Nature

Thursday Thoughts – A Favourite Artist

/ Leya / 41 kommentarer

After years of trying to get there, (Corona restriktions and more…) we finally reached Sandgrund gallery in Karlstad. The owner of this museum/gallery is our Nordic watercolour master, Lars Lerin. When I was young, I tried my hand on this difficult task – watercolour painting. It is not easy. When the Corona restriktions started in 2020, I decided to give my painting efforts another try. I had more time on my hand, and I entered a couple of courses. I was happy. I cannot say I am any good at this, but I love it.

I want you to visit Sandgrund with me, to meet this skilled artist – I hope you enjoy!

A sensitive loner, traveller, artist, painter, writer – in fact he has written and illustrated more than 50 books. Many of them about his travels around the world. In later years he has written several children’s books as well. One of his books, with his thoughts and philosophy on life and the importance of our healing nature, won him the August Prize in 2014.

Lerin always had a dream of living in Lofoten, by the sea. And in his thirties he moved there to live with a Norwegian artist for 13 years. At times he was relying on drugs for his deep anxiety, but managed to leave the destructive life behind. Now he is a free man – married and a father of two.

I loved this study on ice and reed – where he explores his skills of light and shadows, textures and colours.

Elsa and her 28 cats is a children’s book – but it can be read by any age. The book cover shows the splendour of a Swedish summer in Värmland, where he was born. Lerin often writes about people who are different, and stand up to it – just like Elsa, whom he met as a young boy. Can you find some of Elsa’s cats? I bet they were all happy and much loved.

Thank you for letting me introduce you to Lars Lerin, I hope you enjoyed the variety of his skills.

Lens-Artists Challenge #186 – Low-Light

/ Leya / 69 kommentarer

This week we welcome Sofia and her delightful theme ”Low-Light”. Sofia says: ”For me, any circumstance where there is less light than the normal daytime is low-light as it requires different settings to take a good photo.”

I have chosen some of my all time favourites. In the header though, a new image from our recent visit to an old health resort, Lundsbrunn. It shows one of the great photo opportunities with low-light – long shadows.

A late evening walk at our summer house can be magical – in the right light.

On the west coast of Spain, just before sunset, I had one of my most magical low-light moments. I had to do some post processing in Lightroom and Photoshop to bring out the structures from the dark cliffs.

My cactus flowers are about 20-25 cm and the flower lasts only for about an hour, night time. They were photographed with my cell phone, and I used a small flash light to make it all possible. I knew when the flower would start to unfold, and by then I must have tried out how to use the light.

Sitting in a canoe, in the Amazon, I faced great difficulties because of the thick darkness. I was not happy about many of those night photos, but some of them managed to catch the magic –

– at least for me to remember the adventure by. I can still hear the sounds and the silence…just by looking at the images. So, don’t be afraid of blurred images – they too have a story to tell!

Of course I have to have something from Iceland here too. Iceland is all about the light. This image is from the south coast, a late winter evening – and the roaring sea. Velvety browns and the black sand beach showing off its diamonds.

Lastly, I will give you a glimpse of our Swedish watercolour master, Lars Lerin. The light in his paintings is incredible. Many of his paintings are from places in low light, Lofoten in winter for example. I believe we can learn not only from other photographers, but also from our painters, artists, how they picture light, and light when there is almost none.

This week we are inviting you to share your experiences with Low-Light photography. Do you have any special tricks to share? Please link your views to Sofia’s original post and use the Lens-Artists tag so we can find you.

Thanks also to John for last week’s Change challenge, and for your many creative and interesting responses. We look forward to seeing your Low Light images this week and to your joining us next week when Anne leads our challenge, be sure to visit her wonderful site.

Thursday Thoughts – Sitting

/ Leya / 30 kommentarer

Today I came across this picture, which is a much treasured one, because the bench and the roses are no more. In the header you will find the most relaxing place I have ever been to – the Amazon. Sitting in one of those hammocks, listening to the sounds of the djungle…I have never felt or slept better in my entire life. I brought home some of those sounds.

I kept searching for places where I have much liked to sit down and contemplate life and the beauty around us. The lovely bench with a rose garden, was in Ronneby, our summer town. We went there at least once every year, but now the mansion is sold and the garden is down.
In another file I found this colourful tent from a park in Madrid, and I know I visited it at least twice with my students. A very colourful and harmonious place.

In 2016 we traveled in Spain and followed parts of the Camino. This friendly hostel along the road had a wonderful man in charge – with his Alsatian as a trusted companion. I can still feel the silence in that yard.

A cafe’ in Lodz, Poland, became a favourite I visited several times. I must love colours…and harmony…but who doesn’t?

My most loved place to sit is of course in nature, but the next best thing was on the stone steps to my grandmother’s house. But they are no more. So, stone steps it is, now at our summer house. I love sitting there, on the sun warm steps, mornings, evenings, – yes, any time of the day. Watching the sunset, the terns diving and the swallows sweeping over the sea for some late evening food.

Thursday Thoughts – An (extra)ordinary morning

/ Leya / 32 kommentarer

Frosty mornings are a joy. I walk in the garden, taking in the soft light…

…then I feed the birds, who are patiently waiting for me. If I am late, the little blue tit is the first one to sit on my window sill, pecking on the window and reminding me he is hungry.

Our national bird is the Blackbird, and I have several of them living in my garden. Favourite food? Apples. They get some every day.

Then it’s time for a walk with Milo. We walk just around the corner, crossing a couple of streets to find the path into the forest.

An ordinary day being extraordinary because of the frosty light. Both Milo and I hope we will get some more of this before winter is over.

Lens-Artists Challenge #183 – Memorable Events

/ Leya / 194 kommentarer

This week you will have an opportunity to show us some memorable events – new ones or delightful memories! I had to reflect upon it for some days before I knew what to choose…because life gives us quite some of these very special events, doesn’t it? Happy Birthdays, surprising hikes, meetings with faraway friends, interesting exhibitions, travels to special places…

Finally, I chose our two days in the Sahara desert in Morocko, an event that is often on my mind, and will stay with me forever. The silence, the beauty of the dunes, and the many surprises along the way….I am sure you too will find a favourite or two to post, and hopefully also enjoy this challenge.

I have always loved the desert. One sits down on a desert sand dune, sees nothing, hears nothing. Yet through the silence something throbs, and gleams…
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, from one of my favourite stories: The Little Prince

After some jeep driving, we reached our dinner camp – and I was happy to find rag carpets on the sand – they made me feel very much at home in a place so far from home!

Our tour guides and transportation – camels – were patiently waiting for us. No stress in sight. We were only about ten people, nobody said anything, and the silence was tangible.

The glorious day promised we would have an unforgettable desert sunset. And yes, we had. But, even more beautiful was the blue hour light, slowly filling the endless desert sky.

That night we slept incredibly well in the camp bed, under thick layers to protect against the cold.

In the early morning I went out walking on the dunes again, hoping to see some interesting animals. The day before, a fox had been following us, and I saw quite some scarabs (the first picture below) and their significant paths in the sand. But now something else caught my attention – a hole in the ground… and someone digging and sending up splashes of sand. I kept still and quiet, and was rewarded with a glimpse of this little creature – a Tarabul’s gerbil! Length about 10cm and tail about 15cm. He really kept an eye on me..

I greatly enjoyed both the evening light and the morning light – and the atmosphere of stillness and lack of sounds.

Late evening dunes in warm chocolate waves, and morning dunes almost serenely cold.

I hope the camel – the “ship of the desert,” will continue to cruise the sand sea of the Sahara – and I am very grateful to once have been aboard. It is good to know, that there is still something of Arabian Nights in the world…and shimmering tales from olden days.

Have fun finding Memorable Events – or making new ones! Please include a link to my original post and use the Lens-Artists tag.

Last week, we enjoyed learning about and exploring Interesting Objects. Thank you Patti for hosting this interesting challenge! Next week, it’s Amy’s turn to lead the challenge, so be sure to stop by her beautiful site and join in the fun! Until then, stay healthy and have an inspiring week!