Archive for the ‘Niki’s this and that’ Category

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Do you believe in angels? – Niki Strbian Valokuvaus

June 29, 2010

Having 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!

Tags: , ,
Posted in Niki's this and that, no box suits this | 12 Comments »

52 weeks challenge … CHAIR – Niki Strbian Valokuvaus

June 19, 2010

My friends, photographers Whitley (of Whitley Pollet Photography) and Kate (of Kate Craft Photography) came up with a healthy excersise. Any photographer who is interested in honing own skills will agree that shooting on a given subject is one of the best ways to improve. So Whit and Kate came up with 52 different themes, one for each week of the year. And though I missed the first three (I will do them at the end), I finally managed to jump in and here I am with week 5 topic “chair”.

This is Julietta and her two kids. Julieta is without a doubt the most beautiful woman I know in real life (and actually she is more beautiful than any of the virtual creatures magazines and movie industry daily serves us). Yet she hates being photographed. The nerves some people have! My heart aches and bleeds and my camera twists and turns in the bag whenever I see Julieta … I met her about 3 years ago when she had few weeks to the due date with her son. She and her husband were strolling through a mall where I was searching models for one project I then photographed. Unfortunately, solely to my own mistakes and wrecked nerves, the photos turned out to be a disaster. I didn’t keep them. But I kept Julieta, we became friends and I love having her in my life. Not only is she absolutely stunning, but she also makes the best hot chocolate in the world. Who would not want to be friends with her? :)

Julieta, darling, I love you. Don’t move anywhere abroad, my life would become really boring! And please, please, PLEASE, let me photograph you more!

And dear readers, if you like the photos, please leave a comment to tell this stubborn lady that she has to let me photograph her. Ok? ;)

Julieta and her charming kids.

Just in case the 52 weeks challenge intrigues you, here the first 10 topics:

  1. Time
  2. Trees
  3. Books
  4. Candy/treats
  5. Chair
  6. Water
  7. Money
  8. Shoes
  9. Hats
  10. Tools

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in 52 weeks challenge, Babies and children, Families, Niki's this and that | 8 Comments »

It’s my birthday today! – Niki Strbian Valokuvaus

June 18, 2010

Yep, I am old! It’s official now ;)

33.

Not afraid to say it. I don’t feel age matters anyways. I have all I need. My husband and my kids (I LOVE YOU). My great family who always supports me – my sister and my parents who believe in every step I take. And if they don’t agree, they will tell me! A mother-in-law that is an angel (which never happens I heard…). My soulmates Irene and Raduska. My friends, Svend, Juhana and all the Czechoslovakians here in Finland. My photographers. Super cool chics who call Wende “mum”. I love you all and I owe so much of my energy to all of you. I cannot walk through life without my loved ones.

This is me and my family on Suomenlinna yesterday – fooling around and playing hide and seek. It’s hard to say with the big party still coming on Sunday, but this might be just the best gift I have gotten and not only this year. I am eternally in debt with my two awesome colleagues, wedding photographers Anna Jarske and Derek Latham. Thank you guys, you just made my day. (I am in tears really.)

(do put the speakers on…)

me and my family

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Babies and children, Families, Niki's this and that, no box suits this | 2 Comments »

Missing summer … Niki Strbian Lapsikuvaus

June 12, 2010

The sun has been gone for mere 24 hours and I am already starting to panick. What happens if it doesn’t come back? Please, please, pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase do come back, soon. My solar batteries are still empty after the long winter.

* and this post is also a shout out to the world: “It is awesome to have great neighbours!” *

Tags:
Posted in Babies and children, Niki's this and that | 2 Comments »

BELOVED – celebrate your relationship – Niki Strbian Beloved Photography

June 2, 2010

A gigantic photography event. A huge auditorium. A delicate man. A vision. Jesh de Rox and his Experiential Photography.

I am a member of a few photography forums, dedicated to portrait photography and children portraiture. Jesh’s lecture has been discussed there more than once and people raved about it. I am the type who doesn’t go to see a movie if everyone raves about it. I am the type who doesn’t believe in mass happiness. (Yet I am a potterologist and avatarlogist. Go figure!) I missed the lecture anyway. One evening, after having a rather difficult day with my little angels (sometimes it happens even in the best of families), I was editing photos and thought to myself that I will give it a try. I listened to the recording of the lecture and it

CHANGED. MY. LIFE.

