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Author Archives: Mariska
How to Shoot Slo-Mo Video With Your iPhone
A little while back I started playing with the new iOS8 slo-mo feature on my iPhone camera and I have been very entertained by the results. (Demo videos in this post were shot with an iPhone 5s running iOS8.)
Of course one of my first videos had to be of my chocolate lab, Roxie. I laughed when the slo-mo recording made her sound like a vicious lion!
Slo-Mo Video Demo – Barking Dog
How to Shoot Slo-Mo Video With Your iPhone
- Make sure you have iOS8 installed on your iPhone. If you don’t, go ahead and do the update. (If you’ve been nervous about updating your iPhone 5s, don’t be – mine works just fine.)
Open your iPhone’s camera. It will likely be set to ‘Photo’ mode.- Swipe your finger to the right until you get to the Slo-Mo setting. You will notice that the camera has
zoomed in a bit in video mode so you may need to reposition yourself to get everything you want in the frame. - Tap the red record button to begin recording and tap it again to stop recording when you’re finished capturing your video.
- Now it’s time to edit! Go to playback mode and select your video.
- You will noticed two scrubbing markers on either side of the playback bar. You can adjust these to where you want the slow motion to begin and end. To preview your edits, tap the play button.
- When you’re happy with your slo-mo edits, tap save.
- You can now upload your slo-mo video to YouTube, Facebook or your preferred sharing sites to share your video with the world!
Slo-Mo Video Demo – Walking in fallen leaves
Every fall I LOVE kicking around in the fallen leaves, so I thought this would make a fun slo-mo video demo. Compared to last year’s leaf kicking video, this one is much more fun!
Have you shot any fun slo-mo videos with the new iOS8 slo-mo feature? Please share the links in the comments.
Give Wall Art This Holiday Season
A couple of weeks ago I received a request from one of my Instagram followers for prints of a couple of my mushroom images I had posted a few weeks earlier. She said she had the perfect wall art frames and would love to see my mushroom photos in them!
These are the images she chose:
And this is how the final wall art turned out:
Thank you so much @LifeOfShauna for posting a pic of the final framed wall art and for your kind words! I’m so happy and excited that you like the photos and I love that they inspire memories of your favourite childhood stories!
Give Wall Art This Holiday Season!
Are you looking for a unique gift for someone close to you this holiday season? Do you know someone who loves to travel, appreciates nature and explores the outdoors?
Check out my Instagram feed and if you see something that inspires you, please contact me for pricing and I’ll get them printed and sent off you you in a flash! And don’t forget to click follow while you’re there!
View Instagram Feed
OR
Spend a Night in the KLM Airplane Apartment!
The Dutch have done it again! I’ve always been a fan of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The airline was practically part of the family back when my Opa (grandfather) was a pilot with them and I do my best to fly with them (or their partners) whenever I travel. The airline has come up with some great marketing campaigns in the past, but as an avid traveler, I think this one is just awesome!
KLM Airplane Apartment on Airbnb
KLM has come up with a super fun idea to give a few lucky winners an opportunity to spend a night on one of their planes. This is not just any plane – they’ve converted a McDonnell Douglas: MD11 into a spacious apartment and have listed it on Airbnb!
KLM Airplane Apartment – What’s Included
According to the listing, the airplane is “Located right beside the runway of Amsterdam’s bustling Schiphol airport,” and it “comes with all conveniences and will truly be your home away from home.”
The plane accommodates four people in two bedrooms with three beds and a whopping eight (yes 8!) bathrooms! (That’s two bathrooms per person!) There is also a kitchen on board, a television, wifi connection, gaming console, and of course comfy first class chairs to enjoy aviation-themed films (including Top Gun and The Aviator) on the entertainment system.
If you’re an airplane buff and you’re interested in the plane’s history, according to KLM, this MD11 has crossed the globe 3,675 times. (I wonder if any of those flights had Opa in the cockpit?)
It’s FREE to Stay in the KLM Airplane Apartment!
Yes! That’s right! It’s FREE!!
But there’s a catch. You will have to convince KLM in 100 words or less why they should choose to fly you to Amsterdam to stay in their airplane apartment on November 28/29 or 30, 2014.
If you win, please keep the following house rules in mind:
- No flying.
- Don’t use the inflatable emergency slide.
- Smoking is not allowed when the non-smoking sign is on.
- No marshmallow roasting with the jet engines.
- Please water our plants and feed our fish.
- The consumption of alcohol is not allowed.
- Please treat our plane like you treat your own plane.
