Archive for the ‘Niki’s this and that’ Category
Holidays 21.8.-4.9.2010
August 21, 2010Back to school – Niki Strbian Valokuvaus
August 12, 2010I can’t believe it’s the time of the year again when the freedom ends and the slavery starts. Yes, I am talking about school. 
Actually I liked going to school. But H-O-L-I-D-A-Y-S are something completely else. Just taste the word on your tongue and you will know – it promises freedom, no shoes, no nice clothes, no need to learn things that you don’t find interesting, no need to get up every morning so early, no need to go to bed early too… and the list just goes on and on. Holidays … that’s a promise of an adventure.
But even adventure gets boring and that’s why your kids are actually looking forward to going back to school now. Aren’t they? 
Because now they can put nice clothes on and will see friends every day and some of them might, actually, enjoy learning new things.
Wether they are loving it or dreading it, it’s the start of a new school year and that’s worth remembering. You never know what it might bring to you or your kids.
I am taking bookings for back to school sessions for September and the first half of October. With each session you get gifted a school calendar with images of your little one(s). Oh and there is a competition on my Facebook page, so if you want to win a free back to school portrait of your child, I guess you should participate… 
The old and the unfortunate – Niki Strbian Valokuvaus
August 10, 2010My clients bring me joy. My work makes me happy. My photographs hopefully reflect that.
Some people don’t experience joy, but everyday fear, grief and sadness. And famine and scarcity of water, that is any water, not just your favorite brand of the bottled crystal clear spring water. Some people experience sorrow and loneliness, while being amidst of the loved ones, as they might not be able to recognize them anymore. And in their world full of living people, they are dying alone.
We should remember that not everyone is happy and shining… Please take a moment and look at the work of James and Phillip.
James Nachtwey – a contract photographer with Time Magazine since 1984, who dedicated his entire life to documenting wars, conflicts and critical social issues
Phillip Toledano – who excels in socio-political photography and has touched my heart above all with his project Days with my father
As you will browse through their images, you might not experience happiness, but your soul will be richer when you finish watching….
The new school year starts and that’s traditionally the time when I implement changes in my life. It’s when the quality of air suddenly changes and when the first smell of wet soil indicates the coming autumn even when mother nature still has plenty of sunny days in stock. When I wake up one morning, I stand at the window sipping tea and am struck by the image behind our house – when did all the rowanberries turn red? And the wind, the wind of a certain special quality, the sign of turning weather. The summer is soon over.
That’s the moment when I feel the urge to start something new. It’s the same old inner pressure … every year as far back as I can remember. Some years I succeed, some years I leave the signs outside and in my soul unnoticed. Not this year, not today. It’s time to start something new and it’s time to pay back. Or actually pay forward as I am not likely to be able to pay back to all those who helped me so much during past couple of years. Instead I will try to help those who are in need of help. I can’t say more at the moment, except that I can’t do it alone. Thus I am offering a “harjoittelija” position for 3-6 months with following requirements:
- fluent Finnish and English
- good organizational and communication skills
- ability to work independently, based on given guidelines
The job will not require any photography skills and will be part time (if 6 months) or almost full time (if 3 months). I will send a more detailed description of the job via email – shoot me an email at niki@nikistrbian.com with the subject “harjoittelija” if you are interested.
52 weeks challenge … Water – Niki Strbian Valokuvaus
July 17, 2010If you read my blog, you remember this post where I finally started participating on the 52 weeks challenge that my friends, photographers Whitley and Kate, prepared for our photocommunity to keep the ideas fresh. I need to admit:
I am so behind the schedule! This is meant to be week 9 – hats, yet I am only posting the theme “water”.
This is from our spring trip to my home town in the Czech republic. My father is a small aircraft pilot and enjoyes much hanging out with his buddies on the airport and taking care of the machine… And the flying of course. The flying … a dream the human kind has had since the dawn of time. Once a year or so at my home town’s airport the firefighters have an excersise with a helicopter – learning how to fill the sack with water in case of bigger fires where a helicopter has to help from the sky with putting out the fire.
I, of course, took the opportunity to be there. Not only because of my little boy, who was absolutely thrilled and smiled the entire three hours in the wind, noise and flying little stones. Also because I wanted to try a reportage or event type of photogaphy. It required much different skills than portraits, as you can well imagine. This is what I got.