My life as a photographer. My life as a person. As a human being.

I knew instantly that I wanted to become a part of this movement. BELOVED movement. And one day a package arrived. The BELOVED field guide. Which changed my life still more. Ok, I know you want to know now what this photography voodoo is about. :) Bear with me a little longer.

Imagine that you decide to have your photos taken. Any given occasion will do. You got engaged. Married. Secretly married. Your wife is pregnant. You have a newborn baby. You have a family. You celebrate your wedding’s 50th anniversary. Any occasion will do. Even one as simple as: “it’s a beautiful day”. So what is it that you want to have captured?

Poses.

OR

Feelings. Laughter. Deep gazes into each other’s eyes. Hugs. And … do we dare … kisses.

I bet it’s the second one. And it damn well should be! BELOVED photography will empower just that. Through a number of small tasks (for a lack of a better word), you will experience real feelings in front of the camera. You will BE LOVED. And if you let me, I will capture the feelings in a timeless manner. Resulting in a true celebration of your relationship.

Oh common. Say it out loud! This is unheard of in Finland. This will never work with the Finnish nature. Finnish culture. Finnish personalities.

Really? Try me! Book your Beloved session now. (It’s also a perfect gift.)

Oh and not that it’s the most important thing. But I am officially qualified for the Experiential Photography. You can also find me listed as a photographer of the Beloved movement. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Your Beloved photographer,  Niki

PSHHH: The first three Beloved sessions will receive a special gift from me. :)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Babies and children, Beloved, Engaged, Families, Newborns, Niki's this and that, Pregnancy, Specials, Weddings | 12 Comments »

Yo-kuvaus competition – THE WINNER – Niki Strbian Valokuvaus

June 1, 2010

Yay! Today is the 1st of June and this day is important not only because it’s the International Children’s Day (how did you celebrate with your kids? by ice-cream, gifts, plays or, oops, a little unnecessary shouting?) but also because it’s the day when the winner of my yo-kuvaus competition should be announced. And is going to be announced. :)

I am pleased to notice that none of my blog readers, who left a comment, voted for the traditional yo-kuva (a rose, a glass of champange and a stiff posing). But unfortunately only one of you could be the winner of a free yo-kuvaus with me… Without further ado, I went off and used a random number generator, did hard job programming the machine to randomly choose a number between 1 and 14 (since the last of 15 comments was not really a yo-kuva seeker) and hit the “generate” button.

scrolling in the original post, scrolling in the original post and the winner is …..

….. TIINA (or actually her brother!).

Congratulations! Looking forward to working with you. :D

Tags: ,
Posted in Niki's this and that, Specials, Teens and tweens, yo-kuvaus | 4 Comments »

Introducing: Niki … the crazy one – Niki Strbian Valokuvaus

May 31, 2010

I so wanted a new portrait for the About me page on my website. I have been wanting one for quite some time. Booked a time with a talented fellow photographer. That got cancelled because of some personal issues (mine) and also my total lack of self-esteem. I am so bad in front of the camera! Stiff, cranky and lousy, photographer’s nightmare really. And then an idea popped in my head. I will ask my daughter to take the pics. She luuuuves taking pictures (with my camera, of course – must wear neck strap, must wear neck strap!). Excuse the slightly soft pictures, my daughter is doing modelling poses while shooting! :D

Ok so how do you like these instead of the pic I currently have on my web? Wanna hear your opinion….

And YEAH I am wearing a tractor hat! I have a son. I have a daughter too, hence the flowers. ;)

Oh I have my own hat too, and this time I even wear it the right way. And my little colleague, she is sometimes a bit camera shy… I love her so! (But why does is she look so tiny besides my giant, hmmm, bottom??)

And this is how I will most likely show up in your shoot. Rubber boots, jeans and a t-shirt, except that it’s usually a white t-shirt. :D Hire me, we will have some fun! Call 0400-358990!

Posted in Niki's this and that, no box suits this | 8 Comments »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »