Capturing life as it is

March moon

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It may be a bit surprising or maybe not, that this photo was taken in March.

March moon photographer using a 200 mm telephoto lens

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.

Saved from the garbage

Estonian Republic 105

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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.

This is my favourite shot of the little Estonian gathering.

Here is a selection of the photos taken during the flag-raising by the Toronto Estonian House.

Photographing the (new) dorm rooms at Tartu College

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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.

A renovated single-person west room, with a wonderful Elis as a model

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.

A bigger, northwest corner single occupancy room

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!

A chill kitchen corner for students to mingle

Vegan and gluten-free breakfast

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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.

  • Organic blueberries.
  • Organic maple syrup.
  • Besan flour vegan waffles.
  • Oat flour chocolate chip cookies.

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. 😉

#saynotoplastic

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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

Inspired by Sam Abell

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Recently I have been watching some videos of my favourite photographer Sam Abell. He has been explaining how he is making the photo. He used to be the National Geographic staff photographer for many years. He has been around, seen a lot and practiced a lot. His lecture about the life of a photograph is truly inspiring and the knowledge shared there, just makes you want to grab a camera and get to practicing.

I especially like his approach to the front, middle and back sections of the photo. You have to have your background set, find something in the middle part and make sure that the front pop’s with something. And then you just wait. Wait for the red umbrella, movement, expression, etc. He talked a lot about perfection and making it work. The fact is that the world is not perfect, so one should try their best, but not chase perfection.

I tried to put his teachings into this photo. I was indeed lucky to find such a spot, with a great background, popping middle level and interesting front section. The lone guy just happens to be in the middle of the poles and carrying a popping green bag. And it was snowing! I am not saying that this is perfect, but Sam Abell, you are so right. The three sections need our attention.

December darkness

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Though it is the time of snow and colourful lights, the month of December is quite dark. Especially when there is no snow, the short days take their toll on the weaker ones, who are used to the sun and long days. Sad feelings may creep in and the gloomy days are no fun. No wonder that when many celebrate and are merry, many are sad and alone, also unhappy and desperate. Season to be merry and season to be sad. I painted quite a dark photo of December, and quite dark is the picture to describe this month. But this is something I do not wish on anybody. I wish you lots of light, love, warmth, care and happiness. Happiness for me is to take challenges and do what I love.

It was a challenge to take this photo, though it is not a single photo, two photos together, it still gives out a strong message. I know one photo would have worked itself, but I think it works better as a pair. It is my cousin and me on a cold December day. Interestingly enough, when I wrote these words, it happened to be her birthday (21st of December). Palju õnne, Sigrid!

Estonian president Alar Karis visited Tartu College and the local Estonian community in Toronto

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It is not an everyday event when a president comes to visit you at your workplace. Right? Luck was on my side yesterday. I was able to take photos of the Estonian Republic’s president Alar Karis’ visit to Tartu College. This organization is a well-known Estonian temple of culture and research. Acting also as a dormitory, offering students from all around the world accommodation in Toronto. Plus offering a home to hundreds of Estonian-Canadian personal archive collections and thousands of books. Tartu College has worked hard for tens and tens of years to develop the preservation of Estonian culture and heritage in Canada.

President Karis met with local Estonian organizations, society and group leaders, who all had a chance to introduce their present activity and their history. It was time well spent and hopefully, good relationships between Estonia and Estonians in Toronto will arise from this meeting.

After the meeting, a panel discussion took place at the Tartu College hall, which was packed with people, who all wanted to meet the president and take part in the discussion. The stage was taken by Laas Leivat, Juku Gold and Alar Karis, and the panel was moderated by Reet Marten-Sehr. Most of the questions circled around the war in Ukraine, but there were other questions asked, such as: “I want to go to Estonia, what can I do to make that happen?”. The president’s answer was: “Get airplane tickets first.”

The visit was short, as usually, such visits are, so it was really difficult for Mr. President to leave for the airport. As many wanted to speak, take pictures with him or show him around. So much to do, so little time. But the time was well spent and the result was a wonderful evening with merry Estonians enjoying good company and good Greek food catered by the Master’s Bufferia, which has their buffeteria opened in Tartu College.

Please take a look at the gallery HERE, before I will put together a small overview of the event.

The stillness of the Toronto Estonian House – photo gallery vol. 2

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In May 2022 I was happy to be able to present my large-format photos of the not-so-known rooms of the Toronto Estonian House. For many, they were nothing out of the ordinary, but for me and many others, they were and remained just the memories in our hearts, minds and on the photos. As of the 1st of November, 2022 the Toronto Estonian House no longer exists.

Here are the 10 other photos, which I was considering for the exhibition, but they didn’t make it to the final 10 nor they matched my idea of the exhibition. In these photos, you can still see life in the building. Though you may see no people, you can almost sense them being there, about to come up the stairs or open the doors.

The building has been fenced off, so you can see the front, but you can no longer visit the back from either side. The sad black billboard, which was in front of the building stated its name looms day and night emitting the sadness of many. If you look at the current sign close enough, you can see a line of blue in the top left corner and a line of white in the bottom right corner. So, it actually is the Estonian flag, just the sad, dark part is the biggest.

I have more photos for the last gallery of this long project. I was thinking of taking photos at the end when it was all empty, but I just couldn’t get to it mentally – it was just too much. Also, I was very tired of moving the items out of there, finding a new home, packing, recycling, etc.

Please come back at the latest n December, so I can show the rest of the photos of the Estonian House in Toronto.

Estonian House in Toronto is no more

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Today, the first of November, 2022 marks the end of the wonderful Estonian House in Toronto. After a long, confusing, secretive and emotional selling process, the current contract between the developer, who purchased the lot quite cheaply and the Estonian House Limited Company, has finished. After the sale of the house, the limited company was renting the building from their new owner. As of yesterday, all renters had moved out, and the whole building had been emptied and is no longer accessible to the Estonian community and other friends of the house.

Former building of the Estonian House in Toronto on Broadview Avenue in Toronto during its last few days.

I have had perhaps consecutively 5-6 years of experience at the Estonian House. But somehow the building with its old glory, activities and people has found a warm place in my heart so that this very same heart is full of sorrow, sadness and also a bit of anger. The closing down means a lot to me, I guess this also explains why I have spent and will spend my time promoting the legacy of the building which stood for more than 60 years at Broadview Avenue in Toronto.

I had a photography exhibition of the not-so-known rooms of the house, which was open from May to October. I will present a new gallery of the other photos, which didn’t make it to the exhibition in the next few days. For now, please let me share a little bit of information about Toronto Estonian House history.

Toronto Estonian House

The Toronto Estonian House was located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and was established in 1952 as a limited company of the same name. The building has served Toronto’s Estonian community at 958 Broadview Avenue from 1960 until the 31st of October, 2022.

Dozens of different associations and clubs were established over the years and held meetings and events at this location. As well, an Estonian café run by various owners as well as a gift shop selling Estonian artifacts operated until very recently. The building contains halls and rooms of different sizes where both Estonian and other Canadian organizations held events. Almost every Estonian in Canada has had the opportunity at one time or another to visit the building or attend concerts, exhibitions, confirmation parties or weddings here. Many choirs, folk dance groups and Scouts and Guides, Estonian kindergarten, the Estonian Supplementary School and the Pensioners Club considered the Toronto Estonian House as their home. Many of the Toronto Estonian Supplementary Schools graduates continue to be active members of the community.

Two Estonian-owned businesses, Northern Birch Credit Union (formerly Estonian (Toronto) Credit Union Ltd.) as well as Heinsoo Insurance Brokers Ltd, were major tenants of the building. Heinsoo Insurance Brokers also contained the offices of the Honorary Consulate of Estonia from 1976 until the present. Canada recognized the illegal occupation of Estonia defacto and allowed it to operate dejure until 1991 when the new Estonian government re-established the diplomatic connection with the Consulate and the Hon. Consul General Ilmar Heinsoo. Heinsoo Insurance continues to support the Consulate to this day.

Activity in Estonian organizations has resulted in lifelong friendships and marriages and even employment in the Estonian House and the opportunity to continue to use our mother tongue here.

Activities of the Toronto Estonian House have ceased at its current address with the move to central Toronto, next to Tartu College at Bloor and Madison Avenue. The construction of the new building which began in the spring of 2022, is expected to be completed in the next year and a half.

The time has arrived to close the final chapter of the Toronto Estonian House at this location.

Eesti Maja, you are forever deep in my heart!