John’s Challenge: Share up to six waterscapes—images where water shapes the scene. Choose your favorite places, your favorite photos, or a single location that inspires you. Natural or man‑made, peaceful or wild—if water helps tell the story, it’s fair game.
I grew up by the sea in Espoo,, and it has left its mark on me. I still prefer the sea to lakes, even though I love lakes too. It is more about the feel, the scent of the sea. And I live in a country of a thousand lakes. This place comes to mind with this big, old boulder that’s partly underwater, surrounded by tall green reeds and grasses. It’s where my friends and I used to hang out and have fun. Across the sea, there’s this dense little island with a couple of saunas, and further back, a marina full of sailboat masts. But I don’t remember any of that from when I was a kid. There’s also a skerry where we used to wade through the water to get to. We even carved our names into the skerry, and believe it or not, they’re still there!
This next image from one of the lakes near our summer house. There are a few lakes near Ruuhijärvi, that are all connected through waterways. First up is Salajärvi, which is close to Ruuhijärvi and sits at the same water level. All the water here flows straight into Ruuhijärvi through the Salajoki River. Then there’s Sylvöjärvi, located a bit southeast of Ruuhijärvi. The water from Ruuhijärvi trickles down into Sylvöjärvi through the Immilänjoki River, and from there, it makes its way via Arrajärvi to the Kymijoki River. Last but not least, we have Oksjärvi, which is a little further north. the waters flow into Salajärvi via the Luhtaanjoki River, and then they continue on to Ruuhijärvi. Sorry for giving you more information you will never need and most likely I will forget this too.
Few facts for those who are interested: As I refreshed my memory about Finnish lakes, we are country with nearly 188,000 lakes scattered throughout its beautiful landscape! It’s amazing to think how this stunning scenery was crafted by massive glaciers during the last Ice Age, which carved deep depressions into the land. Picture those thick ice sheets covering Finland thousands of years ago, gently scraping away at the soft rock and soil to create those lovely hollows and valleys we appreciate today. When the climate warmed up around 10,000 years ago, the melted glaciers filled those pits with water, forming the lakes we enjoy now. Beneath it all lies the ancient Precambrian shield, a robust layer of rock that has helped maintain those charming shallow basins. With Finland’s cool, wet climate, there’s always plenty of rain and snow (not so much these days)to keep the lakes full, ensuring they never have to worry about drying up! Most of these lakes are shallow and connect through a serene network of rivers and streams, especially in the breathtaking central region known as Finnish Lakeland.
I fell in love with Norway during my first visit there this summer; in this image the beauty of the fjord’s landscape captures my heart with its turquoise-blue shimmering waters in the foreground, framed by rugged dark rocky shorelines and gently rolling green hills. The expansive snow-covered mountains rise dramatically, their peaks partially obscured by fluffy white clouds. Beneath a clear blue sky, the sunlight dances on the water and the crests of the mountains, serene wilderness atmosphere that resonates deeply within me.
I found the Fjords are truly fascinating! A fjord, as I’ve come to understand, is a stunningly long and narrow sea inlet, surrounded by towering cliffs or mountains. These natural wonders were shaped by the tremendous forces of ancient glaciers, which carved out their characteristic U-shaped valleys beneath the water. You’ll often find them exceptionally deep—some, like the incredible Sognefjord in Norway, plunge to over 1,300 meters! It’s interesting how these fjords typically feature a shallow ridge at their mouths, created from remnants of glacial debris. Norway is a treasure trove of these beauties, with more than 1,000 fjords dotting its coastline!
Henley Beach in South Australia holds a special place in my heart, as I actually lived there for a while just about 100 meters from this beautiful beach. It’s a place that deepens my connection to the sea – the ocean, in particular. I could have chosen to reminisce about Bondi Beach in NSW, where I had an unforgettable experience with the ocean currents nearly sweeping me away; I distinctly remember the sand slipping from beneath my feet… Thankfully, my older sister was there to grab my hand and pull me to safety. But since I never lived there, Henley Beach remains my choice.
San Diego – La Jolla. I have such fond memories of living in San Diego during the 90s in my twenties, and we often found ourselves visiting La Jolla Cove—a small, picturesque beach surrounded by stunning sandstone cliffs. It was always a joy to see the resident sea lions and the vibrant marine life. I’m sharing this shot to reminisce about the lovely times we had there. Our son was just a year old, he loved running around the area,
We drove a few years ago along the Northern California coast, and I loved the scenic landscape, with its rugged cliffs and sandy beaches where waves gently washed ashore. In this shot, the foreground shows earthy, textured soil and lush green shrubbery covering parts of the cliffs, while the ocean extends into the distance under a bright blue sky. Several seagulls can be seen flying above the water, adding life to the tranquil morning scene. The horizon blends soft clouds with clear skies, creating a peaceful and natural atmosphere. I don’t remember the name of this place, but I will always remember the feeling of being there.
Now I have shown my six waterscapes—images where water shapes the scene.
Plus in the Header image, you can observe the stunning vistas from the Bondi to Coogee Walk… a remarkable sandstone cliff situated in Sydney, Australia, close to the iconic Bondi Beach. The eastern coastline of Sydney features stratified, weathered sandstone cliffs overlooking the ocean.
A big thank you to Sofia for her fun “What Is It?” challenge! Next week, Beth will be all set with a new theme. Make sure to follow her here to catch her challenge on Saturday, September 12, at noon Eastern Time. But now, we are hosted by John. Don’t forget to link back to his original post in the comments and tag your entry with “Lens-Artists” to ensure we can discover it.
You can keep up with all of our challenges by subscribing to the Lens-Artists team members websites: Tina, Patti, Ann-Christine, John, Sofia, Anne, Egidio, Beth. Ritva,
For information on how to join the Lens-Artists challenge please click here.
Until then, let’s keep exploring, broadening our horizons, and maintaining a positive mindset
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography 