The Story of a Flu | Life Stories
27/10/2011
Ever see a photographer who starts out with a 365 day project, or even a 52 week project and never finishes? Yeah, me too. Well, I recently joined a group of a few other busy photographers who decided to commit to a 12 month project! If we fail this, we’ll be taking donations for a time management seminar. The best part is that it will be totally candid, lifestyle shots of each of our own families/lives. We don’t even have to dredge up random people or make our kids pose for us. We’re calling the series “The Story of ________” and we’ll each be filling in our own blanks. At the end of this post is a link to another photographer who participated and she’ll be linking to someone else. It’s a whole big circle of stories in pictures. Click through and enjoy! ♥♥♥
Go check out the next blog post in our circle Danielle Frank: The Story of Miniature Mommies.
Now I can tell you that after 5 days at home with two sick kids, I was ready to sell those kiddos to Gypsies. ♥♥♥ What do you do to fight boredom when the lil ones are sick enough to not be accepted to daycare, but healthy enough to wreck your mental health? 
Just one – what I am working on right now
14/10/2011
Newborn photography – or vauvakuvaus – is one of the sweetest things on Earth – I feel so blessed! ♥♥♥
Of laundry and other tales
03/10/2011
Laundry is the only thing that should be separated by color.
Running late I am and this time a lot. Not ready to be stood up by me, my models stick around until I arrive from the previous shoot. Thankfully Espoo city builds beautiful libraries, where they can sit and enjoy a cup of tea and a good magazine read until the photographer lady gets her crazy belayed butt over.
Although it is not the rush hour, we are watched by quite a crowd when we start shooting in the tunnel of Leppävaara train station. I love that place, it has beautiful light despite the awful weather – it’s cloudy and rather dark. Quickly adjusting the ISO 1600 we can start off.
“Call me!” and “Let’s take more pics of you,” I said to this stunning young lady couple of years back when she still was our neighbor. Stunning then, more stunning now, I hope she will remember to call again when she is yet more stunning in couple of years! I am really happy to see that she dragged her little bro along to the shoot – he was my first model (other than my own family) and his eyes are simply striking.
I shield him with my own body when a drunk comes too close.
Smile from his eyes disappears for a moment, but quickly comes back. He is really shy in front of the camera, but at the end takes all his sisu and shakes it off.
May all your dreams come true, I am silently wishing to the sister and the brother, when they are leaving. And I feel thankful, for it takes a lot of courage to show one’s dreams to someone else.
There might be a hidden message, a small cipher, in the text above. A human behavior I can’t make peace with… (no hearts today…)
Which is the best place in the world?
29/09/2011
I was cradling the newborn girl of my dear customers, sniffing the sweet scent that only a 5 days old baby can have, and I fondly recalled my friend, nowadays living in a galaxy far far away. She lives in Kuusamo.
Now, my friend is a true earth mama, she never used any of the following with her kids: hospital for birth, diapers, baby carriage, baby cot, milk bottles – to name a few. She taught me the power and beauty of carrying your kid in a sling. It’s not a secret that I love to accessorize, so I was keen on wearing a sling even more for that. 
(grain of salt, grain of salt, people…) My friend also taught me that: all that newborns need is their mother – to quote her exactly: “…whatever happens, put the baby on a breast. It’s hungry – it will eat, it’s thirsty – it will drink, it’s cold – it will get warmer, it has hiccups – it will get rid of them, it’s missing mummy – it will get mummy, it works like a charm…” And it’s true, don’t you agree?
Of course there might be mums who cannot breastfeed for this reason or other. So with all due respect to my friend far far away, I believe, should babies be able to talk, they would tell their parents:
Now, when I was able to fulfill my urge to morally educate you, let me get back to the beginning. I was holding a sweet baby girl. I was working with my wonderful assistent / baby magician / the kindest person in the world Irene and we photographed and had the greatest time. Meanwhile the fresh parents had a short nap on the sofa. Yep! Possibly - possibly! – they are entitled to be tired. But it was a sign of a great trust – and we thank you for it.
It was a magical morning and I believe we created memories that my clients will treasure for their entire lifetime. Here a few examples. ♥♥♥
PS: And now quickly book a spot in the 2011 autumn mini sessions – there are only a few left…
<3 <3Some of my “smart” friends try to put salt into my wounds by referring to worsening weather conditions. They know that my mood is largely dependent on the amount of sunshine I get per day and yet they have comments such as: “Have you noticed that the birches already sport yellow leaves?” For the record – I HAVE noticed. Our Italian adventure is long behind us and all I can hear are raindrops hitting our window.
But as a wise man told me today, one can be one’s own sunshine. Just remember your last amazing experience, it will make you feel better.
… I hear a wind whispering in the distance. No, wait, it’s the little miss whispering that she is all awake. Sleepily I open my eyes and realize it’s yet before sunrise. Perfect timing for some picture taking! We learned already that the notorically loud Italians don’t like to be disturbed when they sleep. As I am not ready to take any vafanapoli, we tiptoe down the stairs, fully dressed, camera bag and all. And off we go to a small field of sunflowers. We stop, cross the road hand in hand, cars roaring past us already at this hour. And it’s beautiful and we take pictures and we have fun. Then back to the car, me putting stuff back to the trunk and my little model getting into her seat … and then she starts screaming hysterically, waving her hands.
> What is happening?
> Look, look at that thing on my seat!
> Oh that’s just a little grasshopper, honey, you know grasshoppers from Maya the Bea, don’t you?
> Yeah, but that one sings and DOESN’T WANT TO SHARE MY SEAT!
And so I set on getting the poor insect out. Wow, from close enough a 4,5 cm grasshopper is really not that small. And it is not, I repeat not, all that easy to get that jumping little beast out of the car especially when it sits on the side of the car where I can’t open the door due to the fast version of traffic in Italy right behind it. Finally I manage. And roooooooaaaaar, before I am able to get the local Flip safely off the road, there is nothing more left but a grasshopper pancake.
In case you wonder, the amazing experience was the beautiful morning with my little miss! But I still dedicate today’s post to all animals that die every day under tires of too fast cars. ♥♥♥
Just one for a long overdue delivery of pictures for one Haavoittuneet enkelit family that made an everlasting impression on me. You were the best. I want to hug you all now! ♥♥♥
One Comment
Love these colours! These pictures are full of good energy.