valokuvaus – Page 9 – Ritva Sillanmäki Photography

Throwback Thursday

Cities, Photography, Travel, Traveling Sri Lanka

We all have these photos … throwback photos! Don’t we just… so many. It’s described as ‘nostalgia-inducing pictures … from a different era of your life”. This week (#TB Thursday).Thursday is filled with memories from the Thriving Fishing Culture from Negombo, Sri Lanka.

Negombo made its start as a fishing community, and fishermen today continue to hawk their wares on the city’s sandy shores. Starting from as early as 4AM, fishing boats begin to make their way to the beach laden with that morning’s catch. Shrimps, crabs and lobsters are hunted at the famous Negombo Lagoon, while fresh fish is hauled in from the waves of the Indian Ocean.

A Unique Concept

Visitors that walk the shores of Negombo beach can witness the day’s catch being laid out on enormous mats made of coconut fibre. Using an age-old method of open-air drying, the fishermen use the heat of the sun to remove all moisture from the fish and extend their shelf life. It will then get salted before being shipped to all over the island and sold in stores; dried fish is a very common inclusion of Sri Lankan cuisine.

Adjacent to the shores of drying fish, the wet market is where fresh seafood can be bought. Ranging from of offers of tuna, mackerel, squid, sardines and shark, the market is said to be closed on Sundays when the city’s predominantly Catholic population heads to church. However, some Muslim fishermen still operate on Sunday (their religious day of the week being Friday), so it is still possible to witness the fishing community in action.

While some of the fish for sale at the market are brought in fresh, others have been brought in from larger wholesalers in the morning to be sold here. The best fish are sold to local hotels and restaurants before being relegated to either the marketplace or to being dried under the sun on the beach.

what would be your choice for the day?

Mid-week Monochrome #126-1

Black and White photos

I have a soft spot for black and white photography, it is expressive and minimalist in and very mood enhancing.

Roses are beautiful even in monochrome

“There is strong shadow where there is much light.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Take time to smell the roses.

Posted for Bren’s Mid-Week Monochrome and for Leanne’s Monochrome Madness Challenge

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge #245—Environments

lens-artists

The promp this weeks in Environments, that is the question of this week from Tina.

She wrote: We’d love you to show and tell us what it is about your own environment that is most special to you. Maybe you’re a city mouse (as above) who loves to travel to the country for a change of pace (as below) – or vice versa. Maybe you travel back and forth from home to work. Whatever your ‘druthers, this week’s challenge is to share your images and thoughts about environments, whatever they may be.

Environment has a huge impact on the way we think and live. I truly believed that. It doesn’t have to define you, but it shapes you for sure. People, family, you cannot leave them out of this, they are a huge part of the environment you live in

I have lived in three continents and moved about 27 times. I once counted them.

The most impact on the environment I want to live in has been where I grew up between the years from 5 year to my teens. A place called Kaitaa in Espoo Finland. it was a small area with single houses on rather big block of land near the sea, and woods. I did not live there all the time, I lived in Australia for several years on two different occasions.

So I lived in a suburb about 15 km from Helsinki in a residential area just a few minutes away from the sea. Woods starting from the backyard, an area where we kids could play around by ourselves. I have spent hours trying to find photos of the area, but no, it was nearly impossible and to get good ones totally impossible. Below there are photos of my current backyard. One of the houses in Australia, this one my had built as he did the one is Espoo also, the last image in this set.

So when I think of the place I now am most comfortable at is where I have a nature opening behind my window, privacy. I don’t have the sea as near as I would like, it is still near, but I have the woods, rocks and nature opening from my windows. I still live near Helsinki where I can sit in a cafe watching people, visit bookstores and take part in events and happenings if I wish. The need for this is less all the time. Age, it must be the age.

Helsinki – our capital is a lovely place, but I do not wish to live there. (below) I was born there, lived there for the first 5 years, but the memories are very vague.

Between this I have lived in big cities, small towns and very different surroundings. I have traveled a lot in Europe, the US and Australia. Sunspot location and cities. All have had an impact on me and how I view the world, people. Life, really how I view life.

Here are few places I’ve lived in when abroad

Hammondville, NSW, Mt. Gambier, SA, Adelaide, SA, Liverpool NSW, Cambelltown , NSW, Leaumeah, NSW, Nyack, NY, Las Vegas, NV , San Diego, CA

One has been a constant in my life, I want to live near by the sea and woods. Well in Vegas, not so much so :-)) Lake Mead was there… These are the important elements in my life. I tried to find scanned photos from San Diego, but could not find all that many on my hardware. La Jolla was a place we spent lots of time

We have had a summer house hour and half hour drive away in the countryside – solitude, our own little getaway. Once again woods, farmland and lakes nearby. So that is what I come from and where I have ended up being. The photos below are from there, our summer haven. This has been in my life for 30 years, when we bought it was in a really bad state, but now after working on it for these years if is one of the best places to spend the summer.

I’m not really happy with this post, but I’ll just post it anyways.

Lens-Artists Challenge #245 – Environments

lens-artist tag

PS. Due to this post I’ve spent hours going though my archives an deleted LOT of photos 🙂 something good came out of it.

Mountain view

Landscapes, Traveling US

I was looking for a specific photo, instead I found this. I took this shot of the beautiful mountains and forest in Sequoia National Park in Three Rivers CA.

Why it has gone unnoticed before I don’t know, I rather like.

Throwback Thursday

Cities, Photography, Travel, Traveling Thailand

We all have these photos … throwback photos! Don’t we just… so many. It’s described as ‘nostalgia-inducing pictures … from a different era of your life”. This week (#TB Thursday).Thursday is filled with memories from Kwai River in Thailand in 2008. We had a family vacation in the sun and these beautiful settings. We slept in these floating bungalows over the river Kwai.

The River Kwai, more correctly ‘Khwae Noi’ (Thai: แควน้อย, English small tributary) or Khwae Sai Yok (แควไทรโยค), is a river in western Thailand, near, but not over the border with Myanmar. It begins at the confluence of Ranti, Songkalia and Bikhli Rivers. At Kanchanaburi it merges with the Khwae Yai River to form the Mae Klong river, which empties into the Gulf of Thailand at Samut Songkhram.

Jumping and swimming in the clear fresh water of the river has been a particular favorite of many, us too .There has always been something nice, and calming about swimming, and letting the water take all your worries away.

Mid-week Monochrome #129

Black and White photos

I have a soft spot for black and white photography, it is expressive and minimalist in and very mood enhancing.

“It is life, I think, to watch the water. A man can learn so many things.”

“There is strong shadow where there is much light.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Perhaps the truth depends on a walk around the lake.”

“If there are ripples on the surface of a lake, we cannot see the depth. Similarly unless the mind is restful, we cannot experience the harmony and union within us.” – Sri Ravi Shankar

Posted for Bren’s Mid-Week Monochrome and for Leanne’s Monochrome Madness Challenge

Easter

Captures from Finland, Cities

Long weekend, we were so hoping to be able to go to spend this weekend at our summer house, but still too much snow, we would not be able to drive to to our house, plus not much to do as everything is under snow. So instead we stayed home, the weather was lovely and it really felt like spring.

We spent time on our patio, had this year’s first barbecue, basically we watched the sun melt and loved the feeling of sunrays on our faces. We did get out of our house, went to Helsinki to see loads of people come out of their homes to welcome a warmish day in the city.

First we went to Kaivopuisto is situated right at the tip of the Helsinki peninsula. It is one of the oldest and most popular parks in the city. There from the dock I took this shot of Suomenlinna. The coast quard was on the lookout

Café Ursula is popular livingroom on the shore of beautiful Kaivopuisto Park. The seaside café Ursula was founded in 1952, the same year as the Olympic Games took place in Helsinki. The cafe has since the beginning steered it´s profits to charities, nowadays as well. I took these photos next to it.

