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.

Elk or a moose

Captures from Finland, Cities, Photography

I took this yesterday though a window, enjoying the moose or elk on the sidewalk in Matinkylä, Espoo. It was late afternoon so the it was already a bit dark. Are you surprised if I say gray? I did not a have camera with me so I took this on my mobile and edited it on Lightroom that I have on my mobile. So this is really a Cellpic 🙂 I did three edits, in the first one I added light and enhanced the gray tones.

The two others are more real to the actual colors of the moment, One I added light and the other There is quite a bit of vignette to bring your focus to the center. That one is the most accurate of the light and tones. It is amazing how editing can change a shot.

Is it an elk? Is it a moose? If you’re in Finland, the answer is “BOTH”! The iconic, majestic forest dweller is known as a moose in North America and an elk in Europe. To make matters even more confusing, elk in North America is used for an entirely different animal – a kind of deer.

Cellpic Sunday

Gray days of November, so dreary

Nature, Photography

Gray days of November, oh so dreary,
Dampened spirits, and a heart full of drear.
The skies are gray, the winds they do howl,
As if the world itself were lost in a droll.

The trees stand bare, their leaves long gone,
Their branches skeletal, a somber song.
The grass is parched, the flowers all gone,
A desolate landscape, a winter’s dawn.

The days are short, the nights are long,
A time of rest, but little song.
The world is quiet, still and cold,
As if the season’s chill had grown old.

But even in the gray, there’s beauty found,
A time for reflection, a time profound.
The world may be dull, but not the heart,
For in the gray days of November, we find our part.

So let us embrace the gray, and all its might,
For in the darkness, there is still a light.
A light that shines within our souls,
A beacon of hope, in the gray days of November’s role.

For Debbie’s Six Words Saturday.

How to survive November 2023 – 4

how to survive November

What can I say, today the sunrise was at 7:54 and sunset 16:19. it is gray and rainy. It is Saturday and we woke up this morning at 10:30 – all this darkness just makes you want to stay in bed all day.

What is the easiest meal to get everywhere 🍔 – a choice all restaurant’s have in in their menu. Well almost all!

Hamburger – this on was inspired Mexican food.

It is here a again the most cruel month of the year. It is dark and getting darker, and the same time as it is the challenge to post something edible every day of the month of November, I can do it, how about you? What to join us? There is a link below if you’re interested

November and its time to survive it. Theme for the How to Survive November is ‘Something to Eat’.

Lepis from Parallel Lines| in scale kindly hosts this survival once again. The InLinkz is at her blog, it’s at the right column. Let’s enjoy this November with marvelous flavors!

Also posted For Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge.

Saturday Classics – 04112023

Saturday Classics

This song came to mind during a drive to the optician to get my new sunglasses with strength, it is so funny because I have absolutely no use for them at the moment. Grey day – and I heard Grey on Spotify – I Try – and I do try. I hadn’t heard this in a long time still resonated with me this song and voice. When you listen to this delicious, gravely voice, which sounds like it’s made of smoke and scotch.

Have a great Saturday

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.

Street Photography – food stand

Photography, street photography, Traveling Australia

Helsinki – esplanade last summer.

The popular Esplanade Park, fondly referred to as “Espa” among locals, is the most famous park in Finland and the green heart of Helsinki. People come here to see and be seen, to listen to music and watch performances, and to enjoy picnics. This Brazilian lady was selling food there the summer day I shot this photo. What caught my attention was the matching colors of the seller and the biker that had stopped by to chat.

How to survive November 2023 – 3

how to survive November

What can I say, today the sunrise was at 7:51 and sunset 16:21. it is gray and with the wind factor the temperature feels like 2C / 30F. SIX minutes less light today. Those are the facts of the day.

I love Italian food, I know bruschetta is an antipasto but it works well a light (?) lunch and it is always a pleasure to eat food someone else prepared.

Bruschetta is from Italy consisting of grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with olive oil and salt. Variations may include toppings of tomato, vegetables, beans, cured meat, or cheese.

November and its time to survive it. Theme for the How to Survive November is ‘Something to Eat’.

Lepis from Parallel Lines| in scale kindly hosts this survival once again. The InLinkz is at her blog, it’s at the right column. Let’s enjoy this November with marvelous flavors!

Also posted For Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge.

Galerie Door

Cities, Traveling Crete

I an still in old town Chania, in Crete. This wood door with only varnish on it caught my attention.

I liked how it looked, I really have no other reason for the shot, nor do I have a narrative to add to it. I thought it would make a nice shot. That’s all. That is why I have no many edits o it…

In Monochrome

It is Thursday and my entry entry to , Thursday Doors!

How to survive November 2023 – 2

how to survive November

What can I say, today the sunrise was at 7:49 and sunset 16:24. it is gray and with the wind factor the temperature feels like -1C / 30F. FIVE minutes less light today… but it is a bit brighter today.

Something good happened yesterday, someone referred to me as an artist 🙂 that made my day. Wanted to talk to me how to promote my art.

How about some vitamins and fruit for a snack?

