Weekly Challenge

LAPC #237 – Bringing Softness

/ Leya / 53 kommentarer

We need softness in the world. When you go to sleep at night, do you lay your head on a brick?

– Adrienne Posey

For this week’s challenge, our guest host, Bren, wants us to show how we soften our images. Bren is a master of this, and now we can learn how it works. ” You don’t have to stick to flowers, landscapes and architecture are also ideal subjects. By lowering the clarity and creating softness in those areas frames the subject in an image, be it a tree, path, bridge, even a door or house or just a dreamy looking image.”

I decided to try some different subjects, starting with a flower and finishing with a seascape.

My first try was a Nasturtium plant close-up –

Then some fluffiness against a rough wall – I guess the bee was collecting building material for his home.

My red camellia is in flower now. I love what the softening did in this image – it made the ”unreal” look of this flower more tempting and strikingly beautiful. The white camellia is in flower as well, but the softness did not work as well as in this one.

The blue colour of the chikory flower is unsurpassed, according to me.

A gallery from my forest walks and Hovdala Castle. Colourful tapestries and soft trees mimicking the clouds.

Golden beech leaves among the larch trees. A picture I was to throw away – until Bren’s challenge saved it for me!

The last tree standing. I made the layers of twigs, grass, forest and sky soft/clear in those sections.

Another gently woven tapestry with field, forest and sky. The colours really appealed to me, and the skies were great that day.

I didn’t believe this technique would work quite that well with a seascape – but I just had to try.

Thank you, Amy, for last week’s wonderful challenge with so many interesting interpretations! And thank you, Bren, for letting us play and learn – I hope you all had as much fun as I had. Now we are looking forward to seeing your responses to this week’s challenge! Please remember to link to Bren’s original post and use the Lens-Artists tag.

Next week it will be me, Ann-Christine/Leya who is your host. See you then!

For more information on joining the challenge each week, check here.

LAPC #236 North Meets South

/ Leya / 55 kommentarer

It’s never the differences between people that surprise us. It’s the things that, against all odds, we have in common.
― Jodi Picoult

Thank you to Amy of The World is a Book, for hosting this week’s interesting challenge. She asks us to explore, East Meets West or North Meets South. Read her creative post here to inspire your thoughts. Remember to link to her post and add the Lens-Artists tag so we can find you.

I must declare this was a difficult task for me – how to? I hope my solution is OK with you.

Because, I have focused on North meets South, and two very different countries with much in common. Just like we humans, wherever we come from – we have got so many things in common.

I guess you already know from the first images which the two countries are…

Both have got spectacular natural phenomena as volcanoes and hot springs, and ice and snow in beautiful nature.

They have got similar houses too…(!) even if one of them only is from some famous films made here.

So, how do we use their natural resources, the hotsprings? We can bathe in them…

cook in them…

or maybe just love the sight of them as a tourist. For energi they are outstanding and sustainable resources.

Both countries also boast spectacular natural layers of stone.

In one of the two countries, there are no forests – in the other one the jungle lives side by side with the glaciers.

If you follow me, you know how close to my heart these two countries are. They carry the clear light of a natural world less spoilt. One of them is called the land of the long white cloud, while the other one, if you look at the images above, maybe is the land of the short white cloud…

A special thank you to Patti as she made us look at Shadows and Reflections in Monochrome last week. Once again, the interpretations to the challenge were creative, fun and inspiring.  This way, we also learned something about what photos work best in monochrome.  Next week, we welcome Bren as our guest host.  She challenges us with: ”Lowering That Clarity To Bring Softness.”  We look forward to more learning next week!

Interested in joining the Lens-Artists Challenges? Click here for more information.

LAPC #235 – Shadows and Reflections in Monochrome

/ Leya / 57 kommentarer

Many of us love reflections and shadows, and many of us photograph them frequently. I am one of them. This week Patti has challenged us to show some of our images in monochrome. Shadows and reflections are even more mysterious and enigmatic then, as you will find them changing our perception of the image. Some images more than others, but, they all draw us in for new lines and details, new perspectives.

I have always preferred the reflection of the life to life itself.

– Francois Truffaut

Art is a direct reflection of the life you live. What you experience comes out in your work.

– Dianne Reeves

Glass reflects light in different and special ways. This glass piece from Kosta Boda was displayed on fur – very attractive and innovative opposites.

A visit to Library of Water in Stykkishólmur, Iceland, will give you another perspective of water. The reflections of the outside world as well as of the inside of the columns show how water refracts light differently.

Tblisi at night by the fountain cascades. Water, water everywhere!

Lodz, Poland, Light Move Festival.

A feast for the eye.

I found these fun shadows at a vineyard east of Porto, Portugal. These two containers were so big, that you had to have a ladder and a bridge to use them.

A garden is a reflection of you, it’s your presence in the world. Share this Quote Julie Newmar Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/reflection-quotes_9

A garden is a reflection of you, it’s your presence in the world.

– Julie Newmar

This week, Patti is challenging us to show photos with reflections and/or shadows captured or processed in monochrome. ”Feel free to process your image in different shades of blue, green, brown, or gray. You can also shoot your image in a setting that’s predominantly one color–like a blue sea and sky, for example.” Be sure to include a link to Patti’s original post and use the Lens-Artists tag.

If you’re new to LAPC, here’s a link that explains how to join us.

Last week we had a lot of messages… Donna’s theme–Messages. You found them everywhere–in nature, on buildings, at home. A special thanks to Donna for hosting a lovely challenge.

Next week, it’s Amy’s turn to lead us, so be sure to stop by her site on Saturday at noon EST. Until then, I hope you have a week filled with joy, inspiration, and photo opportunities!

LAPC #234 – Messages

/ Leya / 43 kommentarer

Welcome Donna! Hosting this week with Messages.

Enjoy your search for messages in photography this week. The options are endless. ”Does the message from your last fortune cookie resonate with you? Clouds? Is there street art, neon signs, or store fronts that grab your attention? What about the underlying messages from marketing logos, or the message you want to portray in your photography. Just have fun”. And then, please link your post back to Donna and use the Lens-Artists tag so we can find you.

Ever since life started on earth, messages have been essential for our communication. Every living creature depends on the ability to communicate. Here are some different messages that I have found…mostly they speak for themselves.

Who left this place, seemingly only some seconds ago…? A dear friend who used to love lying in frosty grass. Happy to have captured his message now that he is gone since long.

I was here! Territorial messages can be marked in many ways.

I have never driven one of these, but many youngsters around here have one…Good message for the police to know what kind of car this is…

You don’t have to know the language if there is a message like this on the building. Pictures delivering messages are essential. This one represents one of our oldest theater forms, a craft almost forgotten in many countries.

One of my dear students is a Swedish champion in Jousting…

– taking a break maybe? Or, did he lose or win? I am sure he will return though, for his coat of arms, sword, armour and mask.

Play of words gives me great pleasure – here at the newest aquarium in Denmark – The Blue Planet. I will come back in a year or two with my grandchild.

Art almost always carry messages for us. With open eyes and senses we will understand. The problem is – will we learn?

A special thank you to Anne as she inspired us to take a One Lens Walk last week. Your interpretations to the challenge were creative and inspiring. Hearing more about what lenses people prefer was also interesting. Not surprisingly a zoom lens was very popular.

Now we are looking forward to your messages! Next week, Patti will lead with Shadows & Reflections in Monochrome. Make sure to visit her at Pilotfish for more inspiration.

Interested in joining the Lens-Artists Community Challenges? Click here for more information. 

LAPC #233 – One Lens Walk

/ Leya / 75 kommentarer

Annes challenge for us this week is to take a lens for a walk. Yes, to choose a lens and walk. We can also use our cell phone or point and shoot camera. Another trick, when using a zoom lens, is to pick an aperture and stay with it. It is of course also possible to go for our archives. The important thing is to have fun! Remember to link to Anne’s original post and use the Lens-Artists tag.

I usually walk with my Fuji 16-80 lens, or my 35 prime lens. But my absolute favourite is the Tamron 90 macro. It is not a coincidence that my blog is labelled with a quote from William Blake: ”To see a World in a Grain of Sand…” The complete line goes: ”To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour.” To me, this is the essence of Life.

As there are very few flowers and insects to photograph right now, I have chosen some of my old macros to show the different possibilities of this lens. Close-ups and macros yes, – but you will notice it is very versatile.

For macros I normally use f/11, but f/8 – f/11 works fine. I always use a tripod, and that is why most of my macros are shot in my own garden. I don’t carry a tripod on my walks. Not only because of the weight, I want to feel free. And, I often have my dog, Milo, with me too. In the beginning I tried to hand hold the camera, but there were too many photos to throw away, so Milo and the tripod are two of my best friends.

Droplets and frosty petals are always a treat, but even with flowers and other subjects that often don’t move much, I also use the timer in order not to risk accidental camera movements while pressing the button. The photo with many droplets, to the left in this gallery, was hand held. When I don’t take close-ups or macro with the lens, that works fine.

When we get really close, like in the first and the last picture, and the roses, the photo turns almost abstract. Other worlds open up and lets our fantasy work magic.

We enjoyed looking back with all of you during Sophia’s challenge last week. You sent us unique and interesting responses – some surprising ones too. Now we are looking forward to seeing your one lens walks!

Next week our new team member, Donna Holland of Wind Kisses, will be leading the challenge. Be sure to visit her beautiful site for inspiration!

If you would like to participate weekly in our Lens-Artists Challenge, click here for more info. 

LAPC – Looking Back

/ Leya / 49 kommentarer

Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness

– Frank Gehry

This challenge from Sofia is about time, how things evolve. I have chosen architecture in the city of Tblisi, Georgia. A city I loved from start to finish, because of …everything! Its architecture ranges from caves to supermodern buildings. They have it all. I loved its gentle and smiling people, the delicious food and wine.

Starting out of the city centre, we visited habitable caves where people lived until just recently.

When walking out of the oldest area and down to the city center, we saw more of tiles and bricks, modern and old techniques. The Orbeliani Sulphur Baths are spectacular buildings from the beginning of the city’s history in the 5th century.

In the middle the most famous of the baths in oriental style.

In some places the juxtapositions were too painful. Many people wanted to preserve something of the old style, and the restorations were fairly well done. But we found buildings made of wood, bricks, tiles and finally glass, together.

The ornamented and typical old style was broken into rounded corners and reflecting glass panels. When we asked people about their ”new” city, not many of them were positive to the changes. They only wanted clean water and electricity.

As you could see in the overall picture of Tblisi, there were some buildings that looked extremely odd – the Concert Hall (not in use…) and the Peace Bridge (in the upper left corner ).

Any architectural work that does not express serenity is an error

– Luis Barragán

Peace bridge in night light. Somehow changes are often taken to the extreme, and to me, it seems old and new seldom manage to coexist beautifully.

Alexandr, our guide, saw it as his mission to photograph old Tblisi for future generations to see and for older generations to reminisce about their younger days. And because he loved his city. He walked the streets of the old city every day, and the tearing down of the elaborately built houses, balconies and staircases made him sad. He told us he was going to donate all his photos to the city museum when he was unable to work anymore.

Beauty perishes in life, but is immortal in art

– Leonardo da Vinci

Sofia picked Art representations to show the passing of time. Now it is up to you to choose where you want to go when you look back in time. Maybe you will want to focus on the evolution of transport, or want to show things that have seen better days… or things that have become obsolete. We’re excited to see where and when you’ll take us. Remember to link to Sofia’s original post and tag Lens-Artists so we can all find you.

A special thank you to John and everyone that took part in last week’s challenge. There were many amazing images from 2022 and promises of a great 2023. Next week Anne will be our host. Please visit her wonderful site for inspiration.

LAPC# 231 – Favourites of 2022

/ Leya / 64 kommentarer

Our first host this new year is John, challenging us to show our favourites of 2022. I don’t know how you choose your favourites, but my choices bring me smiles and warm feelings. So, they are for the greater part memories for my heart.

My absolute favourite 2022 is –

Myra! New in the family and always a sunshine. ♥

At the beginning of last year we went to Lundsbrunn and found some beautiful ruins on the way. Their colours and structures fascinated me. And the concept of pictures in pictures.