Lots of people walking by the shore, sitting on the rocks. I was surpised about the amount of tourist we had at this time of the year. Lines to buy ice cream were long… spring.

The Canada goose was very much visible in the park

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge #244—Glowing moments

lens-artists

What glowing moments have been special in your life? that is the question of this week from Siobhan.

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge #244—Glowing moments

My first though was many special occasions when people glow with happiness. Young people glow. People glow, some glow when pregnant, not me… not the best of times for me, but some women do glow. Often I have glowed with pride looking at my children 🧒

Brides are often said to glow… Happiness, smile makes us glow this is a fact.

Blue of the sea, fireworks, sunsets, citylights, moonlight all glowing moments to treasure.

Art can glow and smile

below, mothers pride, children glowing, people enjoying a glowing sunset

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge #244—Glowing moments and lens-artist tag

Throwback Thursday

Cities, Photography, Travel

We all have these photos … throwback photos! Don’t we just… so many. It’s described as ‘nostalgia-inducing pictures … from a different era of your life”. I am posting my fsecond (#TB Thursday).Thursday

This time I am posting photos from the Baltics, the rooftops from Latvia. This is what the rooftops looked like in Riga at 2012 when I visited it with my sister. I love old towns, and the architecture in them, many time the decay in the buildings brings the little something extra in the photos.

Mid-week Monochrome #128

Black and White photos, People

I have a soft spot for black and white photography, it is expressive and minimalist in and very mood enhancing.

For the last six days my son was visiting with the youngest of our grandsons, so I have not been very active here, as there was someone wanting attention. An so much more cooking to do than normally.

I did get a chance to get some photographs taken, as I had a lovelu and cute boy to aim my camera to. After the first time, he said to me: Mummi, if these are not good we can take more tomorrow. (Mummi – grandma in Finnish)

and we did the light in my bedroom was better than the the ones I took in the living room. He is a good sport, and a real pro in front of the camera. After some shot he would say to me, let me see? and came to look at the shots on the camera. I am not going to post all of them the first time I took 90 frames and second time 125 frames. Most of them are OK.

“There is strong shadow where there is much light.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“There’s something strange and powerful about black-and-white imagery.”

Compare the color version versus the black and white one.

This last one was from the first time, we took in the evening and the light was low

Posted for Bren’s Mid-Week Monochrome

Lens-Artists Photography Challenge #243– Tricky

lens-artists, Photography

Lens-Artists Challenge #243 – It’s Tricky!

This week Donna invites us to share tricks .

I know…It’s Tricky! Enjoy the chance to think outside-the-box for this challenge. What tricks do you use to get the shot you want? I don’t know if I really have any…. editing, that is my main trick.

One thing I often do to get great nice bokeh shots is have a flower in my hand outstretched towards the sun coming throughout the trees and taking a macro shot that way… easier on my knees 🙂 mostly I like to take close ups so that the object is back-lit.

somethimes you just have use thte natural settings, bend down and get the shot.

Water , droplets splash… usually I need assistance, often from my husband, or the water dripping down from the spout to the water barrel below. Or like my here my husband dropping Ice into the the glass

Drops in a barrel

Trick, well I think the most impostant trick is to be observant and have patience especially when photographing nature, animals, bugs. Well anything really, many times getting a a good shot is due to a good luck. Right time at the right place. How you place the camera. Mostly that you pay attention. That’s my trick really.

People photography is a art of its own, you have to find the essence of the person, and the right angle to bring the best of the peole features, expressions to shine in the the photo. Once again, be alert.

Composition, framing the photo is essential for a great shot depending what you want to enhance and showcase in the photo. Below some shots from Amalfi coast.

#Lens-Artists #Lens-Artists Challange

April 1st

Landscapes, People, Photography

It’s April and it still looks like winter, feels like winter even though next to a wall where the wind doesn’t blow you can feel the lovely warmth of the sun.

My grandson said to me, I will never forget the mountain next to your home 😀 ( it is a hill ) he always wants to climb it no matter what season it is. Today he conquered it with his father and grandpa

Mid-week Monochrome #127

Black and White photos, People

I have a soft spot for black and white photography, it is expressive and minimalist in and very mood enhancing.

Not finding the book you want? I had just done my civil duty at the library, voted. I sat waiting for my husband to lend some books.

I liked the line of the windows and the shelves making a leading line. So I set the camera -phone to the floor level and took this photo of three people, they seemed to be nicely situated in also in this lowpoint photo. I also got a shot of the person sitting by the desk reading.

“The eye is always caught by light, but shadows have more to say.” ~ Gregory Maguire

“There is strong shadow where there is much light.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“There’s something strange and powerful about black-and-white imagery.”

Compare to edit, color versus black and white version. But I also with the shadows.

Posted for Bren’s Mid-Week Monochrome

Lens-Artists Photography Challenge #242– NEW EXPERIENCES

lens-artists, Photography

LENS ARTISTS PHOTO CHALLENGE #242: NEW EXPERIENCES

This week Anne invites us to share experiences . Experiencing something for the first time can be exhilarating, exhausting, and engaging.

Seeing something new in nature, visiting a new city. Listening to music, sounds of nature, art in all forms. I thing I get most from seeing, experiencing natures wonders.

I have also got great joy visiting the Great ocean road in Australia. I have done several posts from that trip. I still have lots of shots not share. Awesome place. Waterfall, rolling hills, animals in the wild… I could go on and on..

I love the rugged coastline there and in Northern California

and Oregon also, memorable and beautiful experiences.

Seeing the red woods in California Sequoia National Park, the magnificent trees.

Seeing the desert and it rough beauty of Valley of fire In Nevada

Thailand, Sri Lanka, India the different type of nature, culture. European countries with the long history and beautiful architecture, Italy, The Amalfi coast, Venice. France, Paris, Nice´ on and on I could go here too

You need not go far, you can experience a misty morning or evening. Sunset or sunrise that amaze you in your own yard. It is a new experience everytime, if not, would we not try to capture when ever it is possible.

Experience – is seeing the same old as something new everytime -living the moment. It can be as mundane as experiencing your morning coffee everyday. Maybe today with toast, tomorrow with pancakes… I don’t know, we must not forget the little everyday moments.

#Lens-Artists #Lens-Artists Challange

Orchid

Flowers

Repeat – as I accidently deleted this. 🙂

Posted for Bren’s Floral Friday and Cee’s Flower of the Day

Hydrangea

Flowers

I have not taken photos of flowers in a week, but now I got myself a pink Hydrangea to place on the kitchen table.

Hope to keep in blooming for some time. As you can see from the window, we still have lots of snow 😦 outside. This bloom brings spring inside

Posted for Bren’s Floral Friday and Cee’s Flower of the Day

Mid-week Monochrome #126

Black and White photos, Captures from Finland

I have a soft spot for black and white photography, it is expressive and minimalist in and very mood enhancing.

Light continues tobe the theme, as it is the thing that uplifts me the most at the moment. I posted yesterday shots of advancing sping yesterday. Today it is raining, slush and snow. Well they do say, new snow is the death of old snow this time of the year. Today I converted few into monochrome images.

“The eye is always caught by light, but shadows have more to say.” ~ Gregory Maguire

“There is strong shadow where there is much light.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“There’s something strange and powerful about black-and-white imagery.”

Compare to edit, color versus black and white version. But I also with the shadows…

Posted for Bren’s Mid-Week Monochrome

Such vibrant colors

Captures from Finland

Humaljärvi during a beautiful and sunny day is so vibrant in colors.

Well, sunny and a clear day. Now is a great to be ice fishing…

Reflection

Captures from Finland, Landscapes

I took this a couple hours ago, after rainy and very misty days, the sun is out, and lots of snow has melted. I went for short drive to Humaljärvi (Lake humaljärvi) it is still covered with ice. This part where the water flows it was open and I got these artistic reflection shot.

