i'm shining like fireworks over your sad, empty town.

I've been busy is the lames excuse for falling off the face of the earth, but it's also way too true sometimes. my first semester at University is coming to an end- the past few weeks have been filled with exams, due dates, stress and crying, stress and eating, and not enough sleep. week and a half to go until Christmas break. i can't wait to have time to read for pleasure. or actually clean or do laundry properly.
there was a firework show under my window tonight. i've been putting up Christmas lights, buying unnecessary but pretty household items. i love that the city is dressing up itself for Christmas, yet i wish there was snow. i like the dark nights and the frozen streets, Christmas lights on trees and the Christmas carols playing in all the stores. it's the most wonderful time of the year. i might even masochistically like the exams and hardcore studying.  

i like to think i can cheat it all, to make up for the times i've been cheated on.

for the past two weeks my life has contained a ridicilous amount of studying and not much else, maybe some Six Feet Under rewatching and lots of tea. i'm applying to University of Turku to study English and how it works is, that you have to do this one big test and pass it in order to get in. of course, even if you do pass it, there are so many applicants that you might still not get in. so the stress levels are high and studying is the only answer to have the chances to do well. and i've been reading like never before, my whole brain hurts. so i think it's safe to say, i've done my best, and what ever the outcome, i'm rather proud.

the test is in two days so i will stay silent for those remaining days, at least. but there are other exciting news too, my sister gave birth to a little baby girl on May 12th! sadly i haven't had too much time to get to know her, so my guess is, the minute i'm finished with my exam, i'll run there and hold her forever. also, take better photos, this one was taken with my phone, so sorry for the bad quality.

take care and wish me luck!

good night hollywood boulevard, see you sometime.

i have less than two weeks of school left, and basically, everything's done. just need to finish few courses and assingments. these past three years have gone by so fast. seems like yesterday i moved to the 'big city' and started to really learn about photography. and now i'm off to the big world, meaning a small town in England. tho before that, i get to spend a summer with my family and friends. it's a wonderful life, i say. i thought i'd share some of the highlights of these past three year, or at least the highlights of my studies. it's been the worts of times, it's been the best of times.

one of the first things we learned was how does the focal lenght affect the outcome. me & two of my friends did that assigment in a botanical garden, where i took these photos, tho these were just for fun.

during these years i have taken advantage of my loved ones and photographed them for various assignments, or just for the sake of it. the picture on the left is my niece and it was taken on fall 2008. the one on the right is my grandmother, taken this spring.

on our second year we took a field trip to Muhu, Estonia, where we photographed mostly nature. it was the first time i used Hasselblad.

this one's also from Muhu, Estonia. the nature there was kinda wonderful, full of life. it's weird how normally i'm afraid of insects, but through a lense, everything's just beautiful, and not at all scary.

as a part of my education i did and internship assisting a photographer and i got to shoot some weddings too. it was wonderful to be a part of someone's special day.

as my final project i made a photo-book about my favorite band and their farewell tour. it was a dream come true to get to photograph this band, The Ark. and an honor to get to do it at one of their last gigs ever.

this srping we've had few projects, one of them was to shoot this song contest Our Vision. it's been nice. one of the best part of this job is all the people you get to meet and the places you get to see.

and our last project was taking photographs to this music schools new website. these past three years have been an adventure and assured me, that this is what i really want to do. i can't wait for England and all the new people i get to meet, and places i get to see, but before that, i will raise a glass for myself, and celebrate these past three years.