Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas!

Missing everyone and thinking of you during the holidays :)

Much love and peace through these special days.

xo.peace.k

archives.

History have mercy on me;

let me slip into a state of grace.

As if a recital, 

          my remedy incessantly leaks error.

          I have let neglect get the best of me.

Feed my meditation.

Let will stoke in the pit of my pelvis;

invoke a contagious tenacity that gives way to inspiration.

The very bones of my being tremor with thirst,

for I am glowing indigo.

Now this clairvoyance you speak of I taste.

Through my undoing I have elevated my essence and redressed my pensive soul;

breath supports my fortitude to reclaim a reposed abyss that germinates at the base of my back.

Let the pierce of your arrow strike my achilles

watch my dance rouse as I hypnotize history into a state of grace.

xo,peace,k

Freedom Cafe PS #2

I read a whole bunch of blogs+photography tips before this "mini gig" at Freedom Cafe + majority of them all said how daylight is best for pictures::using natural light.  What I thought was 

"No Way! Night time pics 

will give cool lighting, 

nice shadows, various highlights 

etc etc" 

essentially I thought that everything that I read was "incorrect"... and what I learnt was sometimes you learn the hard way!  Night time pics are MUCH more technical than daytime photography.  Below are the shots I took at night for 

Freedom Cafe during their Christmas show. 

I really do you think as any beginner photographer than you have to "experience it" to "understand it!"  

Go to a local coffee shop or restaurant + 

just see if you can snap a few pictures for them- 

offer the location your shots for their websites or twitter etc.. most likely they will say yes I'm sure!  

So here are a few things I noticed that can maybe help you when you go out on your adventure!

• Use some sort of support- tripod if you have one! If not,your make-shift DIY rice bag stabilizer ;)  
• Using a tripod will allow you to shoot in a low ISO (ISO200) which provides your picture with more clarity and less "grainy-ness"  
• If you do not have a tripod, because the lighting is not as good you will have to use a higher ISO (ISO 800-1000) This will make your picture clearer but much more grainy.
• These are more "my aesthetic"  but maybe they vibe with you!  I loved playing with reflections...like reflections off glass tables, reflections through the windows outside, using mirrors...they are easy tools to make your pic a little more intriguing- however you do end up with a sort of "blur" that I love, maybe you do not... play around!

Thats really it you guys!  

I found nighttime was a 

lot more difficult + 

frustrating so I will 

have to give it another 

go with my "new-found" 

knowledge! Bahhhhh!

xo.peace.k

Czech.Republic.: Food PS

Czech.Republic.: Food PS: The past2days I have done some photography for my favorite coffee stop in kv-    Freedom Cafe!   Its a good way to test out some new t...

Food PS

The past2days I have done some photography for my favorite coffee stop in kv-

  Freedom Cafe! 

 Its a good way to test out some new techniques+practise makes perfect!  

Plus I got paid in caffeine.... BONUS!

I will post a few of my "food" pics.  Just thought I would share with you a few tips that were helpful for me as a beginner!:

• Do your research!  I looked at various pictures that caught my eye on blogs and magazines and tried to figure out what they did that made me interested.   That way when I went in to Freedom I knew in advance some of the shots I wanted to take!
• Take props like a basic white table cloth, big white construction paper (to control your lighting), if you dont have a reflector (like me) then tinfoil will help (the DIY #1 photography- wrap cardboard in tinfoil and voila! ), TRIPOD!!! (this makes a huge difference in your pics!  DIY #2 photography if you do not have a tripod buy a big bag of rice for 2 bucks to stabilize your lens!  Yeah you will get some funny looks but who cares! It also does the trick)  
• Place yourself near a window!  Natural light is (generally) perfect and leaves little editing to be done at the end.
• I used for pretty much most of the photos a really low ISO (ISO 100) This goes in hand with the natural lighting....
• I LOVED using a wide aperture (LOW Fstop)  It makes your depth of field quite low (if thats what your going for) but really pulls the eye into a point of focus!  Plus there is something about "blur" that I really love... thats more personal appeal though!
• Last "tech" thing- adjust your white balance on your camera.  I love using cloudy setting in most photos because it warms up the photo with a sunny tint.  But of course you can adjust your settings to extract the legit colours in your image....

Okay thats it!  

I am just experimenting here so 

by no means am 

I claiming to be a pro!! 

more so a scientist with a lens ;)

   

xo.peace.k

light&shutter

HaPPy hOLidaYs!

Mini update on life out here-- basically not too much is new!  My dad had come 2 weeks ago for a visit and it was great!  We hit up Berlin and Prague & chilled in KV.  Since he boogied me&Dust have been getting in the XMas spirit!  Decorated our apt. & ate way too much gingerbread & candy! We are off to 

Nuremberg, Germany 

tomorrow for the Xmas markets & to enjoy!  Its our "Xmas break" as they play on the 26th & practise on the 25th.  Early Christmas!

Lately I have been playing around a lot on my canon rebel camera that I left back home & my dad so kindly brought with him on his visit.  Once I am more organized I will post what exactly I am doing for my photos & how I capture the images.  

Right now I am still grasping

the camera lingo & basically just shooting & seeing what works! 

Here are some fun images using 

light & simply leaving the shutter open 

longer!  

[I used a lamp post for my light source with the love & heart images]

Chat soon! 

xo.peace.k.

13 Places Take Beautiful Motion Blur Shots

13 Places Take Beautiful Motion Blur Shots

Long Exposure Photography: 15 Stunning Examples

Long Exposure Photography: 15 Stunning Examples

"short-form" Berlin

Last week was my 5th time in Berlin & equally as wonderful with my Dad! As always, Berlin managed to show me something new&incredible tucked away in different knooks and crannies! 

I mentioned to my Dad that if I was to come back to Europe down the road, I still would start in Berlin! It is a must...

I know I know... You seen this, heard this.. but here are some new tid-bits to hit up if you are enroute to Berlin, Germany in short form!

1. You must stay at PLUS hotel/hostel- This place is a gem! For only 40 euro a night for a private room with washroom and linens its a steal! If you want the more affordable (if that wasnt enough!) the dorms are only 10 euro! The place is huge, clean and super helpful! Plus their 6 euro buffet breakfast in the Opera Bar is bang on to start your day right!
2. Do a day second hand shopping!- Berlin has the BEST second hand shops! Awesome quality and wicked selection of stuff! Do a day travelling through the city to all the "Humana" stores (second hand chain) and you will go home with tons of goodies!! Maybe the crazy white alligator boots that my Dad was checking out!

HUMANA second hand shops

1. Calling all VEGANS!- You veg-heads BioMarket is the place for you! Grab a wicked cappicino and then go pick out a vegan german sausage for lunch- they have every flavor!

1. Monsieur Vong Restaurant- This vibrant Vietnamese restaurant is in Prenzlauer and they pack an AMAZING TEA bowl with lime and ginger. It probably doesn't sound all that spectacular but it is the best tea I have had! Freshly made and loose- no pre-packed tea-bags! And their food is wicked to boot- try the glass noodle spicy dish! Great prices as well...   ................ps- this place is tucked away, grab a map and keep searching- its worth the hunt!

1. Prater Biergarten- Prater is the "beer garden" of Berlin. I figured we should stop in so my Dad could get his traditional "German Sausage." To our surprise, even thought they do not serve sausage we each had an awesome dish! Even my vegetarian option was rad! The best part of this night out was the discovery of DIESEL BEER..... Half beer & Half coke....to die for! Pretty sure I capped each night out to follow with one of these....

1. A night on the TOWN!- If you are going out in Berlin you should definitely start at FORUM wine bar. Its a funky little bar right by Rosenthaler! You rent a glass- keep tabs on how much you are drinking and pay at the end!j To follow...perhaps you heard the myth that the trains run 24/7- like I had? This is not true! BUT the M10 Party Tram does run 24/7! This bad boy only runs through Eastern Berlin- but lets be honest- thats the best part of Berlin so where else would you be!?!  Tram tickets are only a dollar- but I still have yet to experience anyone checking my tickets on the tram or the train!

1. WEST Berlin- Even though I rarely venture the West when I am in Berlin, I do feel its worth a trip to Tiergarten just to see the very apparent differences between the East and West. Hope on the train from Ostkreuz (in Friedrichshain) and head to Tiergarten and as soon as you step off the train you can see and feel the lack of vibrancy and "zazz" that the East embodies! I love just cruising though Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain and my favorite Prenzlauer when Im there!

[east side gallery]

So these are just a few extra tid-bits we also hit up Treptower Park the blind leading the blind to Spree Park, busyyyyyy Bikram Yoga, of course Burgers Berlin, Sachsenhausen concentration camp, Potsdamer Platz just a few times for gluhwein! and much more!

[tiergarten]

[winter festival in potsdamer platz]

[gluhwein!]

[burgers berlin]

[memorial]

[concentration camp]

[second hand shop in prenzlauer]

[second hand hats!]

If anyone has questions, wants tips etc.

 fire me a note and I am happy to help!

It was a wicked trip with

 a wicked person! 

 Cant wait to be back!

xo.peace.k