I wanted [photography] to be more than a document, to be something that is as close as you could possibly be to the subject. – Chris Killip
A famous quote from Robert Capa goes: If your pictures aren’t good enough, you aren’t close enough. And
surely you win some things by getting closer – but at the same time you lose things too… For LAPC #190, Patti’s challenge is about moving closer to your subject. Post one photo or a series of photos showing what happened when you got closer to your subject!
So, get closer by moving your feet, by using a zoom or macro lens, or by cropping the photo. In my images I have zoomed in or cropped – no macro lens in these.
My inspiration was an interesting design museum in Gothenburg, which made our stay last weekend really worth while. The museum grew from a family with deep interest in oriental art into a versatile collection. We spent some hours enjoying and learning some really new things to us.
A netsuke is an artistically carved button-like toggle that was used to fasten cases for medicine and tobacco onto the belt of a kimono. From originally having been a simple piece of wood, the designs, motifs and materials changed and developed over the centuries. Ivory and wood, but also metal, horn and porcelain was used by the skilled artists.
Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you. – Frank Lloyd Wright
The motifs are from Japanese and Chinese mythology, and from the plant and animal worlds. Clearly it wasn’t enough with overall pictures – you had to get closer. An average sized netsuke is not bigger than 2-4 cm. The details are exquisite.
The word ”netsuke” means ”root to hang from”. Notice the opener with a snake in the pumpkin (?).
One of the rooms contained beautiful tapestries – this one from our famous Swedish artist, Märta Måås Fjetterström.
Her Swedish forest is a gem – and if you crop the image you will get either the canopy in cooler colours, or the forest floor in golden light. I find them all beautiful. Three artworks in one! Not all art will tolerate a good cropping, but this one does.
Finally, a hydrangea in winter costume – I had to have a flower too of course… The soft colours and the close-up make the skeleton petals a special treat.
Thank you, Patti, for helping us discover new things in our images! Do visit her site for more inspiration!
A special thanks to Tina for encouraging us to post our wonderful, odd, and eclectic photos. Next week, it’s my turn to inspire, so hopefully we will soon meet again!
Leya 
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Hi Leya
Your netsuke examples from the design museum in Gothenburg are an excellent choice for this topic, and I like the idea of a family starting a museum! The tapestries you include are awesome. And your Hydrangea images are gorgeous. We have a Hydrangea tree with the giant blossoms and in the fall, I look forward to gathering and drying them.
(I’ve added your link to my page, fyi.)
Here’s my offering for LAPC 190: Close and Closer
Best, Babsje
Glad you liked them! Thank you!
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Excellent set, Ann Christine.
Thank you!
A beautiful set of pictures. I really enjoyed all of them and loved the quotes too. Getting closer to things means discovering another world. 🙂
It really does – good to remember!
What gorgeous examples of the joys of taking a closer look at the subject. Just lovely examples from the museum–the tapestry and netsuke. I love the intricate details in both of them. You have such an eye for beauty, AC. I hope you have a wonderful week/weekend.
Beautiful images Ann-Christine, I especially love the hydrangea in her winter costume 💛
♥ Thank you!
I shall be in Gothenburg in a few weeks’ time but only for a weekend so it may not be possible to visit this place. I shall put it on my list for future visits though, and Covid willing, I will be back again before Christmas! Lovely illustration of the uses of the crop and the close-up.
Ah, thank you – and welcome! The museum is Rööhska museet and situated near the great Palm house and gardens.
The netsukes are fantastic. I too would have been examining them closely. Thank you for taking us to this museum.
Thank you for coming, Jude! I took more photos of course…could not help myself. Such a nice surprise they were!
Looks like a lovely.muesum to explore. Great examples
Thank you – always wonderful to end up with such surprises!
My favorite set is your dried hydrangea photos. What a cool post for this week. 😀 😀
Thank you, Cee – old petals are favourites of mine!
Wonderful choices this week Ann-Christine. The little horse netsuke is my favorite (and thanks for introducing us to those!) and the hydrangea is glorious in its winter softness. Terrific!
Thank you, Tina – I really loved those netsukes. Totally new to me and very beautiful artis work.
Love the Netsuke…..have you come across “The Hare with Amber Eyes”? And Fjetterström’s tapestries look glorious! Love your hydrangeas too
Now I have – seems a mustread!
I enjoyed it
This one is surreal. Thepatterns ofnature are so exquisite.Thank you for taking us to these artistic wonders in your country.
You are so right, I think I need to be more closer when taking photos.
Sometimes good, sometimes not – getting closer!
The netsuke horse is exquisite, Ann-Christine. I’d love to see more of those in close-up.
I have some more, but there were many of them. A wonderful day we had.
🥰
Marvellous. Yes, this museum visit was enhanced by that closer look at what you enjoyed there.
Thank you, Margaret – sometimes a visit is a real hit. Young guides too, and very enthusiastic and well prepared.
You really see the detail 🙂
❤
Excellent selections. LOVE that tapestry. I like it best when viewed as a whole, at the distance of the first photo. Beautiful.
Thank you, John! There were many beauties, but I loved this one.
Just love the photos, especially that of the hydrangea . . . but shed a tear over the Robert Capa quote . . . He did get too close and lost his life – have always wondered how his and Ingrid Bergman’s incomparable love would have worked out if that other war had not ended his mortal coil . . .
Thank you, Eha, and yes…that is what wars do. Make beautiful lives end too early.
Excellent choices for this challenge Ann-Christine, and beautifully photographed! I like how you showed how different parts of the tapestry told different stories. And now I know what netsukes are.
Thank you, Anne. This was all new to me, and so fascinating!
Wonderful your. Love the slider use 🙂 🙂
Thank you, Brian!
Netsuke was new to me and all I can say is that it blew me away. In fact all your close ups made me sit up. Exquisite!
I am glad they were fascinating to you as well!
You’ve certainly met this challenge this week! Lovely examples and a learning experience for me since I didn’t know what a netsuke was. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much – and I learned new things as well. It was indeed aa fascinating experience!
Netsukes and other miniature arts are brilliant, so much artistry in such a small space. That last piece is lovely, and you use the comparator nicely to show the details
So glad it pleased you! I love learning new things, so netsuke was new to me. Fascinating art .