Every spring I go to the beech forest to find the first little blue anemonies (hepatica) – daringly facing the first rays of sun. Many times the snow has not yet left the ground.

Pasque flowers are among my absolute favourites, and they are beautiful in every stage of transition. The annual walk by the sea at Kivik and the west coast of Skåne is a treat every spring.

You who follow me know, that flowers are my passion, but also the little inhabitants that fly among them, insects and birds. Nothing beats an early morning walk in the forest or in the fields…or in my garden. At the beginning of the day when everything is served fresh and dewy, birds are singing in a seemingly flawless world .

For some years now, there has not been much traveling – for obvious reasons. When we finally could use our tickets to Porto, it was a strange, but familiar feeling to sit in a plane again. We are more often going by train now – to spare the environment.

Porto was the treat we had been told it would be. And it was very invigorating to meet another foreign city, its culture and people.

For the greater part of 2022 we stayed at home. There was much to do with the glass house, growing vegetables, fruits and flowers. I was also lucky to have a couple of Hummingbird Hawkmoths as rare guests in my garden! As they do not really belong here, I felt a bit sad for them – they would not make it through the winter months.

Mushrooms are delightful company on my walks, and I am appreciating them more every year. This soft little one was accompanied by an even tinier friend at its base. It made me smile.

I hope some smiles came your way as well, looking at my images – ♥

We are looking forward to seeing your favorite images from 2022! Be sure to link your post to John’s original post and use the Lens-Artists tag to help us find your response. Next week, Sofia hosts the challenge. For more information on joining the challenge each week, check here.

Thank you for staying with us through 2022, and hopefully this will be a Happy and Healthy New Year, 2023!

LAPC #230 – Last Chance

/ Leya / 55 kommentarer

Tina is our host this week, with the theme Last Chance. This means we’re given the opportunity to include images (on any and all subjects) created in 2022, but not previously published.

A brilliant idea – let them shine!

You could say that all of life is a series of last chances.

– Cynthia Voigt

Everybody wants to shine a little bit, even a wallflower.

– Phyllis Smith

Look, I want to love this world…

…as though it’s the last chance I’m ever going to get
to be alive
and know it.

– Mary Oliver

There is one, and only one solution, and we have almost no time to try it. We must turn all our resources to repairing the natural world, and train all our young people to help. They want to; we need to give them this last chance to create forests, soils, clean waters, clean energies, secure communities, stable regions, and to know how to do it from hands-on experience.

– Bill Mollison

In vīnō vēritās, in aquā sānitās

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.

– Douglas Adams

Ask me to show you poetry in motion and I will show you a horse.

– Unknown

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost.
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

Thank you for your interesting and inspiring responses to my last week’s challenge, Perfect Patterns. I think we all opened our eyes just a little bit more to find a world filled with patterns! Now I’m looking forward to seeing your Last Chance photos, please link back to Tina’s original post and tag Lens-Artists. Tina’s challenge this week is a great opportunity to go back to this year’s photos and give some of them a new chance to shine.

We’ll be off for the Holidays and will be back 7th January with John at the wheel. We are immensely pleased to announce that Donna Holland from Wind Kisses will be joining us then as a new team member. Donna has been a loyal follower of our challenge, has previously Guest-Hosted, and consistently delivers thoughtful and beautifully illustrated posts. Be sure to follow her at her site, windkisses.com.

We wish you all a Happy, Healthy New Year!

LAPC #229 – Perfect Patterns

/ Leya / 182 kommentarer

Of course there is no such thing as a ”perfect” pattern…but it could be perfect in Your eyes, perfect for camouflage or perfect for its purpose…or simply radiating ”perfect”! This week we challenge you to find perfect patterns and it would be great if you wanted to tell us why you think they are perfect.

For me, the first thing that comes to mind is the natural world. Seemingly perfect, and more often than not – pleasing to the eye.

In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they’re still beautiful.

– Alice Walker

A giant lotus at Kew Gardens, and DNA strands –

The more perfect a thing is, the more susceptible to good and bad treatment it is.

