Helsinki Burlesque Festival 2009

The second annual Helsinki Burlesque Festival took place yesterday 7.2.2009 at Gloria. I got myself a photo pass which entitled me to take photos with my systems camera. I didn't end up shooting so much as I also wanted to concentrate on the party itself and dwell freely in the lovely atmosphere. But thankfully I got some photos - most of the time I leave the camera home and then afterwards regret not having pictures of important events in my life.

All photos by me if not otherwise marked.




Me as the Mad Hatter. Just dyed my hair orange for the first time. The shoes are handpainted by me with a 3-D paint, originally from Fida. Skirt from Ebay. Jacket from Fida. Accessories from Limbo and by me. Hat made by me, my mum and brother for my brother's Penkkarit (literally "the pressings of the bench", a yearly tradition among Finnish upper secondary school school where everybody dresses up in fancy costumes). Photo by Ilo Laine.




Me, Ilo and Lumimarja. Photo by Kimmo Vanhatalo.




Kimmo and me. Photo by Ilo Laine.




The Itty Bitty Tease Cabaret. A wonderfully colorful and witty group!




Ilo posing as a cow girl. How heavy those hairy things were!




Foto-Atelieri Onyxei Haapala was there to take some beautiful neo-victorian portraits. The photographers were Helmut Schweinstein and Onyxei Haapala.




Helmut and Onyxei with their new backdrop with a feel of spring.




Lumimarja worked as a helping hand for Onyxei and Helmut as Mardja.




The lovely Atelieri lamp. Wish I had this at home! Oh, but I do actually have quite many lamps like this already...




Atelieri was pretty busy all the time. Lovely that so many people wanted studio pictures of themselves - people so rarely take studio photos these days. Thank you Foto-Atelieri Onyxei Haapala for yet another stunning appearance!

One Blood One Love

My first ever photographical series with a digital camera. Final project for Digital Photography I at Laurea Polytechnic, 2003. Starring Lumimarja and Ilo.

I hadn't looked at these photos for years and now I see them through different eyes. I'd probably do many things differently now (especially the Photoshopping and the lighting - and obviously use a better camera, and also focus on making the photos fit together as a series better) and my style has changed, but I still love vampires and love stories. Now especially after seeing Twilight I feel inspired by vampires and dark aesthetics again. Let's see when and how I get around to shooting something like that again!

It's good to see progress in your own work, and also see what's stayed the same. That only comes through time, so be merciful on yourself - give new things time and yourself a chance to learn and improve.

The one with the striped stockings is my favorite!

Once upon a time...

...I felt like taking yet another self-portrait!

This was for a photography assignment at Helsingin Työväenopisto, 2005.

I love photographing people and the easiest target is oneself. I think self-portraiture is a great way of getting to know yourself, trying out different roles and creating moments that never really existed. That's a big part of photography's fascination for me - you can build a moment and make it last forever - even though the moment never really existed except inside one's imagination. You can make a dreamy vision come true by framing, cropping, lighting, wardrobe and make-up. And of course in some cases by Photoshopping.

I think you can get a good shot of anyone if you just can take many many photos of them. I don't believe people when they say "I never look good in pictures". I just think they haven't been photographed with enough devotion or the right gear. I always used to feel like this until I received a digital camera in 2003. With a digital gadget I could take hundreds and hundreds of photos and see which facial impression worked and which didn't without spoiling precious film. I could suddenly take pictures without a flash, with a flash, with any lighting I preferred and which ever angle I preferred.

I strongly recommend self-portraiture for every photographer starting out. It will give you insight of yourself and most importantly what it feels like to be photographed. I have learned so much through self-portraits and it has helped me tremendously when shooting other people - now I know better how to guide them to get the best picture possible.

Detached From Time

Final project at Laurea Polytechnic for Bachelor of Media and Communications Degree, 2007. Digital self-portraits.

Welcome to Feodora's Fairytales!

Here you can find glimpses of my reality - my dreams, my aesthetic views, my style . Whatever I have been up to and want to share with kindred spirits. My photos, my arts & crafts projects, my latest cravings and reasons for excitement. I feel longing for times and eras passed, the romantic skylines of decadent cities. I want to live a life of fairytale - I thrive to realise my dark, romantic and yet colorful visions in my everyday life. If by nothing else, this can be done by clothing and style. I want to do so much and to be so much, and feel like time is running out and the outer world doesn't match my inner world.

I'm a dreamer, it seems. Hope to never change.