Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: SOFT

“The Earth is Art. The photographer is only a witness.”

Yann Arthus-Bertrand

SET OF SOFT SHEEP

Although is can sometimes be used as a derogatory adjective, implying weakness or limited intelligence, for the most part the word SOFT conjures up a warm, happy feeling. Soft-hearted, soft-touch, soft-spoken – you get the idea. This week as I think back on our visit to rural New York state, I remember the softness of many of the farm animals, especially the two little sheep above.

HIGHLAND CATTLE

“A soft heart is a strong heart, and a hard heart is a weak heart.”

Criss Jamie

Of course, there are all kinds of soft creatures around the world. One example – the long-haired Highland Cow above. He was one of my favorite finds on our visit to Scotland several years ago. I wondered how on earth he was able to see anything at all through those soft bangs.

ALPACA ON ALERT

“Just because you are soft doesn’t mean you are not a force.

Victoria Erickson

In Patagonia we were entertained by a small herd of alpaca grazing in the hills. Their fleece provides some of the warmest, softest, most luxurious fabric in the world.

This week show us your interpretation of SOFT. Is it something as simple as a puppy’s fur, or as personal as your favorite quilt or sweater? Maybe it’s the soft light of dawn or the whisper of a soft breeze through the trees. Let us know in your response what SOFT means to you.

Remember to add the Lens-Artists tag to your post, and to link to this one. Be sure to tune in for Patti’s challenge next week on Pilotfish

HAVE YOU SEEN THESE?

Last week Xenia treated us to a wonderful verse and a tranquil scene at Scotland’s Cairngorms National park . Catch her post here.

Pauline shared the many ways Aussies relax in her post. To see her response click here.

For more information about our challenge and how to participate, click here.

Tags: alpaca, Highland cow, LENS-ARTISTS, sheep, soft

176 thoughts on “Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: SOFT”

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pommepal on July 30, 2018 at 12:14 am said:

This did not show in the reader so thanks to Patti for the repost. Love all your soft fluffy animals an the soft looking flowers around the sheep. I will be back soon

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- Tina Schell on July 30, 2018 at 6:19 pm said:
  
  Bummed about the reader issues Pauline, thanks for tracking me down. I’ve reported to the WP “happiness engineers”. Sadly this is the second occurrence so hopefully this time they’ll REALLY fix it. Looking forward to your response for the week!
  
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  - pommepal on July 30, 2018 at 11:08 pm said:
    
    Hope you have it fixed by now Tina
pattimoed on July 29, 2018 at 8:49 pm said:

Reblogged this on P.A. Moed and commented:
Tina’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge may not have appeared in your WP Reader this week. If you haven’t seen it, here’s a re-post.

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- Tina Schell on July 30, 2018 at 6:19 pm said:
  
  Thanks Patti – the engineers are looking into it so we shall see.
  
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Pingback: The Unbearable Lightness of Being… SOFT – Abrie dink hardop
Svetlana Grobman on July 29, 2018 at 5:05 pm said:

Love your furry animals and the quote: “The Earth is Art. The photographer is only a witness”! Isn’t the truth! Wonderful.

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- Tina Schell on July 29, 2018 at 5:10 pm said:
  
  Thanks Svetlana, I loved that quote too
  
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prior.. on July 29, 2018 at 4:34 pm said:

Such a nice quiet feel to the softness and calm tones.
Nice challenge and just had to stop by to say HI

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- Tina Schell on July 29, 2018 at 5:12 pm said:
  
  Hi Yvette! Nice to E—see you! Come join the challenge!
  
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  - prior.. on July 29, 2018 at 9:05 pm said:
    
    well gracias for the invite… and I will see what I can do –
    🙂
  - Tina Schell on July 29, 2018 at 9:24 pm said:
    
    😊
    
    Sent from my iPhone
    
    >
Abrie Joubert on July 29, 2018 at 4:19 pm said:

On Saturday 6pm south African time I was thinking to myself: “Has Tina gone soft in the head, why isn’t she posting the new challenge”? Just for the record I did not think that!! In my version of Soft (still to be posted) I do deliberate a wee bit about softness in the head ass applicable to myself. Unfortunately I can again not see your post in the reader despite following you. I saw the your post via Patti’s post. But maybe this time the problem is on my side, as people are certainly commenting.

Any way I do like the photos of the animal soft toys

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- Tina Schell on July 29, 2018 at 5:06 pm said:
  
  Hi Abrie, thx for finding me! The Reader is a mess. I’ve reported it again. 3 workaround ideas: in your “manage” of the reader sign up for email notices of my posts 2) add the “lens-artists” tag to your reader (my post showed up there), 3) in Reader “Followed sites” do a search on travelsandtrifles.wordpress.com. The latest post showed up there for me even tho it didn’t show up in Reader Followed sites. Many of the responders this week didn’t show up one place or the other. Sigh
  
  Sent from my iPhone
  
  >
  
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  - Abrie Joubert on July 29, 2018 at 5:12 pm said:
    
    Pity I hope this isn’t an indication that Automattic is spreading its employees too thin. Th great thing of WordPress is that it works…
  - Tina Schell on July 29, 2018 at 5:17 pm said:
    
    Or used to anyway!
    
    Sent from my iPhone
    
    >
- Dina on July 30, 2018 at 1:22 pm said:
  
  This post didn’t appear in my reader either. 😦 I came here via Xenia.
  
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  - Tina Schell on July 30, 2018 at 6:20 pm said:
    
    Appreciate your extra effort Dina!
tatianatravelways on July 29, 2018 at 3:30 pm said:

Very nice photography! I’m new here, so this is my first contribution to this wonderful challenges 🙂
http://travelartpix.com/portfolio/jellyfish-floating-digital-art/
Thank you for looking!

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- Tina Schell on July 29, 2018 at 5:12 pm said:
  
  Welcome Tatiana, and thanks!
  
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Na'ama Yehuda on July 29, 2018 at 3:07 pm said:

These are lovely! Adding mine. https://naamayehuda.com/2018/07/29/soft-sand/

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- Tina Schell on July 29, 2018 at 5:16 pm said:
  
  Thanks Na’ama
  
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Pingback: Soft Sand | Na'ama Yehuda
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MNL on July 29, 2018 at 1:20 pm said:

I’m adding my hawk in! https://cactusdreams.com/2018/07/29/650/

i love how your animal photographs look like the come from a bygone era.

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- Tina Schell on July 29, 2018 at 2:33 pm said:
  
  Thanks! I see great minds think alike😊
  
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  - MNL on August 1, 2018 at 6:32 am said:
    
    🙂
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Linda Wyatt on July 29, 2018 at 12:04 pm said:

What a calming post… love those sheep!

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- Tina Schell on July 29, 2018 at 12:38 pm said:
  
  Thanks GF!
  
  Sent from my iPhone
  
  >
  
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that little voice on July 29, 2018 at 10:25 am said:

Tina, I always love your photos. You capture a mood perfectly.

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- Tina Schell on July 29, 2018 at 11:15 am said:
  
  Thanks so much for the lovely comment – much appreciated!
  
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I. J. Khanewala on July 29, 2018 at 10:17 am said:

A beautiful quartet of animals: very different from what I normally get to see. Thanks.

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- Tina Schell on July 29, 2018 at 11:20 am said:
  
  My pleasure I.J., thanks!
  
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Debbie Smyth on July 29, 2018 at 10:11 am said:

A great way to show softness.
And here is my interpretation of the theme: https://travelwithintent.com/2018/07/29/edinburgh-castle-soft-light-golden-hour/

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- Tina Schell on July 29, 2018 at 11:08 am said:
  
  Thanks Debbie – loved your response
  
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sharonbuehler on July 29, 2018 at 9:52 am said:

Soft…comfort. Those sheep are lovely.

