Lens Artists Challenge #154 – One Photo Two Ways

Every truth has two sides; it is as well to look at both, before we commit ourselves to either. – Aesop

This week Tina challenges us to try One Photo Two Ways. When I was biking the other morning, I noticed the different looks of the barley field while I was passing by. One single field showed me many faces.

When the sun was hiding in the clouds, the field did not speak to me.

But when the sun came shining through – I smiled, and the whole field smiled back at me.

I also set the focus on the swaying heads…

and then on the stems below. But it is the same field and the same barley we see.

Finally, another view opens when you play with selective colours

Thank you all for last week’s great inspiration, It Is a wonderful world we are living in! Now It’s up to you to choose your own approach, including the use of editing tools. We look forward to seeing the results – please link them to Tina’s original post and use the Lens-Artists Tag to help us find you in the WP Reader.

An important announcement. We are excited to announce a special event for the month of July. Several of our previous Guest Hosts have agreed to lead the Lens-Artists challenge. We’re sharing their themes in advance and hope you’ll join us and them in the coming weeks. They include:

July 3 John Steiner of Journeys With Johnbo will present “On the Water”

July 10 Anne Sandler of Slow Shutter Speed will present “Black and White”

July 17 Rusha Sams of Oh The Places We See will present “Getting Away”

July 24 Beth Smith of Wandering Dawgs will present “Along Back Country Roads”

July 31 Ana Campo of Anvica’s Gallery will present “Postcards”

Please be sure to check out their always-interesting and beautiful blogs, and join us in supporting them as they lead us each Saturday in the coming month. Until then, please remember to stay safe and be kind.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #153 – It’s a Wonderful World

Amy has found a wonderful challenge for us – because even if we all struggle some days, we can clearly see the world is still Full of Wonders, which is the essense of the word wonderful. Amy beautifully used Louis Armstrong’s world famous lyrics in her post – so please, visit Amy and get inspired!

My choice is some Midsummer Magic in the tiny worlds around us – because they are literally wonders in every sense. They also feel more safe to visit in this chaotic world…

We stayed at our summer house for a couple of days to prepare for the Midsummer celebrations next weekend. As you know, the longest day and the shortest night are very important to us in the Nordic countries. However, because of the heat, I find it difficult to sleep well, so I am usually awake around 4 every morning. This particular morning, I went for a barefoot stroll in the early garden dew.

The world is so full of wonderful things we should all, if we were taught how to apprediate it, be far richer than kings.

Ashley Montagu

This curious world we inhabit is more wonderful than convenient; more beautiful than it is useful; it is more to be admired and enjoyed than used.

Henry David Thoreau

The World is full of wonders, but they become more Wonderful, not less Wonderful when Science looks at them.

Sir David Attenborough


We are the inheritors of a wonderful world, a beautiful world, full of life and mystery, goodness and pain. But likewise are we the children of an indifferent universe. We break our own hearts imposing our moral order on what is, by nature, a wide web of chaos.

Colin Meloy

Thank you all for your creative and fun entries for my Shades and Shadows last week! I learned many new things from you, and was very surprised to find that not many, if any language except English, has got two words for the concept.

Thanks to Amy for her interesting challenge – we look forward to seeing your perspectives – and please remember to use the Lens-Artists Tag and to link to Amy’s original here. Finally, until next week, when Tina will be leading the challenge, please stay safe, be kind, and enjoy this wonderful world.

Thursday Thoughts – The Best Part of Spring is Over…

The lilacs are gone now…but we had some glorious days in May and the beginning of June.

The loveliness of newborn, soft green leaves is fading…replaced with stronger and thicker greens.

Early morning after the farmer’s work in the field. Lovely, rich lines…

And some weeks later – we are coming up!

As the rapeseed is glowing for a couple of weeks…we have glorious days awaiting.

Showers make them lush and even more attractive.

But summer is on the march – in fact it is already here.

So, how is your summer coming along?

Lens-Artists Challenge #152 – Shades and Shadows

Time for a simple, but hopefully enjoyable challenge for this week – Shades and Shadows. As the weather is fairly hot over here now, you can guess why I chose this theme. Of course it can be interpreted less literally, but as always you are free to surprise us!

In Sweden, and some other countries, we only have one single word for this…so, a neat illustration will start this week’s challenge!

An old friend of mine had his own sleeping preferences …always in the shade. This was one of Totti’s early morning surprises. He was in his prime, agile, loving and sweet.

Skógafoss, Iceland, where late evening light made long shadows and magnificent yellows.

In the Morockan desert, the tiny scarab shows an equally tiny shadow while he is scuttling between sun and shade.

We are still in Morocko, where the narrow alleys and harsh sunlight of Marrakesh makes for both shade and shadows. And difficulties for a photographer.

Finally, an image with not many contrasts, but subtle shadows and shades let the pink/cream coloured sandstone come alive. I loved this moment that suddenly turned up while looking up a side street. That cat owns the area.

Thank you, Patti, for a thought provoking, fun and diffferent challenge last week! We had great fun enjoying your creative posts! Hope to see you this week too under the Lens-Artists tag.

Finally, stay tuned for Amy’s hosting next week, and please be safe and kind.

Thursday Thoughts – A walk in my garden

Time for a short walk in my garden – things are really happening every day now that real summer has arrived.

If you have got some spare minutes…welcome for a short glimpse into my world.

In the evenings, the heliotrope sends its dreamy scent where I sit in my chair outside the glass house, sipping a glass of red. Or enjoying a mug of coffee. Life is good.

But let’s go for a tiny tour, looking for some of my favourites.

Then we will have to peep into the glass house of course. Last September it finally arrived – after many years of longing to have one of my own. In the end, it was Corona that made it happen. Staying at home for such a long time, I would not miss adventures that were not to be.

My view from the chair – sitting on Totti’s favourite blanket – gives me harmony and satisfaction every day.

Now, as the soft evening fills with clear blackbird tunes, we can sit together and feel – that for the moment, Life is good.

I hope you found some joy in coming with me, even if it was only a short walk. I much appreciated your company.