photography – Page 40 – Ritva Sillanmäki Photography

How to Survive November 2022 – 12

how to survive November, People, Photography

“Common People” is a song by English alternative rock band Pulp, released in May 1995 as the lead single off their fifth studio album Different Class. It reached No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart, becoming a defining track of the Britpop movement as well as Pulp’s signature song.

I took her to a supermarket
I don’t know why
But I had to start it somewhere
So it started there
I said pretend you’ve got no money
She just laughed and said
Oh you’re so funny
I said; yeah
I can’t see anyone else smiling in here
Are you sure?

Good thing I have pictures of supermarket 🙂 to go with this song.

The idea for the song’s lyrics came from a Greek art student whom Pulp singer-songwriter Jarvis Cocker met while he was studying at the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. Cocker had enrolled in a film studies course at the college in September 1988 while taking a break from Pulp. He spoke about the song’s inspiration in NME in 2013:

Cocker has said, I’d met the girl from the song many years before, when I was at St Martin’s College. I’d met her on a sculpture course, but at St Martin’s you had a thing called Crossover Fortnight, where you had to do another discipline for a couple of weeks. I was studying film, and she might’ve been doing painting, but we both decided to do sculpture for two weeks. I don’t know her name. It would’ve been around 1988, so it was already ancient history when I wrote about her.

Thanks PARALLEL LINES |in scale for hosting How to Survive November once again.

At the ‘How to Survive November‘ monthly theme we will combine photo and sound. You can select a piece of music to your taste and find a photo to portray the song or you can make a drawing, painting or collage. The picture can be from your archives or you can get it fresh. Enjoy and have fun!

From my archives – ‘Annabelle’

Flowers

November will be filled with photos from the archives .

Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’

This plant gives pleasure when from middle of the summer until late fall, these photos are from late fall when the flowers have already turned brown. Still beautiful with all it’s details.

Since I am sharing close-ups, mostly of flowers I’ve decided also to participate in Cee’s Flower of the Day challenge.

How to Survive November 2022 – 11

how to survive November, People, Photography

The first time I saw him was with my sister 1985, and it was the first time I had a crush on a singer, he was in black suit, intensely present, sexy, older man. I was sold. Voice of honey and soul. I was 22 years-old and smitten.

I have seen Leonard Cohen in concert three times, this tour also came to Helsinki 2008 and 2010, needed to be there also. It is an unbelievable charisma that man had, just simply by standing on the stage and singing he got the attention. A huge arena and he was able to make intimate atmosphere to it. That is something not everyone is able to do.

“Sharon Robinson, a writing collaborator of Leonard Cohen. She recalled to Uncut: “Leonard had most of the lyric done when he handed it to me. There’s a profound honesty in it. He’s exposing something we all know and talk about with those close to us, but not publicly. It says we’re not really in control of our destiny, there are others running things, and we go about our daily lives with that in the background.””

This photo due to one line in the song. Finding photos to go with his poems/songs is nearly impossible.

Everybody knows that the boat is leaking
Everybody knows that the captain lied
Everybody got this broken feeling
Like their father or their dog just died
Everybody talking to their pockets
Everybody wants a box of chocolates
And a long-stem rose
Everybody knows

Thanks PARALLEL LINES |in scale for hosting How to Survive November once again.

Beautiful in Black and White 10

Black and White photos, Captures from Finland

I have a soft spot for black and white photography, I was once again reminded about the importance of exposure, light. It is the key element in these photos.

“Available light is any damn light that is available!” ~ W. Eugene Smith

Above is so importat during these gray November days.

The way that light hits objects, I think, is one of the more important things that sculpture and photography share. – Rashid Johnson

How to Survive November 2022 – 10

how to survive November, People, Photography

I was not broken or wounded when I heard this song, but it definitely spoke to me on an emotional level.

Haunting…” That is how I would describe this song written by bassist and singer-songwriter Aimee Mann. “Save Me”

Mann has gained critical success for the soundtrack of dramatic film “Magnolia”, starring Tom Cruise and Julianne Moore.

“You look like… a perfect fit,
For a girl in need… of a tourniquet.
But can you save me?
Come on and save me…
If you could save me,
From the ranks of the freaks,
Who suspect they could never love anyone”

The words “save me” have been mentioned many, many times in the song that tells of a wounded woman who has been to different relationship and gets out broken-hearted every time. Mmm… a girl in need of tourniquet is quite a harrowing picture in mind.

“You struck me dumb, Like radium
Like Peter Pan, or Superman,
You have come… to save me.
Come on and save me…”

The meaning of this song…?

Basically the world is full of folks who have issues with intimacy–the so-called “freaks who suspect they could never love anyone”. And one day you wake up and realize that you’re sick to death of looking for that one person who’s not an emotional basket case.

