When everything looks like a magical oil painting, you know you are in Autumn! ― Mehmet Murat ildan
Not here yet though…but I have thousands of Autumn pictures in my archives – what to choose?
For the dogs – Autumn is the best season. Many scents, cool temps and easy to dig around! Unfortunately Milo is still not ready to enjoy, not yet recovered, but in a month he will be ready for Autumn fun.
The galleries speak for themselves – some of my favourites. The perfect plate, magnificent mushrooms, splendid golden gates, water, birds and flowers. And the crisp light and air – Hope you enjoy!
Last week, our guest host, Joanna Mason, challenged us with “Everyone Should See This,” which brought many unique images in the responses. As I had some traumatical days and a severely injured dog, I will have to try visiting you this week instead.
Next week, the Lens-Artists Challenge is hosted by me, Ann-Christine/Leya. Be sure to visit my blog here so you don’t miss the challenge published on Saturday, October 11. To find out more about the Lens-Artists Challenge, click here.
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.
Egidio and Sofia both has introduced to me a wonderful and sensitive word: saudade.
Wikipedia defines saudade as
an emotional state of melancholic or profoundly nostalgic longing for a beloved yet absent someone or something. It is a recollection of feelings, experiences, places, or events, often elusive, that cause a sense of separation from the exciting, pleasant, or joyous sensations they once caused.
The word Saudade might translate ”longing”, but it holds so much more… and that is what I feel for the place where I grew up. Everything was sold and lost to us when my grandmother died in 1988. The piece of land where my grandparents worked so hard, the fruit trees, the raspberry field, the strawberry fields and all the vegetables. The gravel road leading up to the house – how many times have I walked it? I used to go there every day, before school and after school. Helping them with the picking, and packing the harvest to be sold.
Looking through some old photo albums for this challenge, I found these precious photos that I want to share with you. They are marked with time and were sitting in pressed plastic folders, so the quality is not that good. But they hold so much of my life, my gratefulness and saudade…
This is the house, and grandmother and grandfather picking black currants. They had hundreds of those bushes. I remember every piece of that path around the orchards, and the joy ( and sometimes tough work) of helping my grandparents. My mother and her brothers all helped out during harvest times. After we had finished for the day, we were rewarded with coffee and cake in the garden – and strawberries with creme of course.
Those where times when the sun seemed to shine every day and life was easy being surrounded by loving people. I only wish I had some more photos from when I was a child.
There is also another kind of longing – where we can return to the place we long for, even if we cannot go back to what it was the first time. Because everything changes, and so do we. Sometimes maybe the change is bigger within than in the particular place we are longing for.
The Azores is a place for much saudade. Faial, Flores and Corvo occupy many rooms in my heart.
When we hiked the island of Flores, in 2007, we were looking for the valley with eleven water falls. We could see it from afar, immersed in the lush greenery.
And when we finally reached it, we were all alone and could totally immerse ourselves too. Body and soul.
It was really an otherworldly place. Still today, I think of it as a Paradise.
The island of Faial is renowned, among other things, for its Hydrangea hedges. Instead of fences for the cattle, they have 3-5 meter high hedges.
Finally, the island floating in the sky and sea – Corvo. My heart aches for it.
Now, we are curious about what You are longing for! When you join the challenge and share your saudade, don’t forget to use the “lens-artists” hashtag so we can find your post in the Reader.
Your responses to Ritva’s challenge were wonderful last week. It was what we all needed – Next week, Tina returns with a new challenge. It will go live at noon EST in the USA. Tune in to find out more about the challenge then. Until then, take care and be kind.
Ritva wants us to share a quiet moment. ”Where is your serene sanctuary?”, she asks. Is it the warm comfort of sipping your morning coffee or tea – alone in the silence? Or, maybe the peaceful moments engaging in your favourite hobbies? This week’s challenge is encouraging us to connect with our inner emotions and experiences.
You who follow me, or often read my blog, will know how much I need and love those quiet moments. I think we all crave them to have harmony in our lives.
I so envy cats. They seem to effortlessly land in those moments every day. And I, I quietly look at them and would love to know their secret…
Once I had an otherworldly experience, one that I know I might never have again. This is the tiny island of Corvo in the Azores archipelago. We were only allowed to stay for half an hour, and those soundless 30 minutes passed all too fast. We sat looking down in the hydrangea filled volcano crater – that was all the island consisted of – floating in the skies around us. Everything was blue and green – no borders, nothing.
And the white and black dots you see deep down there – are cows.
Summerhouse sunset, and my two children growing… too fast. I remember this moment, maybe 16-17 years ago, standing there looking at them, tears burning, loving them with all my heart.
These last photos are from an early morning, same place, no dog, only my camera. A quiet walk, contemplating the last days of a beautiful summer.
As I reached the path, I stopped breathing when the delicate deer stepped out of the forest and into the light.
At the end of the path, is the sea. In the smooth water sailed silent birds and boats.
This beautiful family was sailing while eating, teaching their young how to dip down and dive for food. In quiet moments, details become more clear to us, we can watch, enjoy and learn.
Thank you Ritva for this wonderful challenge. I warmly recommend a visit to Ritva’s beautiful post and be inspired by her thoughtful photos and words. Remember to link back to her original post and to tag Lens-Artists so we can easily find you.
Last week we had so much fun with Anne’s challenge. I loved to see how differently we can interpret a theme! Next week it is Egídio’s turn to host, Saturday 13th September. Until then, take care and be kind.
If you want to know more about the Lens-Artists Challenge, please click here.
This week Anne is taking us for a scavenger hunt – some great fun to be had! Visit Anne’s post for more about rules and inspiration. I searched my archives and these are some of her guidelines that I used:
Wheel, cirkular, some cool morning jewellery,
and some very green eyes…
Something glass – behind glass too (Chihuly), and something with water in it – Water Library (Roni Horn) in Iceland.
The coolest shadow I have ever caught was in Segovia.
Art supplies in Beijing and in a studio in Sweden.
Something with a design and something with a pattern.
Be creative and bold, Anne says, but most of all, have fun! She urges us to find at least five images, but no more than ten! Please be sure to link back to Anne’s original post and use the Lens-Artists tag. This will be a fun challege to see what you have scavenged!
Many thanks to Beth, for getting us in a sports mood last week. Next week Ritva will be back so be sure to visit her site for inspiration. In the meantime, stay safe and be kind.
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.
– Henry David Thoreau
I feared this would be a difficult challenge for me – I don’t do sports anymore even if I enjoy watching some of them. My daughter was in a gymnastic team and my son an avid skater. My husband a handballer and myself, I was a swimmer, runner and a horse girl. I definitely never (?) photograph sports. Fortunately I have my archives and hoped to find some pictures anyway. Beth´s challenge gives you many possibilities!
Well, searching my memory and archives paid off – here are some different sports and games:
Sports are such a great teacher. I think of everything they’ve taught me: camaraderie, humility, how to resolve differences.
– Kobe Bryant
In Bhutan, the national sport is archery. We went to see some teams compete at a sports arena – and their long shooting bows were incredibly sharp.
I’m a competitive person and I love the challenge of mastering new things.
– Sasha Cohen
Some of my son´s happiest moments were in the big bowls of Malmoe skate park. And still are. (Photo by David P.) The skateboard was with him on all vacations for several years – at Figueres as well. I wonder what Dalí would have made out of it…
Sports involving both animals and humans are the most difficult ones. Cooperation is essential. One of my old students is a Swedish champion in jousting.
The only way to prove that you’re a good sport is to lose.
– Ernie Banks
A spectacular racing event was the famous reindeer race in Jokkmokk, Lapland. Reindeer are very tough to train – they are not like our pets. To handle them, you have to keep your tongue steady in your mouth too!
It’s a crazy world, so sports and athletics and music can be a form of escapism.
– Eddie Vedder
Finally some competitions/sports for dogs. I never really liked that, but if we wanted to buy our dogs it was necessary to let the breeder have his certificates. Good memories though – Totti won Swedish and Danish Champion titles.
Totti at Hovdala championshipsHamar, Norway for a dog show. This is Totti’s son.More competitions…Me and Totti to the right
– In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn’t merely try to train him to be semi-human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog.
– Edward Hoagland
And Totti held a boxing title too…shared with Mille of course. Those were the days – daily entertainment in our garden!
Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.
–Michael Jordan
In the header, debating monks at the Sera Monastery in Tibet. A popular sport where the ”performers” loved to show off both their versatility and knowledge. I wish I knew their language so I could follow their intelligent arguments!
A massive thank you to Beth for this challenge that got me hard working and showed me I need to take more photos of sporting events. When you join us, (I know you will find something in the end, even if you despair like I did…) remember to tag Lens-Artists and to link back to Beth’s original post.
Last week meant so many beautiful doors raining over us! A big thank you to Sofia, and to all of you for sharing your doors and doorways with us.
Next week it is Anne’s turn to lead us, Saturday 30th August. Until then, take care and be kind.
You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry, don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.
– Walter Hagen
We have all been to a market or fair at least once when we were children. Some of these are still fun to visit as grown-ups, even if we don’t buy anything. It is the joy of an abundance of fruit and vegetables, flowers, people…And often everything for sale is elaborately exposed.
Here are some of my summer memories from such events. Enjoy the season and the smiles, and then – I’d love to see some of your memories too! They can be from any fair, Farmers’ market, Christmas market, or maybe a carnival? From your own country or from abroad – feel free to choose whatever you have in store!
Life is a lot like jazz… it’s best when you improvise.
– George Gershwin
Ystad Jazz festival last week – Good music, lovely people and beautiful, creative art! (And ice cream of course…) Jazz maybe attracts mostly grown-ups and elderly people, but they do bring their children and grandchildren too. (And dogs) Hoping they will get hooked on the feeling?
Life itself is the most wonderful fairy tale.
– Hans Christian Andersen
Every year there is jousting at Hovdala castle – our nearest castle just 10 kilometers away. I used to go when one of my students was in the competitions. Fun for all ages. Knights, horses, castles and fair ladies!
To me, flowers are happiness.
– Stefano Gabbana
Finally, Madeira – the lovely land of flowers. When we visited for a week in June, we came upon several different fairs and markets. They have quite a few over the year. One of them had a sustainability theme. At the harbour they had put up big hearts for life and painted recued PET bottles as a ceiling.
A big Thank you to John for another turn of learning last week! I truly enjoyed seeing examples and tips. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with this week! Next week we will have another chance of ”Looking Back”, with Sofia at the helm. Be sure to visit her beautiful site for more!
John’s very informative and inspired challenge this week is – Tools of Photo Composition: Lines, Colors, and Patterns, composition guidelines that are invaluable for both new and seasoned photographers. Visit his post for some great ideas.
Here are some examples of tools I love to use: Leading lines and colours of contrast and harmony.
Above is a shot from Japan, where an exhibition with giant balloons and coloured lights opened up a special kind of leading lines.
In this picture, I even managed a triple of leading lines as shadows too are involved. All of them will find Milo.
This photo from an English castle has got some interesting leading lines in several directions, including downwards.
An ordinary dirt road in Sweden, with patterns, lines and a lone tree.
Photographers often use contrasting colours to make both colors appear more intense. In the last two photos though, the browns and muted greens of the landscape are close to each other on the color wheel, which gives a beautiful sense of harmony.
Another technique is to let there be a single pop of colour in an otherwise calm environment. This picture also shows the poppies in front of a sandy, diagonal slope. An interesting combo.
Another diagonal line, this time featured in a strikingly green/black setting.
Lastly, patterns. This is a square in Madeira with beautifully laid black stones, adorned with fallen yellow petals. The contrast was stunning, and enhanced by regular stones versus irregular petals.
Now it’s your turn to showcase examples of your use of lines, colours, or patterns in your compositions. John gives extra points for showing examples that combine two or three of the categories of composition.
Last week, Tina’s challenge focused on how we all “Live and Learn.” Next week, I (Ann-Christine/Leya) will be your host. If you’d like to submit your own responses to the Lens-Artists Challenge each week, but aren’t sure how to get started, check here.
Hope to see you soon – in the meantime, stay calm and cool.
Tina starts this week with another of her wonderful quotes – this time from Mahatma Gandhi:
Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.
Through my whole life, I have strived to take good care of and preserve the things I love. When it comes to humans, people I love, it becomes more difficult. We don’t live forever. Photos are essential of course, but to me, also living things I have received or inherited from them.
The white geranium above, was one of the flowers in my grandmothers windows. In Sweden we have a long tradition of keeping geraniums in our homes – indoors and outdoors. My grandmother taught me everything about them, and I inherited all of hers when she died in 1988. Soon I excelled in propagating them from cuttings, and outdoors they thrive the whole summer.
Our National Painter, Carl Larsson, often used his family and home as models for his pictures. The Flower Window is maybe a favourite with most Swedes.
Our summer house is a haven for the whole family – and the old sallow was the warden tree. It was believed to be at least 200 years old. Last year it didn’t make it through the heavy storms, but luckily a sapling survived at its feet. We were so happy. When we arrived early this spring though, the sapling too had fallen in new storms. And maybe, because it no longer had the support of the mother tree.
I was devastated, and so were all of us. I decided to gather some of its twigs and take them home, ”Live!” I whispered… when I planted them, and at least one of them does. I am hoping for more.
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, By any other name would smell as sweet.
– Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare
I often fall in love with roses, and would love to have more of those. Google is a good friend when my books are too old, and I found a good youtube clip that showed me how to take cuttings. So, nowadays, I don’t have to double expose my rose photos to see more of them! And I can give new roses away as presents too. This yellow rose for example. I now have three of them.
I just could not resist picking something I have learned over the years, ever since I was a child. It still gives me so much joy and satisfaction. It’s a celebration of life. My whole house and garden are filled with plants and flowers, and many of them are gifts from the start, or inherited. So, in fact they are great great grandchildren to the original ones.
Tina wants us to show some of the things we’ve learned about photography or any other subject. How do we learn it – by doing, from classes, or online, or through working with others? Please be sure to use the Lens-Artists Tag with your responses and to link your posts to Tinas’s original one.
Last week Egidio took us Into the Woods for some Forest Bathing. I enjoyed all of the wonderful responses I could read. Our summer house does not easily allow us an internet connection… On Saturday, August 2 at noon Eastern Time John will be hosting our next challenge. Many thanks to Tina for this challenge Lens-Artists #358 – Live and Learn
This week Egidio wants us to focus on the woods – and that suits me perfectly well. Hopefully you too! I walk in my forest every day, but maybe not every day in Madeira…
So, I will pick some lovely Madeira memories from June, that hopefully will add to the mystery of this green island.
The Laurissilva forest is a 20 million years old subtropical rainforest – a UNESCO world heritage,
covering about 20 % of the island. Most of the species here are endemic to Macronesia.
There are many interesting living beings in this forest woods – plants, mushrooms, lichen, birds and insects. Madeiran Chaffinches are spoiled with food from the hikers…
Madre de louro is a mushroom that grows on lager trees in Laurissilva. ”Madre de louro”, or ”Mother Laurel” is said to be good for the blood and work against rheumatism. It was even used as an insecticide.
There is something special about dense forests with high humidity. The scent, the quietness. And, I can hear the water as it trickles along the mossy stones. In Madeira the levadas add to this soothing sound – sometimes they are fast flowing, sometimes only a slow, hardly noticeable flow. And I know how good this is for my well being. Forest bathing in its true sense – and it’s no surprise that it’s origin is Japanese!
I have always loved hiking, and hopefully I will be able to keep it up even if it has become more difficult as I age. The best thing with hiking is the possibility of being alone in and with nature, for reflection and for restoring myself. Sometimes we meet a fellow hiker or two. We nod and say a soft ”hello” as we meet. I guess many of us feel the same about hiking, so talking is unnecessary.
We heard from someone in the city though, that since Covid, the levadas can even feel crowded in places…luckily we did not have to face that. This island is a hikers’ heaven and haven.
Thank you, Egidio for this beautiful challenge, and our guest host last week, Stupidity Hole, asked us to share quiet hours. You gave us more quiet times with your beautiful galleries. I hope you will join us again this week in forest bathing. Don’t forget to use the “lens-artists” hashtag when creating your post so we can easily find it in the Reader.
Next week, Tina will send us another challenge. It will go live at noon EST in the USA. Tune in to find out more about the challenge then. Please see this page to learn more about the Lens-Artists Challenge and its history. Stay well.
Leya 
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