My idea revolves around Leonard Cohen’s saying, “Everything has a crack, that’s how the light gets in.” which encourages reflection on life’s imperfections. These cracks signify struggles but also hope and the potential for healing, reminding us that embracing our flaws can lead to a more fulfilling life. This concept also applies to images, where imperfections reveal true beauty and emotion.
Overall, these lyrics reflect Cohen’s characteristic blend of melancholy and optimism, emphasizing that beauty and wisdom often arise from our struggles and imperfections.
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, in everything
That’s how the light gets in
My challenge this time is this part of the poem; Everything has a crack, that’s how the light gets in. There is deep symbolism in this sentence that can be interpreted in many ways. Figurative or metaphorical interpretation requires us to think deeply.
As I looked again at this post, after first draft, I noticed how I often use and have hands in photos with emotion.
- Imperfection and Vulnerability: The “crack” represents the flaws and brokenness that are part of life; everyone has imperfections.
- Hope and Redemption: The phrase “that’s how the light gets in” suggests that through our flaws and vulnerabilities, we can find hope, healing, and understanding.
- Spiritual Insight: Spiritually, the light symbolizes truth, love, and peace. The cracks show that even in our toughest times, there is still a chance for positivity and light to come into our lives.
Figurative language can be exactly what the sentence contains, hoping to convey the profound concepts of hope, light, and life emanating from a small crack in darkness. This imagery evokes a sense of resilience and beauty, illustrating how even the faintest glimmer can inspire hope and ignite a passion for life. A comprehensive visual project can be built around this captivating idea, as it often is, exploring various artistic mediums , to depict the interplay between shadow and light, ultimately capturing the essence of optimism that arises from seemingly insignificant openings in our world.
I would like participants to take a new photo or find a photo in their archives that would express that sentiment.
Your creative take can be completely different from what others envision, as this endeavor is open to many interpretations and methods of expression. These images should reflect your unique perspectives and personal narratives, fostering community connections through shared stories of vulnerability and resilience.
By sharing these images, we not only showcase our individual stories, but also create an opportunity for dialogue and connection. Let each image tell a story, convey an emotion, or illustrate a moment of seeing light.
Thank you Anne, for sending us on an artistic approach to photography with ICM, it was fun to do and fun to see what we were able go with this style. Next week Egídio leads us to something new again, please visit his inspirational blog to see more.
Until then, let the positivity flow.
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography 
What an interesting challenge Ritva. Your words and photos evoke the emotions you targeted; light, dark, vulnerability, strength, hope, and more. Well done. I hope I have relevant photos.
Thank you, happy to hear that you think so.
Hmm. Inscrutable, Ritva, and deep. Very thought-provoking to be sure. Beautiful photos, as always.
Thanks you John!
Ritva, I am so thankful that you are always pushing us to get better in our photography journey. This theme is another example of your creative mind and beautiful photos. Thanks for this challenge. Here’s my take:
https://throughbrazilianeyes.com/the-beauty-within/
Thank Egídio, glad you think I am pushy 🙂 (joke)
Evocative and provocative images and challenge, Ritva. Your entry photo speaks to me, as does the one in the lower right corner of the four color shots.
Thank YOU Lindy, gals you liked them.
Ritva–your photos are always amazing, but along with your words today…I am left speechless. As mentioned in the other comments, evocative, deep, thought-provoking–you have outdone yourself with a masterpiece of a post.
Thank Lois! But you speechless, no 🙂
Ha! 😆 You are so funny!
I like this idea of Cohen’s about the crack showing the light. Thanks for your beautiful examples.
Thank you Rebecca 🙂
I love this, Ritvu! Your theme goes amazingly well with my Sunday Stills theme, Eerie! You demonstrate Cohen’s quote so beautifully with your gorgeous and thoughtful images. The hands in your images certainly tell their stories. My post will link Sunday morning.
Thanks Terri for you kind words, look forward to seeing you take
This beautiful photographic post encourages me to look behind my photography into the emotional reasons for taking the picture. I’ll do a deep dive into my archives!
Thanks Anne, you will surely find something meaningful
💕
A challenging challenge for all of us Ritva. Your post is beautiful and your subject is perfect. Your images speak directly to the quote which is a personal favorite. I think the last image is my favorite but all are wonderful
Thanks Tina, for your kind words. My outhouse mirror does have some beautiful details 🙂
I’ll join in but I can not imagine what I will post. This is so profound and your images so beautiful.
Quite the challenge my friend, quite the challenge.
Thanks Dawn, sometimes we need to challenge ourselves 🙂 you will surely find something lovely to post
Not sure why my wingback didn’t work Ritva. My post is here https://travelsandtrifles.wordpress.com/2024/10/26/lens-artists-challenge-322-how-the-light-gets-in/
YOur post was so lovely!
Beautiful post – and quite a challenge as well
Thanks Nora, I try my best to come up with something new 🙂
So many ideas flowing from your wonderful photos. A challenge alright.
I hope I can find something suitable
Thanks Brian, I am sure you will meet the challenge
I did thanks Ritva 😁
Lovely photos serving as our inspiration, especially the hand photos. Very dramatic.
Here is mine for this week: https://wanderingteresa.com/divine-magic-of-the-sagrada-familia/
Thanks Teresa, it is something that one doesn’t often think, but hands are very expressive – for others too , not only the italians.
That is so true. Thanks Ritva for the wonderful challenge this week.
Fantastic photos Ritva and great challenge.
Thanks Leanne 🙂
Ritva, I really enjoyed your post. Your images combined with your words touched my soul.
So kindly said, thank you Ana
Wow so much to think about here Ritva and some great inspiration from your beautiful photos. I really like the one with the chairs and shadows.
