Tuesday Photo Challenge – Spread

I had the opportunity to watch two majestic young ones, for the first time spreading  their wings and flying into freedom this autumn. For Frank – Eurasian Eagle-Owl.

 

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #88 – Chaos

Outside, the sun is shining and the birds are singing – it is a beautiful morning in my garden. For this week, I had already chosen Chaos, not knowing how well this would apply to what many of us are living in right now. Thinking about it this early Spring morning… it all feels unreal. But, the world is still standing, and the sun is still shining.

First, we want to send our heartfelt wishes to blogger friends all over the world, those who are quarantined and those who are not yet there. May we soon see an end to the spreading of the Corona virus. In this fearful situation, we are all grateful for the contact and support made possible via internet and blogging.

If you need further help with handling your thoughts on this pandemic situation, please visit Cindy Knoke . She gives sensible and expert advice.

My life is organized chaos. – Kathleen Kennedy says. And maybe that is what Life really is – so, how do You look upon, and handle, Chaos?

The word Chaos originally refers to the void state preceding the creation of the universe or in the Greek creation myths. Chaos in modern use, in the sense of ”complete disorder or confusion”, first appears in Elizabethan Early Modern English.

Invention, it must be humbly admitted, does not consist in creating out of void, but out of chaos. – Mary Shelley

I always think that women are the chaos managers of life. – Teresa Heinz

– Something my own experiences tell me is – true!

Every passion borders on the chaotic, but the collector’s passion borders on the chaos of memories. – Walter Benjamin

We will have a total chaos without books, literature, and library. – Anne Waldman

Using chaos as a creative force – might be a challenge. But, yesterday I watched the Swedish ”Culture News” program, where an Italian/Swedish author and an Iranian producer talked about the Corona situation in their countries. And yes, it was a heart warming program where I was really amazed at people’s creativity!

A video clip showed musicians and actors using their quarantine to paint, to learn another instrument or a new foreign language; to read books they otherwise wouldn’t have read. And some said they used this new ”free” time to spend it with their kids. Also interesting, was that Italians were allowed free use of internet on their cellphones.

Anything worth doing good takes a little chaos. – Flea

But I like the chaos. As long as it’s happy chaos.  – Ayda Field

 

Let us focus on the possibilities, staying on the right track. Maybe nothing will be quite the same again – but let’s hope this chaos is the beginning of something new and positive.  Maybe these quotes and images will release some more of your creativity for our journey together on this bumpy road…

Feel free to interpret Chaos any way you want – what it looks like, how you cope with it, how you work on it, what you will do when everything calms down, etc. We are looking forward to Your version of Chaos!

Many thanks to our guest host, Miriam of The Showers of Blessings, and her beautiful challenge – which gave us so many reflective reflections!

Have you seen these:

Elizabatz – clever and fun at the museum.

Klara – a very artistic post.

Rupali – amazing quotes too to go with her images.

Sandy – sandyjwhite – Puddle art.

 

As usual, Tina, Amy, Patti and I value your creative responses and thoughts. Thanks for joining us, and above all, Stay safe! On March 21, your host will be Amy of The World is A Book .

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #87 – Reflections

We welcome another guest blogger this week, Miriam of The Showers of Blessings.  She suggests we find reflections to share.

Believe it or not, but I found myself in some of mine…even though I never do selfies.

Reflect upon your present blessings — of which every man has many — not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.
Charles Dickens

Today, International Women’s Day, we might just change his quote a bit…and put in woman and women too.

Can you remember who you were, before the world told you who you should be?

― Charles Bukowski

Did you ever wonder if the person in the puddle is real, and you’re just a reflection of him?

Bill Watterson 

Bewilderment increases in the presence of the mirrors.
Tarjei Vesaas,

When do I see a photograph, when a reflection?
Philip K. Dick,

A lake is a landscape’s most beautiful and expressive feature. It is Earth’s eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.
Henry David Thoreau,

 

These images were made in Iceland, Stettin, Copenhagen, Bilbao, Norway and Switzerland. As usual, click to enlarge.

For the rest of March, we will follow the usual schedule – and stay tuned for next Saturday when the host is me, Leya!

 

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #86 – Change Your Perspective

This week Patti shares some different perspectives to try in our photography – ”We invite you to break the habit of shooting photos at eye-level and change your perspective. […] show us your photographs taken from a variety of perspectives -”!

I believe the differences are clearly visible in flower photography –

In the opening photo of my ”Princess of the Night”, I am lying on the floor in the middle of the night to get a view of the inside of the flower.

Close-up – from a low position is one of my favorite perspectives.

Beauty can be seen in all things, seeing and composing the beauty is what separates the snapshot from the photograph. – Matt Hardy

Eye level – front and side, often looks even better back lit.

The more pictures you see, the better you are as a photographer.
– Robert Mapplethorpe

Don’t shoot what it looks like. Shoot what it feels like.– David Alan Harvey

Going low from a distance can sometimes create a more interesting picture.

A good photograph is knowing where to stand.
– Ansel Adams

Looking down is necessary to get the beauty of both the butterfly and the flower.

With tiny flowers, mass-effect can do the trick – and light and darkness of course.

Where light and shadow fall on your subject – that is the essence of expression and art through photography.
– Scott Bourne

Sheer Mass-effect

Thank you, Tina, and all participating bloggers, for last week’s Treasure Hunt – a success with many fun and interesting entries!

And here is a Special announcement:

At Lens-Artists are delighted to announce that the March 7th challenge (#87) will be hosted by our special guest host, Miriam Hurdle at The Showers of Blessings   Please be sure to visit Miriam’s site on Saturday, March 7th to view her challenge.  For the rest of March, we’ll follow our usual weekly schedule: