LENS-ARTISTS

Lens-Artists Challenge #313 – Cool Colours

/ Leya / 42 kommentarer

John is our host this week, and he wants us to concentrate on Cool Colours. Please visit his inspirational site for more about the challenge!

Cool colors have shorter wavelengths than warm colors (red, orange, yellow) and Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary defines ”cool” in seven ways. For this challenge, John has concentrated on hues in the range violet through blue to green, and I decided to stay with those hues too.

Going through my archives, I found an all time favourite image that has it all – cool colours from violet through blue and green. It is photographed in Lofoten, Norway. A magical place on this planet that has it all, in every respect.

A violet evening in Nice is indeed a soft and velvety dream. A gallery from Japan and the Wistera bloom in April adds to the fact that violet is named after the flower with the same name.

Violet is considered a creative colour and associated with energies and mindfulness, it represents the future, imagination and dreams. It is also one of my favourite colours.

Blue usually stands for serenity, stability, inspiration and wisdom – a calming colour. Personally, I never wear blue – except for jeans. But I love it in nature – the sky and the sea. Especially in summer mornings and late evenings.

I often walk along the sea at our summer house – and this was a magical night in June some years ago. A warm breeze and slow waves aganst the shore.

Of course we must have some flowers too – and this Agapanthus is from my own garden. Blue and green in the setting sun made the flower glow a bit warmer, leaning towards the last rays.

Finally, peeping over my neighbours fence, I see the blue King Frog sitting in his violet flower parasol, enveloped in a green cloak. Now we have all the cool colours in one single picture again.

Green was my last colour, and a favourite one as well. It represents growth, harmony, fertility and freshness. It is restful and relaxing to the eye – cool – due to its spectral wavelength. I sleep in a green bedroom because of this – and it works well.

A big thank you to Sofia, for hosting last week’s Sense of Scale – an interesting and eye opening challenge. So many great examples that never had crossed my mind! Next week, Anne will be our host. Be sure to follow her here so you don’t miss out on it.

Want to join in and don’t know how? Here are the details.

Lens-Artists Challenge #312 – Sense of Scale

/ Leya / 66 kommentarer

Sofia challenges us to show how we give people a sense of scale in our pictures. This is sometimes quite essential… Please visit Sofia’s site to get more inspiring examples!

My take on this challenge must mainly be using people for scale, but also different perspectives as from below or above, from afar or from a frog’s perspective. Finishing with a macro, of course.

This was a waterfall in Alaska that I did not hike up to – but wow when I zoomed the lens! People walking there made it quite clear it was not as small as it seemed from where I was standing.

This picture is from a tour to the Space Needle in Seattle – where looking through the glass floor sets the scale properly…

The Nice Carnival with its many show wagons is also a way to celebrate the sense of scale and give you interesting surprises.

Some years ago we went to Barcelona under the construction of the great Sagrada Familia. The picture was taken from one of the towers. People and buildings giving you a hint of the size of this gigantic Cathedral.

Back home I was once fortunate enough to visit a statue of a harbour worker – when an elderly lady turned up and walked beside him. A sense of scale in more than one dimension.

This was the first time I visited Segovia, Spain, and I walked in awe up to the aqueduct running through the city, towering over the houses. I believe this is one of the more exciting and surprising moments during all my travels. The elderly gentlemen in front of me were very sweet, and I had no problems keeping the same pace as they did…

Next is an old favourite from the kite festival in Denmark. With kites you can easily use your camera from under their bellies… People and cars become tiny and the kites just as spectacular as they are. I think I’ll have to go there once more!

This one I have used before too – but I still love those legs sticking out of a rusty head in Riga.

Lying down on the stone floor in our apartment in Spain, I found the tiniest ants I had ever seen. A tea spoon became a valuable measurement of scale.

Then came the tiniest husband I had ever seen… In Alaska he jumped from a mountain – safely of course. If I remember it right, he is number two from the left. I let the tree tops stay in the corner of the picture to remember just how difficult this scale was to fathom.

Finally…

…in Weltfogelpark Walsrode in Germany, apart from the real birds, also the tree sculptures were greatly admired. In Bhutan the forest and trees set the scale for the golden Buddha statue. I had to finish with the tiniest of snails (5mm) in this withered flower.

A big thank you for all your garden displays last week, big and small, fancy and spectacular, creative and inspiring – and above all – Loved and Needed! It truly was a treat to read every comment and see every picture. I had a great week.

Don’t forget to tag Lens-Artists and link to Sofias original post. Next week is John’s turn to host so please visit his site for inspiration. Until then, stay well and enjoy every day.

Lens-Artists Challenge #311 – What’s in a Garden?

/ Leya / 200 kommentarer

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.”

– William Shakespeare

The quote is used to state that the names of things do not affect what they really are. There are so many ways to look at a garden, so, my idea is to see what You have found, what You see – at home or anywhere in the world. Everything from your window sill to a big park – to me they are all gardens. And what we have in them, is all up to us! I guess something that brings you harmony, makes you smile, makes your world a bit easier to live in. So – What’s in a Garden? Feel free to use any meaning of the word – or create your own!

You who follow me surely know, and will not be surprised, that I am a romantic and thus English gardens have got all the ingredients I dream of. Everything from lush flowers, plants, trees and hedges, to walled gardens, ponds, statues, old stones and ruins.

Much gardening to do in these, but tiny gardens like the next three ones are easily managed and still bringing much joy!

A canal boat and an atrium found in England, and a Hobbit house with a tiny garden found in New Zealand.

Fruit and insects are essential to a sustainable garden.

As I visited Japan earlier this year, I know they have many kinds of gardens. Some of them are minimalist dry gardens – Zen gardens (with open areas of gravel and stones) -, others are walking gardens, flower gardens, bamboo gardens, bonsai gardens…All of them meticulously well kept. Their aesthetics are comprised of a set of ancient ideals (wabi sabi is one of them) and considered as an integral part of daily life.

Three of the essential elements used to create a Japanese garden, (and many of our western gardens too) are stone, which form the structure of the landscape; water, representing life-giving force; and plants, which provide the color and changes throughout the seasons. You also often find bridges, water falls and stepping stones.

We are looking forward to seeing what You have found, and don’t forget to tag your post Lens-Artists when you link to my original post.

Thank you to Patti for her wisely Zigzaging us through last week, and next week again, Sofia will be our host. Please visit her inspirational site for more!

Lens-Artists Challenge #310 – Zigzag

/ Leya / 55 kommentarer

We are back again – and a big thank you to all our guest hosts! Patti is hosting this week, and the topic is Zigzag. Let’s start with my favourite – Danish architecture – and more.

If you go looking for it, natural zigzag can also be interesting…

Beautiful European adder met on the path some years ago while hiking. I have never seen it rise like this one did – and we backed off…

Winter snow bending the straws in elegant zigzag.

In a Narnia Park, we found the broken stone table from the story of Narnia and Aslan by C.S.Lewis.

The sand dunes of the Sahara desert made me think of a soft zigzag pattern.

A walk in Porto is a great joy!

These are all from Tblisi, Georgia – a lot of zigzaging there. Buildings, construction sites and staircases. And fountains!

Have fun with the challenge and we are so looking forward to seeing your choices. Be sure your post includes the “Lens-Artists” tag and a link to Patti’s challenge post.

Next week, I, Ann-Christine, will take the lead for LAC #311, so be sure to visit next Saturday. Until then, stay safe, be curious, and be inspired!

Lens-Artists Challenge #309 – Balconies

/ Leya / 33 kommentarer

PR of Flights of the Soul is our next lovely guest host, and she is inviting us to find Balconies – please visit her beautiful site for interesting facts and more inspiration!

PR talks about the many ways of using a balcony, and – some cities seem to have no balconies at all, while others have them in every building. In many countries I have seen a dog sitting or walking on the balcony of a house. Hopefully the door in is not closed!

So, we are looking for balconies… A good advise is going to Georgia (not in the US…) and Old Town Tblisi. In the header though, is a Bhutanese balcony for monks only.

For well kept, beautiful architecture and balconies, an impressive place to visit is Prague. This balcony is surely not intended only for a quiet, nice cup of coffee.

The second gallery is from around Europe – we do have some interesting balconies too!

These are from Denmark, Madrid, Barcelona, Bulgaria and Sweden. The ants at Wanås Castle is a work by Colombian Rafael Gómezbarros. And, of course you will recognise Gaudi’s spectacular architecture. PR, the last one is for you – an inside view of the largest balcony of Casa Battló.

Do you have a balcony of your own or are you thinking of some that impressed you? Do remember to use the Lens-Artists tag, and connect to PR’s original post.

Last week, we saw great responses to the challenge Perfect Pairs – a joy! Next week the Lens-Artists team will be back, with Patti starting off the challenge on her Pilotfish blog. Until then- stay nice, enjoy your vacation if you have one, travels if you do and above all – Life. A big Thank You to PR and all guest hosts!

Lens-Artists Challenge #308 – Perfect Pairs

/ Leya / 38 kommentarer

This week Elizabeth of Albatz Travels is our guest host – and she has got an exciting task for us! Please visit her site for excellent guiding to diptychs:

A diptych is two images placed in proximity to one another, forming a pair. To make a successful pairing there should be several things in common, and something very different, contrasting.

How about using mirrors?

