Thank you all my blogger friends who have been with me for years, I truly appreciate you and am inspired by you. A BIG thank you to all my new one I am up to 1999 followers as of now, one short of 2000. Nice to have here. I have been doing this for years and my aim has never been to search or do things that would create a huge following. I just do my thing post photos, sometimes I might even say something 🙂 I is my photo journal, diary of sorts of things I see and experience.
I love taking photos, I have been am a self learned photographer, even if I say so myself, I have a good eye. I see beauty all around me.
I take photos of everything that catches my eye, be it a tiny detail of a plant, beautiful view or urban surroundings.
Want a Portrait?
I love taking photos of people from babies to the more mature with the life showing in their appearance and face and everything in the between. Trying to the capture the essence of that person and find the individual beauty in everyone.
If you like the way I capture people, I would love to come and take photos of you or your loved ones. I always use natural light and like to take photos in locations where they are comfortable.
I have added Portfolio of Portraits so you can see my style.
Book a Photo session
Haluatko varata ajan valokuvaan?
Olen ollut itseoppinut valokuvaaja, vaikka itse sanonkin, minulla on hyvä silmä. Kauneutta on joka puolella kun oikein tarkkaan katsoo.
Otan kuvia kaikesta mikä osuu silmään, olipa kyseessä sitten kukan yksityiskohta, kaunis maisema tai urbaani kaupunkiympäristö.
Tykkään ottaa kuvia ihmisistä vauvoista vaariin. Käytän aina luonnonvaloa ja pidän valokuvaamisesta paikoissa, joissa kuvattava tuntee olonsa mukavaksi, kuvata heidät heille tärkeässä ympäristössä
Yritän vangita kuvattavana olevan henkilön olemuksen ja löytää jokaisessa heidän yksilöllisen kauneuden. Otan ylioppilaskuvia, rippikuvia tai vaikka jos omaksi iloksi haluat kuvan ilman sen kummallisempaa syytä Jos pidät tavasta, jolla kuvaan ihmisiä, tulen mielelläni ottamaan kuvia sinusta tai läheisistäsi
Oheisesta linkistä näet ottamiani Portfolio of Portraits
If you are interested in my photos or wish to book a photo session for a portrait please contact me by the form below and I will get back to you to discuss more.
New year is here, one moment of time is once again come and gone. New beginning or continuing of the same. For me the latter I think, not that much is going to change, not directly at least.
Looking into the future ?
I have three boys, all grown up, but my boys. They have lived near me most of the time. Now that is about to change.
One is moving about 600 kilometers away, so are my grandkids that have been living 200 meters from us are moving also, big change. They are not going to pop up for some cookies anymore. The chance to see them grow is changing. Time will tell how it going to workout.
One is going on this travels again, when he is coming back, if he is coming back is in the unknown category. He is drawn to South America, Asia direction. He is starting in Peru and then he goes where the mood takes him.
One is staying put, at least for the time being and if he moves it will be with on half a hours drive.
My boys
Changes, but not directly to me, but to the near and dear ones. I will for a time been continue to work for the county as housing counselor, helping people to find homes, stay in their homes and trying to sort out the financial problems they might be facing regarding their housing issues. I have been doing this for the past months, a new direction to me as I have always worked in the private sector in various office jobs.
Looking for a photo of us together was like looking for a needle in a haystack. There is literally none.
I do not often say much about myself in this blog, I post photos of the world I see and how I see it. Hoping that they tell the story. Like macro shots, well I am home, nothing much to do I will capture things near me. Summer photos, mostly from my summer home and the travels, not that many in the recent years. As I said, capturing what I see in the world surrounding me. I will continue doing the same thing. My life is not all that interesting, I do art, take photos and am happily married and occasionally see friends. Simple but happy life. Most of the time anyways!
I spent last weekend practicing, learning to do monotype. Janet from THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER THING wanted to know a bit about the technique, so here is some explanation about it.
It is hard, nothing turns out the way you think, you have to be really careful about colors how you lay them on top of each other as they mix in the printing process. white is not recommended, and I leaned why as is blurs the colors. if you wish to have white you scrape it off with various plastic or soft tools so you so not scratch the metal plate or use turpentine.
I was not really happy with any of the prints I got. I will try to silence myself critique and show some of my attempts. sorry about the photos, I just took them quickly with my mobile.
