Tag: lens-artists

Lens-Artists Photography Challenge #241– Spring

lens-artists, Photography


Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #241 – Spring

This week Sofia invites us to show you what Spring means to us. Is it about new beginnings, Nature reborn or a new chance to go and enjoy the outdoors? 

This is a no brainer, I mean, obviously it is about light. Me and so many other when the spring begins to show first signs of more light the constant marvel of it… we do, every year as if this was something unexpected. The joy of it is so awesome, it wakes us up from the winter hibernation, we slowly come put of houses.

When does spring start? In 2023, the official first day of spring is Monday, March 20. This date marks the “spring equinox” in the Northern Hemisphere. That is today!

( Is the spring equinox the same as spring solstice? Equinox vs Solstice
An equinox occurs at the start of the spring and fall. The solstice occurs during the summer and the winter. Occurs on March 21 (Vernal equinox) and on September 23 (Autumnal equinox).

No matter where you are on Earth, the equinox brings us a number of seasonal effects, noticeable to nature lovers around the globe. At the equinox, Earth’s two hemispheres are receiving the sun’s rays equally. Night and day are often said to be equal in length. 

The fastest sunsets and sunrises of the year happen at this time. We’re talking here about the length of time it takes for the whole sun to sink below the horizon. Sunset or sunrise you have to be quick to act, if you wait long enough you will only see tail end of it.

First you notice is the snow and ice melting.The fields with the soil coming visible and mornings of mist. Everything is brown. Only moss glows green. The lakes and sea is been freed from under the ice.

Everywhere! Forget about the weather for a moment, and think only about daylight. In terms of daylight, the knowledge that spring is here – and summer is coming – permeates all of nature on the northern half of Earth’s globe.

Notice the arc of the sun across the sky each day. You’ll find that it’s shifting toward the north. Responding to the change in daylight, birds and butterflies are migrating back northward, too, along with the path of the sun.

The longer days do bring with them warmer weather. People are leaving their winter coats at home. eople are raking the leaves from their yards. Trees are budding, and plants are beginning a new cycle of growth. In many places, spring flowers are beginning to bloom.

new fresh green – not visible here yet, but it is a sign of the glorious days of spring finaly here.

Spring is full of hope, l ight, beauty and blooming of nature. One of the best of season’s

#Lens-Artists #Lens-Artists Challange

Lens-Artists Photography Challenge #240 – The road taken

lens-artists, Photography


Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #240 – The Road (most often) Taken.

John from Journeys with Johnbo is hosting this week, this week’s theme is metaphoric–and not about a physical road. For this week’s challenge, I want you to think of your favorite type or style of photography as the road you’ve chosen to take most often.

I got my first own camera in my late teens. I took photos of friends and family and photos when traveling. Safe to say there are not that many photos from back then, film was expensive as was the development, and you never knew how they turned out until you got the envelope back.

When I got my kids, well I took tons of pictures of them, here I found few from the archives that I have scanned. So safe to say, I am a people photographer from the beginning. I must say, I have improved a lot, even if I say so myself over the years. I love taking photos of people trying to capture something real, and try to find the beauty we all have in ourselves, fing the best angle to get a the essence of what I see. Now I photograph my grandkids and my husband is often in my photos if I need to get a heasshot for some challenge.

Eventually when I got my first good camera I started taking photos of nature, photos from our travels. Then I got a new macro lens – then details. I learned to edit my photos and that made my photos get better, me being able to highlight more what I what to showcase in the photo.

I have mixed some of my early on photos with some newest ones. Basically I take photos of what ever I fancy, anything that catches my eye, that I find intersting I take photos of.

I have to say that hiking to place that are far and through difficult tracks is not my thing. Even though I admire the beautiful photos other have captured from these place. I look for topic near me 🙂

#Lens-Artists #Lens-Artists Challange

Lens-Artists Photography Challenge #239 – Finding Peace.

Landscapes, lens-artists, Photography


Lens-Artists Photography Challenge #239 – Finding Peace. Tina from travels and Trifles is hosting, and her theme – Finding Peace is so near last weeks topic, to me at least.

