Capturing life as it is

Exploring the Toronto Estonian House at Tartu City Library

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I am extremely proud to present that one of my best and largest shows, Toronto Estonian House: Last Act, is now presented at Tartu City Library, located at Kompanii 3/5. It is pleasantly open Monday through Friday, 10:00-20:00, Saturday, 10:00-16:00, closed on Sunday. So, you will have plenty of options to take a look.

What I hope the most for is to receive an email from a person who has visited the Estonian House in Toronto themselves. It would be so great to hear their impressions and perhaps to see photos they took of the building. Please share this post with your friends, as perhaps there is someone in Tartu who should see it and has a reason to email me.

Here are previous posts related to the Toronto Estonian House I have published before:

July exhibition for a day

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

Estonian House in Toronto is no more

Looking forward to your emails at kerly/at/kerlyilves.ee

Th city of Tartu’s urban planning for 2030+

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I haven’t posted posts of my photos for a while, which I have found online from different websites. They tend to pop up now and then. Here is one used to illustrate the city of Tartu’s urban planning for the years 2030+.

Unfortunately, I can’t find the source of this website, but luckily I have this screenshot saved.

I took this photo, while I was exploring the river Emajõgi and Supilinn borough, as it captured the communication between the river and the borough. Emajõgi is always an interesting subject at any season. I should explore it in the winter and see what it looks like now.

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

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

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.

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.

Rochdale College

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A little while ago I was asked to take a photo of the Rochdale College on Bloor Steer West in Toronto. It is always a challenge to get the high buildings in the photo in their glory. I tried from the top floor of Tartu College, but it didn’t work out due to a really sharp angle, as the Tartu building was too far away.

Why it is so important for me to make a post about taking a photo of a building? First its history and second the architect who designed it.

The 18-storey tower that once housed Rochdale at 341 Bloor Street is now known as the Senator David A. Croll Apartments. Completed in 1968, it is the sister building to the Tartu student residence a short distance west across Bloor street. Designed by the architects Elmar Tampõld and John Wells (who had earlier constructed the Charles Street Apartments at Bay Street and Bloor Street).

Elmar Tampõld was an Estonian, who also designed Tartu College, which is now a very successful co-op run by a small group of Estonians, with an archive, Estonian Studies Centre, library, and event spaces under the 18 floor dorm.

As an homage to its Rochdale days, the tower features the large Unknown Student sculpture out front.

Just read more about the building and its history from this article HERE, from 1980.

This is the best I got of Rochdale College:

Fun fact: since the building has such a great space for large billboards, Apple seems to have made a contract that only they are presenting their ads on the building. Driving from West to East one gets a “slap on the face” with their ads.