If you were to illustrate a favourite quote or poem, what would be your pick? Now you have the opportunity to do just that, and to use 1-4 pictures to make us ”feel” the poem or quote chosen. We will save lyrics for another challenge!
I have chosen some stanzas from the Indian Bengali poet and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore, and his poem The Same Stream of Life.
The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day
runs through the world and dances in rythmic measures.
It is the same life that shoots in joy through thedust of the earth in numberless blades of grass
and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers.
Thank you to Patti for last week’s Dramatic challenge! It brought us so many interesting posts and diverse ways to look upon drama. In fact many pictures I hadn’t thought of for the challenge, suddenly seemed very dramatic and fitting…
Now I hope you are going to have some fun with this challenge too. Pictures often speak for themselves, but this time your task is to let your images show/illustrate your chosen poetry or quote. Be sure to link to my original post and to use the Lens-Artists tag. We are looking forward to seeing your solutions!
And next week, Sofia will be our host – please visit her inspirational site for more!
”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.
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 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.
Magical – I wonder…what is magical to you? According to Wikipedia, Magical can mean: ”…beautiful or delightful in a way that seems removed from everyday life. ” I think that is the most common use. At least for us grown-ups. But there are of course other meanings too.
First of all, I guess we all need some magic in our lives, don’t we? Especially in difficult times like these. I try to find magical moments every day, and one of them is acorns sprouting new life, new little oak trees – in my kitchen. I enjoy looking at them growing every day.
Being alive and observing the living things on this blue planet gives my life all the magic I need. Nature has it all. I just have to walk out the door and open my senses.
Nature’s seasons are magical to me. This image shows fading Autumn by the river – and Mother Nature spreading her fairy dust in the most extraordinary ways. I cannot imagine living in a world without seasons, but unfortunately climate change is working on reducing our four seasons into two.
Often in fairytales and fantasy literature we find magical things in another sense – like roads, bridges and doors that open up to new landscapes, other worlds. We don’t really know what it will feel like or look like, or what will happen to us when we have passed the entrance. But we love that feeling of uncertainty and excitement.
Even if we know the facts, how ice is built and why – it is still magical every time the ”feathers” appear on my glasshouse or on the car.
And Spanish moss – it is fascinating to hide inside living curtains. And what child does not love to build a simple cabin in the forest? Or under the kitchen table! I still remember that magic – and I am now fully allowed to experience it again with my grandchild… We have great fun together.
Some of us feel that mystical, or maybe supernatural, is what we think of when we hear ”magical”. A dark tree with one natural lantern and one manmade. Magical, mystical, or even a bit scary?
Clearly light and darkness are strongly connected to what we consider ”magical”. But, that doesn’t mean it has to be dark – it can be soft and misty, with dew drops and colours too.
If natural magic is not enough for you, or if you like to play around with your images – Lightroom and Photoshop, Topaz, or other software programs, can turn your photo into a painting, soften it into a dream or use presets for different colour combinations. There are an abundance of possibilities. And it is fun! Magical transformations in one single click – or two. Not many years ago this was only imagination.
My final example is from this festive time of the year – the Holiday Season. Many magical wonders in the world of my little granddaughter. I believe we should try to keep that feeling alive. Let them be fascinated and filled with awe. Let their eyes glow. Let them be children. They will grow up soon enough. And we who have grown up into this tough world, would feel better with something of that magic lingering in our eyes.
Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.
– Albert Einstein
Now, Magical might mean so many different things to us, so – What is Magical to you? Special people, places, things; nature, adventures, childhood memories… – what are the ingredients you want there to make it magical? This week we are looking forward to seeing some of Your magic! Please link to my original post and use the Lens-Artists tag so we can find you in the reader.
A big thank you to Amy for last week’s Unique – an intriguing challenge that brought us fantastic and unique experiences! Much to ponder and much to learn.
Keep well until next Saturday, when Tina will be our host again. Be sure to visit her beautiful site for more inspiration!
Amy wants us to show something unique – which means something with the quality of being unlike anything else.
We are all unique, that we know. But I will concentrate on one country in this world that is unique in its care for our planet and its inhabitants – Bhutan. It is the only country on Earth that shows negative emissions of carbon dioxide, and its forests (70% of the country) are carbon sinks. They also let corridors of forest stand for the wildlife to easily transport themselves from the rainforest in the south and up north to the highest mountains.
This beautiful kingdom in the Himalayas have now sent people to the COP28 meeting to talk about their successful work, asking for help to continue it. Let’s hope they will listen…
Bhutan combines Gross National Happiness (explained further down) with democracy and Buddhism. A concept they try to convey to the world as well. In fact, the Resolution of Happiness was adopted by the UN’s National Assembly in 2011, leading to World Happiness Day now being celebrated across the globe annually on March 20.