Abstract ( my husband likes this one)
Monotype, , a technique that generally yields only one good impression from each prepared plate. Monotypes are prized because of their unique textural qualities. They are made by drawing on glass or a plate of smooth metal or stone with a greasy substance such as printer’s ink or oil paint. You can use a brush or more often a roller (cylindrical tool for applyingpaint or ink.)you can see them in the pictures below.
After the artwork you wet the paper for, it has its own kind paper, of course, several minutes. Then you dry the excess off by placing it between newspapers. This is an art form of its self you cannot have too wet paper or you too much paint or it spreads/leaks of the sides of the art work.
The instructor/ teacher likes this one.
You set the metal plate on the press printer , add the wet, paper on top. Next step is to add several layers of felt on top of the plate. However, the tradition of imprinting conveyed in the literature in the field is unambiguous here. When printed, the press has several blankets of different thicknesses and qualities. the basic practice is to stack the blankets so that the densest thin 1/16 remains lowest against the tile and the more porous come on top of 1/8 and 1/4. Combinations vary slightly depending on different techniques and printing papers.
You press it once or twice depending how much color you want to get on the paper.
Yesterday we had vile weather, lots of rain and wind. I still went out, braced myself to the weather, for a good cause. I picked few of my art works from the printer and later took my artwork to the person who commissioned them, sound so formal and grand. I felt so good to see the finalized work to see it as an artwork instead an image on the screen. She was happy, I was happy 🙂
If you like my artwork, take some time to check out my Art By Ritvapages.
Yesterday I had a appointment with a neurologist. I felt rather frustrated after it, doctors and their manners, how they talk to patients. He was not rude, but he did not come across as sincere, compassionate person or as he cared about me and my ailments. He seemed very blaséd.
It felt so good to tell your symptoms to a person who seems not to really care. Not. I think one of the most helpful things to do would be is add training to the doctors on bedside manners and basic listening skills. A doctor might be skilled very knowledgeable, but to get the most information from your patient you need to show interest and care – maybe have some follow up questions. I don’t know. I did not feel all that good after that visit. Nothing had changed from year ago, I did not learn anything new, get explanations…
He sent me to have couple blood tests, I was lucky I got in even if I did not have a appointment in 25 minutes. The lab technician seemed unsure about my test, even went to check if it was the right tube, apparently it was not frequently done test in this hospital. Happy that it was done I drove home only to receive a phone call from the lab that the lab technician has not taken all the tests. Well, mistakes happen so I need to go back today to have the rest.
On Thursday I am going to have my first Covid jab… that is good news.
Now I am trying to figure what photo to add, as I did not take any at the hospital. I cannot have a post without a photo. You know, Ritva Sillanmäki Photography being the title 🙂 So these have no relevance to my text. Swans just happen to be beautiful, graceful birds.
Once again thanks for reading this far about my today’s grievance.
The saying; Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans, is true in many cases. And now, in this moment in time nothing happens, no plans can be made, even if you do are you able to do them in this current situation.
Plus as a fact, you cannot plan life really, it happens. I have had this happen to me so many times. You can make all the plans you want for yourself, but life probably has a completely different set of plans. Everyone has been let down at one time or another when their life hasn’t quite gone the way they would like. I know my life is far from what I had planned and I’m sure a lot of people have had that happen to them, too.
Life molds you as time goes on changing your life as it sees fit. This is not to say that I don’t have a good life, but it is totally different to what I planned when I was young.
in this moment in time, I feel sad, kind of helpless and frustrated at the same time. Depression, I have mild one. A self diagnosis for sure. I think lots of people do at this time. Lots of things contribute to it in my case.
The fact, that I am not able to get a job. I have this feeling, that I don’t know anything or a not able to do anything that is required in the jobs I have skills for. I know I have the skill, but I feel that I don’t. You apply to various positions, maybe get an interview, end up being in the best 2 – 5 people, this is no comfort. Also this relates to the main thing, where am I going to get the money to live. The feeling of being worth something, also in this context.
Covid, it has some effect on everyone I am sure, some more, some less. I have taken it mostly OK, it is what it is. Still, that you are not able to do all the things you want to is restrictive. I am in the good situation that all my family is close and we are able to be in contact. But one of the concerns is that it has caused also unemployment in the younger generation including my kids, so you worry about their income.
Also depression has hit some of my close ones hard, not mildly but severely. It is hard to see how it takes hold of the person and how it resonates to the people close to them. The helpless feeling as you do not know how to help. Action more than words are more effective.
Winter is, and never has been, the best of the seasons, and people who have read my post in the past know this. I have complained about enough. But as winter go this was not the worst by all means. And spring is on it’s way, I am so happy about that.
I’ll stop now. Work on my art and photos to put my mind out of this non productive rambling.
I got a request from a woman whose husband had once when they started dating, long time ago, said to her that his ideal woman in the beauty sense was Sophia Loren. Now she wanted to surprise him with an artwork that had Sophia in it.
So I went to work, I did several sketches and used different photos trying to capture a look that worked for me, as I need to be happy with it before I can show it to anyone. Then I asked for the main color that they wanted for the piece. It was orange. I also needed to know what size they would like it to be. Wow, they wanted it to be 100 x 140cm. That’s big I had never had one of my art been printed to that size.
I sent her this as an example of what I thought was nice and suitable for the space. She came over to look at all the options and we decided that this was the one, she saw the others too, liked this one best.
Now I had to finalize the work by going through the picture with big zoom to see that the pixels would not be too obvious, as this was BIG. I got all the the issues that I found fixed, so that it could be printed.
I think this turned out rather nice 🙂 It looked really big when we took the wraps off it, but on the wall not so much so.
I wonder where dreams come from… from where from the subconscious the images, come from
This morning I woke from a dream, a color one, where I was with people, lots of subtle conversation around the place all trying to make a bid on a painting. It was a man in the field with a scythe cutting crops of wheat, In my mind I saw the long curved blade at the end of a long pole. Blue sky in the background…autumn landscape from the countryside. In my dream the the words scythe and crop came up often, but the conversation in the back was vague. We could not find a resolution who was going to own this piece of art.
I woke, and called out to my hubby in the next room, he had already started in work day in his office (not a long distance to go to work, as it is located next to our bedroom)
-Do you remember… telling him about the picture in my mind – have we had a poster a LP or something like this…in my mind I had a name – Tom Petty – I did not voice it.
He remembered that we had the Southern Accents LP in our vinyls , it is the sixth studio album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, kid you not, the image I had in my dream was , the cover art for the album Southern Accents.
I love the way he is able to pick up my idea, what I am searching for subtle hints that i randomly tell him and give me my answers to the music questions I have…well this time cover art ..
The thing is, I have not looked at this LP or listened to Tom Petty lately, thought I have often done so in the past, but recently not so much, not at all really.
Where did this memory come from, why, it was so vivid..
So that is my question for today… where to dreams come from, is there a meaning reason for them. Why am I thinking of harvest, art, scythe in the middle of winter.
Wishing you 12 months of success, 52 weeks of laughter, 365 days of fun, 8760 hours of joy, 525600 minutes of good luck, and 31536000 seconds of happiness. Happy New Year!
It was way back (2016) when I was so happy to have 1000 followers and now slowly, but surely it is now 1700 followers. You have to come to follow me on your own accord, not due to my activity on commenting or following that many new bloggers, as I am rather bad at that. Thank you all for staying on with me all these years and for the new ones, THANK YOU SO MUCH for he follow! I do truly appreciate it, as I do not do this to gain followers, not really, but I appreciate you liking my recent ramblings and photos.
I remember that back in the days you took an apple to say thanks’, so here you are!
Some ranting from a blogger who usually does not share that much personal staff other than photographs, that also tell a story about a woman who is happy and has a positive outlook on life. I still do have a positive attitude, in spite of this post.
Thanks me at work – the old fart
I think this is the most I’ve written about me personally about what I do, or did for a living. I have tried not to be a bore, but why not share. I have nothing to loose or be ashamed off, not an employer or a co-worker to to take offence of my opinions.
So I have a dream, of seeing far away places, sunset and sunrises, new experiences and being able to work to support myself.
It is a good thing. I am not going to let this thing get me down, make my bitter or loose hope.
I am a middle aged woman, with a dream, even though I know it won’t come true, it is still a dream. I would love to earn from my art and photographs.
Or getting a job. I have been unemployed for a 18 months and not a job in site for a woman of my age. Covid-19 is also a factor, but a small one compared to age discrimination. I am being put into my own reference bloc; not innovative enough, too expensive, too much experience, too much wrinkles (no I know that is not the issue)it is the age factor.
Also in Finland, it seems to be impossible to get a assistant, coordinator or office work position if you do not have a degree from a Vocational university also known as university of applied sciences. I don’t have that, I have hands on experience since 1990’s, only 30 years, but now days it does not account for nothing ( she says bitterly 🙂 )
Covid-19 made it nearly impossible for anyone to get employed, in Finland 60% of the workforce worked from home. And in is still an ongoing thing. it is time consuming, job applying for jobs, The CV is ready, but writing a letter to go with is so hard when basically all you wish is to get a job and you have to sell yourself in in every letter, but also trying to tell them why you want to work for them… really. I want a job, I do not have a five year plans etc. I don’t care that much which sector they are in, I want to use the skills I have and earn a living.
I have been having trouble with getting the comments and likes etc to my screen. This feature did not at all, I mainly saw them on my app on my phone. Not the most convenient to say the least, it frustrated me totally. I got help, I have to say that when you contact the help on WordPress they do respond immediately. I appreciate that. That said, I had an invasion of spams, mainly from Russia and they all were sent in the past week over 2500 of them. They jammed my sites!!!
That is huge amount – 2500 spams in weeks time, please see your sites if similar thing is happening to you. All these came after I’ve updated the themes on both of my sites Ritva’s Art- Photography and ART BY RITVA .
The photo I’ve chosen is in no way related to the topic. It is a photo of an old ledger book. I just like the photo 🙂
it is nearly new year and I decided to make a bold move. I changed my theme here on WP – what do you think? My aim was to lessen the clutter and give the spotlight on my photos.
As you know I am not a writer, I don’t have that much to say at least I do not think that too many would be interested in my rambling style of writing. My writing reflects the clutter in my mind, hopping and popping from one thought to an other. So to get a something other than a mind flow kind of text from me here is a challenge. I reserve that to my work. This is for my photos, the way I see the world through my lens.
As a hint of the coming month – I am once again picking a theme. I will be visiting friends in Florida in January, so my photos will be filled with sunshine and sights. I am posting some photos from my previous trip to begin with and when I get there, my uploads will all from my mobile as I an not going to carry my laptop with me – you know I will be on holiday.
Hi, I have finally activated myself at my Facebook page, I would highly appreciate a follow if you are in the mood for it. Sometimes it easier to look at the pictures a there than to come to the blogs, so if interested here is a link Ritva’s Art – Ritva Sillanmäki . I should give it a new name, that sounds so boring, even if it is kind of informative, any suggestions ?
time for my moment in sun – this years winter vacation is starting tomorrow. See you all in February with new photos. Looking forward to nice restaurant, good food, sea, SUN and warmth. Warm Florida awaits for us.
This photo is from a visit to Capri and has nothing to do with my next destination. I just like the photo 🙂 the feeling in it.
Happy New year to all my Blog friends. I filmed this fireworks at Kirkkonummi, Finland. Finland is having it’s 100 year birthday this year so even in our small community we started with a nice welcome to 2017! 100 years of Independence is something to celebrate.
The past year has been hard, so I put my faith on the hope that it can only be better this year! Happy New Year, dear friends!
I have been blogging for some time. In the begin I was slow getting followers, as I had no idea of what I was doing. Them in 2014 I gained a lot of new followers, I was very active…, back then.I started to work fulltime again and surprise, surprise, it slowed down. This spring I have gained many new followers to my surprise and joy.
I am so glad and happy for the old followers, and grateful that you still come and comment, even if I am very bad and lazy about doing it myself. Sorry about that!
I am also extremely happy for the new ones, thanks so much for the follows it means a lot to me.
I am one short for 1000 followers…anyone want to be the 1000 follower?
I thought that I show my workspace, share what I love about it ….with you and WeWork, a co-working company.
As you can see from the photos, it is comfy, with something new and something old in it. My husband has renovated the old cupboard and round table to suit the style of the office. Old wool rug to give warmth and softness to it. Lundia shelving – not my fav anymore, but it certainly holds the books, old vinyl records , photo albums in perfectly. I have gifts from my sisters handmade patchwork quilt, a crocheted tablecloth, Both skills I admire and cannot do. I have my sons old teddy bears… memories. I have my editing tools here, my paintings and sculptures liven up the walls and counters, everything I need. I am happy with it.
The view from with changing seasons is an inspiration, to grab may camera and find beauty in the nature.
These are photos from my art exhibition.Some of my Black and White photographs, Photo-collages and paintings are there to be viewed. These are not the best of pictures, but they give an overview of the exhibition.
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography 