Lens-Artists Challenge #180 – Favourite Images of 2021

/ Leya

Our team is back and we wish you welcome to 2022. This New Year comes, again, with much hope for the future –

It was as if the land opened its lips and breathed again, and was made anew.
― Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Our “Favorite Images of the Year ” challenge will be a bit different this year too. For me, this year meant continously living in my bubble, but a bit more freedom than 2020. Still much less camera…and much less energy – but, here’s my year through lens and sense. Sometimes maybe not the best image, but the one that stirs up feelings of joy and happiness.

I begin with my absolute favourite image for 2021 – the fabulous, snowy landscape a late evening in February. the opener though, is from yesterday – the frosty landscape we had the last days of December.

We were lucky to get some ”real winter” this year – and vivid memories of my childhood came back.

The feeling of Spring and early Summer is always the highlight of the year – and my backlit tulips represents that to me.

If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need. – Cicero

Macro moments and surprising views are also much appreciated. A walk by the brook in a special light,

– and a close look at one of the last insects seen outdoors this year – too slow to get away from my curious lens…

My husband turned 70 and we celebrated all summer…one of the highlights was a visit to ARoS museum in Aarhus, Denmark.

Another one was the fact that the biggest wandering sand dune in Europe is to be found – in Denmark.

The beginning is always today.—Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

A visit to Tjolöholm Castle was a real treat this summer. A Tudor castle in Sweden! And the most modern things in those days – unknown to ordinary people – were brought here from England. Showers that sprinkled you all around, and Roman baths on every floor.

Every moment is a fresh beginning. —T.S. Eliot

My daughter’s exam, and the most beautiful Lotus flower.

Autumn now just around the corner, but the colours were slow to arrive this year.

It was a joy when they finally fired away and had me using the camera again.

And now let us welcome the new year, full of things that never were.
—Rainer Maria Rilke

And lovely new things were revealed and enhanced by the late autumn fog – the delicacy of the leaves and trees, and the little things that inhabit the forest floor.

Yesterday’s captures were frosty sheep in -12 degrees C, sticking together despite their thick coats…

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.
― Oprah Winfrey

The low sun and the soft light this winter makes it such a joy to walk with Milo. He loves the snow just as much as I do. And, as not many photographs are taken or images made in this cold weather – he is content not having to wait for me…

The Lens-Artists team is excited to announce that we’ll be welcoming several new members beginning in 2022. In addition to those of us with whom you are all familiar, we’ll be joined this year by


Sofia Alves of  Photographias 

Anne Sandler of Slow Shutter Speed

John Steiner of Journeys with Johnbo 


Those of you who have followed us for some time will be familiar with all of them as they have all been regular participants and each has Guest-Hosted for us in the past. We know they will bring their marvelous photography, extensive travel experiences, close-to-home adventures, and fresh insight to our weekly challenges. We are very much looking forward to having them with us. Please be sure to follow their blogs to be certain you don’t miss any of our upcoming Lens-Artists challenges. 

Finally – may 2022 bring peace, health, and happy moments to us all. We look forward to seeing Your favorite images of 2021 and understanding why you’ve chosen them. Please use the Lens-Artists Tag to help us find you. As always, we greatly appreciate your continued support of our challenge and the inventive creativity of your responses.

117 reaktioner på ”Lens-Artists Challenge #180 – Favourite Images of 2021”

    • Glad you liked them – and I agree on the bee photo. That was taken one of the last warm days, and almost no bees around anymore. I also think this is a fly species.

      Svara

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  5. What a joy to see your favorite photos for the year. They would make a nice book! Thanks for all you and the other lens artists do for us, Leya. I’m sure you will welcome some additional artists. I hope it will lessen the load you all bear having so many followers! 🙂

    Svara

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  12. Ann–christine, your gallery is testament to the old adage quality over quantity. I remember many of the these photos and you have included a number that I was particularly charmed by.
    I haven’t found my mojo yet but it is comforting to know that when I do, the Lens Artists challenge will still be there to inspire me. Thank you.

    Svara

    • ♥ Always love you, Tracy♥ Stay cool and it will find you again…I feel like I will never find mine again though. I have been told I am going to be a grandmother in May – hope that will help my positive and loving spirits awaken.

      Svara

      • Terrifying, yes, and being optimistic and smiling is essential…newcomers to this planet must be well taken care of. We know nothing of the future. My two children had both decided not to have any children of their own – considering the bleak future of Planet Earth. Love can change everything…can’t it? And hope. And positive thinking. I hope there will be something in it for me too. Some light in the tunnel.
        Hope you are all well, all your furry ”children” and children too! Your true love is still your True Love!