She wants the new relationship to work out, but she’s unsure, because her man would have to practically have superpowers to help her forget all shit she’s been through.
I particularly love the last verse– because, of course, the universe is also brimming with folks who are so fucked up that the only people they can love are people who don’t love, period.

Thanks PARALLEL LINES |in scale for hosting How to Survive November once again.

How to Survive November 2022 – 9

how to survive November, People, Photography

What you have to do to get an image for a this song. I like the song, I don’t like whiskey. I asked my husband if he had some at home, well he did. I asked for it, he said in the middle of the day??? and I was Yeah, I need to take a photo. What you do to get a shot. I took ten and still wasn’t happy, but since I took them I am going to share most of them. Sorry! Thought you are getting the idea of my editing to cover the fact that they are not the best of shot.

“Tennessee Whiskey” was first recorded by David Allan Coe for his 1981 album of the same name, and then by George Jones, who took it to No. 2 on the country chart in 1983. This is the version by Chris Stapleton.

Stapleton’s musical influences range from outlaw country and bluegrass to rock and roll and blues, he is a soul singer^[with a tenor vocal range with lots of different influences from various artists.

Used to spend my nights out in a barroom
Liquor was the only love I’ve known
But you rescued me from reachin’ for the bottom
And brought me back from being too far gone

You’re as smooth as Tennessee whiskey
You’re as sweet as strawberry wine
You’re as warm as a glass of brandy
And honey, I stay stoned on your love all the time

Thanks PARALLEL LINES |in scale for hosting How to Survive November once again.

Beautiful in Black and White 9

Black and White photos, Captures from Finland

I have a soft spot for black and white photography, I was once again reminded about the importance of exposure, light. It is the key element in these photos.

The photographer is a manipulator of light; photography is a manipulation of light. – Laszlo Moholy-Nagy

the nature is gorgeous even without color

Ogegon coast is really beautiful and mostly it shines best in colors but in black and white photography the structure and shape are in important role.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #224 – Exposure

lens-artists, Photography, Travel, Traveling Thailand

SOFIA ALVES from PHOTOGRAPHIAS is hosting the challenge for #lens-artists

LENS-ARTISTS CHALLENGE – EXPOSURE she wrote the following:

For this challenge, it is up to you how you work on exposure. You might, like me, prefer to use shutter speed to change the exposure balance when shooting. You can also play with aperture. Or you can have fun changing the exposure settings while editing. The idea here is to see how the mood of any photo depends on its exposure.

I am posting three sets of photos that I have over – or underexposed in post edit. I usually shoot in automatic mode for exposure and edit the photo to suit it to way to capture what I thought I saw or change the mood. exposure, light and contrast are the main things I work with when editing my photos, but over the years I have learned few more tricks to get the photo to express more of what I want to show in it.

Light makes photography. Embrace light. Admire it. Love it. But above all, know light. Know it for all you are worth, and you will know the key to photography. – George Eastman

Contrary to the general belief about photography, you don’t need bright sunlight: the best moodiest pictures are taken in the dim light of almost dusk, or of rainy days… – Jack Kerouac

All these shots except the portrait were taken late afternoon or at dusk so I wholeheartedly agree with the quote above.

I feel that this side profile mood is totally different in these shots, other is more hopeful and often overexposed shot is more forgiving to the person at least if you have lots of lines on your face 🙂

Shooting in nature with backlight has its challanges and you have to be careful not to over light the front,so that is doesn’t look unnatural. Obviously the what the eye sees and camera captures are often totally different in these situations.

Beach shot with early sunset vibes using exposure is also a mood changer

This image is one more sample of mood changing light. The raw materials of photography are light and time and memory.

How to Survive November 2022 – 8

how to survive November, People, Photography

I find this challenge harder than I thought, finding an image to go to a song is harder that I thought. Some of the songs that I like are hard to connect to a photo. This It took me quite some time to come up with an image.

This is singer, I love his voice, he is one of my absolute favorite artists, this man is able to touch every single part of my brain, soul and body just with his voice.

Paolo Nutini is a soul-influenced alternative singer-songwriter from Paisley, Scotland. He grew up listening to a range of folk, opera, jazz, and his father’s R&B favourites. Nutini’s debut album, These Streets, released in 2006 achieved double-platinum status and sent the four singles ‘Last Request’, ‘Jenny Don’t Be Hasty’, ‘Rewind’ and ‘New Shoes’ into the Top 40.

His catalogue has also ‘Sunny Side Up’ as well as 2014 album ‘Caustic Love’ which produced the hit singles ‘Candy’, ‘Let Me Down Easy’

From the corner of my eye
To the back of my mind
I recognize what you mean to me
And though the corners of our pictures
Are a long time frayed
They still symbolize what you mean to me

You ask me to remember
A kiss is but a kiss
Like I’d be a fool to want more from you

Thanks PARALLEL LINES |in scale for hosting How to Survive November once again.

