Lens-Artists Challenge #211 – What’s Your Photography Groove

Lily Pads in Motion

“I believe in the photographer’s magic — the ability to stir the soul with light and shape and colour. To create grand visual moments out of small and simple things, and to infuse big and complicated subjects with unpretentious elegance. “

Amyn Nasser

With a warm thank you to our July Guest Hosts, the Lens-Artists team is back this week with an interesting challenge from Anne – “What’s Your Photographic Groove.” I pondered the question as I went through the images for my post. What I found was that my images are all over the map – travel, wildlife, portraits, nature, landscapes, you name it, I’ve photographed it – and I have at least a few in each area that are among my favorites. There is no specific genre that interests me the most, nor on which I spend more time or energy. There is one thing that ties them all together however – I am a seeker of the light.

Hoodoos, Bryce Canyon

“Light turns the ordinary into the magical.”

Trent Parke

If we study the great photographers throughout history, one thing we will consistently see is the importance of light to a successful capture. We often read about finding the best light during the hour before or just after sunrise and sunset. Those times do indeed deliver amazing opportunities. But so too do the other hours of the day and night. As examples, my opening image was made from a small boat on a lake in the mid-afternoon. I loved the little buds popping out from the lily pads, and the motion of the boat delivered a lovely impressionist feel to the image. So too the image just above, captured one afternoon following a violent thunderstorm. In both cases the clouds parted in such a way that the mid-day light fell perfectly within my area of focus – but then, which do you think came first, the chicken or the egg? Did the light hit my subject at just the right moment, or was my eye drawn to the subject by the beauty of the light?!

Strolling Stork

“It is the photographing of ordinary things, in extraordinary light, which results in extaordinary photographs.”

David Young

Once again, in the image above the light shone on the waters’ ripples surrounding the wood stork on which I was focused. The scene was transformed beyond a simple image of a bird. Rather it became a portrait of the light enhanced by the presence of the bird.

Leader of the Pack

“Where light and shadow fall on your subject – that is the essence of expression and art through photography.”

Scott Bourne

In Africa a typical safari begins just before daybreak and ends just after sunset with a break at mid-day. My close-up of the elephant above is enhanced by the light falling softly on its gnarled skin. Majestic creatures at any time of day, they are even more glorious in soft light.

Majestic Oak

“In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary.” 

Aaron Rose

The image above is from another of my sunrise outings. It was a beautiful morning and the oak trees and their moss were truly magical. So too in the images that follow – no matter the subject they are all quite simply about the light.

From our travels:

Midnight Sun and Whale, Glacier Bay Alaska

Rice Fields, Longsheng China

Torres del Paine, Chilean Patagonia

Closer to Home:

Oceanfront Silhouette – Sunrise, Kiawah Island

Simple Made Magical, Kiawah Island

“Light is to the photographer what words are to the writer; color and paint to the painter; wood, metal, stone, or clay to the sculptor.“

Andreas Feininger

I appreciate Anne’s challenging us to identify our photography “groove”. I truly enjoyed the self-exploration and while I didn’t find a specific genre I did confirm what most appeals to me. We look forward to seeing what YOU find out about yourselves. Remember to link your post to Anne’s original here and to use the Lens-Artists Tag to help us find you. We also thank Sarah for last week’s Three Favorites challenge. It was great fun seeing everyone’s choices and even more fun to see the reasons behind them. We’ll be back next week when Patti leads us on Challenge #212. Until then please stay safe and be kind.

Interested in joining the Lens-Artists challenge? Click here for more information.

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Tags: LENS-ARTISTS, light, natture, travel

• August 7, 2022
• Photography
• 100 Comments