November and its time to survive it. Theme for the How to Survive November is ‘Something to Eat’.

Lepis from Parallel Lines| in scale kindly hosts this survival once again. The InLinkz is at her blog, it’s at the right column. Let’s enjoy this November with marvelous flavors!

Monochrome – the new yost type writer

Photography

The Yost is a remarkable machine which was quite popular in the late nineteenth century. It can be recognized immediately by its distinctive design features: the typebars are housed in an enclosed black cylinder, and the double keyboard emerges from a forest of long key stems.

The first typewriter bearing the Yost name came out in 1887. Later understroke models include the New Yost (1889), No. 4 (1895), and No. 10 (1902). A bar sometimes appears over the O in the name “Yost” on the typewriter’s decals, probably to indicate that it should be pronounced as a long O.

Posted for Leanne’s Monochrome Madness

How to survive November 2023 – 1

how to survive November

It is here a again the most cruel month of the year. It is dark and getting darker, and the same time as the light lessen the more moody and tired I get. I am ready to hibernate, this is a survival technique make yourself a challenge everyday, this month let’s eat… I mean we have to eat. To survive, to comfort us, to be sociable. The challenge is to post something edible every day of the month of November, I can do it, how about you? What to join us? There is a link below if you’re interested

What can I say, today the sunrise was at 7:46 and sunset 16:26 it is gray and with the wind factor the temperature feels like 2C / 35F. Not my happy place.

How about some avocado toast for breakfast?

November and its time to survive it. roads. Theme for the How to Survive November is ‘Something to Eat’.

Lepis from Parallel Lines| in scale kindly hosts this survival once again. The InLinkz is at her blog, it’s at the right column. Let’s enjoy this November with marvelous flavors!

Flower of the day – Martagon Lily

Flowers

Today my choice is not actually a flower, but an empty core of Turk’s cap lily or Martagon lily.

Martagon lilyhas a long history as a garden plant: it has possibly been known in Sweden since the Middle Ages and in Finland since the 19th century.

After flowering the downward curve of the flower-stalks is reversed and the capsules end up in an erect position. After withering the rigid stem supports the fruits under the snow – martagon lily sticks out during the winter. As the wind blows the seeds rattle against the dry walls of the capsule until they fall out in a hard enough snowstorm.

Posted for Cee’s Flower of the Day

Street Photography – Old style public telephone box

Photography, street photography, Traveling Australia

While The Rocks is the site of Sydney’s oldest European settlement, there are attractions here that are also thoroughly contemporary. The Rocks, at the to bustling Circular Quay, here you can take in the charming, historic streets of this former convict settlement. And here I saw this old style public telephone box and a lady speaking on the phone next to it – a nice touch don’t you think ?

Circular Quay – The Rocks showing heritage elements like the red phone box

LENS-ARTISTS CHALLENGE #273 – SYMMETRY

lens-artists

I think this says it all about this weeks theme, symmetry is everywhere. You just need to keep your eyes open,

Sofia is this week’s host for the Lens-Artist challenge

Church is an obvious choice when searching for symmetry , and I am sure I am not the only one pointing it out.

Flowers – obviously 🙂

Windows …hmn 🙂 and architecture has it in all shapes and forms

Nature, lets not forget it is in all creations. Wings of the pelican are rather symmetric, Yes?

Symmetry is everywhere as you can see 🙂

If you want more information on the Lens-Artists Challenge, please click here.

Bright Sunny Sunday

Photography, Still life

During the past weekend I have been trying to do presentable graphic art, monotype. I have to admit that I did not actually manage to do that. They fall in the category of not good not bad.

Saturday was bleak and grey, No inspiration coming from the weather then, but Sunny Sunday was cold but bright. I took these photos with my cellphone, mobile phone as I would say.

I have posted these for Cellpic Sunday , and One Word Sunday – I was Bright enough to post these together 🙂

Cooking oil is used to clean the color palette and the metal palette were we paint our creations

Saturday Classics – 28102023

Saturday Classics

I am of to study art – graphic arts . So I am making a quick post.

This song came to mind as it always brings my sister to mind. When she was a in her late teens she had boys singing this to her on the street. Why this now, well tomorrow would have been her 68th birthday, she passed away eight years ago to cancer. I still miss her.

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

Street Photography – Chinatown

Cities, Traveling Australia

Photos taken in Melbourne in Australia few years back.

Melbourne’s Chinatown has flourished for over 100 years. Established in the 1850s during the Victorian gold rush, it is notable for being the longest continuous ethnic Chinese settlement in the Western World and the oldest Chinatown in the Southern Hemisphere.

Posted for Cee’s Which Way Challenge

Street photography captures candid moments of daily life in public spaces. From bustling city streets to quiet suburban neighborhoods, we try to document the raw and unscripted moments that unfold around us. With an emphasis on capturing the essence of a scene or the emotions of the people within it, street photography offers a glimpse into the beauty and diversity of the world we inhabit. Whether it’s a fleeting expression, a captivating composition, or an unexpected juxtaposition, street photography celebrates the beauty and intrigue found in everyday moments.