From my archives – Peony

Flowers

November will be filled with photos from the archives .

The luxurious flowers of Peony ‘Double Pink’ are ruffled and petal packed, unfurling from round buds in early summer, revealing petal after petal until fully open. Large, flamboyant blooms coupled with a sweet, light fragrance.

Peony ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ is an exquisite herbaceous peony with ruffled, flamingo-pink, double blooms that open from large, and rounded buds. This RHS AGM variety has been popular since its introduction in 1905, and still beguiles gardeners with its sheer flower power. With a slightly taller habit than most, this beauty is one for planting towards the back of perennial borders, where its glamorous blooms will rise above a clump of deeply divided, dark green foliage.

I don’t know which one these are, I do know I love peonies, one of my favorite flowers. I some how was able to kill mine at my summer house, but then again I don’t remember planting it, it appeared and after several year it disappeared… but it was lovely addition to my very scantly garden

Since I am sharing close-ups, mostly of flowers I’ve decided also to participate in Cee’s Flower of the Day challenge.

From my archives – Iris

Flowers

November will be filled with photos from the archives .

Iris germanica ‘Black Dragon’ , Black Iris was a delightful find as was Siperian Iris, and the last one is a Bearded Iris- I think 🙂

Since I am sharing close-ups, mostly of flowers I’ve decided also to participate in Cee’s Flower of the Day challenge.

October close-up – oak tree leaf

Flowers

October surprises with frost and colorful leaves 🍃 afters a cold night. The splash of color got my attention, here are more shots of the frosty morning.

Since I am sharing close-ups, mostly of flowers I’ve decided also to participate in Cee’s Flower of the Day challenge.

52 Frames: Week 43: Details!

52 Frames, Captures from Finland

Take a moment. Look at something, anything around you – what do you see? What do you notice? That’s right – our eyes take in the big picture, but then move in closer to see the Details. That’s just how we humans work – we instinctively want to look at things and then parts of those things.

I am often post details, one of my favorite ways to show you how I see the world around me. So much beauty can found near and far in small or sometimes big details.

I have taken macro shots of nature this week and it fits this topic ever so well. The others are from my archives.

The wrinkles, special features and texture of our faces in portrait. Capturing fine, rarely seen details in a macro shot – maybe abstract, or in Nature. Maybe it’s that detail on the building you pass every day, but rarely take a moment to notice.

Craft an image that shows off the details of your choice of subject. Focus, contrast and composition will play a key role , so it’s both a creative and technical challenge

By capturing an image and looking for the picture within a picture, you’ll be able to capture exquisite details that you’d probably normally overlook. When you start noticing the details, a world of new and possible images opens up to you.

I love taking photos of machinery, rust the photographic details there are to be found

October close-up – leaves of colors 🍃

Flowers

October surprises with frost and colorful leaves 🍃 afters a cold night growing in the embankment at my backyard. The splash of color got my attention, here are more shots of the frosty morning.

Since I am sharing close-ups, mostly of flowers I’ve decided also to participate in Cee’s Flower of the Day challenge.

52 Frames: Week 42: Black and White Minimalism!

52 Frames, Captures from Finland

This week we’re combining two distinct genres to form Black and White Minimalism. Black and White photos, inherently feel a little minimalistic. Using a composition that’s minimalistic, like having negative space, really adds to this unique shooting style.

Simply doors, as interestingly as I could

Black and White minimalism usually yields a very clean and clutter-free aesthetic. A strong subject will draw the viewer’s eye, and a lot of negative space around your subject will support the main “star” of your frame.

You can create minimalism with negative space, and you can also use light and shadow by only lighting your main subject and leaving the rest of the frame in shadow (low key) or by lighting your background bright as well to create a high-key look.

But, in particular for this challenge, do remember that: Less Is More 🙂

Be Direct: Simple does not mean boring. try to tell a story and convey emotion with as little clutter as possible.
Negative Space: Take advantage of negative space. The “empty” space in your photo will draw the attention of the viewer towards the main subject, without being distracted by other items in the photo.
Leading Lines: Use concepts like leading lines to guide your viewer’s eye to the image.
Shoot in B/W: Many cameras have a black and white mode – use that to help make things simpler when previewing the shot you’ve just taken rather than having to post-process later.
Tones and Contrast: There are a multitude of shades and tonal ranges that can be adjusted to bring out depth and textures, especially in a Black And White shot. Consider adjusting those for different looks for your image.

