I Spy With My Little Eye

But what if your eyes lie?

Instagram

There, there... no-no, don't worry. It does say 'Alyssa' on the cup. But that's not my name. It is my cup though. Your classic Starbucks name-fail. But it's a nice example of how everyone perceives things their own way. For what it's worth 'Kaisa' sounds nothing like 'Alyssa' to me. Must say my favorite misspell must be 'Aysha' (or sth that sounded like it) - made me feel very r'n'b for  the rest of the day. Made me step out of my indie bubble.

I have been thinking about it quite a bit - how we tend to think that things are more true if we see them on a video or a photo or somewhere for real. However, it all depends how we perceive things and how others (try to) present them. 

Okay, to the point. I just really wanna say that someone thought I am a fashion blogger! Ha! This is kind of exciting... say what?! 

iPhone 4S, Photojojo fisheye lens, Afterlight

Just to get dressed in the morning. Looking me. Going to work. To be fair I was attending a fashion-related event (among other things). However, there were many different people there. So when someone you don't know asks you if you're a blogger and then says you look a lot like a Spanish fashion blogger then you just try to play it cool and at the same time think: OMG (yes, at times I think in acronyms, help!?), someone thinks I'm like way cool ('cos obviously fashion bloggers are cool; maybe they're uncool, but don't tell me that - I like some of my illusions) and I am Spanish (pale and blonde and all that). Nah I just work in an office. And then you know, blog about my attempts at photography. Didn't say all that. About blogging, I mean. I did introduce myself and all as a normal polite person would. 

Made me think that we never-ever know the kinds of impression we might leave to complete strangers. Or maybe to less complete strangers, too. And friends. Most people never share their first impressions with you. And it's impossible to guess what they think. They totally might think I am a fashion blogger named Alyssa. Listening to the latest r'n'b hits. Oh yeah. I could be blogging about how me and one of my besties got matching shoes last summer in Madrid.

Instagram

But is that even fashionable?! Well, at least this watermelon is. Loud and clear.

Instagram

Adding a fun fact (maybe I shall start a Fun Fact Friday feature?!) - back in the days I have been asked if I am the salesperson at a flea market and at a bookshop. More than once. Obviously I look like I wanna sell people things (and ideas). At a market or a book store or virtually.

Why does it all matter (how we see others, how they see us and so on)?! Well, when I take photos I try to share the truth. My truth. Which might not be other person's truth at all. Same time, same view, different perception. Sometimes it's good to keep it in mind. 

So, have a fun weekend looking at the world and maybe even capturing it. But you know, whatever you spy with your little eye might be a little bit of a lie (oh, rhyme).

Instagram

xoxo

App Love: A Beautiful Mess

One of my all time favorite blogs is A Beautiful Mess. I have been reading it for over a year, maybe two years. I was first drawn to it because all of those fun DIY projects, but all in all - it's all just so fun there. Everything just looks so good. Girlie, yes. But not overly pink and fluffy, if you know what I mean. :) So yeah, I was totally psyched when I read that they'll release their own photo editing app. 

 & Instagram

It's pretty straightforward: crop (square), filters, borders, text, doodles, phrases. While there are all those apps which let you crop and add filters (see my previous app love posts about Instagram and Afterlight) then my interest was primarily targeted towards adding cute stuff to images, like words and doodles. 

At firs I was a little concerned that what if this app will turn all photos the same with the same handwriting you know and same style. Hey, but we all have our own ways to use the tools and if you look through images with #abeautifulmess then you see that while using the same borders, doodles and handwriting all those images look different. They just add to the original image. And people see things so differently.

& Instagram

Yup, I love publishing the images through Instagram (follow me!) and sometimes add an additional filter. Plus I love how you can just point out things in the photo without too many additional words. On the go. 

& Instagram

& Instagram

& Instagram

I love that you can add your own text in different handwriting. 

& Instagram

Sometimes it's just silly fun all the way. That's how I cook. It's a whole system.

And sometimes you have all this new music and you are short of words.

& Instagram

This app is a keeper. Though I might be overusing it a bit at the moment, but ever so often images say more than words, so... :) 

xoxo

Ground Control

This week I am gonna keep my feet on the ground. Well, to be honest I hope to keep my whole body on the ground (read: in the sand) over the weekend. Yes, a beach weekend has been promised to me. I am willing to go great lengths in the name of seaside. Gonna work on my tan (read: gonna be covered in tons of sunscreen and claim that being tanned is just uncool).

Week 21: On the Ground (in Estonian: maas)

xoxo

Week 20: Long Distance

Home-bound unsocial weekend. Woohoo. Yeah, I don't do cool very well. I find unsocial weekends totally nice now and then. Rainy weather and cold winds. Yes, we are back in winter. So, what else to do than to get nostalgic. Uh-oh, well doesn't that sound a bit nicer than me just saying: I was too lazy to go find something to shoot outside home?! Well, I did try to take some photos at a concert last night - it was an epic fail as I was too far from the stage and stuff plus it has nothing much to do with this week's theme. And nope, going to concerts doesn't really count for being social. I can be an extremely unsocial concert goer. But that's another story.

So as I am packrat and I love colorful things then, yes, I have the best things to represent 'long distance' here at my house - postcards!

 I love postcards and luckily enough I seem to know people who love to send them to me. This is just a fraction of my postcard collection (well, I don't collect  them per se; I just have more than one). The major part is at my mom's house. She constantly asks me if she can throw away my stuff. :) Possibly one day I will be this crazy old lady who lives in the house of cards. Of postcards. Now you can decide if it is scarier than living with 40 cats or not. I don't intend to live with 40 cats. I don't really mix and mingle well with cats. I have considered a ferret, but then again I read they can "cut" your throat in your sleep. So, house of cards it shall be. And some coffee with milk.

Postcards come from faraway countries. They travel long distances.

My fave stamp story is: I had to attach it with a piece of chewing gum 'cos it had no glue on its back and I had no glue stick. It felt very special and a little gross. But creative brownie points to my friend, for sure. 

So yes, postcards can come from people's trips abroad or then for special occasions. 

Or then carry fun messages. Hallmark or handwritten. No special occasion.

Then there are those people who really know what you love (ahem, yes, cameras, cakes, hipsters and pens).

So, yes, I did have so much fun with all my postcards this stormy afternoon. On one of those photos you can see one raindrop. Challenge accepted?! Because of course it started raining the moment I dragged my treasures out to the terrace to be shot in daylight. Luckily I have roof-thingie (I only know the word in Spanish and it's toldo) I can open when needed.  

I have this little postcard corner next to my front door. So long distance would feel a little less long. And those white walls would be less white. 

So, yes, I am a bit sentimental and a bit old fashioned. I do think postcards are brilliant. They travel the world. Long distance. 

Any other postcard lovers out there? 

xoxo

*All photos shot with Canon EOS 6D and EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM lens. Edited in Lightroom 4.  

Fragments of Fire

And I know that fire works, I have seen the fireworks

- The Crash "Fireworks"

Last night I played around with my new camera and tried to get some fun shots of fireworks they fired in honor of San Isidro (the saint of Madrid). My initial plan was to go to the park to see it closely, but in the end I didn't feel like going out into the cold and dark. I was there last year and it gets crazy. Probably no space for a tripod or anything. So I zoomed and hunted some "artsy"shots from the comfort of my home. The perks of living on the top floor. 

I gave a first try to the whole my iPhone as my camera remote thing (bless the genius who packed 6D with WiFi). It works. Brilliant. So handy. Plus I tried this whole keep-your-shutter-open-as-long-as-you-want-thing. Cool. Obviously it all takes practice, but it's fun. You get to play with fire.

It is all good to be in a celebratory mood as tomorrow is Friday!

xoxo

Long Time No See

The moment I pulled out this slip from the tin (week 20: long distance) this song started playing in my head. I could probably write a novel on long distance friendships. Well, I couldn't write a novel, I have no idea how to write one nor do I have a burning desire to do so. However, almost as long as I can remember I have always had friends and some family abroad. And now it's me who is living thousands of kilometers away. Long distance is my life. A blessing and and a curse. More of a blessing tho. Definitely more of a blessing! But you know, sometimes you just want the "right" friend to have drinks or a laughing fit with and you can't (note to self: save up for a private jet). Long distance. Yup, laughing fits don't really work long distance. 

And a slightly soppy (but who doesn't love some soppy and some unicorns in their life, right) quote by a friend of mine:

Our friendship nullifies distance. 

I (geniunely) love talking about weather, so here's an update - it's sunny in Madrid and with that I wish you a lovely week!

xoxo

Ps. A lovely read on iPhoneography (via Petapixel). So, let's have fun with our mobile cameras. It's cool enough. 

Week 19: Contrasts

I have been taking a whole lot of photos this week. Most of all, to get used to my new camera. So, you know, these really "fascinating" shots of nothingness when you try to see if the shutter really works or how fast it works. And so on. However, I have also been lucky enough to stumble upon some local festivities. And one night I arrived home just to see fireworks from my terrace. I shall share some of the colorful shots with you in near future. Madrid is celebrating, you know - next week is the day of Madrid's saint San Isidro. 

However, I have also captured a thing or two that depict this week's topic - contrasts. This one's spot on. 

Sunday in Alcala de Henares, a small picturesque town near Madrid

Color contrasts. Your classical black vs white and less conventional gray vs orange. 

Park Retiro, Madrid

Sunday thoughts, Alcala de Henares 

Those contrast-creating shadows lurking around my bedroom at night (yup, sometimes I don't sleep, I just listen to music and play around with my camera).

Light vs night. 

Last, but not least - my favorite. The little boy vs the (young) man. Contrasting in age. Yet looking like the same person at different age. I just loved this moment. And anything I love is fit for my blog any time.

Two strangers in park Retiro, Madrid

Still some hours of Sunday left, so better go make something useful (household stuff looooong overdue). 

Enjoy whatever's left of the weekend!

xoxo