We need softness in the world. When you go to sleep at night, do you lay your head on a brick?
– Adrienne Posey
For this week’s challenge, our guest host, Bren, wants us to show how we soften our images. Bren is a master of this, and now we can learn how it works. ” You don’t have to stick to flowers, landscapes and architecture are also ideal subjects. By lowering the clarity and creating softness in those areas frames the subject in an image, be it a tree, path, bridge, even a door or house or just a dreamy looking image.”
I decided to try some different subjects, starting with a flower and finishing with a seascape.
My first try was a Nasturtium plant close-up –
Then some fluffiness against a rough wall – I guess the bee was collecting building material for his home.
My red camellia is in flower now. I love what the softening did in this image – it made the ”unreal” look of this flower more tempting and strikingly beautiful. The white camellia is in flower as well, but the softness did not work as well as in this one.
The blue colour of the chikory flower is unsurpassed, according to me.
A gallery from my forest walks and Hovdala Castle. Colourful tapestries and soft trees mimicking the clouds.
Golden beech leaves among the larch trees. A picture I was to throw away – until Bren’s challenge saved it for me!
The last tree standing. I made the layers of twigs, grass, forest and sky soft/clear in those sections.
Another gently woven tapestry with field, forest and sky. The colours really appealed to me, and the skies were great that day.
I didn’t believe this technique would work quite that well with a seascape – but I just had to try.
Thank you, Amy, for last week’s wonderful challenge with so many interesting interpretations! And thank you, Bren, for letting us play and learn – I hope you all had as much fun as I had. Now we are looking forward to seeing your responses to this week’s challenge! Please remember to link to Bren’s original post and use the Lens-Artists tag.
Next week it will be me, Ann-Christine/Leya who is your host. See you then!
For more information on joining the challenge each week, check here.
Leya 
You have brought lots of lovely softness … thanks so much for sharing
Thank you for reading, Julie!
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Excellent. I like ‘em all, though the grassy fields are my faves.
Thanks, John – I think they are my favourites too!
The softness and close detail of the nasturtium look like a tunnel. The blue of the chikory with the contrasting foliage and buzzing insects is beautiful to me as well. And the ground cover, fields, forests, and skies do appear to be a woven tapestry. Love them all such a delicate (and soft walk) through your space today.
Thank you for walking with me, Donna. A certain longing for spring arrives…
Indeed.
Beautiful examples!!
Thank you, Nora!
Those golden leaves, hanging on! And I have just that shade of camellia on my patio. I’m still waiting for the white to open.
And you love your camellias too, don’t you? I think they look almost unreal…
I do! The red one was a gift and I was seriously worried we’d lost it after a cold spell, but it had other ideas.
Oh, cheers for flowery ideas!
Beautiful as always Ann-Christine. My favorites this week were your forest/tree images. The softness in those was especially lovely.
Thank you, Tina, I loved them best too. It was fun trying different motifs and how they worked.
That beautiful red camellia is gorgeous, but my favorites are the landscapes.
Thank you, John, they are my favourites too.
These are beautiful Ann-Christine. That nasturtium shot is so so beautiful.xx
Thank you, Bren, for an interesting challenge!
Thank you Leya… It was a pleasure to host the challenge xx
♥
Lovely. Like Brian, I love that bee portrait.
Thank you, Margaret, I love him too.
Excellent collection Ann-Christine. I love the bee 🙂
Ah, so glad you loved the bee – somehow I knew you would…
🤗💓
Lovely! I am inspired to try this on red flowers, after looking at your camelia.
I am glad you got inspired, PR! Red is a difficult colour in photography – almost never gets the ”right” colour.
These are very beautiful!!
Thank you, Lisa!
The photo of the bee on a wall looks gorgeous. Interesting to discover from your related posts links that ”soft” was a challenge also in July 2018!
Thank you, I saw that too! I had forgotten that theme, but we are sometimes re – using old themes. Imagination and fantasy can stand still. But, I hope it is OK with reusing! People forget.
Remarkable captures, Ann-Christine. Especially the floral ones 🙂
Thank you, Hammad, I am glad you enjoyed them.
I love the variety and seascape was a nice effect
Thank you – I really didn’t think that one would work.
A marvellous selection. I find sometimes that a soft focus is too blurred for me, but these are just right. The bee is amazing.
Thank you, Jude, I really had to try many times not to get them too blurred. When I look at them now I think maybe too little…so thank you for the ”just right”!
Your camellia and golden birch leaves got an audible ”Wow” as I scrolled through your post!
Thank you, Priscilla – ! I am happy to find something to photograph and post during wintertime…especially when there is no snow.
These are beautiful,A-C, but I didn’t expect anything less. Your photos never disappoint.
I agree.
Thank you so much, you are always positive and kind.
You are too kind, Janet – on the other hand, I say the same of yours!
You just made my cold, rainy day. ❤️
♥
What a lovely response to this challege Ann-Christine. Softness and beauty in abundance!
Thank you, Anne – I love to learn new things!
Beautiful images Ann-Christine! All of them!!
Thank you so much, Anne! Happy travels!
You are making me smile and merge with a gentle soft day . . . I hope . . . !
♥ I hope so too!