Lens Artists Photo Challenge #91 – Simplicity

And I learned what is obvious to a child. That life is simply a collection of little lives, each lived one day at a time. That each day should be spent finding beauty in flowers and poetry and talking to animals. That a day spent with dreaming and sunsets and refreshing breezes cannot be bettered. But most of all, I learned that life is about sitting on benches next to ancient creeks with my hand on her knee and sometimes, on good days, for falling in love.
Nicholas Sparks 

There is no greatness where there is not simplicity, goodness, and truth.
Leo Tolstoy,

Like all magnificent things, it’s very simple.
Natalie Babbitt

The older I get, the more I desire simplicity. – Andy Mineo

If you will stay close to nature, to its simplicity, to the small things hardly noticeable, those things can unexpectedly become great and immeasurable.
Rainer Maria Rilke

We have lost contact with reality, the simplicity of life. – Paulo Coelho

 

Patti’s challenge is to show what Simplicity means to you. Visit her blog and get inspired!

”As the coronavirus pandemic spreads and intensifies, many of us around the world are spending a lot of time at home, following governmental regulations to shelter in place.” … ” For me, this time also highlights the value of simplicity.” And I agree, in simplicity lies a great amount of love and harmony. Maybe we now are starting to resume contact with reality, and simplicity of life. Our planet and everything living is in great need of it. Let us stay in contact – always.

I think my images speak for themselves, but the opener…what is it? It is the soft edge of a rose petal – from a vase with ten roses standing on my table right now. I love them. Flowers, I must have flowers. Always.

Thank you, Tina, for the beautiful Distance theme! And, we’re delighted to announce that next week’s challenge will be led by our next guest host–John Steiner of Journeys with Johnbo.  Welcome, John!  Please stop by and visit John’s site next Saturday at noon.

Here’s our schedule for the rest of April:

As always, stay well, stay safe, and keep creating!

 

 

 

 

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:

 

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #83 – Future

The future is the period of time that will come after the present, or the things that will happen then. Maybe a second away, a week, a year, a decade…When I was young, I read somewhere in a book – its title since long forgotten – that you should try to do something today that your future self will thank you for. I keep trying.

The future remains uncertain and so it should, for it is the canvas upon which we paint our desires. Thus always the human condition faces a beautifully empty canvas.

― Frank Herbert

 

This week the challenge is FutureShow us what you will paint on Your canvas!

 

Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.
Mother Theresa

If you want to be happy, do not dwell in the past, do not worry about the future, focus on living fully in the present.

Roy T. Bennett

The arrival of the future is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics.

No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.
Gautama Buddha

A path, which, unfortunately, is not always strewn with roses…

The future depends on what you do today.
Mahatma Gandhi

Everything that currently exists and will exist can be categorized as either permanent, meaning that it will exist for the whole of the future, or temporary, meaning that it won’t and thus will come to an end.

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

Eleanor Roosevelt

For my students, I used to draw a time capsule on the board, and ask them to fill it with what they wanted future generations – or ”aliens” landing 200 years on – to know about our life/time on Earth. Then imagine burying the capsule in the ground. When someone in the future found this capsule, they would learn what defined us, mankind, in the 21st century. An intriguing thought…What would You fill it with?

If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people.

Confucius

As I am not a teacher anymore, I only plant seeds, trees and flowers. Next week, it is that time of the year again – to give my pot plants new energy and new life. This is my future dream for the coming week, for the arrival of Spring, for the returning of the light.

As you can see, I have played with double exposure in these images. All from my home.

Now we’re looking forward to seeing Your images of the Future – near or far!

Last week we were happy to have Viveka of My Guilty Pleasures as our guest host – and she chose Capital for us – to interpret our own special way. And the response was fantastic – very innovative and clever! In short – Capital!

Have you seen these?

For the rest of February, we’ll return to our usual weekly schedule:

Remember to link to my original post, and tag it with “Lens-Artists.”  If you’re new to tagging, click here for an explanation of how and why.

As always, we are all looking forward to seeing your creative responses to the challenge –  and thank you for your support!