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- Tina Schell on July 29, 2018 at 11:07 am said:
  
  Thanks Sharon – they’re so sweet-looking in person!
  
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Leya on July 29, 2018 at 7:48 am said:

More nature from me! https://lagottocattleya.wordpress.com/2018/07/29/lens-artists-photo-challenge-soft/

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- Tina Schell on July 29, 2018 at 11:21 am said:
  
  Thanks Ann-Christine!
  
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Pingback: Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Soft | Leya
Judy @ NewEnglandGardenAndThread on July 29, 2018 at 6:57 am said:

You had my attention with the horses and the sheep. 🙂

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- Tina Schell on July 29, 2018 at 11:21 am said:
  
  LOL, you’re a sucker for animals aren’t you Judy?? Me too!!
  
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Suzanne on July 29, 2018 at 3:06 am said:

I love your photos of animals. Here’s my response to your challenge. I have only just discovered your blog and this is the first time I’ve entered your challenge. https://beinginnatureblog.wordpress.com/2018/07/29/soft-photo-challenge/

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- Tina Schell on July 29, 2018 at 11:23 am said:
  
  Thanks very much Suzanne and welcome to the challenge!!
  
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Pingback: Soft – Photo Challenge – Being in Nature
restlessjo on July 29, 2018 at 2:42 am said:

I know we’d be lost without it, Tina, but I do get cross with WP sometimes. It has kicked both you and Patti out of the people that I follow and I found the challenge ‘accidentally’ on Twitter! They must be jealous of your new challenge 🙂 🙂 Love your soft images, especially that ‘alpaca’ on the alert!

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- Tina Schell on July 29, 2018 at 11:18 am said:
  
  Thanks Jo – glad you finally found us altho how we ended up on twitter I cannot imagine!! WP has been very unreliable lately. My post showed up in the Lens-Artists Reader section but not in Blogs I Follow. Grrrrr!
  
  >
  
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  - restlessjo on July 29, 2018 at 11:21 am said:
    
    I spotted Patti on Twitter and followed from there to yours. 🙂 🙂
Miriam Hurdle on July 29, 2018 at 1:06 am said:

Hi Tina, I love the soft sheep so ready to pose for you. I haven’t seen alpaca yet, but I used to live next to sheep and cow ranches. I can smell them just by talking about them.

https://theshowerofblessings.wordpress.com/2018/07/28/lens-artists-photo-challenge-soft-feathers/

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- Tina Schell on July 29, 2018 at 11:25 am said:
  
  You’re right Miriam – the sense of smell overwhelms all other sense with these little guys!
  
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  - Miriam Hurdle on July 29, 2018 at 12:04 pm said:
    
    I didn’t mind when we had the sheep and cows so close by. Now they are moved elsewhere to make room for housing. 😦 Patches of orange grove also got chopped down for housing also. We have an orange tree in our garden from the original building in the neighborhood.
  - Tina Schell on July 29, 2018 at 12:38 pm said:
    
    Sad. Progress I suppose 😢
    
    Sent from my iPhone
    
    >
  - Miriam Hurdle on July 29, 2018 at 6:57 pm said:
    
    Yes, the suburb is pushed further and further away. 🙂
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Andrew Seal on July 28, 2018 at 8:16 pm said:

Great shots Tina. Love the alpaca which reminds me of our wonderful travels in Peru and Machu Picchu. Have a great week.

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- Tina Schell on July 28, 2018 at 10:28 pm said:
  
  Thanks Andrew – Machu Picchu is very near the top of my bucket list! Now when are you going to join in our challenge????
  
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Pingback: Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Soft – Chateaux des Fleurs
Laurel on July 28, 2018 at 5:22 pm said:

Lovely “soft” examples!

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- Tina Schell on July 28, 2018 at 6:04 pm said:
  
  Thanks Laurel!
  
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Pingback: Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Soft – P.A. Moed
pattimoed on July 28, 2018 at 4:45 pm said:

Hi, Tina. The sepia tones and soft effects in these shots are marvelous. 🙂 It almost makes me want to hug those furry creatures. 🙂

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- Tina Schell on July 28, 2018 at 6:05 pm said:
  
  They are gorgeous up close Patti, but could use a bit of perfume 😊
  
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Jane Lurie on July 28, 2018 at 3:29 pm said:

Such soft and antiqued animal portraits, Tina. Love the hairy highland cattle. Good memories of the last shot–I believe it’s a Guanaco…a relative of the Alpaca. 🙂

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- Tina Schell on July 28, 2018 at 6:06 pm said:
  
  Thanks Jane – you’re right! Turns out an alpaca is a domesticated guanaco. Who knew!?
  
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  - Jane Lurie on July 28, 2018 at 7:34 pm said:
    
    Me! 🤣🤣🤣
robert20359 on July 28, 2018 at 3:22 pm said:

hi tina,wunderful pictures for this week, here is my entry for this challenge theme, https://wp.me/p2AvI7-2OA.
greetings robert

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- Tina Schell on July 28, 2018 at 6:06 pm said:
  
  Thanks Robert!
  
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Sue on July 28, 2018 at 3:17 pm said:

Love these….especially the alpaca! Off to see what I can find, Tina

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- Tina Schell on July 28, 2018 at 6:07 pm said:
  
  Thanks Sue—look forward to your entry!
  
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  - Sue on July 29, 2018 at 3:45 am said:
    
    Still thinking about it!
Leya on July 28, 2018 at 3:03 pm said:

Softness in every detail, Tina! One of my favorites in general is the Highland Cattle – but this time, the Alpaca in the grass is a real winner. The animal and the grass is “one” – nature harmony captured at its best.

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- Tina Schell on July 28, 2018 at 6:08 pm said:
  
  Thanks Ann-Christine. I have a hard time not choosing the highland cow as an all-time favorite animal 😊
  
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  - Leya on July 28, 2018 at 6:10 pm said:
    
    😀 I even have a clay figure of a highlander at home.
Perpetua on July 28, 2018 at 2:59 pm said:

Holy Cow! I feel like giving him a good brush and tie up his bangs on a pony tail. The sheeps are definitely soft looking. As for the Alpaca, I will stay away. The style of these photos give a soft appearance, Tina.

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- Tina Schell on July 28, 2018 at 6:08 pm said:
  
  Ha ha, I get it Perpetua! Thanks for your visit – loved your comment!
  
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lensandpensbysally on July 28, 2018 at 2:53 pm said:

Tina, marvelous examples of your theme, each image draws me into the surface character of the animal. Oh, and those faces.

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- Tina Schell on July 28, 2018 at 6:09 pm said:
  
  Thanks very much Sally-they are so sweet looking, aren’t they?!
  
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brenda on July 28, 2018 at 2:18 pm said:

Thank you Tina for this challenge. I have felt the softness of a sheep’s coat and can image myself running my hands through the strands of the highland cattle’s hair, I’ve never seen an alpaca…looks as though the touch would be fuzzy soft.

I went for the softness of Colorado’s green grass in which I learned to appreciate after experiencing Florida’s sawgrass.

https://ameditativejourney.wordpress.com/2018/07/28/lens-artists-photo-challenge-soft/

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- Tina Schell on July 28, 2018 at 6:10 pm said:
  
  Thanks Brenda—for your comment and your response!
  
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Tranature - quiet moments in nature on July 28, 2018 at 1:39 pm said:

Beautiful images for this week Tina, I especially love how you captured the alertness of the alpaca. My contribution for this week’s challenge is here: https://tranature.com/2018/07/28/tanka-red-squirrel/

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- Tina Schell on July 28, 2018 at 6:10 pm said:
  
  Many thanks Xenia!
  
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Pingback: Tanka: Red Squirrel – Tranature
Tranature - quiet moments in nature on July 28, 2018 at 12:29 pm said:

Thank you so much for your kind mention Tina and for hosting this beautiful new prompt for the week :o) xxx

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