Arkitektur

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #10: Fences

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The wide world is all about you, you can fence yourselves in, but you cannot for ever fence it out.     

J R R Tolkien

Where I grew up there were stone fences everywhere – even our garden had one, and we loved to climb and to play there. That stone fence was meticulously put together by my great grandfather and his family.

For centuries stones have been gathered from the ground to open up for grazing cattle or growing crops, and then laboriously made into beautiful stone fences stretching miles and miles over the landscape…

I guess this is the reason to why my favorite fences are made of stone. But there is a great variety of other fences in the world, both beautiful and practical.

If we travel up north in Sweden – these leaning beauties are frequent.

In Poland I found this perfect fence – creating total harmony with the surrounding nature.

In the Azores, especially in Faial, they use hydrangea to make natural fences for the cattle. The hedges can grow 3-5 meters high.

Which is quite different from Bhutan, where we encountered this most unnatural fence…But, in the rural areas they have to use whatever is at hand – and in the vicinity there was a working sawmill.

Don’t ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up.

Robert Frost

The marble fences in the Forbidden City, Beijing, create mazes between the buildings.

Fences and walls can be effective and even soothing, at least for those who build them.

Richard Engel

Somewhere in the Canary Islands I found this modern, somewhat sprawling fence. Only because of the palm tree, it still managed to create a certain harmony.

But, real craft work is making the harmony in this elaborate iron fence, in Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, Spain.

 

 If you put fences around people, you get sheep. Give people the room they need.

William L. McKnight

At the great Carnival in Lund, people gather in thousands – and for students, there are no fences unclimbable… they believe, like Locke, that

The only fence against the world is a thorough knowledge of it.

John Locke

 

This week, the Lens-Artists challenge is to show us your favorite fence. Or, maybe you prefer fencelessness? Looking forward to your ideas and posts!

 

Have you seen these – from last week’s Action challenge?

Sue of WordsVisual plays with shutter speed for action feeling

Su Leslie of Zimmerbitch caught a precious moment

Ron Mayhew’s Blog with, to me as a Scandinavian, a very American action gallery

 

Here are a few reminders about the Lens-Artist Photo Challenges:

  • Welcome to join the challenge this week.
  • Use the tag “Lens-Artists” in your post.
  • Create a link to this post.
  • Amy will post the next challenge (#11) on Saturday, September 15th.

 

As always, thanks for joining the challenge and have an inspiring week!

 

 

Thursday Thoughts – The Lonely House

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Lonely houses have always fascinated me, but maybe you too have noticed, that some people have a downright obsession with them…?

A lonely house can have a very picturesque location…

– maybe not that easily accessible…

And, at a closer look, you might find it is only an old boat shed…

…or maybe a lonely barn. On the other hand – I could live in one of those as well.

Some newer loners enjoy spectacular seascape views…

…while others stand dilapidated, slowly falling apart.

And then, there are the abandoned houses just looking – eerie…

…while others, at the end of the road, see new guests arriving every year.

Where do you stand in this? Do you believe they are lonely, desolate, forlorn, solitary – or what word would you use? Is a house ”alive” in some ways? Could they hide/have memories? Do you ask yourself questions like: I wonder who once lived here? And, what did their lives look like? Why did they leave?

Are you constantly photographing them…or would never dream of doing it?

I find them enigmatic.

CFFC: Mirror, Reflection, Frame in Frame

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Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Week 4 Photo – black and white, mirror, air plane, power lines, etc.

Some years ago I remember walking into a hotel – where I never got any longer than to the lobby…because of all the mirrors and chandeliers. Here it is again!

Sortland – the Blue City

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We had one single rainy day in Norway, and decided to spend it in the Blue City – Sortland. The artist Bjørn Elvenes started a millenium project to paint the city blue…

Famous blue cities are Chefchauen in Morocco and Jodhpur in India.

…but how the story ended is still not clear. However, the overall impression is –

that he at least succeeded in large parts of Sortland. Many shades of blue greeted us now that the skies did not show any signs of this colour…

The city is small, but has today got about 10 400 inhabitants.

We enjoyed the one hour walk, even if we had to pop into some shops and the library to avoid the heaviest showers…

A rainy day well spent!

Lofoten – Å – Oh!

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Road nr.10 ends in Å on the southernmost part of Lofoten. An old fishing village with rorbuer and  – fish.

And charm…

Many galleries,  and flowers in the small gardens.

We had a great view from our hostel Salteriet.

Down the road we felt almost Chinese… I half expected an artist standing there, painting.

When we left in the early morning, the whole landscape felt dreamy and unreal.

Almost supernatural.

But that is what Lofoten does to people…

 

Svolvær – Lofoten

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Svolvær is the main town in Lofoten, and Northern Atlantic Cod fisheries, particularly during winter months, have remained one of the most important economical foundations for the town. Just west of Svolvær is Vågar – mentioned in the book Heimskringla, and might have been established as early as the year 800 AD.

We arrived rather late, and thunder was in the air the whole evening. This also made for an interesting walk in beautiful light and no winds.

The little town has about 5000 inhabitants, and many people were strolling the streets in the soft evening. The special light made all colours stand out – no need for enhancing anything. Natural beauty only.

The old – and new – little houses are called rorbuer. Rorbu is a traditional type of seasonal house used by fishermen. The buildings are built on land, but with the one end on poles in the water, allowing easy access to vessels. Today they are mostly used for tourist renting.

After sorting by quality, most of the stockfish is exported to Italy, Croatia and Nigeria.  In Norway and Iceland, the stockfish is mostly used as a snack and for lutefisk production. In Italy, the fish (called stoccafisso) is soaked and used in various courses, and is viewed as a delicacy. The man working where we parked the car, told us that in Nigeria it has become the national dish!

When the clouds occasionally lifted, or there opened a rift in the skies, we could capture some very picturesque views.

Unfortunately, after this lovely walk, we had to say goodbye to Svolvær – still bathing in that special light that attracts many artists and galleries – and us – to Lofoten.

 

 

 

 

CFFC: Week 1 Photo – Window etc.

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Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Week 1 Photo – geometry, bushes, window, brick, etc

Switzerland has much to offer – a little village totally covered in decorations like these. I hope this covers some of the words – at least windows, bushes and geometry!

Thursday Thoughts – Paths and Colours

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On the south coast of Fanö, you will find the little village Sonderho, consisting of about 300 cottages. Almost all the cottages here stand with their house ends to the east and west – because of the wind – and they are all surrounded by small gardens and open greens.

Between the plots there is a labyrinthine network of narrow paths and crooked streets. So,  you are asked to park your car and walk around when you arrive in the village.

It was raining the whole of our visit, but the colours, houses, gardens and lovely paths where not at all less charming …

Almost all the houses are very low, so inside you have to step down to reach the floor. Although light blue is frequently used, I believe the most loved colours are these two – yellow and saturated orange.

There are some very good restaurants here as well…

And of course – somewhere out there…the sea.