Bhutan has got 800 000 inhabitants, and their capital is Thimpu. Which is, the only capital in the world without traffic lights. (2018) There is still a policeman in a box, in the middle of the street, gracefully waving the traffic in the right direction.
1974 Bhutan opened up to the world and modernity is now coming fast. We saw cell phones and heavy camera equipment already in Paro – and dogs on leash in Thimpu. A rapidly growing economy has resulted in increased consumerism – leading to imports mostly from India. The government decided to place a ban on many imports, including cars, but it remains to be seen if globalization and everything in its wake can be sufficiently kept at bay. Let us hope so. This tiny Himalayan nation, surrounded by much larger countries with massive populations and economies – seem to stand tall in their beliefs and try to follow the road chosen.
Gross National Happiness (GNH) in short, is:
based on core Buddhist and human values
a measurable index and a counterpoint to the economists Gross National Product
a philosophy placing real value on cultural heritage, health, education, good governance, ecological diversity and individual well-being
According to our local guide, Rinzen, there is a validation before a decision is taken, and after the implementation of it. If people are not getting/did not get happier out of this – the concept will be dropped.
Bhutan is the world’s only carbon-negative country. Just Imagine. And, this is true.
This final gallery also shows how the beautiful architecture is preserved and their love of flowers.
Thank you, Amy, for transporting me back to the most impressive journey of all my journeys. The country, the people, their vision had the greatest impact on me. I am so grateful.
We hope you will join us and share your findings, such as the uniqueness of a plant, artwork, culture, architecture, scenery, or places you have visited. Maybe special moments that are unique? Please make a link here and tag Lens-Artists so we can find your post.
Many thanks to Patti for her last week’s Empty Spaces. She has shown us beautiful examples and techniques to explore. Thanks to all of you for sharing your wonderful photos.
Next week, I, Ann-Christine/Leya will lead our challenge so be sure to visit next Saturday at noon EST.
Who doesn’t love open, empty spaces? Unless you are hunted by wild dogs of course.
Patti urges us to look for empty space in our photography – please visit her beautiful examples to get more inspiration! In this post, I think I might have some negative space images as well – or some that can fit both descriptions.
Empty space help us to find the object easier, and it gives us room to move and breathe. My daughter and son in the speaking tunnel In Umeå.
The two of them again, but, how often do you find the metro tunnels empty? In fact I had to wait for quite a while for this shot.
An empty space like this one, in one of Porto’s wineries, makes me want to put on a pair of nice socks and go sock skating on that shiny floor. Hopefully without breaking anything… but no – I am Not too old for this!
Open land and empty space outdoors lifts your eyes and your soul – you soar over the landscape. At least I always wish I could. I was waiting for the cranes at Hornbogasjön, but it was too early in the year. No real subject or object, but I was happy to get the empty space anyway.
Seascapes are much loved empty spaces, and you never get tired of the views. Open sea at the inside passage, Alaska. Our eyes are drawn to the ship first, and then further on to the mountains.
Other examples of empty spaces are for example this lawn in front of the castle…where everything in the picture leads you up to the steps and the castle entrance.
The water on both sides of the birds……and the sky over and below the bridge. These use empty space to define the object we wanted to photograph.
Maybe my favourites are roads and animals in empty spaces. Often because I realise the vastness of these, and how small and insignificant we humans are.
Walking alone in the desert – but in good company.
A beach is of course a wonderful choice. For anyone! Visit in the off-season and you can enjoy this view outside Edinburgh. Emptiness at its best.
A mountain plateau in Iceland with a peak at the far end means empty space and slopes leading the eye further on.
I guess an empty space like this one, in Sofia, can mark out who is the leader – at least before the next cat arrives…
Then there are us, humans, in empty spaces in Denmark in the opener.
Patti points out that empty space can highlight and define the subject, create a more dramatic scene, and can convey a mood to our viewers. Hope to see Your choices this week! You can explore empty spaces close to home or from your archives. Any space is possible.
Include a link to Patti’s original post and be sure to use the Lens-Artists tag so we all can enjoy your photos. A special thanks to James for guest hosting last week, with a wonderful challenge inspiring us to experiment with perspective. Next week, it’s Amy’s turn to lead us. Her theme will be “Unique.”
If you’re new to Lens-Artists and would like to join, follow this link for more information.
We welcome our guest host this week, James of JazziBee blog. He wants us to look both up and down to find interesting things…and indeed that is something at least I should do more often! So many times I have rushed ahead missing out on things above or on the ground – and many times behind me.
Walking in forests are rewarding, and even more so if you remember to look both up and down. It is not easy to see anything if you look sideways in a dense forest, but the Amazon canopy and forest floor are amazing. Not many plants grow in the faint light on the forest floor, but there are tiny mushrooms and ants for example. Lizards and frogs can be found on tiny leaves there too.
