For the first time we were there – and we went four different carnival days. All thanks to Viveka of Myguiltypleasures, who is a true ambassador of this carnival. If you want to see more from Nice – please visit her fantastic blog.
Enjoy a gallery from the Opening Parade, with the theme: Roi de la Pop Culture. Starting and ending with some great stars!
More to come next week…
Patti leads the dramatic week!
”This week, we’re asking the question: what makes a photo dramatic? Maybe it is processed in black and white, or it has vivid colors. Maybe a person, place, or object is captured from a unique perspective or it is a macro shot.”
If you wish, explain why your photo is dramatic and what you did to highlight the drama. Be sure to link to Patti’s original post and include the “lens-artists” tag.
Dramatic – much depends on light and darkness, some photos can be naturally dramatic, and to some I have added to the touch of drama.
This tree is a natural dramatic one. The human face between the trunks was so obvious, and the light perfect.
Art often shows dramatic scenes, be it in paintings, sculptures or any other art. Beautiful dramatic art can often be found in churches.
Can a picture of a flower feel dramatic? I think so. It is the mood in the picture, darkness and light, and the strong colours. I have darkened it some to enhance the back light even more.
Dramatic waters in Iceland are frequent. Right now there are a couple of eruptions going on as well. In fact the whole country is dramatic, so it is impossible to leave out from a gallery like this. Believe it or not – nothing has been done to this image. It was taken right out of the camera.
The south coast of Iceland, a winter’s day on the black beach.
Houses can also be dramatic. Especially abandoned houses. I guess it is the emptiness and the feeling of everything falling apart that does it. Or maybe all our memories of horror movies? The photo is untouched.
Another house is in the header/opener: the Dancing House in Prague with dramatic clouds, leaning lamp posts and people hurrying by.
If we continue with dramatic skies, and add some B&W – the drama will be complete. Silhouettes of cranes also add to the drama.
Drama in macro photography is not impossible. The light comes from our Christmas tree.
As trees and forests are my favourite subjects, together with flowers, I must post from the Dark Hedges too…maybe the most dramatic beech trees I know of. And so dramatic that I did not find it best to use B&W. As for Game of Thrones – I haven’t seen it.
Last week, the entire team invited you to share your favorites from 2023. What a treat for all of us. Thank you! Next week, it’s my turn, Ann-Christine/Leya, to lead, so be sure to visit my site next Saturday for some inspiration.
Until then, stay healthy, hopeful, and curious.
As we enter the New Year we are excited to announce the Lens-Artists team will be expanding with the addition of two new members. Ritva of Ritva Sillanmaki Photography and Egídio of Through Brazilian Eyes will be joining us. We know they will bring their marvelous photography, extensive travel experiences, and fresh insight to our weekly challenges. We are very much looking forward to having them on our team. Please join us in extending a warm welcome to them. Click on the links to Ritva and Egídio’s blogs at the end of today’s post to follow them and receive all of our upcoming Lens Artists challenges.
Favourites can be favourites for different reasons. Some of mine are for their thought provoking aspect, some for loving memories and some for beauty and/or my admiration for the art created. And for Hope.
We went for some winter Exhibitions – Banksy among others. Shattered – maybe there is some hope still, for love and innocense…as the ripped artwork to the left becomes whole again. I like the way they are hung – in that order.
Prague in Spring, romantic places and romantic flowers bring hopes of yet another Spring to come.
Then summer arrives at home, with forest walks during soft nights. And, we had a wedding in June – bringing joy and laughter, hopes and dreams for the future.
Then, Autumn is coming …
with fruits and berries in our gardens. And before winter arrived, we travelled the Inside Passage to Alaska, starting in Seattle.
I liked Seattle – here some of Frank Gehry’s architecture and the train from the World Fair in 1963. Yes, it actually went in there…between the buildings.
Glaciers, forests, mountains, and beautiful mornings and evenings at sea – Alaska for me.
I will end my year with some beautiful and unforgettable gardens – Sofiero, Chihuly Glass and Butchart (in the opener/header). And books, and Milo, and a tiny clearing in the forest, with just enough room for a golden beech sapling.
I hope your new year has started out well, and that we’ll see you next Saturday when Patti leads!
Tina of https://travelsandtrifles.wordpress.com
Patti of https://pilotfishblog.com
Ann-Christine aka Leya of https://lagottocattleya.com
John of https://photobyjohnbo.wordpress.com
Anne of https://annegeephoto.com (aka Slow Shutter Speed)
Sofia of https://photographias.wordpress.com
Donna of https://windkisses.com
Egídio of https://egidio.photography (aka Through Brazilian Eyes)
Ritva of https://sillarit.com (aka Ritva Sillanmaki Photography)
Tina is hosting this last challenge of 2023. In 2022 the Lens-Artists team introduced a ”Last-Chance” challenge. The idea was to post some images that never quite fit any of our 2022 subjects. Here are some favourites of mine that will get a second chance.
I must have flowers, always, and always.
