LENS-ARTISTS

Lens-Artists Challenge #338 – Colour vs Black & White

/ Leya / 43 kommentarer

Patti sends us this week’s challenge – and it is an interesting one – because it is a choice we make many times, at least I do, when I visit Lightroom. Will this photo be good as it is in colour – or would it be better in monochrome or B&W?

Color is descriptive. Black and white is interpretive.

— Elliott Erwitt

I often land in colour, as I am primarily a nature photographer. Nature is so much about colours. Some pictures though, like the butterfly above, make a lovely B&W as well. For the light and the structure it works well. Kontrasts make B&W pop, so generally I would choose B&W for portraits. I love portraits from olden times with people’s clear faces and all dressed up in their best clothes.

When you reduce life to black and white, you never see rainbows.

— Rachel Houston

Architecture often goes well without colour because the structure, the light and shadows become more obvious and we can easier see the artist’s intention. Which one do you prefer of this house? Personally I think both work well.

The special factor about black and white photography is that it doesn’t just copy the reality, but it represents it with its own language. — Gian Marco Marano

Some weeks ago I posted the colour photo of this cellar restroom from upstairs. When you turn it into B&W it suddenly looks more coherent and maybe even possible…It all depends on what you want with your photo. My intention last time was to show how ”impossible” this combination was, that’s why I chose the coloured one over the B&W.

So, when is it best to use one vs the other? This challenge gives you an opportunity to explore the difference and the impact of using color or black & white photography in your selected photos. We hope you will join us! Post pairs of the same image in both color and black & white. Limit the number of images to 3 pairs. Compare the differences in mood, texture, and light and share your thoughts on how the processing impacts each photo. Tell us which one you prefer. Be sure to visit Patti’s inspirational site and to use the lens-artists tag and leave a link on her site.

Last week Tina challenged us with her dogs and cats theme – who could resist that one? Thanks to Tina and all of you who shared your photos and stories. It is heart warming to realise how much our pets mean to us. Next Saturday it is my turn to host, so be sure to visit Leya next Saturday, February 15th at noon EST. Until then, have a peaceful, inspiring, and joyful week!

Lens-Artists Challenge# 334 – Cats and Dogs

/ Leya / 41 kommentarer

Until one has loved an animal a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.

– Anatole France

Tina has chosen a theme close to my heart – and I guess to many of us this will be a feast of memories!

In the first gallery you will find my own dogs, (I just had to…) the Lagotto Romagnolos. Originally waterdogs, but as Romagna (Italy) lost many of its water- and marsh lands, these dogs were taught to find truffles instead. The breed is known to be very harmonious and friendly, and these dogs never shed any hair.

Next gallery shows some of the unforgettable dogs I have met on my travels. Often it is the eyes that does it, but they all have their own stories.

The first one was a cosy dog we met on a hike in the Pyrenees. He was chained to his little house, which is forbidden in Sweden. So we stayed some time to talk and pat. In the middle are two ”mustcuddle” dogs from Scotland belonging to a blogger friend of mine. Before our Lagottos, we had a Bearded Collie in excactly the same colours. Then, there is a shop assistant in Bhutan…

The blue-eyes was a stunner in Lodz – never seen anything like those eyes. I know I have posted this several times – but how could I not? In Georgia we met many dogs, but this was the sweetest, most harmonious picture of a young boy and a stray dog, relaxing together in the sun. I saw a lovely story in this one…the two of them seeking each others’ company, maybe after school? Even if the boy is on his phone, his hand is resting quietly on the dog. And they breathe together. In silence.

The last gallery is for the cats! We always had cats when I grew up, so there is a special bond…even if I nowadays prefer dogs. (Or my husband does…)

Cats and dogs generally go well together- if they grow up together – but if not…well, in this meeting the dog turned stiff as a statue and the cat froze with lowered ears. Again we visit Tblisi, but also Norway, Iceland, the Amsterdam Catmuseum and lastly, Sweden.

The two siamese cats belong to a very good friend of mine. (Borrowed photos!) They are a Siamese and an Oriental Shorthair. Those two finally became good friends ( after half a year or more… ) and are now inseparable. Just for fun, my friend used one of her apps for deciding animal species – and the Oriental Shorthair is…according to AI… a bat! True enough by his looks! But he is very social and sweet, and ”talks” very much to us all.

Be sure to visit Tina’s inspirational site for beautiful wild cats as well – I cannot provide you with any (except Aslan in the header) and link to her post including the Lens-Artists Tag. We thank Egidio for last week’s Complementary Colors challenge, and all of you who responded with your beautiful images. Finally, we hope you’ll join us next week when Patti leads us once again on her terrific Pilotfish blog. Until then as always please stay safe, be kind and true to yourself.

Lens-Artists Challenge – Complementary Colours

/ Leya / 42 kommentarer

Egidio works with colours this week – please visit his colourful site for more inspiration!

Complementary colors are those that sit opposite each other on the colour wheel. Using them in your photography or painting creates the best colour contrast, and your images will pop. For example, red and green, magenta and green, yellow and violet, orange and blue, and so on. And just like the color wheel transitions from one shade to another, you can use nearly opposite colors to make your images stand out. Naturally, the best results will be with the exact opposites.

Soft colours pop in their own soft way…

– and strong colours don’t need any further presentation. Then there is red and green, where red is THE chosen colour of Swedish old houses, farms and cottages –

– naturally with a different hue and intensity than in flowers. Green is not the most natural combination with red in our houses though, it is white.

Do you have favourite combos? I guess I have yellow and violet – especially as we can find those two in one single flower – melampyrum nemorosum – the Night and Day flower. When I saw her for the first time, in 1973, it was immediate love. Surely a Swedish, modest wild flower could not look like that? Ever since then she holds an honourable place in my Midsummer bouquet.

She often stands in the forest, in shadowy places but close to the sea. So I cannot find her in my own forest, only close to our summer house. A truly shy beauty.

These colours look great in abstracts as well as in carnival outfits. They simply cry out: SEE ME, here I am!

Walking home late, the sky above this beautiful boardwalk in Nice kept flashing its carnival colours hroughout the night.

Finally, I guess you know I love poppies! Meconopsis betonicifolia – the blue mountain poppy – is an old love of mine…but, I don’t have it in my own garden as I don’t think I will manage it. It is very expensive and fragile, so I would hate to see it die.

Last week, Ritva got us to shoot from above. I enjoyed it very much – just as I believe you did. There were so many interesting posts!

This week, Egidio asks us to share images with complementary colors that create interest and make your photos stand out. Don’t forget to use the “lens-artists” hashtag when creating your post so we can easily find it in the Reader. Looking forward to seeing you here!

Next week, Tina returns with her first new challenge for the year. It will go live at noon EST in the USA. Tune in to find out another exciting challenge. Please see this page to learn more about the Lens-Artists Challenge and its history.

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.

Lens-Artists Challenge #331 – Resilience

/ Leya / 51 kommentarer

Anne‘s theme this week is Resilience. And that is what we all have to show to survive. Resilience is the ability to maintain psychological well-being in the face of adversity. It’s the ability to “bounce back” from difficult experiences.

There is so much trouble in the world today, so we have no other choice. The most obvious example here in Europe is the Ukrainian people. When everything seems hopeless and impossible, they rise again and fight back. The fires now in the US, the war in Gaza – somehow most of us manage to go on – Life works that way. Be resilient – or break.

I guess you all know my love for Iceland, its landscapes and its strong inhabitants – people, animals, plants. Living in constant danger of disaster molds you to be resilient. And it is not only people and homes, but their whole livelihood – cattle, horses, sheep. They must be resilient in a volcanic area that often ”comes alive” We have visited Iceland several times, and sometimes soon after eruptions too.


This is Eldfell volcano after the big eruption on Vestmannaeyar, 1973. We went there in 1979, when the surface had cooled down and it was allowed to walk everywhere. Then we returned in the summer of 2019, from when these photos are.

Some of the half buried houses were left as a reminder of the disaster. This is Heimaey, the main town on the islands.

Luckily their whole fishing fleet was in the harbour those days because of a storm – so within 6 hours 5300 people were safely evacuated. Only one life was lost – a man who walked into a house to get medicin, but was poisoned by the gas.


Krafla erupted in 1984, and Hekla’s last one was in 2000. Hekla is a well known volcano that always displays a trail of smoke – erution or not. The picture shows Eyafjallajökull during the first day of eruption in 2010. This eruption caused a stop in the air traffic in the whole of Europe. The planes could not safely fly because the ashes could destroy the engines.


One of the gigantic lava fields in Iceland. You should not risk walking out there – holes deeper than 200 meters hide under the moss. Here resilience from nature is shown in flowers, grasses and mosses that came back rather fast.

The newest volcanic island, Surtsey, was created from an eruption in the ocean in 1963, south of Vestmannaeyar. Now it is a World Heritage site, but only scientists are allowed to visit. In 1965 the first living plants were discovered there and today birds are living on the island too.

Horses, I have to mention the Icelandic horses, they are among the toughest and sturdiest – and most resilient breeds on Earth. They stand close together in the winds on the open plains, often with their backs to the wind, and don’t seem to suffer at all. For this Viking people, they are priceless treasures.

This week the hosted Lens-Artists Challenges are resumed, after the fantastic Favourite Images of 2024 last week. Anne is leading us with this timely theme and her post is truly inspirational. Please visit her beautiful site and when you join us, please tag Lens-Artists and link back to Anne’s original post.

Next week it’s Ritva’s turn to host so make sure to visit her magnificent site Saturday 18th January. Until then, take care and stay curious.

Lens-Artists #330 – Favourites of 2024

/ Leya / 66 kommentarer

I hope you all had some Happy Holidays and are now ready for posting your favourites of 2024! As has become our custom, we are asking our followers to select their favorite images of the last year – whether they’ve been included in previous posts or not. This week, no single host will present the challenge. The entire team will share the challenge topic.

Here are mine – difficult to choose, so, of course I could have chosen other ones… but some of these just had to be in this gallery. I guess you know which ones I am thinking of…

Sometimes you find a door in the place you least expect. In a garden along the road, a short glimpse to the left, and I had to stop – to look, love and take a photo.

Somehow these two are look alikes – at least I think so. Take pride in yourself and let it shine! The Nice Festival was a feast to remember.

A walk in the forest close to my old school always brings many memories. Although I retired many years ago, I still love this place. It’s peaceful, and as always the forest is my temple.

The most wonderful moments of 2024 were captured in Japan. A serene and beautiful country where they highly treasure beauty and create beauty in everything.

My love for Wisteria did not fade in Japan – it reached unknown heights in the gardens we visited.

Kawachi Fujien Wisteria Garden in Kitakyushu was the most impressive one. I left a piece of my heart and soul there in its unprecedented beauty.

We also went to Holland again this year – but now for the Dahlia Festival in the Autumn. Holland is the Mecka of flowers, mostly bulbs like tulips – but wild poppies too.

To savour even more flowers and nature – an English garden tour came true in July. The beauty of an English garden is hard to beat.

And, in one of the castle gardens I fell in love with The Stumpery. It made my creative nerves tingle… and I have already started on my own project!

Swedish Autumn around my well known waters – is a must every year. I passed here every day on the way to my job, and enjoyed these waters and forests in every season. This truly is Autumn at its best.

Walking the cobbled streets of Saint-Paul de Vence in Alpes Maritimes can surprise and mezmerise you in many ways…

This lady unexpectedly showed up on my right side – she looked so relaxed. I secretely wished I could rest like that myself…

Lastly, I love the modern version of ”The Thinker” by Joseph Klibansky. It sits opposite to Rembrandt in Rembrandtplein, Amsterdam. It has got something to tell us, make us think about our ”modern” times, what, where and why…

We thank all of our followers for continued support and look forward to seeing the images you choose as YOUR favorites of 2024. Please remember to link your post to any or all of the Lens-Artists team members. Also, remember to use the Lens-Artists Tag to help us find you.

We offer our best wishes for a New Year filled with peace, happiness, love and friendship. Anne will lead us next week on her lovely Slow Shutter Speed post. Until then, stay safe, be kind and and find joy in the simple things.

Last Chance 2024

/ Leya / 55 kommentarer

Luckily we all have a last chance for forgotten pictures or those that just did not fit in. My chosen pictures are from a glorious poppy field in Denmark this summer. I already posted one or two from that day, but there were so many more that I loved. I had a delightful hour in their company. Lying down was the favourite position, even if it is a bit harder to get up again these days.

While driving down a small gravel road, I caught sight of this wonderful field and urged my husband to make a photo stop. And he did – he too loves poppies and their irresistible colour. There is something special with this flower…it only thrives where it stands. Pick it up and it will die in a few minutes. Its slender and fragile beauty is otherworldly.

Treading slowly into that field was one of those dreams come true that I always have at this time of the year.

The red poppy is a symbol of remembrance of those who died or suffered in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations. And aside from the connection to war, the red poppy symbolizes resilience and hope. These flowers are known for their ability to grow in not-so-good conditions. In this sense, the red poppy points to the resilience of the human spirit, even in the face of adversity and tragedy. Maybe that is why I wanted to lie down among them –

A big thank you to John, for last week’s Challenge – Winter. That challenge brought me more lovely Winter than I have had looking out of my windows these last weeks…

As we approach the close of 2024, the Lens-Artists team will be on hiatus, returning on Saturday, January 4. As is our tradition, we will open the New Year with our Favorite Photos of 2024. 

Thank you all for a great year of photography, creativity, support, empathy, thoughts and discussions – I am so happy we can meet here and stay in contact! This world is not always a comfortable place, but You make it warmer, friendlier and a better place to live in.

Wishing all who celebrate a Happy and Joyful Christmas, and everyone Happy Holidays! One last wish I have – that of a better New Year for us all on this planet, Earth. Imagine…

Lens-Artists Challenge #328 – Winter

/ Leya / 59 kommentarer

John wants us to share photos of what Winter means to us. He knows it should be winter now – but I can hardly see it here in the southern part of Sweden. We have less and less of the traditional Winter we had when I was a child. And even when our children grew up.

If you join in, don’t forget the Lens-Artists tag and to link to John’s original post.

We haven’t even had frost yet…except for a couple of nights – and all the beauty gone in the morning again. So, I have to rely on pictures from favourite winters some years ago.

Winter and Christmas means of course snow and a typical red cottage. You haven’t been to Sweden if you haven’t seen red cottages!

It means having fun with my dog in the snow – and he loves it even more than I do!

Calm and silent Winter days it is true harmony to walk in the forest. Milo ahead of me of course..

Winter when it is more than – 15 degrees C is a treat – beautiful icicles decorate the old bridge.

But, this picture is more like our winters nowadays – very powdery snow, and too little to ski on.

I will finish with some favourite photos from lovely winter days. As you know, there is not much sun during winter here, and the bluish photos means that day was very cold.

Last week, Sofia’s challenge focused on the Five Elements of Wuxing, a Chinese philosophy. And the answers were amazing. Many of you added Air as well, and we loved that. Next week, it is time for our annual year-end challenge – a ”Last-Chance” for the year’s images that never quite fit our challenge subjects that year. The “rule” is that your chosen photographs must have been taken in 2024 and not have been included in response to our 2024 challenges. We are looking forward to seeing your choices! Go through your gallery and join us on Saturday, December 14, at noon Eastern Standard Time.

Lens-Artists Challenge – 5 Elements

/ Leya / 36 kommentarer

Sofia‘s interesting challenge this week is about the 5 Elements of Wuxing, that create the world around us: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. This Chinese Theory asserts that the world changes according to the five elements’ generating or overcoming relationships.

Generating processes promote development, while overcoming processes control development. For example Water nourishes Wood (Water flowers, plants and other changes in forest) and/but Water dampens (or regulates) Fire. By promoting and restraining, systems are harmonized and balance is maintained.

This is a beautiful but complicated theory, so please go visit Sofias post for more inspiration. I will make it simple – only using pictures of the 5 different elements.

Wood

Fire

Earth

Metal

Water

Sofia says we can focus on one of the elements if we wish. I did try to get them all in one photo – but could not manage it… The closest I came for all of them together…is in the header. Maybe you can? We’re looking forward to seeing what you’ve found, feel free to use your archives or to go out and find new images. Link back to Sofia’s post and tag with Lens-Artists so we can find you on the Reader.

Last week we had plenty of smiles looking at the screen – A big, warm thank you to everyone for sending so much joy! We very much appreciated the positive photos you shared.

Next week it is John’s turn to lead us, Saturday 7th Dececmber. Until then, take care and be kind.

Lens-Artists Challenge #326 – This Made Me Smile

/ Leya / 169 kommentarer

Be thou the rainbow in the storms of life. The evening beam that smiles the clouds away, and tints tomorrow with prophetic ray.

– Lord Byron


So much in this world is rather tough right now, I guess we all feel it… I was thinking, don’t we all need a smile? Let’s share something that made us smile, made You smile – and make the world smile with us! Old or new smiles, big or small, we welcome them all!

Be the reason someone smiles. Be the reason someone feels loved and believes in the goodness in people. ― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

Art makes people smile, brings people together.

– Yusaku Maezawa

You know I can’t smile without you.

— Barry Manilow, Can’t Smile Without You

Life is too short not to smile…

– Unknown

You’ll find that life is still worthwhile, if you just smile.

– Charlie Chaplin


I think that anybody that smiles automatically looks better.

– Diane Lane

What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but scattered along life’s pathway, the good they do is inconceivable.

– Joseph Addison

I hope some of these made you smile, and I can’t wait to smile even more from seeing Your choices! (I was thinking of suggesting 1-3 photos…but why, when we desperately need those smiles?) Remember to tag with Lens-Artists and link to this post.

Next week, Sofia will lead us from her inspirational site Photographias – be sure to visit on Saturday 30!

A massive Thank You, Tina, for a wonderful challenge last week! So many things to be grateful for and so many heartwarming messages from you all! Until next time, stay grateful, warm at heart and keep smiling.