The theoretical part … my home town’s firefighters, in orange are firefighters from Prague, the helicopter belongs to the police force, in black jacket a police officer from my home town and in blue overall the pilot of the helicopter.
Waiting around and getting the sack attached to the helicopter…
It was loud and windy … and my lil princess doesn’t like either of those conditions … well well well.
Firefighters had no problem, put the helmet shields down and no wind or harsh sun could harm them. Filling the sack was not an easy task, everyone had to try.
Hitting a marked spot with water. The pilot was really skilled. (And also listened well to all instructions that I asked from the local guys to give him. “More between me and the sun!” and such… hehe.)
And then it was time to pack up and leave back to Prague, where the helicopter flew in from. It was almost noon and at 1pm the air space above the Czech republic closed for many days because of the volcano eruption. We got stuck in my home town for another week, but we enjoyed the extended time with my family much much much.
The 52 weeks current topics are these:
- Time
- Trees
- Books
- Candy/treats
- Chair
- Water
- Money
- Shoes
- Hats (yesterday)
- Tools (next Friday)
Roger and out.
Someone I love – Niki Strbian Valokuvaus
July 5, 2010I have owned you this post for quite a while now. 3 weeks, almost exactly. It was my birthday and our friend/nanny arrived in the evening when I went to visit an old neighbour (and deliver the last saved piece of cheesecake). The neighbour lady wasn’t at home and our nanny didn’t come to congratulate me but to work, so my dear, dearer and dearest husband could have finally revealed that we are going out. Surprise! Not to eat, I hope? was my answer. Because I have been stuffing myself during the whole day and now cannot even breathe or drink, let alone eat some more…
Have you ever seen a deflated balloon? A kid who buys an icecream that falls on the ground immediately? A dog whom you say that today we are not going out for a walk? Then you know the face my husband pulled. Poor dear! Surely enough he booked a table in the hot spot of the Finnish summer and was starving himself the entire day in order to be able to enjoy the luxurious dinner. Well, that obviously didn’t happen, instead we went to the movies and he ate a hamburger in front of the public library in Leppävaara.
What’s most important is that he let me take some portraits of him while destroying his favorite suit on the rocky benches with whatever-was-in-that-hamburger sauce. And we did enjoy the movie!
My love, despite the frequent empty threats, I am never going to want to upgrade you. I love you!
This is my beloved and chosen one and his idea of a cool pic. Holding library’s bear’s paw through the window… Don’t ask!
I will not be jumping here like an ape, he stated firmly. Sure you will, honey, it’s my birthday!
Then few portraits of us together. We have none, even the wedding kind of passed without proper portraits of us taken… If you want something done, do it yourself, right?
Then it was already time to head to the movies. After all the coke he drank, a visit to the smallest room was necessary. I did the same and it took me twice as long because I was doing this!
Ok, thanx for looking, enough of the crazy stuff, back to serious business tomorrow again!
Do you believe in angels? – Niki Strbian Valokuvaus
June 29, 2010Having visitors living in our home for a week was stimulating nad intellectually refreshing. We discussed other topics than the same ol’ “kids, photography, medicine, weather”. We spent hours discovering each others’ opinions about healthy choices in live, alternative ways of raising children, alternative ways of living and many more … and it all reminded me of my dear friend Gunta. (Darling, if you are reading this, you must know again that all the good decisions about these topics in my life I did because of you. Thank you for being so persistent!) Our friends also believe in angels.
This post is dedicated to all people who don’t cease to learn and explore new ways in and of life. I firmly believe that changes are for the better. So if you are not satisfied with some aspect of your life, go change it. It will get better. And if not, at least you gave it a try. Being passive doesn’t get you anywhere. I am still amazed by how simply and most happily people can live if they only start listening to their hearts. If you don’t listen to your heart yet, start today. Don’t do things that make you feel bad – guilt, sadness, negative gut feeling are all signs that what you are doing or about to do is not a good idea. Find other solutions, be creative!
Oh and don’t forget to make others happy along the way. Especially the old and lonely people, you will be old and lonely yourselves one day, no matter how much you push this idea away. Small things are sometimes the big things… Good karma to you all. I am off to bed now.
Angels do walk amongst us. You can be one of them. This can be your story.
My angel in civil life … Malena of Malenami.com. Probably the most beautiful and positive person I met in Finland. Thank you for being such an awesome model!