That is from a church in Tammisaari, here in Finland
I love how you got me thinking about your theme, Ritva, and how you left it open enough to have multiple paths to follow. This is possibily one of my favourite posts this year. It is a thing of beauty, timeless beauty.
Here is mine:
Thank you Sofia, happy to hear that. Your post is beautiful, I looked at it, but I still have to comments on it.
Lovely post
Hi Ritva (I spelled your name right this time…sorry)! Here is my post and thank you for the extra inspiration!
https://secondwindleisure.com/2024/10/27/sunday-stills-its-eerie-out-here/
Terri, no worries, not the most common name.
I love the Leonard Cohen song Ritva and your photographs are gorgeous as always! I especially love the way you captured the emotions in people’s faces. My contribution for this week’s lovely challenge is here: https://tranature.com/2024/10/27/silent-sunday-when-the-light-comes-in/
hello ritva,
a great and interesting theme and pictures i like them very much, especially the portrait shots as well as the 2nd, 15th and the last one.
here is my contribution to the challenge https://wp.me/pfnz9O-vO.
many greetings robert
Wow, thank you for this stimulating challenge Ritva! Your own photos all capture really well the spirit of your thoughtful text ❤
I’ve opted to focus on the last part of the Leonard Cohen quote and look for images that illustrate light being let in: https://www.toonsarah-travels.blog/gallery-how-the-light-gets-in/ I hope you like it!
Thank you Sarah, Your post was wonderful
Thank you for inspiring it 😊
What a beautifully expressed and illustrated theme, Ritva. So much emotion in those photos with hands in.
Thanks Jo, hands can be so expressive.
I absolutely love your challenge, Ritva. It really had me thinking about my life, its challenges, and my outlook for the future. Your words and images are poetic and lovely. Many thanks for your inspiration! Here’s a link to my post:
https://pilotfishblog.com/2024/10/28/lens-artists-challenge-322-theres-a-crack-in-everything/
Thanks so much, it was a struggle to word it right. Yours post was so beautiful
My very favorite Cohen song, Ritva. My featured photo immediately sprang to mind. Unfortunately, it took me two hours of scrolling through photos to find it! Ah well. Many memories relived while looking for it. Thanks for the prompt.
Thank you I am happy you enjoyed this one. I enjoyed your photos
Mine: https://fairplay740.wordpress.com/2024/10/27/lens-artists-challenge-322-there-is-a-crack-in-everything/
a different take on the Crack….https://davidoakes-images.com/2024/10/28/there-is-a-crack-in-everything/
HI David, tried to comment on your post, but It for some reason did not allow me to do it there. So here it is David, two cracks, different passage of time. I have a thing about old boats so due to that – my favorite
Comment welcomed, thanks. Will check out link
I love that Leonard Cohen song Ritva and I love the way you have expressed yourself here. So many beautiful photos.
Hey Jude, I thank you 🙂
Lovely post 🙂
What a diverse collection of insightful pictures, indeed. I like that you include hands, as they are often underrated when it comes to their huge expressive power. I fall in love with Auguste Rodin’s artwork as a teenager and ever since, I am fascinated by them. – The challenge itself: Hopeful, self-empowering and VERY complex. It literally carried me away;).
As you can see in my own contribution:
Ritva, this challenge went straight to my heart – the choice of quote and your pictures too. Every one of them makes you think. It was difficult to choose pictures for me, I don’t have as many of people as you have. You are a master of giving us thoughtprovoking challenges !
Thank you, that is so nicely said, as I did put some effort into it 🙂
♥
So very evocative! The prompt, and the photo explorations…
Thank you Katharine
Thank you for hosting, Ritva and your illuminating photos. Here are my dances with light: https://fakeflamenco.com/2024/10/29/the-light-we-found-off-road-and-roadside/
I am just finishing up my submission for my Thursday post. I hope to be faithful to this challenge in my response.
Ritva, you have given us an interesting challenge this week. You have shown us wonderful images to illustrate many different ways to interpret your challenge. You’ve given me a lot to think about…Thank you.
Such a wonderful theme!
I see plenty of philosophy here!
What a fab collection for this challenge and I loved your way of teaching the theme.
Love the featured image.
Thank you RS
Thanks you for your kind words
Welcome, my friend.
I think you’ve a nice collection of evocative images here.
Here’s mine for this one:
https://stupidityhole.com/2024/10/30/puddle-car-park/
Thanks you 🙂
My contribution.
https://philosophyvia.photos/2024/10/30/lapc-322-there-is-a-crack-in-everything/
Thank you again for this inspiring challenge. Here is my contribution. https://lindylecoq.com/2024/10/31/lens-artists-photo-challenge-322-there-is-a-crack-in-everything/
lovely post PR
It was a very interesting challenge, Ritva. I couldn’t decide if I should take it literally or figuratively. Plus I was traveling. So right before the next challenge comes up, I just managed to put together my thoughts and pictures 😅 for this challenge (luckily it was a holiday here today). Hope it works for the challenge. Here it is:
Thanks, the challenge has been welcomed warmly in spite of the topic being “hard ” for some.
Oh and of course, wonderful pictures! You have a wonderful way with portraits 🙂!
Thanks PR, portraits are a great topic.
I love how you use hands to show the vulnerability in people. I rarely photograph people but I can see how it would add immensely to the work of someone who does portraits…
Thank you, I appreciate that you say so., we do use hands so much to convey our emotions
Here’s mine for the week
loved your ta me on this, Ritva , and very belatedly here’s mine: https://suejudd.com/2024/11/02/lens-artists-challenge-322-there-is-a-crack-in-everything/