How to Apply to stay in the KLM Airplane Apartment
Go to the Airbnb listing and click Contact Host. Next choose a date and write your 100 words (or less) explaining why they should choose you and who you would bring with you. It’s that easy!
What are you waiting for?!
The deadline to enter the KLM Airplane Apartment contest November 20. I’m going to head over and submit my own application right now, because I think this contest is just fantastic!
[Tweet “Enter to win a night in the KLM Airplane Apartment contest from @KLM and @Airbnb! #travel”]
Take a Ride on the Van Gogh Glowing Bicycle Path
I love night photography. I love to travel. And I LOVE how my fellow Dutch folk come up with so many super fun and inspiring ideas and projects! I’ll be adding the Van Gogh Glowing Bicycle Path my bucket list the next time I head to the Netherlands for a family visit.
The Van Gogh Glowing Bicycle Path
Dutch artist Daan Roosengaarde created the van Gogh glowing bicycle path inspired by Vincent Van Gogh‘s “The Starry Night” painting. The one-kilometre glowing bike path is located in the city of Eindhoven and opened to the public on November 13, 2014. The path forms part of the Van Gogh cycle route that connects the Vincent van Gogh heritage locations in the province of Brabant, where Van Gogh lived.
The path is illuminated by thousands of twinkling stones that feature glow-in-the-dark technology and solar-powered LED lights constructed by Heijmans.
“I wanted to create a place that people will experience in a special way, the technical combined with experience, that’s what techno-poetry means to me,” said Roosengaarde.
Van Gogh 2015
The opening of the cycle path on 13 November marked the start of the Van Gogh 2015 international theme year. In 2015, the 125th anniversary of the death of Vincent van Gogh (Zundert, 30 March 1853 – Auvers-sur-Oise, 29 July 1890) will be commemorated with a comprehensive cultural programme on the theme 125 years of inspiration.
[Tweet “The #VanGogh-Roosengaarde Glowing #Bicycle Path! #BucketList”]Photo credit: studioroosegaarde.net
Remembrance Day 2014 – My Family Connection
Remembrance Day 2014. A time to reflect on all of those who suffered through the wars of the past and present and all of those who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of others. On this Remembrance Day 2014 I remember the sacrifices of my family and those who fell so that we may have freedom.
My Family Connection
My dad was born in the Netherlands during WWII. He doesn’t remember it because he was just a baby. My grandparents rarely spoke about the War. I can’t even imagine the horrors and atrocities that they experienced and the loved ones that they lost.
What I do know is that my grandmother lost her brother to a lineup in a concentration camp. My grandfather (who I never met) was a minister and was one of the few people who were permitted to travel around freely to perform religious services.
When my grandmother passed away in 2012 we found letters that my grandfather had written to her during WWII; they were sweet yet heartbreaking. We also found permission letters from the Germans allowing him to travel by bicycle at certain hours to perform religious services, but curfews were strictly enforced. My grandmother also had a collection of underground newspapers that could have gotten her into a lot of trouble had anyone found them at the time.
The untold history that we lost with my grandmother two years ago is incredible, but I can understand why it’s not something she spoke about. I can’t imagine what she experienced during those years and I admire her strength to get through it. I am so thankful for all of those who gave their lives so that we may live in peace.
A Visit to the Anne Frank Huis in Amsterdam
Visiting the Anne Frank Huis in Amsterdam drove the reality of WWII home for me. Being in the house where Anne Frank and her family lived in secret was such an emotional and humbling experience.
Anne Frank, 1929 – 1945
I first read Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
“We cannot change what happened anymore. The only thing we can do is learn from the past and to realize what discrimination and persecution of innocent people means. I believe that it’s everyone’s responsibility to fight prejudice.” ~ Otto Frank, 1970 (Anne Frank’s father)
The world was such a different place back then. I am so grateful for all of those who had the courage and strength to give their lives so that by the time I was born, less than an hour’s drive outside of Amsterdam, my family had the opportunity to live in a better world.
It gives me chills to think of the history that my grandparents lived through. On this Remembrance Day 2014 I remember the sacrifices of my family and those who fell so that we may live a life of freedom.
Lest we forget.
Enjoy Costa Rica All Year with the 2015 Costa Rica Wall Calendar
This time last year I had just landed in Costa Rica for my first Central American adventure. I found Costa Rica to be an incredibly beautiful and friendly country and of all the places that I’ve traveled it was the first place that I felt I would be able to call home.
As I look back at my photography from my travels, I wanted to share the photos in a way that would allow others to enjoy the beauty of this amazing country as well. With this in mind, I’ve decided to celebrate the scenes of Costa Rica and the Pura Vida Lifestyle through the 2015 Costa Rica Wall Calendar featuring images from my travels.
2015 Costa Rica Wall Calendar Preview
I’ve included a few shortlisted images below. If they inspire you I invite you to pre-order your very own 2015 Costa Rica Calendar today! Calendars ordered by November 26th will be printed and shipped (to Canada and USA) in time for Christmas.
2015 Costa Rica Wall Calendar Details:
- 12 month wall calendar
- Size: 8.5×11 inches
- Canadian and USA holidays
- Language: English
- First month: January 2015
[Tweet “Enjoy #CostaRica all year long with the 2015 Costa Rica Wall Calendar! #PuraVida”] 
OctoberGrams 2014
Fall on Vancouver Island is one of the most beautiful times of year. These OctoberGrams are a collection of some of my most popular Instagram posts from October 2014. All photos were shot and edited with an iPhone 5s.
Follow @mariskar on Instagram for more fun photos.
An amazing walk in the woods along the Cowichan River near Skutz Falls. #cowichan #explorebc #leaves #fall #ILiveHere A photo posted by Mariska Richters (@mariskar) on
Found this playful seal snacking on a school of fish just off the Ogden Point breakwater in Victoria today. It was almost as though he knew we were watching him. I love nature! A photo posted by Mariska Richters (@mariskar) on
Nature’s fall display at Goldstream Park is always incredible! #fall #nature #goldstreampark #Victoria #islandlife #pnwcollective #explorebc A photo posted by Mariska Richters (@mariskar) on
Beautiful autumn along Tressle 66 at the Cowichan River Provincial Park. #explorebc #autumn #fall #nature #beauty #natural #leaves #cowichan #pnwcollective A photo posted by Mariska Richters (@mariskar) on
A Victoria sunset with a tiny sliver of the moon at the blue hour. #sunset #moon #bluehour #victoria #explorebc A photo posted by Mariska Richters (@mariskar) on
I Just Booked My Ticket To Mars!
Anyone who knows me knows that I’m addicted to travel, adventure and photography. So when I saw the opportunity to book a ticket to Mars, I had to jump at it! And I’m taking my niece and nephew with me!
I just booked my ticket to Mars and you can come too!
Well, not exactly….
Every so often Nasa has fun interactive programs to name a star or to send your name to space, I’ve participated in a few over the years. The current campaign is sending names to Mars on the Orion Flight Test with a launching sometime in the December 4 – 6, 2014 launch window.
“NASA’s newest spacecraft, Orion, will be launching into space for the first time in December 2014, on a flight that will take it farther than any spacecraft built to carry humans has gone in more than 40 years and through temperatures twice as hot as molten lava to put its critical systems to the test.” Credit: NASA/Johnson Space Center
This NASA video explains the whole adventure far better than I ever could:
You and your kids can be part of this adventure too by visiting NASA’s website. But HURRY! The deadline is October 31st at midnight (ET).
[Tweet “I just booked my ticket to Mars! You can come too! #NASA #Travel”]Vancouver Island Mushrooms
I went for an autumn hike up the mountain behind my house on Vancouver Island yesterday and came across tons of different kinds of mushrooms and fungi. I posted the following photos of Vancouver Island Mushrooms to Instagram and they’ve been getting a lot of attention (yay!) I’ve even had one person request prints of a couple of the images, so I thought I would share them here as well.
Do you know which mushrooms are which?
I have no idea what kind of mushrooms these are or whether they are edible or not, but they are beautiful and they have me imagining a little gnome community hiding out in the woods behind my house and that makes me smile. If you know what they are, I’d love for you to share your insight in the comments below?
Have a look and don’t forget to follow me on Instagram for more great daily Vancouver Island and travel photos!
I found lots of autumn shroomies on my hike with @Roxidoo today. #mushrooms #shrooms #autumn #fall #forest A photo posted by Mariska Richters (@mariskar) on
Another unknown mushroom from my woodsy wanders today. I love this time of year! #autumn #mushrooms #shrooms #fungi #fall #vancouverisland #explorebc #cowichan A photo posted by Mariska Richters (@mariskar) on
[Tweet “Check out these #mushroom pics! Do you know what they are? Are they edible? #fungi #food”]These are the ones that go “poof” when they dry out and you step on them, sending a tiny cloud of spores into the air. #ilovenature #mushrooms #shrooms #fungi #vancouverisland #cowichan A photo posted by Mariska Richters (@mariskar) on