Flower of the Day 26/10

Flowers

Frosty aster at the end of October in the morning light

For Cee’s Flower of the Day.

This is my last photo of this New York Aster this year. Autumn brown have really set in.

Red Door

Cities, Traveling Crete

I saw this red door at the end of the ally in old town Chania, in Crete. I looked inviting and the colorful walls enhanced it with the turquoise shutters adding interest in the composition of the photo . The stone walls added warmth to the area. What’s not to like so I took few shots.

Then I thought about the meaning of a red door, it can vary depending on cultural, historical, and personal interpretations. In many cultures, a red front door symbolizes a warm welcome and hospitality. It is believed to invite positive energy and good luck into a home. Also red is often associated with strength and protection. Some believe that a red door can ward off evil spirits and bring a sense of security.

Approaching the doorway at the end of the the street

It is Thursday and my entry entry to , Thursday Doors!

Street photography – towards the light

Photography, street photography

I am going to post images new and old of this genre in this new topic name. Shortly described below as what I want to convey in this photos.

I did three versions of this woman walking towards the light at the end of this narrow alley. It is always amazing how the colors can change the mood, I shoot with raw so the colors can be edited really differently. I think I like the more yellow toned one best.

Street photography – Lahti Street view

Photography, street photography

I am going to post images new and old of this genre in this new topic name. Shortly described below as what I want to convey in this photos.

Las weekend we drove to our summer house to turn the electricity off for the winter as we do not visit there during winter. My husband mowed the leaves, no need to rake them. Back story was that, them we drove to the city near by- Lahti. I took this autumn street shot as we walked down the road to get late lunch. On the hill on the other side you can see the City Hall of Lahti.

Located in the heart of Lahti, the city hall is one of the city’s most famous landmarks and an important part of Lahti’s cityscape. The monumental building, designed by architect Eliel Saarinen, was completed in 1912. The building stylistically represents late Art Nouveau. The over 100-year-old building, damaged in wars and fires, has been restored with respect to the original.

Flower of the day – 24.10

Flowers

Oriental bittersweet in the autumn tones. Love the rich tones…

Posted for Cee’s Flower of the Day

Lens-Artists Challenge #272 – Billboards and Signs

lens-artists

There are signs everywhere, they try to sell us, they can provide information, they can warn us of hazards, they can make us laugh, and they can tug at our emotions. This week’s challenge asks you to share images of signs or billboards that strike your fancy.

Posted for John’s Lens-Artists Challenge

My husband is great at picking up signs and often points them to me, some I notice myself, but looking for double meaning in a sign – he masters that corner. Here are some signs I’ve spotted. Most of them need no explanations.

First I thought that don’t have any, but suddenly I noticed that I have several. And Once again I have posted too many, but as someone nicely said to me, it’s our blogs, we can post what we want or how many we want.

Found in San Francisco

Nevada signs

Hong Kong was heaven for sign spotting , above few samples and below from Goa, India

Above signs from all around. And the one below is very questionable why is in text below POLICE in brackets

Couple more sign on the move – these were spotted on the road in Australia.

the falling leaves cover the ground

Photography

Linked to Six Word Saturday at Debbie’s here

Saturday Classics – 21102023

Saturday Classics

After I posted my post about the green door I got a message giving a nod to this song, so here is an other green door shot,

What is the meaning behind the song Green Door?

In 1921, a tavern opened in Chicago called “Green Door Tavern.” It was a popular place during prohibition, and the green door became a speakeasy symbol.

Another story says the song is about an after-hours club in Texas, where songwriter Marvin Moore was denied entry because he didn’t know the password.

And then there is this; Bob Davie wrote this and played the honky-tonk piano. It was inspired by a popular music club in Dallas, Texas where the kids who weren’t allowed in hung around outside a yellow door. Presumably “green door” sounded better.

Midnight, one more night without sleeping
Watching till the morning comes creeping
Green door, what’s that secret you’re keeping?

There’s an old piano
And they play it hot behind the green door
Don’t know what they’re doing
But they laugh a lot behind the green door
Wish they’d let me in so I could find out
What’s behind the green door

In 1981, the ’50s revivalist Shakin’ Stevens covered this and took this song to the top of the UK charts.

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

Street photography – a quick stop

Photography, street photography

I am going to post images new and old of this genre in this new topic name. Shortly described below as what I want to convey in this photos.

People in hurry, but still have time for a quick stop – at fast-food restaurant. The contrast is the setting in this old building and the Burger King that is there. What caught my attention was how the light showcased the beauty of the wall details and the light streaming from the chairs.

Two takes color and black and white, which one works best? I myself prefer the color one this time.

flower of the day – 20/10

Flowers

October colors from this morning. It was once again a bit nippy as the temperatures had gone down to minus side last night.

Here are Hydrangea arborescens, commonly known as smooth hydrangea, wild hydrangea, sevenbark, or in some cases, sheep flower, after the frost had melted and left the pedals moist and shining in the cool but sunny morning air. Most of the pedals are now brown , but few are left white and green.