October close-up – leaves of colors 🍃

Flowers

October surprises with frost and colorful leaves 🍃 afters a cold night growing in the embankment at my backyard. The splash of color got my attention.

Since I am sharing close-ups, mostly of flowers I’ve decided also to participate in Cee’s Flower of the Day challenge.

Beautiful in Black and White 11

Black and White photos, Cities

Moving Up and down, I’ve also linked this to CBWC

using your feet to climb up the mountain

October close-up – leaves of green

Flowers

October surprises me with this green plant growing in the embankment at my backyard. The fresh green got my attention.

Since I am sharing close-ups, mostly of flowers I’ve decided also to participate in Cee’s Flower of the Day challenge.

October close-up – Oriental bittersweet

Flowers

October berries of Oriental bittersweet.

Celastrus orbiculatus is a woody vine of the Celastraceae family. It is commonly called Oriental bittersweet, as well as Chinese bittersweet, Asian bittersweet, round-leaved bittersweet, climbing spindleberry and Asiatic bittersweet.

Oriental bittersweet growing on our fence, needs yearly cutting.

October close-up – fallen leaves of lilac

Flowers

October colors on lilac leaves. Looks like nature placed hearts on the grass to get my attention.

Since I am sharing close-ups, mostly of flowers I’ve decided also to participate in Cee’s Flower of the Day challenge.

Edited version of the same photo of fallen lilac leaves

52 Frames: Week 41: Shoot Through Something!

52 Frames, Captures from Finland

Shooting Through Something – basically have something between your lens and your subject that “interferes” with the viewer’s view of your subject. It could be something as simple as leaves in front of your lens. Or if you wanted a more dramatic effect, you could use a piece of glass like a lens ball, a prism, a magnifying glass, etc.

I went out to to capture nature, carrying two camera’s, nearly broke the other by dropping it on the ground, if I’d succeeded it would have been my third camera I dropped and broke. I went out with the intention of trying to shoot behind the trees and leaves, I also did that. I brought some plastic wrap with me to use as a prop. I took this shot placing it on the lens, shooting towards the sun so the flare came nicely on the shot and also gave the shot a misty quality. The autumn colors play a big part in this image of an inlet in Kirkkonummi.

A thin plastic bag or kitchen plastic film (cling film / Saran wrap) over your lens can produce some very creative looking effects too, but you really don’t NEED any special props this week. The idea is that if something is very close to your lens, and your focus is further away, you will create a dreamy, shoot-through effect. This is of course more exaggerated with a shallow depth of fields (wide aperture, smaller f/ number). Go ahead and experiment and have fun!

You could do portraits or street photography by shooting through a window with some reflections showing up, or go the creative route and use vaseline on an old lens filter

The idea is that your foreground, even if it’s blurry, becomes part of your story. So, let’s get creative in a new way.

TIPS:

Refraction: There are tons of ways to use glass to bend and shape light – a wineglass, a magnifying glass, a prism, a lens ball, shooting through a colored pane of glass etc.
Use Nets: A net or thin grid can add some creative effects. If you’re too close, of course, you might not see the effect, so distance yourself appropriately.
Use Plastic: Kitchen film wrap can be used creatively – you can draw on the film to make creative colors and interference patterns without ever harming your lens. How about that empty plastic bottle of water you were about to toss away? That can work too.

52 Frames: Week 40: Rule Of Odds!

52 Frames

Rule Of Odds. Simply put, there’s a school of thought that multiple subjects in a shot are more pleasing if there are an odd number of them, as opposed to even. Think 3, 5, 7, etc.. The number “one” is technically odd, but I don’t think that’s what this “rule” is referring to.

Often an odd number of subjects creates symmetry in your shot – use an odd number of things for the viewer to focus on without making it too cluttered. If you have people subjects, go for 3 or 5; maybe food photography is your thing and you want us to check out some tacos you’ve just made. Or if you’re out and about – maybe you spot 3 birds sitting on a wire. Oh look, it’s five canoes moored together at the lake – all it takes is for you be to a touch more aware of what you see and try and train your mind to compose in odds.

Remember not to over-crowd the image with too many elements. The average human brain has a better chance of feeling attracted to arrangements of 3 or 5 elements, but as you increase that number, this rule will be less relevant.

TIPS:

Movement: Add dynamism and a feeling of movement by composing shots with good space on the correct side, usually more space in the direction of the movement.
Cropping: Consider using cropping in your editing software to improve the composition. When done correctly, it can improve things immensely.
Positioning: Try to align vertical elements such as buildings, people walking on the street or a solitary tree along a gridline to generate more visual interest.
Less Is More: 3 to 5 objects of interest in a scene usually work best. Avoid making your image cluttered.
DoF: Use an appropriate Depth Of Field to ensure good sharpness across all your subjects.