  13. Hi – I like tour choices – so rich and colorful – with moods and the connections to the ups dn downs you mentioned as you show your ”year through lens and sense.”
    🙂

    Svara

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  17. Love the quote from Cicero, ”If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need. – Cicero”
    Beautiful Pic Round-Up
    me? Lost hardwear and external back up drives back in November – thus?
    As always, for me –
    The pictures and stories live on in my mind – will I quadruple back up my photo library in the future? Maybe, Maybe not – why? the digital copy only tries it’s best to communicate to others, the story that is held in my mind – thus, the best story I can tell is,

    ”So, my story slate wiped clean? Okay – now what shall I re-write it with??” – 🙂

    Svara

  18. I love seeing your world through your lens, Ann-Christine. You have such an eye for beauty. Happy belated 70th birthday for your husband. I love that you celebrated all summer! And I love that image of your daughter. It was wonderful the first time I saw it and again now. Your lower perspective on the dunes really draws us into the scene. I’m delighted we’re continuing our collaboration on LAPC this year. You are such a valued member of our team.❤️❤️

    Svara

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  30. I took my time and lingered on each photos..each one has a distinct beauty, too exquisite in fact. Lovely to see them and shared to us.Happy New Year to you and may you have the best in the coming years…

    Svara

  31. Happy 2022, Ann Christine.

    Your photos are delightful and I’ve been utterly charmed all through the year. I owe my expanding general knowledge to your informative posts. Thank you for doing such an amazing job with the challenge and your regular posts. I look forward to them all.

    Svara

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  43. Your favourite images are inspirational A-C, you have such a creative eye. I love your winter scenes as we get so few these days and rarely this far south west, but the photo I adore is the Lotus flower. It is breathtakingly beautiful.

    Svara

  45. As I scroll thru’ these beautiful photos I am sitting in my library looking out at the happy summer greenery of my garden . . . Cicero may have a point . . . meanwhile, thank you and may fair winds blow your way . . .

    Svara

  48. The tulips reaching for the sun represent happiness for me, hon, but you handle snow and winter lighting so beautifully. Some middle ground for me, maybe, because I loved the year’s turning autumnal too. Thank you!

    Svara

  50. I admire your creative eye for a beautiful image Ann-Christine and enjoyed browsing through your favourite shots. Happy New Year and here’s hoping for more freedom this year.

    Svara

    • Wishing you a beautiful New Year, Karina! Thank you for always lovely comments, and images from your beautiful country. Stay well and healthy.

      Svara

  52. So many beautiful photos from last year. Ann-Christine, I could easily place myself in any of these photos. Your winter landscapes always captures my wanderlust self. Your flowers, particularly your lotus, is so special. Have a great one.

    Svara

    • Thank you for 2021, Cee, always love your work and appreciate your comments. So glad you love the lotus – a crooked beauty – just like life… Cheers to a better New year!

      Svara

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  54. I wish you could hear the applause I’m sending your way Ann-Christine! Loved your choices for year-end, most especially those of your snowy or foggy terrain. Oh, and of course your beautiful flowers. OK, I simply loved them all. Wishing you peace and joy in the new year.

    Svara

    • Thank you, Tina, I think I heard something yesterday in the wind…Glad you liked them. And the wishes for peace and joy is for you and yours as well! May this year be a better year than 2021.

      Svara

  55. Happy New Year, Ann-Christine! I’ve often joked how much I like winter scenes, viewed from my computer in Arizona. 🙂 Truth is, I love what snow and ice do to a landscape, as you’ve well demonstrated here.
    I must say, though, that my favorite is the lotus flower, the sharpness of the image and the bokeh make for a photo I’d love to hang in my house.

    Svara

    • Thank you, John! I know I am Nordic deep in my heart and soul, so I don’t blame you…not loving snow that much! And thank you for expressing your appreciation of it anyway 😀
      The lotus flower is a very serene flower, but this one with a twist!

      Svara

  56. Happy New Year to you and yours, AC! These images, wow… I love the snow scene especially. The lotus flower is breathtaking. I admire your backlit shots.

    Svara

    • Happy New Year to you and yours as well, Amy! Hope you are having lovely holidays and can see your family! And the snow was wonderful for me – and Milo – but now it is all gone. Rain, rain, rain. Thank you for this year and looking forward to working together again.

      Svara

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