Visit Kouvola

Kouvola is calling with its proximity to the capital city region (135km from Helsinki). I have re-settled in my hometown after some 16 years away in Finland and abroad. 

While I am, for the time being, working as a full-time mother for the first time in my life, I am still open for any short or long-term assignments. 

But in case you've never been to Finland, or have been to Lapland only, come visit South Finland. Rent a car at Helsinki airport and come hike in Repovesi National Park in Kouvola, or in the summer time enjoy sandy beaches of many inland lakes near Kouvola. 

What are you waiting for?

Lappalanjärvi beach in Kouvola

Lappalanjärvi beach in Kouvola

Face Paint Shoot in Shenzhen

It was fun working with Daria Kozhukhar, a makeup artist based in Shenzhen, China. Daria is a certified Makeup Forever makeup artist, and has been working and living in Shenzhen for almost a decade. If you reside in Shenzhen and need a professional makeup artist for fashion, parties, a wedding - you name it - contact Daria at dariavaidya (at) gmail.com. See more of her work at http://behance.net/dariakozhukhar

Models Alyona and Valik

Models Alyona and Valik

 
Daria Kozhukhar

Daria Kozhukhar

The Beautiful Belly Bump: Pregnancy Photography

I had the pleasure to take pictures of a happy expatriate couple living in Shenzhen, expecting their first child. The due date is not far away - it could be any moment - so the couple was in a hurry to have the gorgeous belly bump documented before the wonder of new life will happen. 

We did shoot old-style silhouettes as well as more traditional portraits of the couple and the third person in hiding. I enjoyed this shoot very much, and am excited for the couple. 

Foreigners Cooking - A Show in Making

Friend: "I have this cooking show, a webseries in mind. Foreigners cooking in China. Would you be interested in being the camera(wo)man?"

Me: "Yes."

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Never say 'no' to interesting ideas. The first episode is on the editing table, and while waiting for the second episode's shooting date to be confirmed, I am busy branding the cooking show hostess. We need studio shots of the hostess, a Chinese friend. Those pictures will go on the website of the show, the WeChat page and on my website, too. 

Once the first episode's edit is accomplished by the director, you'll get to watch it. I promise I'll let you know. 

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Update: As tragicomical as life can be, in early 2016 the dear fellow director - Bob Coleman - was found dead in his apartment in Shenzhen. All the raw unedited footage and good quality sound was in his hard drives. Needless to say, I had no access to a deceased man's files. 

Japan. Japan!

A long weekend in Japan: Kinosaki Onsen and Kyoto. First two nights in a small town with hot springs and walking around wearing a traditional bath robe yukata & wooden sandals; another two nights in a big city with tens (or hundreds?) temples and shrines. We only visited three temples and one shrine, and that took us an entire day.

Being a vegetarian tourist in Japan is a challenge. I did not eat my way through the streets of Kyoto, unfortunately, but otherwise I liked Japan. People are amazingly polite and cute. Have you seen a cashier at a grocery store bow in any other country?

Badminton in China

Badminton is truly a national sport of China. Last night I played Badminton for the first time since about 15 years; my hubby, three of his employees and myself formed a 2x2 game. Two hours of sweating, spurting and feeling frustrated. Fun! They say that you only advance by playing against better players than yourself. Indeed, I did improve a lot during those two hours as I happened to be the least skilled player.