For Cee´s Flower of the Day. I was having fun snapping shots of my Red roses.
All photos can be enlarged with a click 🙂
Flower of the day – Red roses
Author: Ritva Sillanmäki Photography
My name is Ritva. I am an avid, self-taught photographer from southern Finland, currently living in Kirkkonummi. Interest in life is evident in my diverse subjects, capturing anything that catches my eye. Whether it’s the delicate intricacies of a plant, the breathtaking beauty of a landscape, or the compelling energy of urban life, My lens finds and celebrates beauty in all its forms. Nature serves as an enduring wellspring of inspiration for me, as I seek out and immortalize its enchanting moments. Additionally, in portrait photography I try to capture human emotion and connection , as I aim to encapsulate the very essence of each fleeting moment.
I totally enjoy playing with photos and immersing oneself in the editing process. It’s truly satisfying to have the flexibility that shooting in RAW provides, opening up a world of possibilities for editing. I’m of the same mindset when it comes to photo editing; I prefer to maintain the authenticity of the moment captured, striving to avoid over-editing and keeping the essence of the shot true to life. However, I also appreciate the occasional opportunity to explore artistic expressions through my edits, transforming images into minimalist monochrome representations that beautifully convey the essence and emotion of the scene. Or using colors to enhance the mood of the image. This delicate balance between realism and artistic expression is what makes photo editing such a captivating endeavor for me.
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.
Lilacs by the window
From the corner of the house I saw the windows of these rescue vehicle windows
Sunset is always a treat
Visit to the outhouse around 11 PM, the sun is setting, nothing spectacular, but always a joy to see colors in the sky. The spots on the window, just dirt. Plus, this is an unedited shot, something I rarely post. Live dangerously… 🙂
The header shows the colors at slightly different direction.
This is for Cellpic Sunday and Sunday Stills
Lens-Artists Challenge #304 – Behind
This week is a lesson in paying attention to the background BEHIND your subject, does this not sound like a challenge, but it is, if you really start to focus on it. So, think about different techniques you use to elevate your photos and share them with us.
Backgrounds play an essential role in photography, significantly impacting the overall aesthetic of an image. When composing a photograph, the background serves as the canvas against which the subject stands out. The background provides context and narrative to your photo. How your main subject interacts with the background shapes the story within the frame.
Here are some key considerations: Whether it’s a serene landscape, a bustling city street, or a simple studio backdrop, the background influences the mood and message of the image.
Same cityscape – three backgrounds for the dome.
Different colors evoke specific emotions. For instance, blue backgrounds often convey calmness, while red can evoke passion or energy. Patterns in backgrounds can either enhance or distract from the subject.
Simplicity, achieved through minimal distractions, often yields powerful results. Additionally, controlling depth of field allows you to guide viewers’ attention to specific focal points in both foreground and background.
Remember, a well-chosen background enhances your photo, adding depth and visual interest.
Usually, this means making your background distraction-free. That is often when taking photos we’re laser-focused on our subject: a portrait, a flower, a couple on a bench.
A good background pairing (whether that’s making the background disappear with exposure or blur, or enhancing it with color or story will allow your SUBJECT to shine.
You can pair your subject with a colorful background to match or contrast your background to your subject.
You also may want to keep your background dark, relative to your subject, to allow your subject to pop, or vica versa.
You might want to elevate your photography to another storytelling level by creating a picture within a picture. You would see the main scene up front, but little scenes from the whole story would complement it on the side.
This can be children studying in a classroom, with a detailed scene behind them.
Or boys sitting, watching a document on a screen. Use your “canvas” to portray your entire creative story, from end to end, for both your subject and of course, your background.
Background Blur: Utilize depth of field to blur your background, keeping focus on your subject
Color Harmony: Harmonize or contrast colors between your subject and the background for visual impact.
Darker Background: Adjust exposure to darken the background, spotlighting your subject.
Negative Space: Embrace negative space, using it to highlight your subject against a minimal background.
Last week we stepped into the lovely world of connections with Donna’s beautiful photos to guide us. We were shown lovely interpretations of connection this week. There is always need to be connected…
I am already looking forward to next week’s challenge with Egídio. Join him Saturday 12:00 EST to enjoy his beautiful photography, captured through his Brazilian eyes.
Interested in knowing more about the Lens-Artists challenge? Click here for more information.
I do love a delicious dessert
Busy doors
For Thursday Doors
Busy doors, sitting and watching people come in and out while waiting for my husband to come from his football match
Lens-Artists Challenge #303 – Connections
Connections, Donna wrote so beautifully about this topic and gave such great inspiration as how to approach the challenge, it gave ideas I could not have thought about.
It’s simple.
The connections we make to people, places, things and ideas, are what give purpose and meaning to our lives.
I have photographed this path – road so many times during the 28 summers we have spent here. I have an emotional connection to it. I love to watch how the light and shadows play on it during different times of the day and during different seasons depending on the sun level. It looks totally different in the summer versus autumn. But to the topic, I have a connection to it. I have spent so much time here I’ve watched my boys grow here and be connected to this place, we have moved several times , but our summer place is a constant. We have with our own hands refurbished and built to what it is now our own getaway.
As a child, we lived by the sea. I wandered through forest to be at the seaside, my bare feet sinking into dew-kissed grass on the way. The forest whispered secrets—how to listen, how to observe. I learned the language of birds—their melodies echoing through the canopy of trees. The scent of pine needles and damp earth seeped into my skin, becoming a part of me. The forest next to the sea has its own distinctive scent, I can still remember it.
Spring unfurled delicate blossoms, and I danced with dandelions, their seeds carried away by the wind. Summer brought lovely shades of green, flowers of many colors and light, warm nights. The wonder of light filled nights surprises me every year. You know they come but you are still amazed. Autumn was a symphony of crunching leaves, bright colors, musky scent and soft tones that comes with low light. I am not going to touch winter , I grant you that it can be beautiful, a big but, I do not feel no connection to it. I am connected to my homeland, my roots are here.
Animals and people, the connection so important so comforting, and it unconditional. The comfort of a cat purr at your touch, dog looking at you with trusting eyes, the loyalty of the constant companionship. Animals have an innate ability to understand our emotions, connect with us on a spiritual level, and offer us healing when we need it most. They remind us that we are all connected and to be mindful of our relationship with the natural world.
I am not going to touch the topic of family… too much to say about that. But it is obviously one of the most important connections we have in good and bad. We all have our own story …
Last week we stepped out of reality with John’s challenge, AI. There is always room to learn something new, and John sure gifted us that opportunity, though I was rather reluctant to do so. I am already working on next week’s challenge, you will see what I come up with by checking my blog. Join me Saturday 12:00 EST to find the next challenge.
Interested in knowing more about the Lens-Artists challenge? Click here for more information.
Summer room
Bee happy
Have a great weekend 🐝 be happy 😃
Thursday doors ~ Helsinki
Nothing grand, just few doors and windows Posted for Dan’s Thursday Doors
Lens-Artists Challenge #302 – AI and Photography
John is our hero this week for leading us tp a controversial and rapidly-evolving development in photography. He is challenging us to experiment with AI. For those of you who use any of the Adobe programs, I’m sure you’ve been stunned with the speed of development of AI tools.
Artificial intelligence is already everywhere, not least in photography, where it turns the creation of images on its head. In many photo contests, judges have awarded pictures created with artificial intelligence-based image generators, thinking they are genuine. It’s scary and fascinating at the same time.
I am not in my comfort zone in this challenge, as a serious hobbyist photographer I like to take my own photos and edit them myself to my style.
I used my photo as a starting point, I changed the sky to two different sunsets. One is more believable..
Regarding the edit process, I am comfortable removing distractions and, on occasion, replacing the sky. It is a very delicate process, the art of replacing the sky in a photograph requires a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of light, perspective, and atmosphere. Ensuring that the new sky seamlessly integrates with the rest of the scene, taking into account the direction of the sun, the play of shadows, and the reflections, It’s a meticulous process that, when executed skillfully, can elevate the entire mood and narrative of the photograph, transporting the viewer to a captivating and immersive visual experience. It can easily go wrong.
An other sample of sky edits…original and edited version, can you tell which is which?
The approach I usually take is to carefully frame the shot at the location to naturally exclude most distractions. However, this is not always feasible. In some cases, I am comfortable with the idea of removing objects like garbage cans and electric cables, or even editing out certain branches from the periphery of the image.
For this challenge I was going to try Photoshop to create something, but as my heart was not into it, I got nowhere, but I did get really frustrated. Then I found t Craiyon free site to create these two photo. Prompts: green field set against dark clouds and Lighthouse during a storm.
These two (below) were my first attempts to create anything on word prompts- done with free version on copilot – these came out as illustrations. Not to my taste. Hence my frustration after seeing others create lovely images.
I don’t condemn anyone using AI, but it not for me at least now at least in photography. I strongly believe that something is lost, the soul , the personal touch. I might take it up when my own inspiration is lost, but most likely not. Art is about individual creativity to me.
As an Contemporary digital artist, which I like to label myself (not to be too modest) I can use editing tools to create art, but I do not want a AI to create art on a prompt. These are from my own images. Art is about individual creativity to me.
Thank you, Sofia, for last weeks floral enchantments, the floral inspiration we got was amazing.
The challenge host next week will be Donna, be sure to visit her inspirational site and see what she is up to! If you’d like to participate in the challenge responses each week but aren’t sure how to get started, check here.
Last on the card, May
Last photo on my mobile tLast on the card May
Thursday Doors & Monday Window
This barn is across from the clubhouse that burned down, the Rockabilly festival is still on, but if they are able to pull it together is a big if, it was supposed to be held there.
Dan’s Thursday Doors 2024/5/30 andLudwigs Monday Window
Lilies of the valley
Lilies of the valley are so beautiful and delicate, and yes also poisonous
Dandelion times 4
I took these dandelion shots yesterday and edited them on my phone using Lightroom John’s Cellpic Sunday
Busy 🐝 Bee
For Cee´s Flower of the Day.
Midnight in the summer is magical
For Debbie´s Six Words Saturday
Square 31.5.24
We have reached the end of Becky’s Squares photo challenge, I was distracted by starting a full time job in the middle of it and stopped posting even if I had good intentions to follow the month through. Thanks for this challenge Becky.
Lens-Artists Challenge #301 – Floral
Lens-Artists #301 – Floral hosted by Sofia wrote: I sincerely believe it to be difficult to have photo of a flower that is not beautiful. But for this challenge, I’d like us to think of how we either capture them or how we process the image afterwards.
First I would like to say all my photos for this post are from past week. Somehow it feels like this year we skipped spring all together, we got summer temperatures now and all the flowers are in bloom at the same time. Most of them I’ve taken with my mobile, because last week I felt the camera’s to the summer house in the belief that there would be nothing to photograph, I was wrong. Everything seemed to bloom overnight. and to the how I capture them – mostly close-ups.
I have now real angle this week, my mind is all overloaded with new things and NUMBERs – my least favorite thing .
First here is a look at one tulip. I took a these few days apart, from different directions and I did some editing with lightroom app on my mobile.
The apple tree blossoms beautifully just few days ago and now the really warm weather , not at all normal at this time of the year has wilted them.
random flowers-
Last week Ann-Christine challenged us with the Delicate things, her recent travels to Japan gave us wonderful inspiration. I loved all your examples and how varied they were. This is what makes these challenges so interesting, we all think in different ways and that makes us grow as photographers.
Next week is John’s turn to lead, so please visit his unique site to see what he’s up to, I am sure looking forward to it.
If you want more information on the Lens-Artist Challenge, please click here.
Totally destroyed clubhouse
John’s Cellpic Sunday
Today, our local youth clubhouse at our summer home village burned down. Nothing left, fortunately no lives were lost.
MAY Squares #13
Becky’s Squares has me mostly documenting the arrival of spring, but who knows I might surprise you with something different too, but not today.
I have been busy, the amount of energy it takes to learn is amazing – I am just not ready to sit by the computer at home after having been on it for 8 hour in the office. But I so love this blogging community that I’m trying to keep up posting something here and there.
This month’s theme is Renew. Or Burgeoning. Or Moving Forward. Or Reconstructing. You get the idea
Least gagea is the smallest lily that grows wild in Finland. Modest-sized least gagea blooms early in the spring while the land is damp, before other plants hide it from view. In Finland it is named after the cuckoo as it blooms when the first of these birds return, and they are in full bloom around Finnish Mothers’ Day, which falls on the second weekend of May. The flowers attract flower flies and beetles to pollinate it, but still it doesn’t produce many seeds.
Spring flowers, that’s it.
White doors from Strömfors Ironworks
Founded in 1695, the iron mill village has retained its unique atmosphere throughout the years. The people in the centuries-old environment continue to live in harmony with the old traditions by following in the footsteps of the local artisans, among other things. The lovely village offers unique atmosphere and past and also a wide variety of things to see and do.
Located in Southeast Finland the village of Ruotsinpyhtää in Loviisa, Strömfors Ironworks is one of the best preserved ironworks communities in Finland. The charming milieu offers an unforgettable glimpse into the rich history of the area. The iron lady Virginia af Forselles developed the village for 30 years with a modern touch and a firm hand. In addition to the ironworks, sawmill and mill, the area also featured a brewery along with a distillery, a tavern and a brick factory.
Joining Dans Thursday Doors
I love these charming red and white buildings and the location is so pretty. As always the images in the gallery can be enlarged by a click 🙂
Monochrome Madness | crossroads
I’m just posting this crossing from our trip to Charleston last year. Leanne’s Monochrome Madness
Lens-Artists Challenge #300- Delicate
Ann-Christine challenges us this week with a theme Delicate , and what a way to celebrate the 300 Lens-Artists Challenges!
First I saw the title and my first thought was nature – obviously. But since Sofia is doing floral next week I will leave those photos for that theme.
Delicate – very fine in texture or structure; of intricate workmanship or quality, easily broken or damaged; fragile. “delicate china”
The first three glasses are are old and fragile, they used to belong to my parents. I got his glass swan with a delicate neck as a gift 🙂
I got a set of six from my grandmother as wedding gift it is truly exquisite and rich in memories. The Paragon “First Love” Cup and Saucer set, appointed by Her Majesty the Queen, carries a sense of elegance and tradition. Even as they are not to my personal style, they embody a timeless charm and sentimental value that transcends individual preferences.I have used these maybe few times. I’ve kept them as a cherished memory, just to honor her gift and the enduring legacy it represents.
So, I was just looking at the world through my phone’s camera, thinking about the idea of delicacy. During the day, I was trying to capture moments that really embodied delicacy, you know, both in a physical and emotional sense. I didn’t really make any big discoveries, I was just trying to find beauty in how delicate everything can be. Like the gentle sunlight filtering through the trees with tiny drops of water, or the delicate lace curtains in my sauna. And, of course, Tinka’s whiskers.
Step into a world where nature and culture intertwined effortlessly. The Chinese Garden of Friendship in Sydney offers a serene escape from the bustling city, where you can wander along meandering pathways adorned with intricate pavilions, peaceful ponds, and lush flora. Each step reveals a new vista, a new moment of awe-inspiring beauty and as these photos show delicate window.
Last week Patti created a an inspiring theme for us to ponder on, the week was full of hope, a big topic and the interpretation of the theme was captured beautifully by all you.
Next week is Sofia’s turn to host. Please visit her site Saturday 25th May for more information on the challenge, I am sure she will give us with truly beautiful floral images to inspire us.
Until then, keep smiling ☺
To participate in this challenge, you should link to or leave a comment on the week’s host’s original challenge post and please use the #Lens-Artists tag in your own post, so the post is easily found in the Reader.
And if you want even more information on the Lens-Artists Challenge, please click here.
Töölö Windows
Ludwigs Monday Window
Spent few moments in Töölö, Helsinki looking for Windows on a Friday evening. I was able take these without cars. There is one shot I took, just to show movement on the road, it is usually a very busy road. Not on a Friday evening with summer temperatures 😊
Watching wood pigeons from the hammock
Title says it all, for six word Saturday
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography 