Wordless Wednesday
Arkitektur
Thursday Thoughts – Colourful Menton
Menton was a sweet surprise – despite les citrons! There was the beautiful festival of course, but I fell in love with the town itself, so colourful and lovely architecture.
Menton has about 30 000 inhabitants, and a pleasant micro climate, which makes it an ideal place for growing their fruits. I could stay here for a while…Just let these harbour pictures charm you!
Of course I must finish with another couple of pictures from this year’s olympic theme. And the last picture goes to my son, who still is an avid skateboarder.
Lens-Artists Challenge # 288 – Window Shopping
First, an old favourite of mine from a late walk in Riga, Latvia, hopefully suitable as a warm welcome to Ritva as she hosts for the first time as a Lens-Artist team member! Ritva is a skilled and interesting photographer, so please visit her site for more inspiration!
Like Ritva, I often do window shopping. It is cheaper than shopping, and I like to photograph creative and attractive windows. What’s more, Ritva says that anything goes for this challenge. Even window frames alone permitted – so, here we go!
Buy, buy, says the sign in the shop window; Why, why, says the junk in the yard.
– Paul McCartney
As I take a look at my old photo galleries and archives, I find that I mostly take pictures of art and architecture – and I still do. In fact I had some great opportunities in Nice last week, so all my photos here are from this tiny part of France. Mainly from St-Paul-de-Vence and Eze.
In this first picture, I found complete harmony between the building and the display behind the glass. I love the contrasts in structure inside and outside. And all colours matched – something not so often seen.
I love different styles, even the very elaborate ones. I admire people who can create ”clean” and coherent displays in any style. The French, just like the Italians, are so good at it.
Marrying a man is like buying something you’ve been admiring for a long time in a shop window. You may love it when you get it home, but it doesn’t always go with everything else in the house.
– Jean Kerr
We must not forget food, and especially cakes, that make such beautiful windows! Sometimes I feel like walking right through the glass to get some… These artworks are often handmade too, which you cannot say about many things nowadays. We all know that we eat with our eyes as well – so this is double window shopping, speaking to at least two of our senses.
I went window shopping today! I bought four windows.
– Tommy Cooper
A post on window shopping would not be complete without clothes in it. Well, I found this display rather interesting – there were similar displays and windows for each range of colours. It took me a minute or two to understand that the small round packages all contained vests like the one in the middle. Easy to carry, easy to wear. And I am there too if you look closely…
Art is clearly my favourite for most city photos, and this post is no exception. The last one to the right is a painting behind a window grid. For a special effect and to confuse you a bit… I did not include the real frame.
Finally, window shopping naturelle! In my eyes, nothing beats the old city walls with nature on display in glassless windows.
A big thank you to Donna for her creative and inspiring post on the topic of sound. I really had to put on my thinking cap there… It was wonderful to see how different everyone interpreted it.
Remember to tag Lens-Artists if you’re taking part and to link back to Ritvas original post. Next week John (Journeys with Johnbo) will host the Lens-Artists Challenge. Be sure to visit his inspirational site for more! And if you want even more information on the Lens-Artists Challenge, please click here.
Wordless Wednesday
Lens-Artists Challenge #274 – Asymmetry
Donna follows up last week’s Symmetry nicely, with Asymmetry – an informal sense of balance. Asymmetry is the absence of, or a violation of, symmetry.
She asks us: ”Where do you find the imperfectly perfect?” Because, asymmetry does not mean that an image is not balanced. It just means there are different ways of balancing it.
Asymmetry is something most of our photos have, and also what makes many of our shots work. John Ruskin says : ”…to banish imperfection is to destroy expression, to check exertion, to paralyze vitality.”
In many of my own images, I use the Rule of Thirds.
Two starlings – one common in my own area, and another, maybe a common Myna, standing in the rain in a Bhutanese village.
And rules don’t have to be precisely followed either. The balanced feeling is there anyway.
Depth of Field is also a great way to showcase asymmetrical balance.