– Dante Alighieri

I went to Copenhagen in search for more patterns, and found Musselmalet Ribbed, the first tableware decor of Royal Copenhagen. It was designed in 1770, and today, centuries later, it is one of the most famous and coveted porcelain decorations in the world. Every piece is still painted by hand. So,…they cannot be perfect…or?

We often think that a perfect pattern should be symmetrical…but does it really have to be? These are licorice bottles.

Many more patterns would be almost perfect, if humans did not mess with them. I never walk on newly fallen snow – if I am not forced to do so… but I have to feed the birds!

A room in one of the wineries of Porto. Surely designed to look perfect – but as it showed up in my computer – I realised it is not. The lines are asymmetrical, but somehow we don’t notice that at first. What can we learn from this?

To understand is to perceive patterns.

– Isaiah Berlin

Why do I believe there are perfect patterns in this shopping window? I liked the white trunks spreading out just like the photo model’s hair, and the dots of snow and her blouse are corresponding. The scale of colours too suggests a Nordic/Scandinavian thought from the decorator. I guess it’s the harmony of different patterns that makes this window perfect in my eyes.

Back to nature again – a young eagle owl being released in freedom – as you can see, the feathers are not completely perfect – but,

I think every single imperfection adds to your beauty. I’d rather be imperfect than perfect.

– Sonam Kapoor

To sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon verdure is the most perfect refreshment.

– Jane Austen

Did you know that if you destroy a spider’s web too many times, it will not be spun as meticulously perfect anymore?

For my knitted caps, I make up ”perfect” patterns according to what I know about the person who is going to wear them. Most of these were my children’s, but the sheep cap with mittens I made this autumn (Christmas gift) for my little granddaughter.

Finally – nothing is completely perfect – at least never when a human is involved. But, let your own eyes and feelings decide what is perfect for you!!

Many thanks to Patti for last week’s Diagonals – your creative and thoughtful posts really made us think, and maybe even revise our approach to photography.

Now we’re looking forward to seeing what patterns you will find! Be sure to include a link to my original post and to use the Lens-Artists tag so we can easily find you in the Reader. If you’re new to the challenge and want to join us, click here.

Next week, it’s Tina’s turn to be our host, so be sure to visit her inspirational site for LAPC #230. Have a great week ahead and hope to see you soon!

LAPC #228 – Diagonals

/ Leya / 50 kommentarer

We invite you to join us this week as we explore diagonals as a way to add visual interest and depth to our photos, as
well as a sense of action. Our host for this intriguing challenge is Patti.

I enjoy searching for lines that will enrich life, and images. Informally, any sloping line is called diagonal, but the word diagonal derives from the ancient Greek diagonios, ”from angle to angle” (from dia-, ”through”, ”across” and gonia, ”angle”, related to gony ”knee”); later adopted into Latin as diagonus (”slanting line”). Many years since I took Latin and Greek, but they are still interesting and very useful – with the help of Wikipedia too.

The line of life is a ragged diagonal between duty and desire.

– William Rounseville Alger

Before the plants had leaves…the shadows were diagonal.

The Segovia aqueduct is forever a favourite with me. Put together with only the stones themselves, and in perfect lines with diagonal shadows. Where is your focus?

Beaches create perfect diagonals and all other lines…The water pool is leading straight to the two dogs.

Spanish water – alive all the way to the end of the image.

The marvelous construction of Harpa, Iceland, took my breath away. Bold lines, diagonals and a concoction of materials.

The simplicity of these lines – is soothing.

Walking on diagonals to the spa.

Umbrella diagonals!

Last week, we had wonderful tours of your home country, town, village or any place that you call home. A special thanks to Tina for her Home Sweet Home theme. Your posts have given us food for thought and wonderful ideas about new places to visit all around the world.

Patti ask us to consider if the diagonals add a sense of depth, or action, or invite the viewer to explore the scene.

We’re looking forward to seeing what you can find! Be sure to include a link to Patti’s post and the Lens-Artists tag so we can easily find you in the Reader. If you’re new to the challenge and want to join us, click here.

Next week, it’s my turn, Ann-Christine, to take the lead, so be sure to visit Leya next Saturday for LAPC #229 as we continue our December challenges. Have a great week ahead and hope to see you soon!