Weekly Challenge

Lens-Artists Challenge #355 – Looking Back to #42 – Creativity

/ Leya / 127 kommentarer

This week we are starting to look back… each month or maybe every 6 weeks, one of us in the LAPC – team will repeat a PREVIOUSLY USED subject for the week. We will share a link to the old post, and then create a new post on the same subject. This will also give us all a chance to address challenges we may not have done before.

In 2019 we had a challenge on Creativity – I have picked that one as a starter for this series. Much because we need to be creative in life’s ups and downs, and I guess most of us also love being creative. Blogging is one creative thing we have in common!

Here’s what I wrote on Creativity in the first post, #42: ”… is the use of imagination or original ideas to create something new or somehow valuable – inventiveness. The created item may be an idea, a scientific theory, or even a joke; or a physical object, maybe a new invention, a literary work – or a painting.”

Last Sunday I met one of the most creative souls I have ever met – Susanne Demåne. We went with some friends to see her studio and garden – she calls it ”The World of Demåne.” In 1998 she bought this old schoolhouse – rather dilapidated and no garden worthy of the name. Over the years she has created a fantastic place filled with creativity and fantasy, which also involves animals like beautiful black horses of the breeds Frieser, Knabstrupper, Arab and Shetland pony. Horses she trains with nothing but her voice and the bond she makes with them.

In these photos here, of Susanne’s own, I hope you can feel some of the magic …

How much they love and respect each other…

How much her horses trust her…

And how much she trusts them…

Susanne works in various materials, living, clay, metal, enamel, wood etc. Maybe her most famous works are in wood – made with a chainsaw…

And while we were admiring her studio – Susanne herself suddenly appeared in the doorway. Silently waiting, graceful and humble. So beautiful – a creative witch, a troll from the deepest forest. When she walked into the room – she filled every inch of it – her energy was tangible.

Susanne is a hard working woman who made her life the way she dreamed and wanted it to be. I read about her son, Kim Demåne (also a brilliant artist), how he stated that she was the most hard working woman he knew – and how much he admired her.

Many questions whirled through the air, and she was happy to answer them all. She was so natural, so down to earth, and so humourous. She laughed and told us she had worn out several men – because she was not that easy to live with… I can imagine not. Creativity was written all over her. A passionate woman!

The final gallery shows her work at Bredåkra cemetary. She was asked if she could make something out of the many dead elm trees there – and she did. She made magic. In these photos you see: ”We are all someone’s child”, ”Madonna and child”, ”The Elm Angel” .

Someday, early morning and late evening, I will be back for the perfect light…

Hope you will enjoy this concept of looking back! We are looking forward to seeing your new take on (or first take on, if you never did ”Creativity” in 2019)! please use the Lens-Artists tag and link your post to my original post.

A big thank you to Anne for her wonderful Reflection challenge. You found reflections we never even had thought of! Next week it is holiday time, so we hope to see you July 12, when our guest host SH will be your guide. Please visit his site for inspiration.

Have a great holiday you who celebrate!

Lens-Artists Challenge #354 Reflections

/ Leya / 46 kommentarer

Anne is making us reflect…and our different reflections will be remarkable, I am sure! This is a much loved theme for photographers. There are so many ways to show reflections, and these are only some of my own favourites. Looking forward to seeing Yours!

My number one favourite was captured in Switzerland – the Fluela Pass. I have told the story many times…but here it is again: We drove out to a tiny little village, knowing we would pass this beautiful pass (!). We could not find the view along the road though, even if we had seen it in the guide books. Finally, on our way home, the sun stood in the right position and we stopped, overwhelmed, to take it all in. I can still feel it every time I look at this photo.

Water turning into ice is also a possibility for reflections. This is Totti walking on thin ice at Vedema. I still don’t know how he dared to…being just as afraid of water as a cat! Luckily he didn’t walk through the ice.

Buildings – I love those opportunities for reflections and possible fun distortions. This is in London, and I even got a red double decker in the picture.

Canoeing a silent morning at our summerhouse – the river doesn’t stop over there…it turns right beyond the trees. Herons usually fly up along the growing reed.

An old reflection of our first lagotto, Mille. He was patiently waiting indoors when we returned late from the sea.

A Yayoi Kusama exhibition in Copenhagen with multiple mirrors and holes to peep in through. My camera in the upper right corner!

A standing mirror in a dark room in a Danish castle.

At Vanås architecture park, you can walk on mirrors in one of the barns. Exhilarating – but some people just cannot do it…even I had to brace myself.

An installation of mirrors in Copenhagen. (Really, one of me is quite enough…)

Another old favourite of mine, taken in Beijing many years ago. I photographed a lantern in the street – and the result turned out like this.

In the opener is a whole block of houses covered in fragments of glass. Tough to look at in sunlight, but very special. Finally a favourite from a botanical garden with giant waterlily pads.

Many thanks to Anne for giving us an opportunity to enjoy the most lovely reflections. Be sure to visit her original challenge post here, and to use the Lens-Artists Tag in your response to help us find you. Thanks also to Beth for her first challenge as a Lens-Artists team member, and to all those who responded with amazing, stormy scenes. Finally, I hope you’ll join us next week when I, Leya/Ann-Christine, will lead – this time with a new Lens-Artists ”look-back” which we’ll be using again from time to time. Until then as always please stay safe, be kind and enjoy the good things in life!

Interested in joining our challenge? Click here .

Lens-Artists Challenge #353 – Stormy

/ Leya / 48 kommentarer

We welcome Beth to her first Stormy session with Lens-Artists!

What does stormy look like to you? For stormy weather, Beth wants us to think about rain, blizzards, sleet, snow, hail, wind, dark clouds, angry seas, lightening, a storm rolling in, or people out in the weather. Another option would be to show stormy feelings or stormy situations. Be sure to tag your post with Lens-Artists and include a link back to her original post. We’re looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

This is a tricky challenge for me – living in the southernmost part of Sweden we seldom see really stormy weather. So, here’s my take:

Seeing storms from afar, slowly sailing up, that is the closest I can come to this challenge. In heavy rain I seldom go out, only watch from my window. And I like watching it – Mother Nature rules.

I can also watch storms unfolding from my house or my car – and still stay dry.

Alaska cruising – in really unhappy conditions – but dry and happy on the boat!

Iceland is much more weather beaten than Sweden, being an island and situated further north.

Iceland again – I don’t remember the year, but I do remember that fast disappearing road. Icy, windy and cold. It took us some time to drive through to the other side of the island.

Last week I really enjoyed your beautiful responses to Sofia’s Mellow challenge. I learned that the the word could be used in so many ways I had never heard of before.

Hope to see you – and be sure to look for Anne’s challenge next Saturday, June 21 at noon Eastern Time.

Lens-Artists Challenge # – Mellow

/ Leya / 28 kommentarer

This week Sofia invites us to continue in a relaxing mood, after the wonderful Books theme from last week. However, she wants us to focus on a different mellowness: a sense of softness, in tones or shapes, the slowness of a summer holiday, for example. That kind of relaxation. Please go to her beautiful site and find some very inviting and glorious inspiration!

Mellow is not a common word in my vocabulary, but my immediate thoughts went to Mellow Yellow – which I save to the end of my post.

I’ll start with a plant that softly spoke to me saying: touch me…

As Sofia pointed out, light is strongly connected to this feeling. Some morning light on the first spring anemonies.

Soft evening light when I walked out of the car and up to our house. The magnolia was the softest of soft and I just had to pick up my camera.

My favourite colour is green (as you know who follow me). Again a spring morning, with a fly and attached bouquet.

Yesterday I came back from a hiking vacation to Madeira – talking about mellow – every day was a wonder.

I love the little lizards basking on the sun warm stones – when I click my tongue they listen and sometimes even come up to me.

Mellow can also be so soft that the picture is somewhat blurred.