And why not an S-shaped path that draws your eyes?
Imperfections, run down areas, odd-shaped items, negative space, and light all contribute nicely. Here are some examples of those:
So glad every time I have the chance to feature one of my favourite old images – the backseat of an old wreck in Kyrkö mosse.
Harmony in the picture is the most important thing – symmetry or asymmetry. Maybe ”harmony” should sit in between those two concepts?
Asymmetry in faces are sometimes not easy to cope with. Even if we know that faces are never symmetrical, a lost eye, for example, makes a big difference to how we see the person or animal. These two friends had been playing together, when the game became too tough for the little guy. Still, he managed well for several years with only one eye. And I got used to looking at his new face when I visited my friends.
Architectural asymmetry is common in modern constructions. Harpa in Iceland, and Frank Gehry’s The Guggenheim in Bilbao and Pop Culture museum in Seattle.
Let’s finish with something from the natural world – a must of course. These two from the Butchart Gardens.
And what makes these two work? The frame and the bow shaped lines in the first one. In the second one, the nerves and then the flowers balancing colours and shapes.
A special thanks to Sofia for hosting last week’s challenge, Symmetry. She, and you, made us discover the power and harmony of symmetry. All of your posts were a feast for the eye! Next week, visit Anne of Slow Shutter Speed for more inspirational images as she leads us through the next challenge!
Wordless Wednesday
Lens-Artists Challenge #261 – Work in Progress
If you think about it, everything is a work in progress, isn’t it? So, this should be a challenge open to endless possibilities – I can’t wait to see what YOU think when you hear this phrase. Here are some things I came to think of – hopefully they will help refreshing your thinking cap…
Everybody’s a work in progress. I’m a work in progress. I mean, I’ve never arrived. I’m still learning all the time. – Renée Fleming
A work in progress…often we think we know the outcome – and other times we really have no idea. But, that is part of the fun. Planning, longing, guessing, following the project. I know though, that the work in progress in the opener/header, is one of my homegrown cucumbers.
No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isn’t trying. – Tony Robbins,
The artist here is sculpting with a chainsaw and other, smaller electric tools.
The secret of making progress is to get started. – Mark Twain
Ladies making Churchkhela candy in the streets of Tblisi, Georgia. Smashingly tasty, I promise!
Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection. – Mark Twain
– Or?
The construction site in Barcelona as it looked in 2011. This famous project started in 1882, but Antoni Gaudí died in a tram accident before he could finish Sagrada Família. It is said to stand finished in 2026 – a rather long work in progress. We plan to visit then, or when…
Then I must add some examples of budding life – fascinating works in progress.
Failure is success in progress. – Albert Einstein
A new puppy means working on – becoming a sociable dog and hopefully a lifelong companion.
Progress means getting nearer to the place you want to be. – C.S. Lewis
A newlywed couple with their young daughter. Maybe one of the longest and most important works in progress we can embark upon – growing a harmonious family.
– Gaudi knew…
So, now it is your turn! A work in progress can be almost anything…can’t it? Looking forward to seeing your ideas and images! Don’t forget to link to this post and use the Lens-Artists tag.
Finally, sincerely thanks to Janet and her creative theme Overlooked – which it indeed wasn’t (overlooked) ! And thank you to all our fantastic guest hosts this July – we hope you enjoyed it just as much as we and the readers did! Now we are back to the ordinary hosting, and next week it is Amy’s turn to lead us. Until then, stay calm and be kind – also to yourself.
Oh, and one last, wise quote for all of us to remember:
Allow yourself to be proud of yourself and all the progress you’ve made. Especially the progress that no one else can see.– Anonymous
Wordless Wednesday
Wordless Wednesday
Thursday Thoughts – Unexpected Views
These two images shows not what I had expected to find in Prague. But I loved both finds – seen on the walk to the famous Karls Bridge.
Beautiful architecture I knew I would find – and in the header is an image more according to my expectations. I love surprises though!
Leya 
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