Old news, but I had one of my photos published on a website. My photo of the AHHAA Science Centre was chosen to illustrate the following page of Invest in Estonia. I remember that session very well, as my brother came with me on our dad’s old bicycle, which he had tuned up. Also, you can see him at the bottom of this photo shown below. 🙂 Good times!
I know this is a bit confusing, as Earth Day is in the end of April, on 22nd of April to be exact. But for many Estonians the month of May, especially the beginning of it is the time to roll up your sleeves and do something for the community. It is time for the The Let’s Do It collective action day. I have participated in this action for few times. Basically all the time when I am at home in Estonia.
It started as a small event, which has grown into a huge event and very loved by Estonians. A few years ago it was even organized as a worldwide event. A new tradition is born. It is called World Clean-up Day. On 16th of September it is your chance to participate in it and make the world a cleaner place.
About the photo. This was taken actually in 2010 – 13 years ago! I put this group together and people bought their own friends. So what are you seeing here are the friends of me, Anette and Maria. I invited them and they invited their friends. We were cleaning cemetery and found lots of evergreen flowers. This group picture was born after Maira thanked all participants in this clean-up day and handed to everybody a bunch of flowers. How can we not take a photo after hard work and such nice gesture.
Have you ever participated in Let’s Do It or the World Clean-Up Day? If not, I strongly suggest to. As it so much fun and you will be doing so much good for the planet Earth!
Few years ago I got an invitation to participate at a book launch. I was surprised, why I was invited, but decided to go. The book launch was organized to promote Valdur Mikita‘s, who happens to be a wonderful nature and old-traditions loving very pleasant writer and semiotician. The book was ordered by Tartu City Government, as a publication to promote Tartu’s special vibes and also gather its most important parts into an alphabet.
I didn’t have the pleasure to shoot the cover of the book, that chance is still yet to come, but I had couple of photos published in the book. The most proud I am of this very random moment, I managed to capture, while I think I was in another shoot. It portrays young people on top of the roof during the sunset. They were there to enjoy the concert, which took place just under their window, in a small and quaint courtyard. There was a pigeon behind them, which caught their attention and I captured this shot. I took several others, when they were looking down and elsewhere, but this one was chosen. I especially love this shot because of the evening sun’s warm colour, which makes the red bricks of one of Tartu’s icon’s – Jaani kirik/St. John’s church, bursting with colour.
Well, if March wasn’t a spring month, then April definitely has to be one! Right? Look at this photo. Everything is brand new, full of energy and about to burst green. So beautiful, like a painting, right Hahaa, I guess I am really waiting for spring. Or Earth Day. On 22nd of April lots is happening all around the world. Read more from the above link and add your event. I will organize a nature clean-up again and I hope that some people are coming around as well to take care of nature while picking up some garbage. Get your spring on the right way!
The other day I was going through my photos and I came across the ones from Ottawa, taken in February 2022. I actually should have posted this earlier, but February was such a busy month anyway, so I hope this still fits here just fine.
I was able to visit with a bunch of friends the historic Canada Freedom Convoy in the streets of Ottawa. I still consider it one of the most fun events I have ever been to, though no, I haven’t forgotten the crisp, but sunny day that it was. I am not a fan of -17 C, especially knowing that I have to spend the whole day outside. Oh well, I survived and was able to get even my photos published. So I lived to tell.
I am still surprised that people had such bad impressions of the whole convoy. I hear you, the constant honking, and disturbance of usual peace and movement most likely was pretty annoying. But those people were taking an extra step to fight back and make themselves heard. I mean, this was a pretty bold move, especially during those freezing days!! Even if not the biggest changes were achieved and mandates were broken, it was still a very bold community action, which bought together so many strangers, who made this, at least during the weekends, a beautiful place to be.
What are your thoughts or comments on CFC? Perhaps you were one of the many to visit it?
It may be a bit surprising or maybe not, that this photo was taken in March.
The picture really doesn’t give away any signs of the season. There are no visible trees. Also, no remains of snow. Which makes it a bit of an eerie photo. Not to forget the weird bluish tint.
Some consider March spring month, for some it is a definite winter month. Which is it for you?
I consider it a spring month, as it included Women’s Day. This day is known to be a busy day for flower shops, as many people around the world are buying flowers for the dear women in their lives. It is a fun thing, isn’t it? But it is no fun thing to think about what goes on to produce, transport and sell these flowers as the article HERE points out, not so rosy. The environmental impact is relatively high.
Food for thought, that on the eve of Women’s Day, I saved these flowers from their pre-timed death. For a whole week, they bought joy and beauty into my every day.
Today marks the 105th year of the Estonian Republic. It is an important anniversary for a small country like Estonia. We have managed a lot after we got our independence back and continue growing. Next week the parliament elections are taking place, giving the people an option to choose the representatives of their voices. Let’s see what the new year will bring.
For an Estonian living abroad, it is crucial to celebrate all the local holidays, which allows me to be an Estonian. I was planning to go to the Estonian flag raising on the 24th of February, by the Toronto City Hall, but because of the one-year anniversary of the Ukrainian-Russian war, they raised the Ukrainian flag. The Estonian flag was to be erected on Saturday. Obviously, I didn’t go, as after working until 11.30 PM, the girl needed a little rest after getting to bed at 4 AM!
Hence I share the photos of the last year’s event by the Estonian House, which marked the last time when the Canadian and the Estonian flags were ever raised there. Also, this was my first time going there, as I had gone downtown before, but never to Estonian House.
Well, it was great to see so many people present on that cold, but sunny day, mostly masked as you can see. But I think I got some great shots nevertheless. Below is a small gallery of this historic event, as the Estonian House is sold now and all activities there have ended. The building has been sitting empty since the 1st of November, 2022.
Here is a selection of the photos taken during the flag-raising by the Toronto Estonian House.
A little while after, when I had a chance to take photos of various (old) dorm rooms at Tartu College. They have several room options in downtown Toronto for students who have been arriving in Toronto all around the world. It was my second architectural photoshoot. Wouldn’t mind doing it again. So, if you are interested, shoot me an e-mail and let’s make the photos happen.
Again the most fun thing was setting up the rooms, so they are ready for the shoot. One thing is to put things out that you think are the best way. And the other is looking at the whole view through the viewfinder. Gathering the things and spreading them around in different rooms, so as to have rooms look authentic and personal, was so much fun.
And the shooting. Well, it was better than the first time, as the windows were not so bright, so just some of the outside was washed out. As I took these photos at the beginning of June when it was very sunny and hot. But at least you can still get the idea of the rooms. Renovated rooms definitely look cooler and well…modern. Plus, they actually have AC in the rooms!
I think finding a post about vegan breakfast on a photography homepage is pretty random.
But again, maybe not, as I am vegan. Utterly and honestly the biggest fan of all fruits and vegetables. One can make beautiful meals out of them and they are truly mindblowing. Perhaps this is because I like food, but then again, I can’t remember loving food so much when I was an omnivore or even a vegetarian. I even didn’t eat beans as a vegetarian. Now I can just eat chickpeas as I used to eat M&M’s.
I do take occasionally photos of food on the table. A little interest I got myself into many years ago. I was thinking that it would be really unique and original, but unfortunately, my little Instagram page at What Is On The Table hasn’t really picked up in a few years. I started it not long ago and posting photos chronologically, as it shows my transformation from vegetarian, who mind you, ate fish! to a vegan who I am today.
About the photo. This is a lovely Saturday late afternoon 3rd of January, the end of the holiday break breakfast. I have never had a plate like this for breakfast: waffles and cookies. Blueberries, yes, I can understand. The cookies had to be finished, as there were just a few left. I tried a new recipe for gluten-free waffles and wanted to see how it turns out. Pretty okay, though needs some improvement.
I took the photo mostly because of the food, but also because the background and the light have this nice, lovely, homely feel. In other words, hygge. Yes, there were some little LED lights on the table, but pictured in another photo. 😉
HAPPY NEW YEAR! It is time for the new year’s resolutions. Perhaps you can say no to plastic.
NO to plastic! Why? Simply because it is one of the most hardly recycling materials, we use it everywhere. If people contaminate the environment with plastic, they generate significant damage, especially to the sea and oceans.
Follow these easy tips to avoid plastic in your daily life. It’s easy to say no!
1. Bring your reusable bags for shopping
2. Avoid single-use plastic bottles
3. Avoid plastic kitchenware and utensils
4. Avoid plastic packaging
5. Avoid plastic toys and gift items
6. Avoid plastic food containers
7. Use reusable or recyclable products
8. Avoid plastic decoration
9. Educate yourself and others
10. Support plastic-free initiatives
+ whenever you can spread the message to those who are directly responsible for the creation of plastic packages etc.
Since 2017 I have been into creating installments/exhibitions where I am using already available materials. Instead of buying or making something completely new. I installed last night a public message of “say no to plastic”. It is visible from both sides. So that the people who are stuck in the traffic, can see the message as well.
No money was spent to create this installation: the paper was reused, stickers were saved from the dumpster as half of the zip-ties, and a kind woman from a freecycling community donated the rest.
Please keep our nature trails clean and make a habit of carrying a plastic bag (indeed!) in your pocket to pick up litter during your walks. Many people are already doing it all around the world!
For great plastic information, please visit www.implasticfree.com
#saynotoplastic