Lastly…

– some misty, Mellow Madeira Yellow! The mist softened the intense yellow and made the landscape dreamy.

And a close-up. Temptingly soft.

Remember to tag Lens-Artists and to link back to Sofia’s post when you join us. We’re looking forward to seeing your concepts of mellow.

Last week we had Ritva’s Books Challenge, and as books open our minds, the responses were varied and beautiful, truly inspiring.

Next week, Saturday 14th June, Beth is hosting for the first time so please visit her site for more information. Until then, take care and try some relaxing.

Lens-Artists Challenge #301 – Books

/ Leya / 30 kommentarer

Ritva has chosen books as her brilliant topic – and who doesn’t love books? My children used to call me the saint of all books…

Partly because – my life has revolved around books. Reading and writing, learning, practising and teaching.

Being a teacher I had this sign on one of my book shelves at school, saying: Literature helps us understand ourselves and the world and contributes to build an identity of our own. So true.

The Long Room at Trinity College, Dublin – a marvelous library. MANY books. Beautiful books in a beautiful room.

In our old churches, the biblical stories were painted on the walls for the illiterate – and on this Swiss house we found Adam and Eve. I don’t think they are illiterate though…

My heart jumps with joy when I see a youngster with a book instead of a phone. Maybe we are not lost yet…

In this library in Prague they certainly knew how to make the kids interested.

An abandoned book in an old shut down factory. I went exploring there with my son and found many interesting things to photograph.

They say books open up new worlds…and so they do. Yacek Yerka illustrates this so well.

My daughter once gave me this piece of an Encyclopedia Britannica. She had folded every page herself.

Well, it all started long before she could read…and long before she became a dentist. Her favourite thing still is – pulling out teeth…

Luckily, she is still an avid reader – and now that she is married, she also begins a new chapter in her own Book of Life.

I’ll finish off with this happy double exposure of a bookstore My daughter often visited during her years in Umeå.

In the header, Codex Gigas from the 13th century.

In conclusion, zooming last week with Anne was fun and, to many of us, a new experience. Her challenge was an excellent reminder of the joy of learning something new. I hope you have fun joining us again this week. Remember to tag Lens-Artists; also, please link back to Ritva’s original post.

Next week is Sofia’s turn to host, Saturday 7th June. Until then, be good and keep smiling!

If you want to know more about the Lens-Artists Challenge, please click here.

Lens-Artists Challenge #350 – Zooming

/ Leya / 34 kommentarer

Your challenge this week is to take your camera and zoom lens out for some zooming. Anne is our guide in this fun challenge which takes some practice…

My offerings were not made this week, as I have been extremely busy with many birthday parties and also my daughter’s wedding. Our last guests will be leaving in a couple of days – so much joy and fun, but also looking forward to return to my ordinary life.

The bird bath sits among the flowers, and made a lovely start. I was glad there were no birds harmed in the swirling scene!

I tried to keep only one flower in the middle… Many tries on this one!

It was easier with multiple flowers. They turned the picture into a waterfall.

Another one-flower-focus.

This Agapanthus I was quite happy with – after thirty or more takes.

Why not a tomato?

”My photographs are a celebration of life, fun and the beautiful. They are a world that doesn’t exist. A fantasy.”

– Ryan McGinley

Thank you to Tina for her challenge: “The First Thing I Thought Of.” It’s amazing how a picture can have several different interpretations!

So,
have fun, try something new, get creative and yes, enjoy exploring new techniques and ideas. You never know what can happen! We hope you’ll join us this week, making sure to visit and link to Anne’s challenge here, and to use the Lens-Artists tag to help us find you.

Finally, we hope you’ll join us again next week when Ritva leads us once again. Until then as always please stay safe, be kind, and enjoy the adventure.

Lens Artists Challenge 349 – The First Thing I thought of…

/ Leya / 35 kommentarer

when I saw this…

Not many times we find ourselves in a sitution that coinsides with a sign or an advertisement right at the place we are… We were hopelessly lost in Tokyo a late night in a part of the city without recognisable street names. You know – when you think you know the way home to your hotel, but are walking in the wrong direction… I can say it was not funny. All shops closed and not a single person in the streets. Finally a biker came to the rescue…phew.

How extremely Fancy! I found out this phenomenon was not as unusual as I first thought – a Digitalis Peloria. But it surely looked too fancy to be real. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I would have thought it was an AI thing. I don’t know about you, but nowadays I question almost too many pictures in media…

A forest fayerie? This was a lovely surprise!

I did NOT walk down that street – I have had too many dreams of walls falling in on me…

Wanås – the first time I saw a Wish tree! They are still there, and both the wishes and the trees have grown and multiplied. A brilliant idea brought here by Yoko Ono. I believe it to be therapeutic to write and read wishes. I take photos and read many of them every year. (And write at least one new wish.)

Well…what did I dooo??? Mille was our first lagotto and a very lively and expressive soul…

CF Reuterswärd’s brilliant non-violence statue – I remember how clever I thought he was. And I still think so. The message so clearly comes through. No words needed. Somewhere I still have a knotted pin too.

WHAAAT? In Tokyo every big shop has an umbrella drier. I had to study it real close to see how it worked. The Japanese are really clever and innovative.

I found these relaxing in a grand castle garden in England – And I felt how I get tired just fixing my own little garden… – more chairs needed!

This stone I found in a graveyard in Prague – I had to look twice. I really had to.

Thanks to Tina for this creative challenge. I’ve already had quite a few good laughs from the responses I’ve seen. Last week, Egidio’s Serenity challenge calmed us with the many serene reactions from everyone.

As Patti announced back in late March, she broke both of her wrists after a bad fall and unfortunately she is still unable to type. She’s postponed her return until November. We wish her continued improvement and look forward to having her back with us then.

Some more news! As you might have already read in Tina’s post, we are excited to have Beth of Wandering Dawgs joining the Lens-Artists team. She is a long-time participant and will be a great addition to our team. We very much look forward to having her on board and the new inspiration she will bring us. Welcome Beth, looking forward to your first challenge.

Be sure to link your responses to Tina’s post , and to use the Lens-Artists Tag to help us find you. Anne from Show Shutter Speed will lead us next week, so be sure to check out her post next Saturday. Until then, be kind and keep smiling 😀

Lens Artists Challenge #348 – Serenity

/ Leya / 55 kommentarer

The only way to bring peace to the earth is to learn to make our own life peaceful.

– Gautama Buddha

Egidio sends us a very timely, and beautiful challenge – Serenity. He says:

The world is in constant chaos. If not close to our doorstep, we just need to look around.

We are left with two options: to let things bog us down or to look for serenity to lift our spirits and calm our minds. Serenity alleviates today’s problems for me.

And for me, Egidio. Thank you for a wonderful challenge! My choices speak for themselves, so there is only a quote attached to each picture.

And joy is everywhere; it is in the earth’s green covering of grass; in the blue serenity of the sky.

– Rabindranath Tagore

We have forgotten what rocks and plants still know – we have forgotten how to be – to be still – to be ourselves – to be where life is here and now.

– Eckhart Tolle

Everything passes, nothing remains. Understand this, loosen your grip and find serenity.

– Surya Das

Journey with me to a true commitment to our environment. Journey with me to the serenity of leaving to our children a planet in equilibrium.

– Paul Tsongas

A garden must combine the poetic and the mysterious with a feeling of serenity and joy.

– Luis Barragan

The trees, the flowers, the plants grow in silence. The stars, the sun, the moon move in silence. Silence gives us a new perspective.

– Mother Teresa

For this challenge, there are many possibilities – please visit Egidio ‘s inspirational site for more!

Last week, Ritva asked us to break the rules. Your beautiful photos taught us that photography can be emotional, and without rules. This week, the challenge is for us to find serenity in our photos. Don’t forget to use the “lens-artists” hashtag when creating your post so we can easily find it in the Reader.

Next week, it is Tina’s turn to share a new challenge. Stay tuned. But stay calm and kind as well.

Lens-Artists Challenge #347 – Break the Rules!

/ Leya / 52 kommentarer

Ritva says: ”We work so hard to learn the photography rules, at least I do but now it is time to BREAK them!! The problem is just that in order to break a rule, you must know that there is a rule in the first place!” And, as I used to say to my Swedish language students: You have to learn the rules first – then you can break them with style.

I included a short composition map, but I will also try to break some other ”rules”, (like not having a sharp focus…).

Many of us recognise these, or at least a couple of them. But do we use them? Like Ritva said, I think most of us use our instinct and emotion – and we get it ”right” that way too. So, Ritva, I’m ready to try and break some rules!

Framed – but a blurred object. Who is this? We still recognise the silhouette… so familiar to many of us. A (black)bird.

Tilting the camera for a more interesting and playful photo. I didn’t fill the frame – Empty space?

B&W for contrast – a double rose with focus in the middle.

ICM and irregular repetition, still there is rhythm and balance.

Differently framed, low perspective. No rule of thirds. It works because of the big umbrella leaves with interesting patterns and colours.

Going low with a moving object – not so good! I fell over of course – Milo is a too loving guy. Just seconds before this he was snoozing relaxedly in the grass. Let sleeping dogs lie…a good rule to follow.

For once I photographed letting go of the rule of odds – but there wasn’t any other option – these two were made for each other.

Looking through some photos with objects, I mostly had odd numbers in the pictures. I believe my two most used ”rules” must be the rule of thirds and the rule of odds. But they come intuitively – it just looks best that way! (Or – maybe I have known that for so long that it feels intuitive?)

Last week we enjoyed so many creative and cinematic photos with Sofia’s challenge. So, time to continue on the same track this week! Next week, it’s Egídio’s turn to host on Saturday, May 10th—hope to see you then! In the mean time, stay kind and keep smiling. Make someone’s day a little brighter – I think that is just what you did, Ritva!

Lens-Artists Challenge #346 – Cinematic

/ Leya / 30 kommentarer

Sofia leads this week, and we’re exploring the close relationship between photography and cinematography and how we can emulate in a single shot what movies do.

There are a few things that give a photo that cinematic feel: camera angles, bold and high-contrast colours, light, locations, just to name a few. The main objective is to take a shot that is part of a story, there’s mood and a sense of location; our image is but a snapshot of a much wider situation.

I have consentrated mostly on horror and mystery movies…where B&W plays a big part of the feeling. In fact I was surprised how many pictures I have got on that theme… But, there are some other examples too of course.

This first picture is from the Tutanchamon Immersive – loved the feeling in this one – and the colours are familiar.

Maybe not a horror movie – but the bridges and bicycles of Amsterdam is very cinematic. Audrey Hepburn? Greta Garbo? I can feel their prescence.

Did I say horror? This ominous image from some years ago, could have been used in any such movie. The following two were photographed in Whitby, where Bram Stoker lived for a while to write Dracula. The perfect place for inspiration!

This graveyard in Whitby started falling down to the sand (to the left here), with old bones spreading along the beach.

Then steam and mist are also favourites to make a photo more interesting – and cinematic. These are hot springs in New Zealand.


More scary again…this Great Frigatebird, in the Galapagos Islands, is sitting on the roof, waiting for the right moment…to steal food from another bird. Everything about this species makes it a star in any horror story.

Vast landscapes also feel cinematic – this is in Tibet. My son down by the lake – how far away is that? It’s always tricky to decide.

This is an old favourite of mine – a motor cycle gathering in Barcelona. I guess it is the spotlights behind the building that makes it cinematic to me.

What is more cinematic than a romantic dinner in Morocco?

And, of course there must be a blurry train – someone must be coming or going…

Thank you, Sofia for this energizing theme! Last week we visited the most wonderful places with John’s challenge. I’d love to visit as they were unknown to me. Next week it’s Ritva’s turn to lead us, Saturday, May 3. Until then, take care and be kind.