Lens-Artists Challenge #264 – Primary Colours

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

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…

Lens-Artists Challenge #263 – Faces in a Crowd

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.

Thursday Thoughts – Peter Lindbergh

Peter Lindbergh

Lightness of Being

Above are: Estelle Lefébure, Karen Alexander, Rachel Williams, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz & Christy Turlington, Santa Monica, California, 1988. © Peter Lindbergh. Courtesy Peter Lindbergh Foundation, Paris

Peter Lindbergh’s iconic pictures now at Fotografiska, Stockholm. Lightness of Being consists of more than one hundred works by the man who is known to have redefined fashion photography.

Lindberg preferred B&W to bring out the best of his models.

Lindbergh wrote the following:

”If photographers are responsible for creating or reflecting an image of women in society…then, I must say, there is only one way for the future, and this is to define women as strong and independent. This should be the responsibility of photographers today: to free women, and finally everyone, from the terror of youth and perfection.”

He must have had a favourite model…I guess it could be

Kate Moss

Lens-Artists Challenge #262 – Frame Your Photos

Amy has chosen a fun challenge this week, we’ll explore Framing our Photos. She states that the purpose of framing a photo naturally is to create a pleasing composition, so we can direct the viewer’s attention to the subject of our photo.

You can frame a moment. But you can´t frame life.
― Armin Houman

In the opener, St George (Göran) and the Dragon are framed by the vaults in the cathedral. Some of my favourite ways to frame are:

Art consists of limitation. The most beautiful part of every picture is the frame.
― G.K. Chesterton

– buildings, tunnels, vaults and gates

– windows and doors

All images made from the trip to Stockholm.

Like creating a masterpiece, quitting is an art: you have to decide what to keep within the frame and what to keep out.
― Richie Norton

But, the absolute best thing for me is searching for the natural frames – trees, hedges, stones etc.

There are endless ways to frame your photos, and we hope to learn some new ones from this challenge! Please link to Amy’s original post and tag Lens-Artists, so we can find you in the reader. Many thanks for all of your creative Works in Progress and your beautiful photos. You are always inspiring us!

Next week, John (Journeys with Johnbo) will be our host, be sure to visit his site. Until then, stay creative and be kind.

Thursday Thoughts – ABBA

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…