diana mini colour test 02.

second part of my diana mini colour test post - you can read the first part here.

second post - morning with Jacopo at the botanical garden in Kaisaniemi:

✻ the sun was shining for the first time in many days: we really enjoyed our morning walk despite the freezing cold. P.S. thank you Jacopo for taking some photographs of me too!

✻ a beautiful mistake: we ended up together on the same frame by chance.

my conclusion after these first tests: colour film and bright lights are surely more suitable to my diana mini than black and white film and winter darkness.

diana mini colour test 01.

I have just got developed the colour film which I took last week with my diana mini: I am extremely happy with what came out. this time I have used a fuji superia 1600 iso. since I would like to share here many of the photographs I have scanned - I have decided to do so in two different posts.

first post - afternoon with Anne at the botanical garden in Kaisaniemi:

✻ it was a very beautiful snowy day: visiting the glass house was even better with white snow outside.

✻ a beautiful mistake - Anne truly looks like a magic creature here.

P.S. tomorrow evening come back on Passer Domesticus for diana mini colour test 02!

diana mini black and white test.

yesterday I have spent the whole afternoon in my darkroom: I have developed the first roll taken with my new diana mini. I have printed 12 photographs out of 36 - the rest was mostly underexposed: the flash isn't as strong as I was expecting and a 400 iso film wasn't enough for the dark winter.

✻ I have chosen 6 prints to share here:

1) the snowy forest in Vuosaari - on saturday we went to visit our dear friend Kasia: we had a great time.
2) Kasia with her Horizon camera - the best panoramic camera ever.
3) a portrait of Jacopo - outside the beautiful cafe' Villa Ullas.
4) a portrait of Kasia.
5) an evening portrait of Jacopo - with falling snow in Kruununhaka.
6) a portrait of Tove.

overall I am pretty happy with these prints: I think they hold a proper diana mini feeling. next I am going to take a colour film test with a 800 iso instead.

my feature on le ombre nel cielo.

Dear Readers

I am writing this post to let you know that Jacopo decided to have me featuring a music article on Le Ombre nel Cielo.

from the introduction he has just posted:

✻ you can read it all on: ombrenelcielo.wordpress.com.

I am flattered that Jacopo asked me to write about music: I am not a writer - but when it comes down to music I know what I really like. every week I will be writing about a different artist.

if you are inspired by music yourself - follow my feature on Le Ombre nel Cielo: once a week there will be something new to listen to!

top 10 most colourful birds.

it is too long for a title - but more precisely it should be: top 10 most colourful and rare birds of northern europe that I would like to encounter.



1) Alcedo atthis Common Kingfisher
2) Coracias Garrulos European Roller
3) Garrulus glandarius Eurasian Jay
4) Oriolus Oriolus Eurasian Golden Oriole
5) Upupa Epops Hoopoe
6) Carduelis carduelis European Goldfinch
7) Picus Virdis European Green Woodpecker
8) Tarsiger cyanurus Red-flanked Bluetail
9) Luscinia Svecica Bluethroat
10) Sitta europaea Eurasian Nuthatch

✻ if you have enjoyed this post - you may also like top 10 birds.

letter from joey.

today I have got a beautiful letter from my friend Joey: it made me very happy. Joey is the only person from my previous school who has kept on writing me letters regularly since I have moved to finland - which makes her even more dear to me.


✻ she has sent some old photographs: she got them for me in a flea market.

✻ she has sent a birthday card too.

♥ thank you Joey!
letters from friends are truly among the sweetest of pleasures for me.

postcards from 1979.

today with my friend Salla we stopped by Kierratyskeskus. there are always so many peculiar and interesting things at the recycling centre: this time I have found two children's postcards from 1979.

aren't they beautiful?

little Reppi must had sent them as greetings to some special friends and they must have hanged them somewhere on their bedrooms wall - as there is a little hole on each of them.

I wonder if cards like these were common in Finland in late 70's: hopefully I can find some more in a flea market. I had never seen them before though: they have such a peculiar shape and they are much bigger than average postcards.

thank you little Reppi for writing these down many years ago!

birthday greetings.

here are a few special birthday cards from some of the best people in my world:

♥ from Jacopo

besides this fantastic guide for bird watchers in south Finland - he gifted me with "BIRDS": a huge and beautifully illustrated book by Katrina Cook.

♥ from Emi

if you know italian - you can get by her note that she gifted me with a beautiful Diana Mini: I cannot wait to try it out. I have sent her something special too - but unfortunately it hasn't reached her yet: hopefully she will get it soon!

♥ from Maisa and Anne

isn't it one of the most beautiful hand made cards you have ever seen? it came with a delicate leaf-shaped necklace.

thank you for all the birthday greetings - it has been a truly wonderful birthday ♥ ♥ ♥ !