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.
John asks for faces in a crowd – not too easily done for a shy person like me. But, there are many alternatives for us too!
John points out that we might include examples from nature photography, pets, street photography, headshots, portraiture, fashion, sports, or wedding photography. And more.
To my surprise I found both old and new ones for this post. Here we go:
On Emma’s high school graduation day we finally spotted each other in the crowd!
Stockholm – at the market hall I spotted a happy young man running around with his sea creatures…
Jousting always gathers crowds of spectators, handsome horses and handsome men.
Good looking male lions…
Art… with legs, in Vilnius.
Mural art in Lodz, Poland.
Art in China – theatre and music along the Yangtse river.
Flower faces in Lund.
Animal faces – my Totti.
Strays in Thimpu, just outside our hotel. Very sweet and well behaved.
Lovely Bhutanese faces from the street, a famous traffic conductor and a family on pilgrimage.
– On their way to Tiger’s Nest.
Hungarian dolls in Budapest – faces in a crowd!
Your challenge this week is to share images featuring faces, in a crowd or standing alone, human or animal. Selfies are approved. We are looking forward to seeing your take on “Faces in the Crowd”. Don’t forget to link to John’s original post and be sure to tag your post with Lens-Artists.
Sincere thanks to Amy for her challenge last week, “Frame your Photos.” Next week, Sofia will be our host. If you’d like to participate but aren’t sure how to get started, click here.
These four – two girls and two boys…were my teenage idols. So, when in Stockholm we had to visit the ABBA museum.
I don’t think they need any further presentation…
Of course the fanatic fans get their oxygen from here, but we ordinary admirers found it both interesting and fun. This is only a very small piece of what the museum has on display.
Their usual brand was also imprinted in the museum – well organized to the tiniest item.
And lastly, click the link to see their avatars in concert in London. We don’t plan to go, but we never say never…
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
Janet of Sustainability is our host this week, the last week of guest hosts. Be sure to visit her amazing site for more inspiration!
She says: ”We all look, but do we see? Have you ever said “Look” to your spouse, only to hear “What?” after s/he looks? Saying “look” gives a direction; “seeing” gives insight and depth. It’s easy to look at a beautiful view, but do you see what makes up that view?”
I love looking at/in mirrors, wherever I find them – but not at myself… In mirrors you get another, sometimes enigmatic perspective of the surrounding world, and your photo gets naturally framed too.
Do you notice the little birds going about their business every day – I guess people often don’t pay much attention to them, unless they are very colourful – or stealing our food. This little white wagtail looks like he is overlooking his long shadow.
In this great globe-thistle in my garden, was a little secret hidden – passing by – would you have noticed?
Wild Dianthus deltoides – can also be found in my garden – but would you notice this less than 5mm flower? Maybe because of its intense colour you would. To be sure – I have enlarged it here!
Photographic ”overlooked” moments are precious. I love it when, for example, I open a photo in Lightroom, and there suddenly shows up an insect or something that arrived in the clicking moment! Overlooked. Until now.
Finally, an early morning find, and in the header a hidden gate. Overlooked – but if you are walking a dog or two …I am sure they will find these things for you. Nothing overlooked with my dog around!
This week we’d like you to share photos of something you normally overlook or something you think other people would overlook. Hope you will have fun seeing what’s out there. Don’t forget to add your link to Janet’s post and tag it “Lens-Artists” so we can find you in the Reader.
Many thanks to all of our guest hosts for interesting and innovative challenges! We hope you all enjoyed it and had just as much fun as we had.
Next week, back to usual, starting with me, Leya/Ann-Christine on Saturday, August 5. My theme will be “Work in Progress.”
Until then, stay calm and be nice – to yourself as well!
This week, we’re focusing on telling a story with photos. Sometimes, if we’re lucky, we can convey a story in one image; other times we need several. For this challenge, there is a limit of 5 photos per story.
My two stories are both from last weekend. Midsummer Eve and Midsummer Day.
I believe they speak for themselves – without pictures of the young couple. Of all the games we played that day, the most precious one is catching the bridal bouquet. I don’t know about the custom in other countries, but in Sweden, catching it means you are the next one to get married!
Dancing around the maypole and playing games is always a treat for both young and old.
These pictures show Björnen sover, a singing game, used both as a round dance and a children’s song. The tune is a simplified version of the one used for Gubben Noak, published by Carl Michael Bellman, published in Songs of Fredman in 1792. According to Wikipedia, still today research hasn’t proved if Bellman wrote the tune or not. Since it became famous, the tune has been used for several different lyrics in the centuries since Bellman, including many children’s songs.
The game
Because Russia and the USSR sometimes have been called the Russian Bear the term björnen sover (”the bear sleeps”) has in Swedish sometimes referred to times in international politics when Russia has attracted less attention, but not everyone is trusting them.
So, now it is your turn to tell a story in 1 to 5 photos. The story you tell is totally up to you. Document for example an event you liked, a meal you enjoyed or a visit to a favorite place. Share a photo that conveys an emotion, and show us a memory of a place, time or person. In your post, be sure to include the Lens-Artists tag and a link to Patti’s original post.
Last week Tina invited us to share photos of Spiritual Places. A special thanks to Tina for her inspiring theme, which generated your marvelous posts. I was especially touched by the images that honored Bren, a wonderful creative artist who recently died from cancer.
Now, a special announcement. We’re very pleased to tell you that once again 5 very talented photographers have accepted our invitation to host our July “Month of Guest Hosts” here at Lens-Artists. Be sure to visit their unique sites each week as they explore the following topics:
In August, the Lens-Artists team will be back. I, Ann-Christine, will be your host on Saturday, August 5. Look for my post on Leya at noon ET. And by then, this hectic time will be over and I am free to do some inspired blogging again. In the meantime, I am hoping that your July is relaxing and filled with inspiration for the July topics!
Interested in joining the Lens-Artists challenge? Click here for more information.
This week we are honoured to have Siobhan from Bend Branches as our host, and she invites us to share those special, glowing moments in our lives.
Yet, taught by time, my heart has learned to glow for other’s good, and melt at other’s woe.
– Homer
Now I will share some of my glowing moments with you. Some are literally glowing…some of them yearly glowing, and some are for once in a lifetime.
The glowing reeds on a warm summer’s night – a treat every year at our summer house. The warm wind and the soft sound of the waves, the mosquito bites and Milo taking the last swim of the day.
Another way of glowing is the wine in my garden – a treat to the eye.
Spring! A glowing moment every year, and without it, life would be rather miserable.
When you have light in your mind, you shine.
When you have light in your heart, you glow.
When you have light in your soul, you rise.
― Matshona Dhliwayo
Some people stay with you forever…especially old people who have been through the ups and downs of life, and then share their wisdom with us. They make their golden years a gift to others as well. This is Stig, the father of my childhood friend. He was always funny and clever, wise and sweet…and I bet you can see it in his eyes as he is smiling over the reading table.
Another golden moment was when Milo moved in with us – who could resist those eyes? I still can’t…
New Zealand was full of glowing moments, but maybe the most spectacular one was the first time we met one of the endemic Kauri trees in their North Island forest. We could not even see the top of the tree in the dense forest – only the gigantic trunk. Majestic, and holy to the Maori.
When we recall the past, we usually find that it is the simplest things – not the great occasions – that in retrospect give off the greatest glow of happiness.
– Bob Hope
Late evening in the orchid meadow. I visit every Spring, and lying down on the sun warmed boardwalk, looking up at the sky – are moments to treasure.
The most wonderful of all things in life, I believe, is the discovery of another human being with whom one’s relationship has a glowing depth, beauty, and joy as the years increase.
– Hugh Walpole
There was a special glow that day, when this little lady made her entrance into this world – and the contact between her and her father was instant and loving. Every moment with her is golden. But I guess it is the same for every grandmother!
So, now we are looking forward to seeing your own glowing moments! Be sure to link your contributions to this post and include the Lens-Artists tag.
Special thanks also to Donna of Wind Kisses for her “It’s Tricky” prompt last week. So many fun and “tricky” photos, including reflections, artistic effects, and different perspectives. It’s great to practice thinking outside the box!
Next week, Tina of Travels and Trifles will be our host, so be sure to visit her site and enjoy her amazing photography.
Until then, stay calm and be kind.
Leya 
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