammy Award and has been awarded a variety of other distinctions in the music industry.
He has said this: I call myself a singer-songwriter, but I’m a pretty good rhythm guitar player and there’s something to be said for that. Bob Dylan is also a pretty good rhythm guitar player – Edward Van Halen couldn’t do what Dylan does as a rhythm player.
There’s a lipstick sunset Smeared across the August sky There’s a bitter sweet perfume Hanging in the fields The creek is running high
And I left my lover waiting In the dawn somewhere to wonder why By the end of the day All her sweet dreams would fade To a lipstick sunset
Well, a radio was playing And that ol’ summer heat was on the rise I just had to get away Before some sad old song Brought tears to my eyes
And Lord I couldn’t tell her That her love was only killing me By the end of the day All her sweet dreams would fade To a lipstick sunset
Well it’s pretty as a picture baby Red and blushing just before the night Maybe love’s like that for me Maybe I can only see As you take away the light
So hold me in the darkness We can dream about the cool twilight ‘Til the dawning of the day When I make my getaway To a lipstick sunset
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.
To start with he photos were not all that good, but I liked the light in them, so I made the in to art.
Same road, photos taken right after each other, so the light is little different, I used two different brushes to get a different outcome by thete texture.
I have a soft spot for black and white photography, I also have a sweet spot for tmy grandkids. I can sit for hours and I watch them play and fight…no thats not true, I cannot watch them fight 🙂 I end up telling them to stop.
They are lively and to get them to sit down and giving me a chance to get a photograph of them is not that easy. This time I did not give them an opportunity to refuse. I sat them by thhe window so I could use the natural light and get nice contrast and shadows, Then I edited them in this moody way, I know childrens photos are not usually edited this way, but I liked them. What do you think?
Portrait #1
“There’s something strange and powerful about black-and-white imagery.”
I am not having much luck lately, the flu is still hanging on, not much , but annoying little cough continues.
Then last week – well five days ago, while sitting at morning coffee, i moved a bit and, snap, something went wrong, I bent like a jackknife, I could not straighten my back. Well I am in a upright position now, but sitting in a chair is impossible and walking is pain. So having said that, I have no taken many photos this week.
Lens-Artists Photography Challenge #239 – Finding Peace. Tina from travels and Trifles is hosting, and her theme – Finding Peace is so near last weeks topic, to me at least.
I am not a religious person, I do not go to church all that often, my church is the nature. My religion is more to do with my conscience – what is right and wrong. Treating everyone equally, respecting nature and the world around me. But I do find that church is a calm place to find peace .
Finding peace is different for everyone, often it is related to being alone.
Find peace, don’t waste energy wishing things were different or trying to change other people. Stay focused on managing your own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Find peace, by taking appropriate accountability. Be responsible for your own choices, but also acknowledge factors beyond your control–like the state of the economy, the weather, and other people’s choices.
Focus on the things you can control.
Be comfortable in your own skin. Don’t waste your time worrying about whether other people approve of their choices. Instead, focus on living according to your values.
Striving to be the best you are is healthy. But insisting on perfection is an uphill battle. Acknowledge your flaws and weaknesses.
Inner peace comes from knowing your beliefs and the willingness to act according to them.
Forest is a great place to find peace, hug a tree, sit on a rock breathe in the peace. Sit by the sea, move your hands on the rock, get the energy of the smooth softness of te solid surface. Listen to the sea and nature around you and find your inner peace. Watch the clouds move and create beautiful art in front of your eyes.
The Sony has been in less use since I bought a new lighter one to carry around, its a Olympus E-M10 Mark II with a 14-150mm lense and I have a OM-D M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8 for street and portrait photography
She is one of my all time favorites, I used to listen to her often in the 80’s , my sister introduced me to her music.
Anticipation by Carly Simon
Carly Simon wrote “Anticipation” while waiting for Cat Stevens to come over for their first date (she was making chicken with a béarnaise sauce). She was his opening act for a concert at the Troubadour in Los Angeles on April 6, 1971, and they were set to play again at Carnegie Hall in New York City on June 5. Simon lived in the City, so she invited Stevens over for the date a few days before that show.He was late, so Simon burned off some nervous energy by sitting down with her guitar. She imitated Stevens’ style (he was her favorite artist) from his song “Hard Headed Woman,” where he keeps it mellow but then ramps it up for a section when he sings, “I know many fine feathered friends.” Simon played loud, singing the word that came into her mind because she was waiting for Stevens: “Anticipation.””I was anticipating his arrival,” she said in the book Anthems We Love. “So I just started the song and I wrote the whole song, words and music, before he got there that night. So in about 15 minutes I wrote the whole song. Three verses and the choruses and the outro. That’s only one of three times that that’s ever happened to me. That I just sat down and wrote the whole song in just one stretch. It was only about 20 minutes that he was late.”