My natural(!) choice is flowers and trees. And flowers from English gardens this time.

And throughout the paths of flowery fireworks, there were Castles interspersed…

So, we will move over to totally manmade art, where wonderful wallpapers in the castles created indoor gardens as well, and a different dimension through mirrors.

Artworks are interesting, for pairings too. In Japan our visit to the teamLabs exhibition with mirroring ”eggs” was fascinating.

And finally, people. The Golden Week in Japan gives you endless opportunities to enjoy beautiful people and clothes. This lovely young couple is not the same as the couple in the carriage – but their outfits go so well together. In my eyes, they make the perfect pair – and pairs.

Thank you, Elizabeth for a great learning challenge!

Last week, Leanne lead us through wonderful and different “Tourist Attractions”, capturing the essence of a place.  Next week, PR will explore “Balconies,” so be sure to visit Flights of the Soul next Saturday. 

Lens-Artists Challenge #307- Tourist Attractions

/ Leya / 21 kommentarer

Leanne Cole is our fantastic host this week, and she invites us to show what the normal tourist wants to see – but in another way. ”You might go to the same place, but you are after something different.”

So her challenge is to look for those photos that are of tourist attractions, but where we have tried to get the untypical image of it. They can be near or far away in other countries.

I have just returned from a trip to England, so I am a bit late, but here we go…with Japan! Japan was a delightful country to visit this spring, and the first gallery shows some famous attractions – my way:

The superfast Shinkansen train, Fushimi Inari-taisha in Kyoto (Inari is the god of rice and sake and the messenger is a fox), Kawachi Fujien (The world famous wisteria garden in Kitakyushu), the Shibuya crossing in rain (- the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world with about 2300 crossings every 3,3 minute) and lastly, Tokyo Sky Tree.

From Sweden then, not that many:

Stockholm in double exposure (City Hall and Central Station). The Doll Museum was closed, but my shot was taken through the window.

Thank you to Tina for her beautiful and thought provoking challenge on Habitats two weeks ago, and I hope you all had a lovely week off too! Thank you again to Leanne Cole for leading us this week – please visit her site for always amazing photography.

I hope you want to join in next week when our next guest host, Elizabeth of Albatz Travel Adventures, challenges us to share Pairs.

Lens-Artists Challenge #306 – Habitats

/ Leya / 48 kommentarer

The reality today is that we are all interdependent and have to co-exist on this small planet.

– The Dalai Lama

Tina is our host this week, and she has chosen the theme Habitat. A theme close to my heart. Without habitat, there is no wildlife, and in fact, no real life. What affects a habitat are mainly two factors: biotic and abiotic factors. Biotic factors are living things within an ecosystem, (and how different species interact and work together, which decides the number of each species) and abiotic are non-living components (mainly geology and climate).

We all know what is happening to our planet and to us and our fellow inhabitants. So, What can we do…what Do we do?

The one process now going on that will take millions of years to correct is the loss of genetic and species diversity by the destruction of natural habitats. This is the folly our descendants are least likely to forgive us.

– E. O. Wilson

As ordinary humans, we might think we cannot do much, but personally I support several nature organisations, and I try to keep my footprint as small as possible. (With a bad conscience everytime I fly…) Our pollinators are crucial to our planet, and the bee is considered our most valuable species. In my little world, I strive to plant only bee and pollinator – friendly plants in the garden. About half of it is never cut down and left wild. It thrives.

Dead trees are left were they fall – and I plant climbers for them.

This is my small contribution for increasing the habitats for insects and birds. A great outcome was my find of a leopard moth here. Dead, but a rare species with gardens and orchards as their habitats. Dead trees are home to many insects.

The only way we can reduce the number of these endangered species is to improve and provide additional habitat where they can live and reproduce.

– Lorne Greene

I hope my garden will steadily become an even better habitat for many plants, insects and birds. I believe we all can do something – following the old saying ”Small streams make great rivers”. To me, this thinking makes my habitat in this world much more alive and useful.

Outside my own garden, a country that comes to mind for having sustainable habitats, is Bhutan. Bhutan is the world’s first carbon negative country. Mainly because of its extensive forests, covering 70% of the land, the Kingdom is able to absorb more carbon dioxide than it produces. How did Bhutan get here and how can the country be an example for the rest of the world? Listen to Bhutan’s Prime Minister in a TED talk on youtube .

In Bhutan, the forest is protected by law, they use their rivers to get clean energy and they subsidise the more eco-friendly LED lamps. To me maybe the most impressive thing is their biological corridors connecting protected areas with each other. Thus, the vast diversity of animals is free to roam around the country. It helps them better adapt to climate change and increase their population naturally. When we were there, we were informed that some tigers were tagged and could be followed from the south part bordering to India, and through corridors up to the snowy Himalayas. In only a few days.