― Claude Monet
In Rome the statues, in Paris the paintings, and in Prague the buildings suggest that pleasure can be an education.
― Caleb Crain
I hope I can be the autumn leaf, who looked at the sky and lived. And when it was time to leave, gracefully it knew life was a gift.
– Dodinsky
The breath of winter holds a hushed enchantment, a captivating stillness.
– Anna Islington
The soul is healed by being with children.
― Fyodor Dostoevsky
If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.
― Albert Einstein
Special thanks to all of you who helped us feel the Magical season is here – as your responses clearly showed! For me, that was a truly magical week!
And now, as we approach the close of 2023, the Lens-Artists team has an important change to announce. After having been an integral part of our team since its inception in June of 2018, Amy of Share and Connect will be leaving the team to begin an exciting new adventure. She and her husband will be traveling more extensively and making some happily-anticipated visits with family. We wish her all the best and look forward to her posts as she continues to respond to our challenges whenever possible. Often – we hope!
We are also announcing that this will be the final Lens-Artists challenge of 2023. We will return on January 6 to begin the New Year with our traditional Favorite Photos of 2023. We look forward to seeing you all again then. In the meanwhile we wish all who celebrate the happiest of holidays as well as a peaceful and joy-filled 2024.
Of course I have some more memories from this beautiful garden. I hope you enjoy them too!
So, we are leaving the Sunken Garden and heading for the Japanese Garden. Often those gardens are my favourites because of their total harmony, and the impact that makes.
I also must post a piece of the Rose Garden and some glorious flower arrangements. We only got two hours in Butchart, so unfortunately I did not get all the time needed to take everything in and to photograph everything I wanted.
This tunnel was lovely, with roses on both sides and hanging flower baskets between every arch.
I love to see different flower arrangements, they are both eye candy and inspiration for any lover of gardens and flowers.
They excelled in using only one colour as well – 50 shades of green?
It was hard to leave this amazing place, but we were grateful to have got this opportunity. Before we went, I was afraid it might be the wrong season to visit – now I know it wasn’t!
The colour combinations were stunningly perfect. As were the different matching of shapes. Even the colour of the window fits in.
I know many of you have visited these gardens, and finally I did too. This must be one of, if not The, most beautiful garden I have ever visited. The Sunken Garden was an outstanding experience. We could not have had a more lovely finale for this cruising adventure. Thank you for joining me!
Some memories from a beautiful city – starting with Chihuly of course!
It was also wonderful to photograph something for my uncle’s wife, Ann-Marie. She and my uncle, Kurt, lived over there for 17 years, mostly in Houston, Texas, but they got married in Seattle. At the World Fair in 1962, Kurt hosted the Swedish section, and met some famous people (like Robert Kennedy…) – I don’t know if he met Elvis, but I saw photos of him too at the inauguration of the Space Needle.
I know the young couple tried the monorail, which is still there today, but I could not find the exact place for the Swedish pavilion.
The more I visit cities with high rise buildings and skyscrapers, the more I use B&W. But Pike Market had to be featured in its own colours!
I loved especially the fish market, where fishes were thrown out to the buyers – from one hand to another. A merry market indeed!
Finally something seen from the Space Needle,
and from above the harbour area with all its piers.
I loved the view of the Seattle Great Wheel (opened in 2012) and its surroundings. In morning haze and B&W it emitted the atmoshere of an old movie.
So, Thank you, Seattle, for having us!
We had booked the world’s largest ziprider, but only my husband went for it – I read that my neck injury would not benefit from it. So, I enjoyed the landscape and environment instead – and took some photos of him coming down.
Amazing views from the top had me photograph a lot, and for once the weather was clear and sunny. The air fresh and cool.
For the ”bear walk” we were adviced to stay together in groups of ten, and to talk loudly. There was a ranger or two watching as well. The introduction though, was held by a Native Tlingit, and all profit went to their Hoonah community.
Some unspoiled wilderness was what we hoped for, and that was what we got. It wasn’t a long hike, because recent storms and rains had made fallen trees block the path in places. As there are more brown bears than people here (so they said), it would have been too dangerous to try.
The landscape was mostly open with sunny grasses and trees – but I must admit to not being totally relaxed during the walk. A week ago there had been a bear attack here. We have many brown bears at home too, but I never hike in their areas.
The beauty was overwhelming, and rather similar to our own mountain areas in Sweden. I loved every minute of this walk, and there was no wind, no rain.
Did I mention the zipride? Here we go!
And down at the beach, we strolled back to the ship, enjoying the abundance of wildlife – sea otters, seals, orcas and humpbacks. Even a squirrel. We saw a bald eagle nest too, but no eagle there now.
The sea creatures swam so close to the beach, there was no need for a boat trip to see them.
This was our most beautiful day in Alaska – and not only because of the weather. Thank you for coming along – sorry I couldn’t tell you how much fun it was doing the zipride…my husband was not impressed though. Too windy he said, and not being able to control anything. But he did it!
Leya 
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