Wonders and peculiarities

Lens Artists Challenge #367 – Everyone Should See This

/ Leya / 37 kommentarer

We welcome Joanne Mason (Joanne Mason Photography) as our guest host this week! Her challenge is this – and I think it will give us all some ideas of what to go for or to relish stories and pictures from others.

Everyone should see this…can mean many different things. I have chosen places I have visited and realised their beauty, importance and significance to the world. If you are tired of seeing them again – I am sorry. But, Everyone should see this…

A glimpse of the Himalayas

and Tibet, the Pothala palace.

Bhutan – the only carbon dioxide negative country in the world. A role model all others have failed to follow.

The beauty of its Landscapes, temples, people and festivities.

Their rare wildlife and how they continue successfully to preserve it.

This is the Takin, Bhutan’s national animal. A massive 180 kilo animal, related to sheep.

The Galapagos Islands. As a child I thought of it as Paradise, because animals here are not afraid of people. And it Is a paradise for its animals, who do not need to fear us humans.

This bird was a true wonder for me to see live. And I struggled for hours to get a clear picture from the ship. Hundreds of pictures discarded to get two great shots of Elliot’s Storm Petrel. This bird can run on the water, and even stand still to pick a fish!

I was also lucky to catch a couple of Iguanas climbing up the giant cactuses to eat the most juicy bits of them.

Finally, I wish everyone could stay some days, weeks, months or years…in the rainforest. This is the Amazon. Just to get an idea of the biodiversity and life at its best. To learn from the indigenous people and their wisdom of nature. The sound of the jungle may be intense, but I have never slept better anywhere in the world.

Joanne wants us to share photographs of places/people/things that you find uniquely inspiring – or photographs themselves that you are proud of – Simply stated, photographs everyone should see.

Last week’s challenge was hosted by Tina who asked us to reflect on urban and rural scenes in City Mouse/Country Mouse. Next week, it will be John’s turn to challenge us. Watch for his post at his Journey’s With Johnbo.

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.

Tursday Thoughts – A Time for Love

/ Leya / 30 kommentarer

I had been waiting for this moment…

My granddaughter is to experience the same as I did as a child and as both my children did.

To follow the developing of a frog from start to finish. A Nature’s wonder – so clear to the eye. Last week we went to the pond to take some eggs home, and when the little frogs are fully fledged – with all four legs – we will return them to where they came from.

According to me, one of the best things to let a child experience. Patience and wonder.

Lens-Artists Challenge # – Shoot from Above

/ Leya / 57 kommentarer

This week Ritva invites us to a very interesting challenge – Shoot from Above. Not my ordinary way of shooting, but certainly outside the box!

My first thought for a fitting image was a photo taken in a restaurant in Amsterdam, where the restrooms were in the cellar. On my way down I could not avoid noticing the unusual tiling. Rather spectacular… to my eyes at least!

Then a gallery from my garden and glass house. The shells are from New Zealand, then you find what is left of my favourite flower pot, one of last summer’s flower bowls, and one rusty, decorative ball. Lastly a collection of my daughter’s tinfoil balls ( I get one now and then…) in a glass box.

I love these flowers – or their foliage. The swirling shapes look their best from above. And in the header/opener is a collection of Legotechnic figures put in a box by my granddaughter.

Resilience was last week’s theme and your posts to Anne’s wonderful challenge really showed its importance in our lives. A massive thank you to you all. This week, Ritva presents us with this incredibly interesting theme, and I enjoyed seeing things from above again, although that is not an ordinary winter game. Ritva’s post is beautiful, and it will inspire you to join in. Remember to link back to her original post and to tag Lens-Artists.

Next week it is Egídio’s turn to lead so please make sure to visit his colourful site Saturday 25th January to find out more. Until then, be good and take care.

Thursday Thoughts – Bicycles, Bicycles…

/ Leya / 41 kommentarer

The city most known for a multitude of bicycles used to be Beijing – but as they are getting much fewer there since the 1980’s, my guess is that Amsterdam has taken over the lead.

Or, do you have another suggestion?