Lens-Artist Photo Challenge #282 – Dramatic

lens-artists, Photography

This week, Patti from is asking this question: what makes a photo dramatic? Maybe it is processed in black and white, or it has vivid colors. Maybe a person, place, or object is captured from a unique perspective or it is a macro shot.

I took this from the plane, the mountains make a dramatic scene behind the clouds.

The word “dramatic” holds immense significance for me – it encapsulates the sense of grandeur and intensity that is ever-present. It’s remarkable how the play of light in photographs can be so distinctive and impactful. In contrast, everyday life may not exude the same overt drama; seemingly mundane events can often hold hidden depths of emotion and sentiment beneath a tranquil facade. Being of Finn, I acknowledge that we may not be the most openly expressive people, yet our emotions are profoundly felt and deeply rooted.

These I took In Níce, France

For me, the sea stands as one of the most profoundly dramatic elements, alongside the ever-changing canvas of clouds. Nature, or rather the weather, serves as the catalyst for many of these breathtaking phenomena.

Furthermore, the architectural details has the potential to evoke a dramatic impact through the interplay of light, shadow, and contours.


This is detail of the roof Monte Carlo Casino. The interplay of dark skies and beautiful old architecture creates a mesmerizing contrast that captivates the senses. The looming presence of the dark skies serves as a backdrop, intensifying the timeless allure of the architectural marvels.

Skyline from Monte Carlo some years back.

“An event or circumstance sudden and striking,”

I sometimes capture documentary shots, sometimes I see people who are down on their luck. Even though I don’t know their stories, seeing these homeless men sitting on the streets of Las Vegas was truly a poignant and sad sight. They are not sharp images on purpose…

To participate in this challenge, you should link to or leave a comment on the week’s host’s original challenge post and please use the #Lens-Artists tag in your own post, so the post is easily found in the Reader.

52 thoughts on “Lens-Artist Photo Challenge #282 – Dramatic”

  2. Goodness, I can just about keep up with you today, Ritva! You do dramatic extremely well. Those moody clouds and wonderful light on water shots really make me smile.

  6. Great photos, Ritva. I liked this expression you used in the start of your post: “a sense of grandeur and intensity that is ever-present.” That truly captures drama.

  8. Powerful. Dramtic indeed. I am glad you brought us the sea along with the weather that plays with it. And the homeless shots are so expressive. As you know I often enjoy studying your photos and the group of men was the one I lingered over today. The toilet paper, the bucket that says, lets do this, the bikes, and the sense of “togetherness’. Whatever that might mean to them. Very dramatic in photo AND expression

  14. Great pictures Ritva! The clouds are the perfect accessory for drama 😀. I need to work a bit on bringing out the drama in the non-nature shots.

  15. Wonderful post, Ritva. Your photography is naturally drawn to drama, I think. You see it and you capture it effortlessly. The skies are my favourites but its all perfect.

  17. Great images for this challenge Ritva! Dramatic skies, buildings (interior and exterior, and the homeless are all drama in their own way. You photo processing brings that out.

  18. Wonderful, sometimes poignant, examples, Ritva. The two that grabbed me today were the shot from the plane (well done, BTW!) and that of the sunshine on the casino.

  19. I totally agree that you have a wonderful eye for the dramatic. Your thoughts and images are beautifully captured/explained. Wonderful post. The pictures of the homeless are very powerful. I’d love to see your images enlarged. 🙂

  21. The play of light in the sky is the usual drama that everyone looks at. Your captures are lovely. The street photos are more nuanced, and that’s where my puzzles about the meaning of drama begin. You last photo is a sad human story. The previous one looks like a comfortable social scene. How does one bring visual drama to these?

  22. A great set of dramatic pictures, of which I love especially all the sky and sea images. The picture from the plane is my absolute favourite. The mountains reveal just enough to understand the grandeur of it.

  26. Pingback: Lens-ArtistPC24-282-Dramatic – WoollyMuses

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