It seems in Bhutan everything living coexist in a smoother way – maybe because of their faith and because of their government’s decisions on the importance of biodiversity. In the cities too, we found space was gladly shared among different species. A comfortable, common habitat.

I hope you’ll join us this week to explore the habitats of both human and animal ”residents”. Be sure to link to Tina’s post, and to use the Lens-Artists Tag to help us find you. Also, our big thanks to Egidio whose 2 Rectangles challenge gave us a chance to learn something new, and proved that many of us did not know about this, but were often using it anyway.

As in previous years, the Lens-Artists team will be on hiatus for the month of July. There will be no challenge on the 6th, but the rest of the month will be led by several amazing Guest Hosts. They include:

July 13: Leanne of Leanne Cole explores TOURIST ATTRACTIONS 

July 20: Elizabeth of Albatz Travel Adventures leads us with PAIRS

July 27: PR of Flights of the Soul presents BALCONIES

The Lens-Artist team will be back on August 3 when Patti once again leads us on her Pilotfish Blog. Until then as always please stay safe, be kind and enjoy the adventure.

Looking for more information on joining our challenge? Click here.

Lens-Artists Challenge #305 – Two Rectangles

/ Leya / 46 kommentarer

Egidio goes for rectangles, and once again I’m finding I’m following a compositional rule without knowing it! He challenges us to show how we use rectangles in our photographs and how they help our composition.

This is an image from Cisternerne in Denmark, an underground water reserve.

It is somewhat similar too these beautiful Tori’s in Japan.

I don’t know if you can say these are rectangular – because they end up in a curve – but, yes, I think they are.

Back home, these are strawberry tents, covering up the plants to make them grow faster.

And there are loads of rectangles in this one, caught at Kyoto Railway Station, Japan.

These three images are from Fredriksborg Castle in Denmark. The left one is a mirror in a dark room, in the middle is the fantastic Chapel and the last one is a narrow alcove in the same castle.

These two reflections stand out to me.

The garden is Ashikaga Wisteria Garden. We went in the evening to see it lit up.

Some favourites from that night in the wisteria garden.

So, we would love to see your photos with two rectangles. Let your creativity flow. And please remember that pingbacks do not work on Egidio’s site. You need to put your link in the comments. The “lens-artists” hashtag makes it easier for others to find your post too.

Last week, Ritva focused on backgrounds and how they affect our composition. What beautiful images you shared! Excellent and creative. Next week, Tina will share another fascinating challenge on Saturday, 12 noon (EDT in the USA). Stay tuned. Please see this page to learn more about the Lens-Artists Challenge and its history.

As those who follow her know, Lens-Artists team member Donna of Wind Kisses is taking a break from blogging for personal reasons. She will be very much missed but, hopefully be with us again before too long. We wish Donna and her family only the best, as our thoughts are with all of them.

Lens-Artists Challenge #304 – Behind

/ Leya / 44 kommentarer

Ritva is giving us a real treat this week – showing how to use the background to enhance our compositions. What makes your subject shine? A good background is essential to any picture.

Please visit Ritva’s beautiful site for more inspiration and examples!

I will choose some of my favourite techniques for the background to enhance the subject. Backlit late evening poppies create a positive, soft blur around the flowers. This is clearly one of my favourites as I often photograph insects and flowers.

Using negative space is efficient to highlight your subject against a minimal background. How lucky was I to see a woman in RED walking down the stairs when I had my camera ready?

We can harmonize or contrast colours for visual impact. Here I wanted to enhance the filmish feeling by using B&W.

Colour harmony again –

– to the left a totally green picture with an interesting, overgrown branch, and to the right the old red train running in the contrasting green surroundings.

A picture within a picture is something I really like. There are two from Japan, the first one in the header and on the left side here another one. We see a gardener talking to a young woman about ”his” garden while admiring it from the terrace. The picture filled staircase was photographed in a Danish castle, where you also can see another room through the window. There is much going on in this scene, but I decided to use it all in my image.

Lastly, two pictures from Tokyo Sky Tree, the first one taken through the framed glass floor and the second one where the city is set between window frames. In both cases, the subject is shining because of its dark surroundings. This applies to the header image too.

As I started with poppies, I will leave you with a poppy too – an enchanting flower. For this one, I was down on the ground and getting close. Deapth of field and back light make it stand out.

Last week we dwelled in the world of connections with Donna as our guide. We got lovely interpretations of connection, and many of them I had never even thought about!

A big thank you to Ritva for an innovative and excellent challenge, and be sure to link to her original post and use our tag. I am already looking forward to next week’s challenge with Egídio. Join him Saturday 12:00 EST to enjoy his beautiful photography, through Brazilian eyes.