Författare: Leya

Lens-Artists Challenge #265 – Black and White and Monochrome

/ Leya / 55 kommentarer

Although humans see reality in colour, for me, black and white has always been connected to the image’s deeper truth, to its most hidden meaning.

– Peter Lindbergh

I have come to love monochrome almost as much as colour. I think mostly because you are more free to create another mood in the picture and to enhance features you would like to dominate. Thank you, Anne, for this interesting theme.

I believe details become clearer, and you can easier rest your eyes on a monochrome image.

There is of course another difference if and how you frame your picture…

…and if you go closer or keep a distance to your object.

You decide, depending on what your goal is with your image.

Some images I just love to have fun with in B&W – making them into abstracts…

– here are some favourites from the kite festival at Fanö, Denmark.

I use NIK Silver Efex for my B&W and monochromes. The option ”yellowed” in NIK is a favourite of mine. So is this crow, contemplating the waves, sitting on an abandoned jetty.

I don’t see the world completely in black and white. Sometimes I do.

– Benicio Del Toro


Sincere thank you to Sofia for her colourful challenge last week and for all your photos using amazing primary colours.

Thank you again to Anne for hosting this week, hope you are feeling better now, resting from the accident! I invite you to visit Anne’s amazing site and join us this week. Please tag Lens-Artists and link back to her original post.

Next week, Donna will be our host and that promises to be a treat so, please visit her beautiful site for more information. Keep well!

Thursday Thoughts – Flowers at Summer’s End

/ Leya / 37 kommentarer

We have got three summer months: June, July and August. At least we should have three.

2023 has been a strange year and a strange summer. In my garden nothing has grown as it should, the birds have not succeeded very well in breeding and the butterflies have been few. Insects OK, but flies there used to be many more. I don’t think I have had ten of them in my windows. Less food for the birds…and that is just what scientists have found. A declining number of insects – and other animals. Because we are all depending on each other.

On the last day of summer – in Sweden and the Nordic countries, I am sending you pieces of what is left in my garden this year. After a cold Spring and a hot June and then… wind and rain. The farmers have not been lucky or happy either.

The weather continues to be unpredictable with rain, sunshine, hail, thunder and lightning – and everything at the same time. The weather forecast must be a nightmare to send. Almost every day they say ”it’s impossible, we just have to wait and see.”

So, I am happy we had Some flowers and Some sunny days. Not many days I have gone swimming though…but Milo has, every day. And if I cannot find him when we come back home, he might be in the glass house, waiting for me to join him. And if you find him in the glass house, you will understand it is not very warm outdoors…

I know many of you have had fires, floodings and storms in your countries. We have been lucky enough to have only severe floodings this year. Let’s hope for a sunny and soft Autumn/ Spring for us all.

Lens-Artists Challenge #264 – Primary Colours

/ Leya / 60 kommentarer

Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises.

– Pedro Calderon de la Barca

Sofia challenges us with primary colours. I realise that I seldom – or never – use these colours. Not in my home, not in my clothes or presents. Not much in my paintings, but in photos!

My first associations with primary colours are grounded in their old meanings. I know there is a whole science about this, but my grandmother taught me: Red for roses and love,…

…Yellow for the sun and for Autumn to come.

Blue for the blue hour, the blue sky and sea.

A perfect combo for me would be a picture like this – in muted, soft primary colours. Because My greatest love lies in the seconday colours: orange, green and violet. A ”mixed” person? Maybe. And – who are you in colours?

In daily life, red and golden yellow is also significant for Christmas…

…and for old time fairs and celebrations.

In some countries red is the colour to get married in…

…come rain come shine.

In Prague I found this colourful and patterned couple. Not on their way to church…I think.

In China, yellow was only for the emperor, and still yellow, blue and red seem to be the preferably used colours in their art works. Yayoi Kusama, Japan, is an avid user of primary colours as well – but with dots.

Swedish summer means much of the colour blue – but not this year…rain and wind were the primary ”colours” for our three summer months, June, July and August.

And soon, the cold, blue winter nights are awaiting.

Finally, Ukraine and Sweden have the same colours in their flags. A fact we are reminded of every day. Freedom is the difference. May it come to all of us – to stay.

This week Sofia invites us to play with primary colours. Red, Yellow, Blue. You can pick one colour or show us examples of all 3, separately or together. Looking forward to seeing your replies! Please link back to Sofias original post and tag Lens-Artists so we can easily find you.

Last week it was all about Faces in the Crowd with John’s challenge. So many fun expressions and creative approaches for this theme. Next week, Anne will be our host with Black & White and Monochrome. Please visit her lovely site and be inspired to join us, Saturday 2nd of September. Until then, be nice and take care.

If you want to know more about the Lens-Artists Challenge, please click here.

Thursday Thoughts – More from the Bergian garden, Stockholm

/ Leya / 25 kommentarer

The Garden was founded through a donation in 1791 by the historian and antiquarian Bengt Bergius and his brother Peter Jonas Bergius, a physician and scientist, for the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Strolling along the well kept paths and exploring the glass house was a great pleasure.

It was a perfect finish for our Stockholm visit this time. I wish I could have one of those gigantic lily pads in my garden…