Pause

“Idleness is sweet, and its consequences are cruel”
~John Quincy Adams

Camera: Canon PowerShot A710 IS
Exposure: 0.002 sec (1/640)
Aperture: f/4.0
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
Exposure Bias: -1 EV
Flash: Off, Did not fire
ISO Speed: 75


When my camera was new I took hundreds of photos a week, nowadays I barely use it. I do have an acceptable excuse: the dark Finnish winter, but I still remember that 4 years ago, that didn't stop me from experimenting with macro shots. I bought flowers and took pictures of them from different angles:




1. Beautiful & calm, 2. Center of attraction, 3. mum, 4. Better late than never..


During the spring and summer months, I was always outside looking for anything worth taking photos of. By the end of the summer, the amount of photos kept me busy for months. This year, however, was quite different. The last time I used my camera was almost 7 weeks ago when I was in London. I think that somewhere along the line, I lost my enthusiasm. Maybe it's because my camera has seen better days and I am hating myself for being too stubborn to upgrade.

In my attempt to regain enthusiasm, I visit my web gallery every now and then. Sometimes I couldn't believe that I was the same person who took those photos, no kidding! My lucky shots and the comments of photostream visitors inspire me somehow.I know some people who got bored with photography, treated it like something that they had to try once, and then forget about it. Pardon me for making it sound like a one-night stand :-) I don't want to fall in the same category, I prefer a longer, and more fruitful relationship with photography. So while I am on hibernation mode, I will think of moving on to next level. My next steps would be getting a new camera, attending workshops, entering photo contests.. anything that will prepare me for a long-term commitment with photography.

For now, kindly pardon my idleness. I assure you that this just a temporary phase. I'm giving myself some room to grow, hoping that next spring I will fall in love with photography all over again.

Lucky bird

“Be as a bird perched on a frail branch that she feels bending beneath her, still she sings away all the same, knowing she has wings.” ~Victor Hugo

Camera: Canon PowerShot A710 IS
Exposure: 0.002 sec (1/500)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
Flash: Off, Did not fire
ISO Speed: 75
Modifications: adjusted brightness and contrast

Last week, for the first time this year, I heard birds singing. I think that was a sign which indicates either I have auditory hallucinations, or spring is just around the corner. My camera has been hibernating since the first week of January, but since spring will be here soon, it has to prepare itself for yet another nature photography season. It has seen better days, but it would have to do for the time being.

Time and again I hear whining about my Flickr photo gallery, like "bugs again? When will you ever get tired of those?" I never paid attention, but today I realized that some people really find them creepy. I don't want my gallery to be the reason why some people get nightmares or suffer from sleepless nights. I won't delete the spider photos, but just to prove that I do have a heart, let's skip the bees and talk about the birds for a change. Hope you like my lucky shots of bigger winged creatures:


1. Lucky bird, 2. Untitled, 3. by her lonesome, 4. Tweet!

They obviously didn't mind my presence because I was was able to take photos at close range. Either that or they were too confused to care. The 'lucky bird' was a poor fella because it had an accident, it hit the glass of our living room window while I was gardening. I took photos of it a few minutes after it had regained consciousness. The bird in the 'Tweet' photo was also a casualty because I think fell of its nest. It was too young to fly, and that was the reason why I manage to stalk it. Boy, it's so cool to be at the right place and at the right time. I therefore conclude that I'm one lucky bird, not the kind that eats bugs though :-)