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Niki Kudaka

Photographer, Writer, Creator

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Summer Vacation in Canada!

Summer in Canada! Time to hit the open roads

Still riding a strong surge of national pride, these shirts are designed with Canadian travel in mind. Whether it's a family vacation, or a fishing trip with your buddies, I've got you covered. We live in a spectacular country, and if you can get out and enjoy it this summer, I strongly encourage it! 

First, we have Family Vacation 2025 with a Maple Leaf in retro sunset colours, with a mountain lake scene. Available in unisex adult and kid sizes. The shirts come in Black, Sport Grey, and Dark Chocolate for adults, and Navy, Purple and Black for the kids. Adult shirts start at $29.29, and kids start at $26.33. Shipping is at no extra cost! Design contains AI elements.

 

For Fishing Enthusiasts!

The fishing opportunities across this great country are phenomenal! Share your love of the sport with this fishing themed shirt. The shirt features a fisherman with his big catch on a retro sunset maple leaf design. Design contains some edited AI elements. This shirt gives off a laid-back adventurous vibe, ideal for those who love fishing or enjoy outdoor vacations.

Available in sizes S - 5 XL. The shirt comes in Dark Chocolate, Dark Heather, Navy, Purple, Sport Grey and White.

 

 

 

 

 

Summer Road Trip!

This Canadian Maple Leaf retro summer road trip tee exudes a nostalgic and adventurous vibe, perfect for those who love travel and the great outdoor. It features a distressed Retro Sunset Maple Leaf and the words "summer road trip". The shirt is ideal for adults looking for a comfortable and stylish t-shirt to wear on casual occasions or while exploring new destinations. This tee is relevant for summer vacations, road trips, camping adventures, and outdoor activities.

This unisex styled shirt is available in sizes S - 5 XL and in colours Dark Chocolate, Dark Heather, Navy, Royal, and Black.

 

 

 

 

Prairie Roads, Take me Home

I grew up on the Prairies, and in a nostalgic mood, I designed this shirt. Remembering long bus rides from Winnipeg, to the family homestead in the Riding Mountain area of Manitoba, and the sun setting under wide prairie skies while the grain elevators stood watch by the crossroads. This design features a prairie sunset and a grain elevator next to a long, straight road in a maple leaf frame. Design contains AI elements.

These unisex style shirts come in sizes S - 5 XL. Available colours are Dark Chocolate, Dark Heather, Navy, Orange, Purple, Sport Grey and Black.

 

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True North Strong and Free!

Introducing the latest additions to my Canada Collection: True North Strong and Free! With the orange buffoon down south still talking about making Canada the 51st state, and amidst talks of Alberta seperatism, I believe that Canadians want to send a strong message of unity and love for our country.

So, in time for Canada Day celebrations and the summer season, I've designed these I <3 maple leaf t-shirts, baseball shirts and caps perfect for get-togethers at the beach, backyard barbeques, or just everyday wear. And for those chilly evenings camping, or hanging on the beach watching fireworks, this cozy hoodie will keep you warm and offer some protection from the mosquitos! All shirts and hats available in a wide range of colours. Check them out at my Etsy shop: https://detailsbyniki.etsy.com
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Cancer care gifts for him

When cancer touches your life, you will never be quite the same as before.

I lost both of my parents to cancer. And for the past couple of years, my husband, Bill, has been fighting his own battle with cancer.  

One thing I've learned from this latest experience, is that compared with women, men seem to get the short end of the stick when it comes to comfort/care items made especially for them. I guess women naturally tend to gravitate towards providing support and care towards each other. But since men usually are less expressive of their feelings, sometimes it's hard to know what they need to get through their rough patches.

But believe me, men need comforting just as much as women do. And it's for that reason that I've created these new cancer related mug and t-shirt designs. The mugs are covered with encouraging messages such as, "You are not alone," "Stronger than cancer," "You are loved," "You've got this," and "We're here for you." They can be given on their own as a gift, or part of a comfort/care package to take with them to the hospital. (We live in a smaller community that doesn't have a cancer treatment centre, so my husband had to spend his treatment time away from family. A comfort/care package really helps in that situation.)

The t-shirts have either the words "Fight Cancer" or "Fuck Cancer" in a rainbow pattern to symbolize the range of colors respresenting the different types of cancer. The words are superimposed on a background of exploding colors which echoes the disruption that cancer can cause to a person's and their family's lives.

