Week 33: In Motion

Without further ado, let me introduce you my very good friend Mari! She made "Week 33: In Motion" happen in the most awesome way!

I just need to tell you the story of the photo shoot. In August I spent some days in Helsinki (Finland) visiting my awesome friends. One night Mari and me went to take a closer look at a mysterious office building. We had seen it from afar, but never actually taken a closer look. While I was trying to take a photo of a random sculpture Mari blurred into the shot. Kinda like this (well, this one's staged, Mari wasn't really randomly jumping up and down there... or was she).

Then it hit me - when shooting things in motion I can just create it in the darkness with people. Or accessories. The magical scarf in motion - creative credits go to my model. ;) 

We found the perfect light to keep the face lit and in focus, but at the same time blur the movement of the scarf. We took a billion shots. It was the most fun ever. Here's my high five to all those people who watch the security camera videos. I am sure we entertained a bit.

I love the colors. I love the contrasts. So it was impossible for me to decide color or black or white. Either way works with those photos.

Things I learned? Spontaneity kicks ass. Always take your camera with you. Go crazy. Be the Statute of Liberty. Or a Unicorn. Anything life brings on you, really. Anything can be kinda magical if you want it to.

A big hug and thank you to Mari for modeling for me and my blog! I am so excited to share these images 'cos round here I usually shoot inanimate objects. I get it, not everyone want's to end up in someone's blog. But I am happy some do. :) I hope to shoot more living objects in the future. It's challenging as a great image takes some kind of special synergy and with some people it just doesn't work. At least that's how it is for me. 

Keep on moving! Be in motion!

xoxo

Ps. I am addicted to Coldplay, so yes - the new song is awesome, check it out here. And have a happy weekend!

App Love: Over

Over - add beautiful text to your photos. This is it. So it is.  Yes, this will be now the shortest app love update ever. Or perhaps not.

I discovered the app this summer and had good time playing with, because you really have nothing much to do on a ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki or the other way around. Unless you like slot machines. Or karaoke. Or preferably both. 

So I took my time to read and to add some text to my photos on my iPhone. All photos edited with VSCO Cam (app love - read here) and some also with Instagram (another app love - check out more here). 

I just love the different choice of fonts (and I haven't even bought anything extra, it's the "standard package"). Still really good.

Oh and if you happen to be in Helsinki check out this exhibition. Modern day instagrammers and photoshoppers etc have nothing on the peeps who were into surreal photography about a century ago! Or rather - there's nothing new in heavy image manipulation and wild fantasies. 

Just like this, me and my fish say hi! 

Happy mid-week!

xx

Week 34: Thorns

Okkaline is yet again one of those word I fail to translate. It is anything with thorns or spikes. So I went with thorns. Before I go on I just have to say that I am very pleased with the little thorns on the text up there - Over is such a brilliant app. Will write more about it soon. App love for sure!

I have a little rose bush growing on my terrace, so there - easy. Especially as I spent the whole day in doing laundry and cleaning up and cooking (all veeeery time consuming, gosh, I have respect for house wives and maids). So, needed something fast and fun for shooting. Plus I feel like I haven't shared enough mobile phone photos lately. All of these were shot with iPhone 4S using macro lens by Photojojo and edited in phone with with VSCO Cam (which I love, read more here). 

I love those. I love it that you don't really need expensive gear to be creative and practice macro photography a bit. Outdated iPhone, cheap magnetic add-on lens and free software. And some slightly burnt roses. 

It has been a good Sunday and perfect transmission from summer to autumn. Early autumn is my absolute favorite time in Madrid. Have a good week y'all! xx 

Week 30/32: Bitter Sweet

Pop-Tarts and cups of coffee. I am getting pretty good at home made cappuccino-lattes. It's not an exact science, so I think what I make is in between a latte and a cappuccino. Love it. Gotta love Friday evenings. They're the kind of evenings that can on forever 'cos the whole weekend is still ahead! Oh yeah!

Still remember my 52 week photo challenge?! I have fallen off the track a bit, but here come weeks 30 and 32. Week 30 - Bitter. Week 32 - Sweet. So, in case you're an Estonian you can just guess what I chose as my subject. 

Yes, "Bitter". 

"Bitter" is the name of the first (?) dark chocolate made by Estonian legendary chocolate maker "Kalev". I used to prefer that as a kid over the normal milk chocolate. Yes, I was picky about my candy years ago. ;)

So I had planned to shoot "Bitter" for week 30, but couldn't do it before I went to Estonia. And by that time also the word 'sweet' had popped up. So I just couldn't resist uniting those two weeks into one. My bitter sweet Estonian chocolate. 

Yes, I had a tons of sweet fun with this shoot!

Have a very sweet weekend y'all! 

xoxo

Fish Wish

Dear blog, I have missed you, but let's be honest - we both had deserved a holiday. However, holidays are over (skies are darker and thunder is louder) and it's time to catch up. I have a whole lot of weekly project photos to post (uh-oh, kinda a month's worth, really). Ones I am most excited about must be from week 33 - In Motion. Human element included. ;) 

Errands and friends. Those two words sum up my holiday nicely. More friends. Thankfully. A lot less Internet time and no blogging. 

One of the rituals me and some of my friends have is an annual photo shoot. It started back in 2006 if I am not mistaken. And it's going strong. If possible we also make a picnic. And then just take fun photos. This year we went to a big flea market, had a nice lunch and hanged out in the artsy hoods. 

Yes, finger moustache for all! Yes, it's possibly extremely hipster.

My friend had a fish head bag and it broke. Yay! Yes, I am happy that it broke. A whole set of fish head fun was born on the go. Fish wish!

Sometimes you just have to let it go and go with the flow. Plenty of fish in the sea? Looks like it. I am thankful to have friends who can just be like that on some days. All fishy. :) 

Any fun photos you took over holidays? Yes? Do share! 

Watch out - more photos coming this week! I am taking post-holiday blogging seriously. 

xoxo

Week 31: Secret

Naive! Naive should be the word! I thought I'll have all this time to blog and such. Nope, not at all. Busy-busy bee I am. If you spend only some weeks a year in your hometown/country then - errands, friends, more errands, more friends. This is how it goes. Active holiday. But I wouldn't have it any other way. Even if it means I will be online a little less. It's probably good for me to be online a little less. Anyhow, here are the photos I had in mind already a week ago.

Devendra Banhart keeping a secret. Or maybe sharing one? 

If he ever plays in your neck of the woods, go check him out! The secret is there is no secret - he's one of the most amazing artists out there at the moment! 

xoxo

If You Tell Me Yours, I Tell You Mine

You know what, I think I have already an idea and photos for this week's topic. How very cool is that. It has been crazy hectic here. I am flying home for three weeks tomorrow. From the South to the North all across Europe - Tallinn, here I come! My and my heavy suitcase (packing is such a torture, don't you agree). Not to mention all the last minute errands popping up, what's with that?! Okay, running to the record store to buy a pile of Devendra Banhart albums is not really an absolute necessity, now is it?! Well, it totally is! He totally stole my heart last night (you can see this talented man here).

Never been to Tallinn? Well, keep an eye on my Instagram account and check out the Facebook page, I just have to share some of it with you. And of course - the blog, I will keep updating. At least once a week. Summer schedule. ;)

xoxo