monochrome photography

lens-artists: to be young again

“And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, Speak to us of Children.

“And he said:

“Your children are not your children. …

They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. …

“You may give them your love but not your thoughts.

“For they have their own thoughts.

“You may house their bodies but not their souls,

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. …”*

Images posted in response to Tina’s lens-artists challenge: to be young again.

*cited: Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet, pg. 17

life’s passages … 71

saturday morning with Kahlil Gibran

“Then a woman said, Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow.

… Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.

And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was often times filled with your tears.

… The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.

…Some of you say, “Joy is greater than sorrow,” and others say, “Nay, sorrow is the greater.”

But I say unto you, they are inseparable.

… Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.

Only when you are empty are you at stand still and balanced.” …*

*cited: Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet, 1973. pp 29-30

Leica V-Lux 5, f/4 … 1/60 s … 32.65 mm … 125 ISO

lens-artists: tools of photo composition

John’s lens-artists’ challenge invited me to open up my photographer’s eyes to the compositional elements of shape, form, texture, and light. I thought to expand this challenge to include Ted Forbes’ invitation to “think in pairs” … the page spread. Ted Forbes notes that thinking in pairs is the “building block” of a printed body of work as well as an invitation to image how photographs might speak visually to one another,

So jumping into this challenge…which has indeed been a challenge.

The first pair of images includes the use of light to form horizontal lines. Also my eye sees a triangle form and shape within in both images.

The second pair of images include circular shapes, as well as, a bit of texture and the use of monochrome.

The third pair of images (which is my favorite) includes the use of triangles and texture (sidewalk and jeans).

The fourth pair is composed of still life photographs that includes the use of shapes, texture, light and shadow, and form. The element within both images that brought them together for me is the stems.

Journeys with Johnbo’s lens-artists challenge invites photographers to see the compositions of shape, form, texture, and light

life’s passages … 52

life is a never-ending river…sudden moments of a stilled pond, languishing through time; riding whitewater rapids; falling waterfalls, bubbling creeks; uniting raindrops on a windowpane. Passing through life, seeking to rejoin with a vast unknown, and then again, evaporating into clouds that release into another stream of searching…searching…searching.

Are you in the waves of vast oceans?

Are you in the scent of flowers?

Are you in the spring’s early morning?

Are you in the touch of the afternoon’s sun rays?

Are you in the ever-changing clouds that tells stories of old?

Are you in the sound of melting snow?

Are you in the rustling movement of tumble weeds?

Are you in the colors of a brand new box of 72 Crayons? Or an old one?

Are you in the season of Autumn? Spring? Summer? Winter?

Are you in the wings of butterflies?

Are you in the vibrations of honey bees?

Are you in these questions?

Are you in the morning chanting sangha?

Are you in the scent of sun-warmed pine needles?

Are you in the uniting of water drops?

Are you in my searching, searching, searching?

lens-artists … weather

green leaves of spring,

harvest moon in autumn,

cool breezes in summer,

snow in winter …

A mind not clouded by ignorance,

the seasons of home.

Everything changes and nothing lasts forever

images submitted in response to slow shutter speed’s lens-artists challenge: weather. Weather is a specific event—like a rainstorm or hot day—that happens over a few hours, days or weeks. Climate is the average weather conditions in a place over 30 years or more.