Photography – Page 37 – Ritva Sillanmäki Photography

Countdown to 2021-8

Today: Sunrise at 9:12 – Sunset 15:17 – Length of day 6:05 hours – time of dusk 0:57 minutes

Three minutes less of daylight than yesterday. Only 15 more days until the direction moves towards light and winter solstice is here.

My cats love playing with the decorations. Here is Tinka doing her thing 🙂

I was wondering why the Finnish flag was flying in the pole, after checking I found out that 8 December, is the birthday of the composer Jean Sibelius; the occasion is also celebrated as the Day of Finnish Music.

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Countdown to 2021-7

Landscapes, People, Photography

It was a beautiful morning, I had to go to have some labs taken so I was out of the house early as 8:15, but was in too much of a hurry to take a photo of the lovely pink sky then. So i took one at the Health Center at (:30 and ten minutes later when I got home. It is 10AM and we have sunshine and blue skies. After two days of grayness this is bliss.

Sunrise at 9:10 – Sunset 15:18 – Length of day 6:08 hours – time of dusk 0:56 minutes

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Countdown to 2021-6

People, Photography

Today is Finland’s 103rd Independence Day. We are celebrating it by lightning two candles at 6 PM to the window. We also placed our Xmas light outside. I also lit some candles in my office, this I just took minute ago with my mobile..

Now is time to have some Pizza

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Countdown to 2021-5

People, Photography

Today is, well Saturday, it is gray and and grass is green. The small amount of snow that fell yesterday melted as it rained rather heavily last night.

As I said the grass is green, so is the moss.

Today we are going to visit our son to celebrate our grandsons birthday, even though his actual birthday is tomorrow, he is born on the 6th of December, our Independence Day. This picture is from his first Christmas in 2011. I love this – those eyes

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Roof tops of Riga

Photography, Travel

Views from Terrace Riga over the roofs in Riga, sitting there I could see the whole views of Old Riga. Once again stating the obvious, that deteriorating building are picturesque. These photos are from several years back, but I came a cross these and thought I’d share them with you.

Countdown to 2021-4

Landscapes, Photography

It’s snowing! It’s Friday! It’s Weekend!

I got out of bed 9:20, as do not have to hurry to go nowhere. It was dull gray no sigs of brightening at all, and it didn’t, it started to snow, side ways.

Friday again, I am not able to keep track of the days anymore as they tend to be all the same. Same, Same but different. I had to check from the newspaper really Friday. It was 🙂 Nothing to write about – so this is todays post!

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Countdown to 2021-3

Photography, Still life

First, I have to correct all who thought I did anything resembling the decoration in my previous post. No! Those decorations were from a store display – at Aarikka. I will later post my handicraft, they did sell well, but they were unique pieces – all different 🙂 I must try to be clearer in my ramblings.

Secondly, I would like to let you know that I survived the dentist, as far as a dentist visit goes, it was good. Check up, one cavity – fixed. The local anesthesia was given so that it did not hurt at all, that was the first!. Cleaning. Out of the door! Until next time in a year or two!

I took these photos are for FB photo group I am in, the theme is white. One of these images I added there. can you guess what my pick was?

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Countdown to 2021-2

Photography, Still life

Here we go, December has started continuing with the grayness of November, no snow, it melted as quickly as it came.

Yesterday was not the best of days, slept badly the night before and ended sitting on the sofa most of the day, not a very productive day. Today starting with an other note. I have something to look forward to, a dentist appointment. I am absolutely scared of it, but it needs to be done. It is only a check up, but still. Thumbs up, I will survive this too 🙂

I took these photos from a display window, and remembered I have done some wooden Xmas decorations, years ago to my boys school sale and I kept few to myself as they sold rather nicely back then. Yes, I will have to take a photo and share it now that I remember.

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Countdown to 2021

Photography

I was pondering about what to post in December. I liked thatabout November, I did not have to think about the title for each post, it was enough that I daily changed the date. So I voiced my thought and Sue from WordsVisual came up with this title and said she’d join by linking the post to mine.

Would you like to join us?

I will be posting new and old photos somehow related to winter, Christmas and eventually anticipation of new year. My aim is to take one new photo a day, but not going to stress over it, if I don’t come up with anything. We started a 3 week lockdown and it is recommended that you basically stay away from people and public places.

Today I decided to repost pics I have in my media library of candles. Time to take out my candle decorations, I noticed I have hardly any out.

This certainly will be a different Xmas season. I think I will have to play some Xmas songs at home as I won’t be hearing in stores, as it’s online shopping mostly for Xmas presents. I will have to put on Sportify and go online.

How to survive November 2020-29

Black and White photos, Travel

Two more post for this November, this has passed so quickly! Thank you all for making it that happen, the comments and company. I am really at loss trying to come up with an idea for today.

Candles, they work as a mood enhancer so well. Together with shells from our travels they take me to the warm and sandy beaches we have visited, so looking forward to travel again, hopefully sooner than later.

If you wish to participate in this survival of the darkest month challenge, use this link to add your post to it. PARALLEL LINES

Colorful “November” berries

Flowers, Photography

How to survive November – 5

Black and White photos, People, Photography

This is always a day of Big decisions, at least for the ladies. I should not say all ladies, but to many women I know. What to do to your hair when at the hair salon. What color, what cut…

I have had red(carrot) hair nearly two years, but now everyone is turning red, I have to try something new a darker shade. A long bob has been my look for years. Today is time for change. This isn’t my best look, but it was something I did to survive this month of grayness.

Shells found on one of out trips to warm and sandy beaches. The original photo was taken 2014 so few years back, now I edited it and then converted it to B&W

How to Survive November 2020 – 2

Photography

I decided today go out, we have a new library here in Kirkkonummi. I have to say, I was impressed. It was bright, modern with lots of seating areas here and there.

There are so many pictures here from the library that I am going to leave out the old edited photo. This is more than enough content to this post. All and all it is a nice library from the inside, and the copper siding will in turn green eventually.

If you wish to participate in this November beating challenge post your link here PARALLEL lin es

How to survive November 2020

Black and White photos, Photography

It is here the dreariest moth of the year for me here in Northern hemisphere. The whole month is a constant loss of light. Gray. Depressing. I am taking on a theme for this month. Monochrome. Black and White photos all month. I am taking on a challenge of editing one old photos to my best ability to Black and White, plus one new photo a day, hey, you guessed it in Black and White. Do you you want to join me with this theme? If you wish to participate add your link here to LEPIS

This is the First of HTSN- 2020

An old chest of drawers that is in my husbands office, we have several old side boards or bureaus or what ever you call them in our home. My husband lovers to restore them and we have more of them that we have places for them. It is his hobby. My hobby is art, paintings, sculpture and photography, for some reason they are also all around our house. I have placed my sculptures on the one that is in his office ,that I have not found proper places elsewhere, my four refugees and a woman with a book. Our wedding photo is there and so is my oldest sons wedding photo too, side by side. Continuance.

I was too lazy to go out into the grayness, this being the reason for this photo.

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Lake Pilvijärvi

Photography

Lake Pilvijärvi is near where I live, thought I just found it as I was searching for the last signs of Autumn colors. It is a tiny lake with many small dock surrounding it. As I was there I saw one person jogging by so very peaceful. The end of October is so low and soft. Here is my photos of this picturesque place.

No name

Flowers, Photography

How beautifully leaves grow old. How full of light and color are their last days.
~ John Burroughs

Six years old

Black and White photos, People, Photography

The dreaded photographer’s block. I,ve had it. I have it now, sort of, As one is mostly at home.

You sit on your couch, you look at your beautiful gear, and you just don’t feel it. You can’t think of anything worth shooting. Nothing takes you.

It’s frustrating as hell. An empty feeling.

At this i take a look at archives and edit old photos that I have discarded previously, with my new found editing skills I am able to breathe new life to them. Maybe this will get me going.

Mostly I have taken photos of my grandchildren, when they let me.

Green Leaves

Flowers, Photography

This is the original with added contrast and clarity

below you see the ones I used stronger editing to create different mood and colors. I find this fun and a learning experience. More “Art Photography” like.

I am cultivating my editing skills, trying to create different atmospheres with one photo.

The first one is the original with slight edits in contrast, clarity and vibrancy and exposure. This was already a macro so did not need to crop it.

Learning is fun

Black and White photos, People, Photography

The more that you read, the more things ou will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.

-Dr. Seuss

Pier – before &after

Black and White photos, Travel

This first photo is an unedited straight from my mobile that i converted to black and white image. I took it at a Pier in Kaivopuisto in Helsinki on a very misty day.

Haikon Kartano

Cities, Travel

The first known reference to Haikko Manor dates back to the year 1362, but the present Manor House was built in 1913, it is located by the beautiful archipelago about 7 kilometres from Porvoo. Now days it is a Hotel Haikko Manor and Spa.

Old town Porvoo

Cities, Travel

as it is not recommended that we travel abroad at the moment, we have been visiting picturesque towns and places in Finland. Let me introduce Porvoo to you again with few new photos. It was so full of local tourists that I did not take many photos from the streets. Enjoy a a small photo tour from this lovely town.

Old Porvoo, with its red-ochre painted riverside warehouses, is one of the most photographed national landscapes in Finland. Here you can admire the colorful wooden houses and stroll the winding cobbled streets – as if in a children’s story book.

Ekenäs Old Town

Cities, Travel

I have been lazy and on holiday, we have done few trips to town near us.

The grey stone church was built in the 1680s

Ekenäs Old Town with its wooden houses spreads out to the seashore. The street names tell the story of the life of the townspeople and how they got along hundreds of years ago. Here, the streets have stayed the same since the 16th century. Street names such as the Hatter’s Street , Linen Weaver’s Street , Cloth Weaver’s Street , Smith’s Street and Tanner’s Street reveal that Barcken’s peninsula in Ekenäs once was populated by skillful craftsmen.

The grey stone church was built in the 1680s on the initiative of Count Gustaf Adolf Leijonhufvud. The church was badly damaged in a fire and owes its present appearance to the reconstruction in the mid-1800s. The latest restoration was made in 1989-1990. There are several valuable items in the church, including a pulpit from the 1600s.

Most of the buildings in the Old Town date from the late 18^th and the 19^th century, but the area grew out of a 16^th century fishing village that the Swedish king Gustav Vasa granted a town charter in 1546 – a few years before Helsinki.

In the summer, you can peep over the fences to the enclosed courtyards. The small signs with names of fish, as given to the blocks in the 19^th century, and the cast-iron lamp posts give the face of the Old Town that little extra. The small street mirrors or “gossip mirrors” in the windows, elegantly crafted garden gates and the intricately decorated window frames are all details worth spending time looking at.