When my husband was diagnosed with cancer, we searched around for a support group to help him go through this new and devastating experience.  We could find a lot of support for women, but it was more difficult finding support for men. Fortunately, a friend invited Bill to join The Sea Wolves Men's Cancer Pack here on Vancouver Island, and Man up to Cancer which is North America wide. The support that Bill has received from The Sea Wolves has been phenominal, and very much appreciated by both of us. They have regular coffee meets, provide awesome chemo packs to men who are undergoing treatment, and are a great source of support and much needed information. If you know a man who has recently been diagnosed with cancer, please click the above links. It is so much easier to go through this with support than to try to go it alone.

If you want a mug or t-shirt for the man in your life who is battling cancer, please visit my store https://detailsbyniki.etsy.com

 

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Photography T-Shirt Designs

 

New in April 2025, Photography T-shirt designs!

I know I'm a dinosaur still shooting with an actual camera instead of the latest smart phone. But I like the control the camera gives me. I can usually get my image correct in the lens with minimal touch ups needed in post-production. And most of all, I love going on those photo hikes, even in places I've been to a thousand times before. I usually can see something that I can photograph in a different way than I've ever done it before. 

So I designed these shirts for all the other dinosaurs like me and my husband who like to grab our cameras and go wandering in search of the perfect shot.  I hope you like them.  All of these are available in my Etsy store: Details by Niki


 

 

Photography Tees by Niki Kudaka

 

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New Ventures!

They say timing is everything.  Trust me to get into online sales just before a national postal strike.

But here it is!  Details by Niki is my Esty store.

Fortunately, this year I decided not to do any Christmas designs, because nothing is moving anywhere in Canada on time for Christmas!

My main item are t-shirts and sweatshirts for the Facebook group my husband, Bill Manners, and I run called You Know You're from Nanaimo When.  That will change in the New Year as I expand my store.  I also sell a floral 2025 Calendar with motivational quotes for every month, and am working on a Nanaimo Calendar.  All photographs used are my own work.

I also have created another website: Details Engraving.  I am doing laser engraving on wood, specializing in recipe cutting boards.  Everyone has old family recipes passed down by loved ones.  I can take a photograph of a handwritten recipe and directly engrave in on a wood cutting board, so that your loved one's handwriting and words are immortalized on something more substantial than flimsy paper that can get torn or stained.  It makes a great gift for birthdays, anniversaries, and Christmas.  I'm only marketing those in the Nanaimo region at present.  Here's an example:

So, check out my new ventures.  And if you see anything you like, please wander over to my store and my other website.  Let me know if there is something I can customize for you.  I'm always excited to take on new challenges!  Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a happy New Year!

 

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Types of Photography

When I tell people I'm a photographer, I get a lot of people asking me to take portrait or wedding photos.  They're always a bit puzzled when I turn them down.  But that's not the type of photographer I am.  My photography consists primarily of landscapes, nature and still life (like food or product photography), although I do like to dabble in other genres.  

A quick search on the internet reveals there are as many as 106 different types of photography.  I find that some of those types are rather narrowly defined, and there can be much overlap between photography genres.  But here is a brief overview of some of the main categories so that you can get an idea of how broad the subject of photography actually is.

People

People photography includes portrait, wedding, fashion, grad, team, dance, journalism, holiday portraits, boudoir, children, baby, event, family, glamour, headshot, sports, maternity, nude, and probably more that I haven't thought of.  Photographing people often requires a larger monetary investment in equipment such as lenses, lighting, reflectors, sometimes backdrops and props.  If people are paying you to take their picture, they expect you to make them look good!  It helps if you have a talent for putting people at ease and patience for working with small children who may not understand what's going on and might even be frightened of the strange equipment.

Places

Photographers who enjoy travel might find themselves taking landscape, cityscape, seascape, travel, real estate, architectural, aerial, drone, or even mapping photos.  Most often they are freelance, selling their photos to magazines or as stock photography.  Particularly beautiful or unusual landscapes may be found Fine Art, or used in calendars, cards and coffee table books.

Art

Quite a lot of art photography is manipulated whether it's in camera with lenses, prisms, gels, props, backdrops, filters, forced perspective, and/or edited with Photoshop or other digital photo editors.  It is a means of creative expression meant to evoke certain feelings in the viewer.  Fine art, still life, concept, abstract, fantasy, miniatures, and composite photography can all fall into this category.

Action

Some of the most dynamic photos taken are often of people, machines or animals doing things.  Sports, photojournalism, war, adventure (extreme sports or wilderness activities) can be either planned or unplanned shots.

Nature

Nature photography is often used to create art, or document events.  It can be dramatic or soothing.  It often emcompasses things such as pets, wildlife, insect, macro, plants, weather, underwater, and astronomy.  Nature photographers often journey to remote locations and may have very specific equipment such as long lenses to get great photos at a distance.

Documentation

Documentation photography is perhaps the most underrated type of photography, but it's everywhere around us.  Photojournalism is probably what first comes to mind as we see photos in our newspapers, online, on television, etc., that document events, both local and worldwide. Forensic photographs taken at crime scenes make a huge impact in the justice world.  Scientific, medical, military, and engineering photos are incredibly useful for instruction manuals, textbooks, restoration and reconstruction purposes.

Commercial

Commercial photography is everywhere around us.  It can consist of product photography, advertising, concept, stock, food, business, lifestyle, still life, catalogue/internet, jewellery, automotive, and so much more!

With so many different types of photography, it's not surprising to see photographers combining several types together in the services they offer.  Most commonly, someone who does portraits, will often do weddings, family, grad, maternity and children.  Someone who is of a more artistic bent may gravitate towards fine art, concept, and composite.  On the other hand, someone who is more adventurous might do freelance photography featuring travel, action/adventure, and photojournalism.  The possibilities are as endless as the people who enjoy doing photography for a hobby or a living.

 

 

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Why and how should you digitize your photos?

If you're anything like me, you probably have a lot of old paper photos in your home.  I've got photos I've taken, photos I've been given by family and friends, and photos that I've inherited.  It's amazing how just looking at a photograph can take you back to a specific time and place and open up memories, reminding you of things you may have forgotten.

I love my old photos, especially the ones I inherited.  Some of them are over 100 years old.  And while it's wonderful to be able to look back on family members who are no longer with us, the photos themselves need to be handled ever so carefully.  100 years or even less can be really difficult on old photos.  They can get bent or scratched.  So many of my old photos have coffee stains on them from family reunions where people were passing old pictures around the table for everyone to see after dinner.  And some of the papers and chemicals used to create photos throughout the years have not stood up well to the test of time.  In my albums, coloured photos that were taken from the 1950s to the 1980s are fading badly, and turning yellow.

Another thing that hit home this past summer is climate change.  The extreme drought and wildfire situation in British Columbia in the summer of 2021 was terrifying!  Then on top of that were the floods that hit later that year in November.  So many people lost everything!  And even with the most thoughtful preparation, sometimes you have very little time to evacuate.  I know of one lady who had a wonderful go-bag ready by the front door, just in case.  But when the order came to evacuate, they had just 10 minutes to leave, and the bag was left at home accidently in the stress and confusion.  Fortunately, their home was spared, but whew!

I've probably got over a thousand physical photographs, and this past summer I spent a few weeks quickly photographing them one-by-one and storing them on my personal computer and a flash drive.  We were planning on being away for a few weeks, and with the dry weather conditions, our city could have gone up in flames very quickly.  Having my photos stored on a flash drive that I was able to slip into my purse and bring with me gave me peace of mind while I was away.

Photographing old photos isn't really the best solution, but, as in my case, it works well when you need it done quickly, and you'll still have your precious memories.  The problem with a camera is the lens.  Most cameras tend to distort on the edges.  That could give your photos a pinched or wavy look along the edges, and distort the faces of your loved ones.  Also, old photos tend to curl, so that can also add another layer of distortion.

What I did after I got home was invest in a good quality scanner.  The photo sits flat on the scanner bed, and there is no camera lens distortion to pinch or pull the edges of your pictures.  Some scanners even allow you to do some basic colour corrections, so it's great for those old colour photos that are yellowing and/or fading.

Another thing about going digital, is that if you have good photo-editing software, then you can digitally remove the dust and scratches, stains, and even repair tears.  Every year the technology gets better and with some of the newer programs, you can even take blurry photos and sharpen them!

Resizing old photos is easy too.  Many photos that were taken before the 1950s were printed 3" x 5" or even smaller.  If the photographer was standing far away from the subject, then you can't make out too much detail of faces.  But by digitizing these old photos, and viewing them on a larger screen, or even your TV, you can see so much detail in those old photos that you didn't realize was there!  When you resize, you can also edit the photo to cut out all the extraneous detail you don't want and put the focus on the people and objects you really want to see.  

With rents spiraling upwards and tiny houses and apartments becoming fashionable out of necessity, bulky old photo albums can take up a lot of room.  Although it's sad to lose that tangible feeling of a paper photo that passed through the hands of your loved ones to you, digitizing will save you a lot of room.  And it's so much easier to view your photos on your phone, or quickly send favourites to friends and family with a tap of your finger.

So if you want to learn how to digitize your photos, contact me if you have questions, or would like me to do it for you for a fee.  I'm not set up with price lists yet, but I'm sure we can work something out!

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