Pohjoista valoa etsimässä

Minusgrades and sprinkling saltwater made this happen.

New day, new opportunities to be wasted? Well, I’ll certainly use the tripod next time I go out shooting, because my composition skills just suck :( Dozens of times I have read that, if possible, you should always use the tripod. In the very same paragraph it is also said, that when using the tripod, you have to compose the image more accurately – you have to THINK about it! After watching today’s picture saldo, I have to admit that I was acting like a tourist or point’n’shooter! Shame on me. Perhaps re-reading those good old basic photographing guides will help me. Ok, there’s one good explanation: I’m not a landscape shooter and I don’t have the ability to see the landscape that way. But, of course, this is just an excuse for laziness.

The waves have formed these icy layers on top of the stones.

This morning, when the sun was shining, I headed outside with my gear. First I drove to Intersport to do some shopping and after that it started snowing. Despite of that, I headed to Kirjurinluoto and shot some greenfinches on the bushes – bad pics, threw them away.

The weather seemed to be clearing and I drove to Mäntyluoto, where the wind was heavy and my jacket felt light, so the visit ended quite soon. Some band had parked their bus beside the open sea and they started to get their drums and other instruments onto the icy rocks of Kallo! Oh my, that’s where that kind of life leads. Gotta warn Wombat about that, or we’ll be shooting music videos there too some day. But brave those kids were, have to admit that – I didn’t last there with my camera, it was way too cold.

Reposaari was my next place to visit, actually the fairy cottage fair area there. Kuunari Koivisto was now moved a bit and is waiting for the transportation to the death chamber. Icy sea has been its cell for years and now it has come to its end. All the work for nothing, the ship will be destroyed very soon. Newspapers have lately written so much about this ship, that my words aren’t necessarily needed. And, to be perfectly honest, my knowledge is very limited. “Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent…”

I made a quick peek into fishing harbour in purpose of shooting some gulls but then the snowing started again and I retreated into the car. Due the quick changes in weather, it was difficult to predict it, and so I decided to give Lampinkoski a chance – just to notice the water level being too high for dippers. Without hesitation I headed back home again.

As a saldo from the trip, I finally found out, that the viewfinder in my camera is misaligned. It tilts a bit to the left (the image tilts right, so the finder itself has to tilt to the opposite), but no big deal. Just gotta buy a level, I won’t send it into service for that little reason! From the Nikonians forum I read that it’s quite a common thing amongst Nikon dSLR’s.

Come and buy yourself a building ground with a beautiful scenery! There are still a couple of lots free. (Laugh or cry, you decide.) More info here (in finnish, sorry).

Picture is straight, post is tilted – like the whole fair. Am I making a pre-judgment or what, you tell me?

Luckily there’s a possibility to buy a ship too. I guess this would be a bang for a buck bargain.

I finally got the remote trigger for my D200 and guess what, it ain’t working. Where’s all this faulty equipment coming, and why does it end up in my hands?

*Sigh*

That above is not exactly true, ’cause most of the gear works just fine. Maybe this is just a bad nut. Now I’m waiting for the replacement instructions from the store. Wish me luck.

Almost 35 years behind me and never experienced a winter like this! Ok, last summer was special too, but this is still strange :o/ I planned to shoot dippers this winter, but unless we get some snow, I’ll have to re-check my plans. Dipper pics just need snow, and snow means light. No snow, no light – simple as that.