Capturing life as it is

Happy New Year 2025!

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It has been a while since I last wrote anything in here. I guess time flies and life changes. This post will replace the post that I have had up since June 2023. Today is the 1st of January, 2025. So much has happened and there is so much to share, so if you care, please check the previous posts on the blog section occasionally. I will keep adding new stuff and share some news. Even if they are old, perhaps someone will learn something new or experience some good photography.

After many years, I was back in my hometown, which has become unaffordable, but this is another subject. On New Year’s Eve, the best I know how to greet the new year is taking fireworks photos, especially when my connection with photography has gotten lost. Since the city of Tartu no longer offers fireworks, the private citizens took the matter into their own hands and created a wonderful light show for my short photography session.

As usual, there are the so-called must photos, and then there are those photos, which are actually more interesting and offer a greater viewing pleasure and more information than just a beautiful fireworks photo. So, please allow me to share three photos I chose to present here to give you an idea of what I mean.

First photo.

Even though this is not your average dark-sky and colourful fireworks photo (I cropped some of those as well), then I still consider it now of the must photos. It was quite an accident how this photo came to be. My camera was pointed in the city direction, from where I was hoping to capture the fireworks photos, but since that didn’t happen, then after fireworks started appearing by the canal, I just turned the tripod head around and started shooting.

Second photo.

This frame created me the most joy, as I have never seen fireworks sent like that into the water. Sure the arches create interesting elements, but I as an environment lover, started thinking about the pollution and how it would have affected the life of the water creatures. The people in the front add definitely more to this frame and bring more life to it.

Third photo.

This is my favourite shot. A photo which I guess has the most meaning. Imagine the beach which was so busy and full of people and fireworks, is now stranded, but you can see two boxes of fireworks cases on fire and a lone figure, admiring the faraway fireworks in solitude by a quiet canal. I was not sure before writing these lines, which photo I would put up on the front page, but I guess this is it.

Overall, I feel like I am back in business, so if you need some photos in Estonia, please drop me a line at kerly/at/kerlyilves.ee Enjoy the new year and make the best out of it!

May clean-up

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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!