I am not a religious person, I do not go to church all that often, my church is the nature. My religion is more to do with my conscience – what is right and wrong. Treating everyone equally, respecting nature and the world around me. But I do find that church is a calm place to find peace .

Finding peace is different for everyone, often it is related to being alone.

Find peace, don’t waste energy wishing things were different or trying to change other people. Stay focused on managing your own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Find peace, by taking appropriate accountability. Be responsible for your own choices, but also acknowledge factors beyond your control–like the state of the economy, the weather, and other people’s choices.

Focus on the things you can control.

Be comfortable in your own skin. Don’t waste your time worrying about whether other people approve of their choices. Instead, focus on living according to your values.

Striving to be the best you are is healthy. But insisting on perfection is an uphill battle. Acknowledge your flaws and weaknesses.

Inner peace comes from knowing your beliefs and the willingness to act according to them.

Forest is a great place to find peace, hug a tree, sit on a rock breathe in the peace. Sit by the sea, move your hands on the rock, get the energy of the smooth softness of te solid surface. Listen to the sea and nature around you and find your inner peace. Watch the clouds move and create beautiful art in front of your eyes.

The Sony has been in less use since I bought a new lighter one to carry around, its a Olympus E-M10 Mark II with a 14-150mm lense and I have a OM-D M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8 for street and portrait photography

#Lens-Artists #Lens-Artists Challange

Lens-Artists Photography Challenge #238 – Alone time.

lens-artists, Photography


Lens-Artists Photography Challenge #238 – Alone Time. Ann-Christine host this week, see her blog for more Leya her take on topic : Alone time means time spent by an individual or a couple apart from others. It is often used to ground oneself, or to do something creative.

Alone time, yes, absolutely needed and often taken. I like sit on my sauna patio at my summer house , we built these windows on the sides of the patio to shild us from the north wind. It is a lovely place to sit watch the clouds, trees and enjoy the sunshine and listen to the birds and wind blowing in the trees.

It is a joy, I find myself enjoying alone frequently. Silence, my own thoughts and the warmth of sun.

Time spent ,alone, in art galleries, painting in the nature ( that’s not me, but someone else doing the same thing- alone) Listening to music, or as this young man does, doing music. Sitting in a cafe watching people go by, this one is so much fun. Going through your news in the park… biking, swimming . I enjoy these, and apparently others have been seen to do so too. These are great places to enjoy alone time, would you agree?

Alone time can be a state of mind, you can be in company and still be able to be alone.

It happens that I spend lots of time on my own. I take photos alone, mostly. Edit them alone. I find doing sculpture to be a great time to relax in company, but totally alone in my own bubble. Below you can see some of my creations I’ve done on my alone time in various art forms. I also love to sing, but I am not posting a sample of it, I’m not a bad singer, not a great one. It is like all other art forms it needs to be done often to keep it in any shape. My motto is is something Picasso has said: Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working. I find this to be SO true.

Driving the car in any weather, watching the scenery and clouds, listening to music. Stopping for coffee. Sitting in the hammock … Slow mornings, with my cat as company.

As I’ve stated before I am not a very technical photographer, more into composition, mood. I do my magic on the edit table mostly, if you can call it magic, more like my interpretation of places and people. I am also not one to write all that much, let the photos speack for themselves.

I have two cameras an old reliable SONY SLT-A65V, and I have two lences I use with it one for Macro Sony Macro 2.8/50 and portraits. The other for nearly everything a Sony 18-200mm.

The Sony has been in less use since I bought a new lighter one to carry around, its a Olympus E-M10 Mark II with a 14-150mm lense and I have a OM-D M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8 for street and portrait photography

#Lens-Artists #Lens-Artists Challange

Lens-Artists Photography Challenge #237 – Bringing softness.

lens-artists, Photography


Lens-Artists Photography Challenge #237 – Bringing softness hosted my Bren at BRASHLEY PHOTOGRAPHY

for #Lens-Artists #The Lens-Artists Photo Challenge

For this weeks’ challenge, show us how you soften your images. You don’t have to stick to flowers, landscapes and architecture are also ideal subjects. By lowering the clarity and creating softness in those areas frames the subject in an image, be it a tree, path, bridge, even a door or house or just a dreamy looking image. 

This is a fun one, softness is a great too to use a photo that is not too sharp in the first place to make it usable. 🙂 But seriously a great way to change a mood of a shot as well place the focus where you want. For this challenge I decided to edit some recent photos with this challenge in mind and not to use previously done.

Enjoying a day at the beach

Just slipping into the soft relaxed mood with the photo above and below

Sand atthe Beach

I find dusk to be a very lovely time to take photos as the light is already soft. The shot below is from Boone Hall in Charleston

Boone Hall

This sunset was lovely,(below) but the photo itself was not, it was grainy and out of focus as I shot it from a moving car from the side window in rather high speed. Adding soft focus made it presentable


This shot was full of distractions so the softness in the background helped to clarify the whole shot.

A horse that I have brought to be a very clear topic with soft background

I have taken so many flower shots, mostly with a macro lens, here I picked two that were not but I edited them. First rose is a rose.

Below orange leaves on a tree

Then you can find a selection of random shots with softness as one element

As I’ve stated before I am not a very technical photographer, more into composition, mood. I do my magic on the edit table mostly, if you can call it magic, more like my interpretation of places and people. I am also not one to write all that much, let the photos speack for themselves.

I have two cameras an old reliable SONY SLT-A65V, and I have two lences I use with it one for Macro Sony Macro 2.8/50 and portraits. The other for nearly everything a Sony 18-200mm.

The Sony has been in less use since I bought a new lighter one to carry around, its a Olympus E-M10 Mark II with a 14-150mm lense and I have a OM-D M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8 for street and portrait photography

Lens Artists Challenge #236: SouthMeets North

Photography, Travel


Amy’s topic for this weeks Lens Artists Challenge #236: East Meets West, This week we are exploring the different cardinal points East – West or South – North

I thought about this, as I live in North, in Finland. Arctic Circle is about 850 km from my home – so I live in the south of Finland.That could be one way to look at this challenge, or even more extreme could be Finland versus Australia down under. Or I could think about it as just the directions seen from my summer house as I sit in the yard and watch the sun move around it. … still thinking about about this:-)

First is the difference between light in the north and south of Finland during winter and well also in the summer.

There are four distinctly different seasons as far up north . However, locals think the conditions are in a constant state of change and say there are up to eight seasons in the year: midwinter, snowy spring, spring, summer, harvest season, autumn leaf colour, first snowfall, and Christmas. The photo is from Santa’s village.

The blue twilight of the Polar Nights last from mid November to Mid January. the light is this blue hues. Not black. This is Midwinter. This period takes place in January-February and is also known as the heart of winter. With only a few hours of daylight, a rather mysterious air of silence and peacefulness shrouds the natural surroundings.

The Midnight Sun is a natural phenomenon that takes place on and above the Arctic Circle in the summer months. On the Arctic Circle, the sun officially stays above the horizon for a full 24 hours on summer solstice, 21st or 22nd June. However, the Midnight Sun period in Rovaniemi lasts for a month, from 6th June to 7th July; this is due to the Earth’s slightly tilted axis and refraction of sunlight. The nights are white throughout the summer from late May until early August

So below you can see the blues of the day on North of Finland during the day. Also the landscape of southern Lapland is quite flat. There are few lakes, but forests, swamps, rivers and streams form diverse ecosystems. In Western Lapland, the flat and same level coast changes as you go further north: there are more and moreforested hills, the highest or northernmost exceed the tree line, and are therefore already actic hills.

Water reflections – obviously easiest to do.

In terms of topography, Southern Finland is a low plain. On top of the bedrock there are fine-grained soils. The climate is favorable for cultivation, so agriculture is productive, especially in the areas of the clay fields in Eastern Uusimaa.


Considering the large population, nature can be close to people even in Southern Finland. The most difficult and rugged areas can have natural areas.

There are rocks and small lakes in the Nuuksio National Park. There is a forest area of several thousand hectares in Sipoonkorpi, with rocks, groves, natural streams and traditional meadows. The Repove National Park has steep rock cliffs and the Valkmusa National Park has an oasis nature. Porkkala, which I have written about before. Porkkalanniemi is in Kirkkonummi, that is where I live.. The area consists of rocky shores, pine forest, and beautiful outlooks onto the sea. The Porkkala cape stretches far out to the sea and is one of the best places to watch arctic birds migrating. Seabirds thrive in the area due to its rich and diverse habitat. Porkkala has a considerable population of common eiders and is also an important resting area for long-tailed ducks. Lucky visitors may even spot moose or white-tailed deer in Porkkala.

The light is different in south, the sunrises here in the winter even if for a short time. Less snow for sure. In the Summer, the sun sets even if for a short time, but it does not get really dark. More humidity as we are closer to the sea.

Porkkalanniemi – Kirkkonummi in Southern Finland

As I’ve stated before I am not a very technical photographer, more into composition, mood. I do my magic on the edit table mostly, if you can call it magic, more like my interpretation of places and people. I am also not one to write all that much, let the photos speack for themselves.

I have two cameras an old reliable SONY SLT-A65V, and I have two lences I use with it one for Macro Sony Macro 2.8/50 and portraits. The other for nearly everything a Sony 18-200mm.

The Sony has been in less use since I bought a new lighter one to carry around, its a Olympus E-M10 Mark II with a 14-150mm lense and I have a OM-D M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8 for street and portrait photography

LAPC #235: Shadows and Reflections in Monochrome

Photography, Travel


LAPC #235: Shadows and Reflections in Monochrome, Patti’s looking for shadows a/o reflections but in monochrome. 

Patti from P.A. Moed CREATIVE EXPLORATION IN WORDS AND PICTURES Wrote;

This week, we’re challenging you to show us photos with reflections and/or shadows captured or processed in monochrome. Feel free to process your image in different shades of blue, green, brown, or gray. You can also shoot your image in a setting that’s predominantly one color–like a blue sea and sky, for example. I’ve checked quite a few experts who agree that black and white photos are not two colors, but varying shades of one color–gray. Purists will refer to black and white images as grayscale. So, for our challenge, black and white images fall under the category of monochrome.

The photos below are from our recent trip to the southern states, South Carolina and Georgia.

Water reflections – obviously easiest to do.

Birds and reflection from Florida, and lake reflection from Nastola, Finland

Under the bridge in Kivenlahti, Finland on a February afternoon. Below also one from a pier in Savannah.

As I’ve stated before I am not a very technical photographer, more into composition, mood. I do my magic on the edit table mostly, if you can call it magic, more like my interpretation of places and people. I am also not one to write all that much, let the photos speack for themselves.

I have two cameras an old reliable SONY SLT-A65V, and I have two lences I use with it one for Macro Sony Macro 2.8/50 and portraits. The other for nearly everything a Sony 18-200mm.

The Sony has been in less use since I bought a new lighter one to carry around, its a Olympus E-M10 Mark II with a 14-150mm lense and I have a OM-D M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8 for street and portrait photography

Lens-Artists Challenge #234 – Messages

lens-artists, Photography, Travel


Lens-Artists Challenge #234 – Messages is hosted by Donna from Wind Kisses ,  LENS ARTISTS CHALLENGE #234:-Messages

Donna Wrote; To some, photography is formal, with clear and concise messages. Others want you to feel the photos, and take away impressions from what you see. At the end of the day, it is always our story, driven by our character and passions, that we showcase.

As I’ve stated before I am not a very technical photographer, more into composition, mood. I do my magic on the edit table mostly, if you can call it magic, more like my interpretation of places and people. I am also not one to write all that much, let the photos speack for themselves.