Simple, but I like them. What do you think?

SIMPLE but effective

Lens-Artists Photography Challenge #241– Spring

lens-artists, Photography

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #241 – Spring

This week Sofia invites us to show you what Spring means to us. Is it about new beginnings, Nature reborn or a new chance to go and enjoy the outdoors?

This is a no brainer, I mean, obviously it is about light. Me and so many other when the spring begins to show first signs of more light the constant marvel of it… we do, every year as if this was something unexpected. The joy of it is so awesome, it wakes us up from the winter hibernation, we slowly come put of houses.

When does spring start? In 2023, the official first day of spring is Monday, March 20. This date marks the “spring equinox” in the Northern Hemisphere. That is today!

( Is the spring equinox the same as spring solstice? Equinox vs Solstice
An equinox occurs at the start of the spring and fall. The solstice occurs during the summer and the winter. Occurs on March 21 (Vernal equinox) and on September 23 (Autumnal equinox).

No matter where you are on Earth, the equinox brings us a number of seasonal effects, noticeable to nature lovers around the globe. At the equinox, Earth’s two hemispheres are receiving the sun’s rays equally. Night and day are often said to be equal in length.

The fastest sunsets and sunrises of the year happen at this time. We’re talking here about the length of time it takes for the whole sun to sink below the horizon. Sunset or sunrise you have to be quick to act, if you wait long enough you will only see tail end of it.

First you notice is the snow and ice melting.The fields with the soil coming visible and mornings of mist. Everything is brown. Only moss glows green. The lakes and sea is been freed from under the ice.

Everywhere! Forget about the weather for a moment, and think only about daylight. In terms of daylight, the knowledge that spring is here – and summer is coming – permeates all of nature on the northern half of Earth’s globe.

Notice the arc of the sun across the sky each day. You’ll find that it’s shifting toward the north. Responding to the change in daylight, birds and butterflies are migrating back northward, too, along with the path of the sun.

The longer days do bring with them warmer weather. People are leaving their winter coats at home. eople are raking the leaves from their yards. Trees are budding, and plants are beginning a new cycle of growth. In many places, spring flowers are beginning to bloom.

new fresh green – not visible here yet, but it is a sign of the glorious days of spring finaly here.

Spring is full of hope, l ight, beauty and blooming of nature. One of the best of season’s

#Lens-Artists #Lens-Artists Challange

WIndow view of green

Photography

I was looking for a specific photo, by the way; I did not find it, instead of that this popped up. The old glass in the window makes the woods hace a rippled effect, very artistic with out any editing.

I can hardly wait until we have this green surroundings again. All this white… enough

Throwback Thursday

Cities, Photography, Travel

We all have these photos … throwback photos! Don’t we just… so many.

It’s described as ‘nostalgia-inducing pictures … from a different era of your life”.

I am posting my first #TB Thursday I am posting photos from old town Tallinn in Estonia , from 2014 I think ?

Glorious sky

Landscapes

It is against lots of quide lines as how to compose a photo, but this all about the glorous sky. I captured these shots from a moving car.

Mid-week Monochrome #125

Black and White photos, People

I have a soft spot for black and white photography, it is expressive and minimalist in and very mood enhancing.

This is my week choice – light from above

“The eye is always caught by light, but shadows have more to say.” ~ Gregory Maguire

“There is strong shadow where there is much light.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“There’s something strange and powerful about black-and-white imagery.”

Posted for Bren’s Mid-Week Monochrome and Leanne’s Monochrome Madness

Pink tulip

Flowers

“So, in the tulip, we have a flower of beauty and grace of charm, refinement and distinction. It is a powerful flower and it knows it.” — Tadashi Shoji

“Even when petals have flaws, all you see is a beautiful flower.”

This post is linked to Cee’s FOTD – Flower of the Day

Colorful doors

Cities, Traveling US

I have come across so many doors while looking at my fellow bloggers posts. So I thought I would post few too. Here are some colorful doors 🙂 from Savannah, Georgia.