This song is very much about living in the moment. Simon isn’t sure this relationship is going to last, but she decides to just enjoy it while they’re together. “These are the good old days,” goes the refrain at the end. (Song facts)
We can never know about the days to come But we think about them anyway And I wonder if I’m really with you now Or just chasin’ after some finer day
Anticipation, anticipation Is makin’ me late Is keepin’ me waitin’
And I tell you how easy it feels to be with you And how right your arms feel around me But I, I rehearsed those words just late last night When I was thinkin’ about how right tonight might be
Anticipation, anticipation Is makin’ me late Is keepin’ me waitin’
And tomorrow we might not be together I’m no prophet and I don’t know nature’s ways So I’ll try and see into your eyes right now And stay right here ’cause these are the good old days
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.
I have a soft spot for black and white photography, I also have a sweet spot for the ocean and waves. I can sit for hours and I watch the movement of of the water.
As I have been editing my beach photos lately, I did try to convert them to black and white, and I believe that the beauty and power of the moving water even without the colors comes across. Here are few photos from Ocean Ridge beach.
seagulls at the beach
“There’s something strange and powerful about black-and-white imagery.”
I love being on the beach, soft sand, the soothing sound of the waves and the color of the sea.
As far as capturing birds goes, Pelicans are one of the easiest. Bid photography is not my strong point, i don’t have enough patience and not the best equipment for it either. I can always try, I like the in the mood sense. It was a rather crisp and windy day, I even had to but on a jacket. I took these at Ocean ridge in Florida.
Lens-Artists Photography Challenge #238 – Alone Time. Ann-Christine host this week, see her blog for more Leya her take on topic : Alone time means time spent by an individual or a couple apart from others. It is often used to ground oneself, or to do something creative.
Alone time, yes, absolutely needed and often taken. I like sit on my sauna patio at my summer house , we built these windows on the sides of the patio to shild us from the north wind. It is a lovely place to sit watch the clouds, trees and enjoy the sunshine and listen to the birds and wind blowing in the trees.
It is a joy, I find myself enjoying alone frequently. Silence, my own thoughts and the warmth of sun.
Time spent ,alone, in art galleries, painting in the nature ( that’s not me, but someone else doing the same thing- alone) Listening to music, or as this young man does, doing music. Sitting in a cafe watching people go by, this one is so much fun. Going through your news in the park… biking, swimming . I enjoy these, and apparently others have been seen to do so too. These are great places to enjoy alone time, would you agree?
Alone time can be a state of mind, you can be in company and still be able to be alone.
It happens that I spend lots of time on my own. I take photos alone, mostly. Edit them alone. I find doing sculpture to be a great time to relax in company, but totally alone in my own bubble. Below you can see some of my creations I’ve done on my alone time in various art forms. I also love to sing, but I am not posting a sample of it, I’m not a bad singer, not a great one. It is like all other art forms it needs to be done often to keep it in any shape. My motto is is something Picasso has said: Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working. I find this to be SO true.
Driving the car in any weather, watching the scenery and clouds, listening to music. Stopping for coffee. Sitting in the hammock … Slow mornings, with my cat as company.
As I’ve stated before I am not a very technical photographer, more into composition, mood. I do my magic on the edit table mostly, if you can call it magic, more like my interpretation of places and people. I am also not one to write all that much, let the photos speack for themselves.
I have two cameras an old reliable SONY SLT-A65V, and I have two lences I use with it one for Macro Sony Macro 2.8/50 and portraits. The other for nearly everything a Sony 18-200mm.
The Sony has been in less use since I bought a new lighter one to carry around, its a Olympus E-M10 Mark II with a 14-150mm lense and I have a OM-D M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8 for street and portrait photography
Was released in 1967 as part of the Moody Blues classic concept album Days of Future Passed.
Band member Justin Hayward wrote and composed the song at age 19 while touring in Belgium and titled the song after a girlfriend gave him a gift of satin bedsheets. The song itself was a tale of a yearning love from afar, which leads many aficionados to term it as a tale of unrequited love endured by Hayward.
Nights in white satin, never reaching the end, Letters I’ve written, never meaning to send. Beauty I’d always missed with these eyes before. Just what the truth is, I can’t say anymore.
Cause I love you, yes I love you, oh how I love you.
Gazing at people, some hand in hand, Just what I’m going through they can’t understand. Some try to tell me, thoughts they cannot defend, Just what you want to be, you will be in the end.
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.
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography 