For this week’s challenge, I thought I could choose one favorite photo reflective of me, my year. I couldn’t. I don’t think my life works that way. I spend way too much time making connections with people we meet along the way. The photo below was in the top five for sure, but my life is more than free gelato in a tiny alley in Croatia. On this particular day, it was the reminder you can play charades in any language to get your point across. Laughter for the win.
Cheers (or Zivjeli) for the love of gelato.
With connections in mind, I thought it would be a great time to gather a few of my favorite images specific to Lens-Artists challenges. On this road called life we all find people, places, and things to inspire us. As a team, we simply hope to nudge that inspiration from wherever you are or whatever you are doing. The fun is perpetuated by the chance to connect with people with one commonality; the love of photography.
I have learned over time that life is not about me, and instead it is about everyone who surrounds me.
Enjoy my photos, along with a blink of a few of my favorite people: The Lens Artists Team. Yes, they are all world travelers with unique perceptions of how they see that world. What I love more, is their appreciation of exactly where they are at the moment.
Tina often reminds us how life is different at the beach. Time doesn’t move hour-to-hour like in an hourglass. On the beach, we plan with the tides and the direction of the sun. The seasons bring change like nowhere else, and weather’s paintbrush is ever-present. Ever so eloquently, the moods and emotions of Kiawah Island, SC are reflected in Tina’s walks with nature. Her photography will take you all over the world stunned, with the understanding…there is no place like home.
I picture Patti most days wandering around the tiny streets of Florence, Italy with her camera on her shoulder and a journal to gather her thoughts. Her ability to bring us an intimate look at Italian culture is a true gift. But pay attention, you never know where she might land in this vast and mesmerizing world she photographs. Her impressions remind me of how you can fall into a culture and and let pieces of it become you. Personally, I think she brings light to…
If only walls could talk.
Ann-Christine will tell you over and over again, life is better with flowers in it. And I wish her more. Her life in Sweden intrigues me. To live in a home where she has been for a majority of her life, and nurture her garden, a respite in that house, feels like a dream to me. And Winter? The sparkly, icicle-laden winters bring magic. Magic. Yes. She has the natural ability to find the personality of a place and it’s people, but that magic I talk about is often in the tiniest things that bring phenomenal impact. Yes…I wish her more…
Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves. – James Barrie
John, is hard to keep track of these days. He grabbed retirement and never looked back. I think he embraces history with meaning, and his curiosity brings out the character of the places he visits. Being tech savvy, he explains the how and whys behind his impressive editing. I originally took the photo below for his billboard challenge, and used it for framing instead. To me, it is symbolic of him as he spends a lot of his time on the ocean and sharing his journeys. I speculate he loves bringing creative, editing opportunities for us to learn. A teacher? indeed.
You need less imagination to be a painter, because you invent things. In photography, everything is so ordinary; it takes a lot of studying (and touching up) it before it becomes extraordinary. -Bailey
If you drop in on Anne you will fall in love with the experimentation she does with her camera. I enjoy her photo-buddy excursions when she shares what the assignments were and how she finds success in her endeavors. And you can’t visit her page without falling in love with the local orangutans she seems to know at her zoo in California. Her photo passions are endless. Macro? Yes. The lines and detail of monochrome. Yes again.
Taking pictures is savoring life intensely, every hundredth of a second, - Riboud
Raise your hand if you think Sofia is mysterious? I do too. I picture her enchanted within her surroundings, always. Whether it is the architectural marvel of Glasgow, the rugged shores of Scotland, a trip to her homeland in Portugal, or a botanical garden, she is sure to wow you. Old homes and museums come alive with her search for shadows, light and the stories they bring us. Maybe she is reminding us to stop for a minute, look for the mood, the story, and feel a place with the light…and shadows.
In photography, there are no shadows that cannot be illuminated. -Sandler
Egidio has a profound connection to the natural world. No doubt Brazil sparked that fire. That connection, more of an invitation for us to join him on his explorations. To me, the photo of Big Bend National Park below defines him. It is the start of the Window View Trail I talked about a few weeks ago. Is it me, or does the photo seem to call you, or dare you, to find out what might be at the overlook?
Nature is the purest portal to inner peace. – Aristotle
Ritva’s photos seem to capture the essence of Finland. Well…no. It’s more like, anything that catches her eye. The random photo of the rose on the door made me think of her and I love it. But as this post is long enough, I thought I would end with her words:
When we pay attention to the details, we open ourselves up to a whole new world of experiences. Whether it’s the delicate petals of a flower, the intricate patterns of a pussy willow, or the subtle flavors in a warm bread, or a tacky selfie, these elements invite us to immerse ourselves fully in the present moment. By slowing down and observing the nuances around us, we can cultivate a heightened sense of awareness and find solace in the ordinary. – Ritva
Me? I am just wandering around.
Wind Kisses, Donna
Tina of https://travelsandtrifles.wordpress.com
Patti of https://pilotfishblog.com
Ann-Christine aka Leya of https://lagottocattleya.com
John of https://photobyjohnbo.wordpress.com
Anne of https://annegeephoto.com (aka Slow Shutter Speed)
Sofia of https://photographias.wordpress.com
Donna of https://windkisses.com
Egidio of https://egidio.photography (aka Through Brazilian Eyes)
Ritva of https://sillarit.com (aka Ritva Sillanmaki Photography)
Wind Kisses 