I think some of these speaks, relates a story. Hope you agree 🙂 I find monochrome images are great way to showcase messages of emotions and action as all unnecessary is taken away

In colors also – obviously.

Nature in all its forms speaks volumes

Signs….

I have two cameras an old reliable SONY SLT-A65V, and I have two lences I use with it one for Macro Sony Macro 2.8/50 and portraits. The other for nearly everything a Sony 18-200mm.

The Sony has been in less use since I bought a new lighter one to carry around, its a Olympus E-M10 Mark II with a 14-150mm lense and I have a OM-D M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8 for street and portrait photography

LENS ARTISTS CHALLENGE #233: A One Lens Walk

Photography, Travel, Traveling US

For this week’s challenge is hosted by Anne from Slow Shutter Speed ,  LENS ARTISTS CHALLENGE #233: A One Lens Walk The challenge is for you is to take a lens for a walk. Yes, choose a lens and walk.

I have two cameras an old reliable SONY SLT-A65V, and I have two lences I use with it one for Macro Sony Macro 2.8/50 and portraits. The other for nearly everything a Sony 18-200mm.

The Sony has been in less use since I bought a new lighter one to carry around, its a Olympus E-M10 Mark II with a 14-150mm lense and I have a OM-D M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8 for street and portrait photography

water ripples

I am not a very technical photographer, more into composition, mood. I do my magic on the edit table mostly, if you can call it magic, more like my interpretation of places and people. I am also not one to write all that much, let the photos speack for themselves.

These are shot with the Olympus and the with a 14-150mm lense

Natures green always inspires me

Details from nature are often important things to photograph to me at least as they are found near and are beautiful, the birds had been leaving lots of feathers.

Posted for Slow Shutter Speed

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #230 – Last Chance

Captures from Finland, lens-artists, Photography

For this week’s challenge is hosted by Tina Schell from Travels and Trifles  Lens-Artists Challenge #230 – Last Chance we’re show casing our forgotton or should I say our not yet published shots. Now, the challenge is remebering if I’ve posted them or not. I discover that I have not taken all that many photos this year… sad but true. It obviouly also depends how people defines much.

The image above is new from last week. winter can be beautiful

She wrote; But what about the images that are among our favorites but have not fit any of the categories? This year we’re giving you an opportunity to include images on any and all subjects that are personal favorites – BUT, they must have been created in 2022 AND must not have been previously published.

Here are my Last Chance photos, please link your post back to Tina’s original post and tag Lens-Artists if interested in participating in it.

Hailuoto was one of my favorite places to visit this summer, I posted several black and white images from that trip, here are some with colors. I love watching clouds and they played a big part in the photos I took there.

My summer house and the nature is a constant inspitation to me – below

Details from nature are often important things to photograph to me at least as they are found near and are beautiful,

I have taken still life shots that I have not posted lke these pearls

And I found this 🎅 Santa resting on a bench during summer…

Posted for Tina’s Lens-Artists Challenge

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #229 – Perfect Patterns

Flowers, lens-artists, Photography

For this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #229 we’re exploring – Perfect Patterns

Ann-Christine wrote, Of course there is no such thing as a ”perfect” pattern…but it could be perfect in Your eyes, perfect for camouflage or perfect for its purpose…or simply radiating ”perfect”! This week we challenge you to find perfect patterns and it would be great if you wanted to tell us why you think they are perfect.

Diagonals and patterns have lots in in common, I could easily use some of the same images from last week. Lets see what I can find in my archives. Patterns are everywhere, but in the purest form they can be found in nature. Nearly all things, big or small have them, if we look closely enough.

Well nature produces most wonderful patterns in flowers, spiderwebs, trees… you name it we can find it

Not to forget man made patterns, in building, textiles,

Our tableware is a place patterns are commonly found, as are the fabrics are made of.

The header photo has patterns, diagonals, and keeping with the season candles, frost and snow….

Ann-Christine from LEYA To See a World in a Grain of Sand… , host this weeks Challenge #229 – Perfect Patterns

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #228 – diagonals

lens-artists, Photography

For this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #228, we’re exploring the power of diagonals.

We were invited to join this week to explore diagonals as a way to add visual interest and depth to our photos, as well as a sense of action. What diagonals can you find was asked? 

Lets have a look at what I can find in a form of leading lines, I try to use them often to lead your way to something. Cityscapes are easy place to find them. They can lead your eye, frame the scene.

Did I find them, I had to stop lookng for them as I once again have an overload of them. Sorry…and as this is mainly a photography blog I will not go into details of the locations, I would not remember even if I tried. Diagonals you will find 🙂 Sit down and enjoy the scene’s as the header suggests.

On the top collage – Photos from Florida, California and Nevada

The second set is from Brisbane – Australia and the last one has bridges from Vancouver BC, first image, Brisbane AUS and the last one is from Sydney AUS

Patti – P.A. Moed CREATIVE EXPLORATION IN WORDS AND PICTURES hosts this weeks Lens-Artists Challenge #228 – Diagonals.

Lens-Artists Challenge #227 – Home Sweet Home

Captures from Finland, lens-artists, Nature, Photography

Tina wrote; On the other hand, there is much to love here in my own country. This week, let’s give that some extra thought. If a foreigner were to spend a week or a month traveling your home country with you, where would you take them? What sights would you tell them to be sure to see? Where have you found some of your own favorite images?

Tina from Travels and Trifles hosts this weeks Lens-Artists Challenge #227 – Home Sweet Home

I live in Beautiful Finland, coutry with four seasons. While I embrace Spring, summer and autumn and winter, I detest November, the greay month. So I will not be posting shots from that month.

Finland, or Suomi as we call it, this is my introduction to of it to you.

First few shots from Helsiki, were I would obviously take you

Finland, officially the Republic of Finland is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland across Estonia to the south. Finland covers an area of 130,678 sq miles with a population of 5.6 million. 

Helsinki is the capital and largest city, forming a larger metropolitan area with the neighbouring cities of Espoo, Kauniainen, and Vantaa. Finland is one of the world’s northernmost countries. Of world capitals, only Reykjavík lies more to the north than Helsinki.

Finland’s climate varies from humid continental in the south to the boreal in the north. The land cover is primarily a boreal forestbiome, with more than 180,000 recorded lakes.

First few shots from Helsiki, were I would obviously take you. There also several other cities I would take you too, Porvoo, Hanko, Tampere and Turku and also to Oulu. If I posted shots from them well, no one would look through my post.

Lakes are lovely at all seasons, so I would take to one or two of them

Forests, woods…have asrtong place in Finns hearts, a place walk and calm your nerves.

Pick berries and mushrooms as we have Everyman’s rights. Public access rights, or so-called everyman’s rights, refer to the right of everyone in Finland to enjoy outdoor pursuits regardless of who owns or occupies an area. You do not need the landowner’s permission, and there is no charge. However, you must not damage the environment or disturb others while exercising public access rights.

Posted for Tina’s Lens-Artists Challenge

Lens Artists Challenge #226 – Textures

lens-artists, Nature, Photography, Still life

This is my third week in participating in this challenge. I have to say, there has been beautiful posts about the chosen topics tthese past weeks, I have found new blogs to follow and it has given me inspiration and intoduced me to new places and ways to look at photos. But to the topic at hand…

Jude from Cornwall in Colours hosts this weeks LAPC #226 – Textures.

She wrote; Texture is one method of bringing life to your photos. While the structure of an object is its form, the material from which it is made constitutes its texture.  You are aiming at translating texture visually, bringing life and energy to a photo through shape, tone and colour.

I have done macro photography for some time and capturing texture is one of the aspects of it. Hope you enjoy my findings in the world of textures, I am also going to post my findings from nature and the nature’s produces, fruits and vegetables plus some spices,

Texture adds variety and visual stimulus to the surface of a photograph. There is a better chance of getting an exciting photograph from a laboured study with texture than from a smooth clarity without it.