Swedish autumn usually displays a colourful canopy and looking down the water reflection and the fallen leaves make for a golden treasure.
Happy Danish skies! During a kite festival you have to look up – and I guess you cannot miss out on that!
Then look down when the party is over… inflated kites look quite awesome too. The very size of them is impressive.
Finally some structures and buildings that I found really interesting to look both up and down from, from the inside as well as the outside! A fascinating Kew Gardens installation (do you see the two feet in the first one?)
And Seattle’s Space Needle. Very special both of them, and in the last image, I could look down on the girl who was looking up, and at the same time see all the way to the ground as well.
Many thanks to Anne of Slow Shutter Speed for hosting last week’s challenge ‘Fill the Frame’ – thanks also to all of you who sent in such a marvellous range of frame-filling responses. Next week’s challenge will be set by Patti, so please look in on her Pilotfish blog for inspiration.
Anne is in the lead this week, and she has got a fabulous challenge in store for us – Filling the frame. Please visit her beautiful site for more inspiration.
Filling the frame offers a sense of completeness, clarity, inclusion, and comfort. We essentially “dive in” and experience the true essence of what the subject has to offer.
– Lucas Martin
So what does it mean – to fill the frame? Let’s see…
Prayer flags in Bhutan fill the frame in many respects – with cloth, letters and words.
Porto offers a staircase of sorts – it really fills up both us and the library/bookstore…
Filling the frame with a filled frame is hopefully allowed too? Beautiful stones of Georgia.
This random gallery of manmade and naturals ends with the rusty remains of a ship on a shore somewhere in Iceland. Filled with holes, but it still fills my frame. (Click to see the whole pictures)
Macro’s make us come really close, and leaves almost no empty space anywhere – maybe there is some truth in this quote from Robert Capa:
Ifyour pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.
Fernsfernsferns – they are irresistible! Even the back side of them…
And, this is key to why I love it when an abundance of small pieces fill the frame –
– like these Icelandic icicles. To me, maybe it is also a matter of colours. Few colours, all hues in harmony, make the frames complete – or what do you think? I left a monochrome in the header… for us to keep pondering – is this a filled frame – or not?
Finally, a fiery frame from our walks this weekend – Autumn filled it from ground to sky. Lucas Martin was right.
Thank you, Donna, for a marvelous asymmetry challenge last week. We’ve learned a lot and had a lot of fun, haven’t we! Next week James of Jazzibee will be our guest host, be sure to look for his site for inspiration! Remember to link to the original post and tag with Lens-Artists.
If you would like to participate weekly in our Lens-Artists Challenge, click here for more info.
Donna follows up last week’s Symmetry nicely, with Asymmetry – an informal sense of balance. Asymmetry is the absence of, or a violation of, symmetry.
She asks us: ”Where do you find the imperfectly perfect?” Because, asymmetry does not mean that an image is not balanced. It just means there are different ways of balancing it.
Asymmetry is something most of our photos have, and also what makes many of our shots work. John Ruskin says : ”…to banish imperfection is to destroy expression, to check exertion, to paralyze vitality.”
In many of my own images, I use the Rule of Thirds.
Two starlings – one common in my own area, and another, maybe a common Myna, standing in the rain in a Bhutanese village.
And rules don’t have to be precisely followed either. The balanced feeling is there anyway.
Depth of Field is also a great way to showcase asymmetrical balance.
And why not an S-shaped path that draws your eyes?
Imperfections, run down areas, odd-shaped items, negative space, and light all contribute nicely. Here are some examples of those:
So glad every time I have the chance to feature one of my favourite old images – the backseat of an old wreck in Kyrkö mosse.
Harmony in the picture is the most important thing – symmetry or asymmetry. Maybe ”harmony” should sit in between those two concepts?
Asymmetry in faces are sometimes not easy to cope with. Even if we know that faces are never symmetrical, a lost eye, for example, makes a big difference to how we see the person or animal. These two friends had been playing together, when the game became too tough for the little guy. Still, he managed well for several years with only one eye. And I got used to looking at his new face when I visited my friends.
Architectural asymmetry is common in modern constructions. Harpa in Iceland, and Frank Gehry’s The Guggenheim in Bilbao and Pop Culture museum in Seattle.
Let’s finish with something from the natural world – a must of course. These two from the Butchart Gardens.
And what makes these two work? The frame and the bow shaped lines in the first one. In the second one, the nerves and then the flowers balancing colours and shapes.
A special thanks to Sofia for hosting last week’s challenge, Symmetry. She, and you, made us discover the power and harmony of symmetry. All of your posts were a feast for the eye! Next week, visit Anne of Slow Shutter Speed for more inspirational images as she leads us through the next challenge!
Leya 
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