Welcome to week 36 of the Tuesday Photo Challenge. After last week’s very lighthearted topic of Balloons (great suggestion, Debbie!), I knew exactly what I wanted to do for this week.
Of course, the holiday season made it pretty obvious to me that this week’s challenge them has to be Lights. During this time of year, lights are every where to offset the shortest days of the year and the long nights that come with them. As we approach the Winter Solstice in the Northern hemisphere, these lights fill us with a sense of joy, as all is clear and all is bright.
Your challenge is to provide some interesting photography of lights in any kind of environment. Capturing lights can be a challenge, but with a little trial and error, you should be able to get the result that you want to achieve. An example of experimenting a bit is this long exposure that I took a couple of years ago:
Nubble at Night
This image of Nubble lighthouse on Cape Neddick, Maine, was taken during the holiday season when the entire complex is lighted beautifully.
For those who’d like to participate in this weekly challenge, the rules are the following:
Create a pingback link to this post, so that I can create a post showing all of the submissions over the week (note: pingbacks may not appear immediately, as my site is set up to require approval for linking to it; helps against previous bad experiences with spamming)
Have fun creating something new (or sharing something old)!!
Have fun going out there (or staying indoors) and finding the light! I’m looking forward to the great images that you’ll come up with!
Technical Details
This image was captured with a Canon EOS 5D MkIII using an EF 17-40mm f/4L lens. Exposure settings were at f/18 and 131 seconds with 100 ISO. This long exposure was done using a timer.
A Fresh Perspective
Photography is more than just a vehicle for capturing the world around me; it provides me with a palette and a set of brushes, with which I paint not only what I see, but also look to express the emotions that are evoked by the scene in front of me in that moment.
Growing up in the Netherlands exposed me to a wide cross-section of visual arts that laid the foundation of my photographic view of all that surrounds me. Early influences were the Dutch Masters of the 17th century, to whom I was introduced by my grandfather during museum explorations; favorites among them are the scenes of quotidian life depicted by Jan Steen and Frans Hals and the vivid landscapes of Jacob van Ruisdael.
My classical high school education was supplemented by the Boijmans Van Beuningen museum, where I spent many a lunch hour exploring its great collection. Here I was introduced to surrealism with a particular love for the approach taken by Salvador Dali; Dali also rekindled my appreciation for the work of Hieronymus Bosch, who often showed the folly of us mortals.
Universal Connections
My approach to any photographic subject is to look for understanding first; in this I look to establish either a connection between the viewer and the subject or capture the connection of the subject with its surroundings. The captured image then aims to portray this connection from a perspective that is part of my personal interpretation.
This interpretation is often a form of externalized introspection, which may alternately display the connection of isolated beings and items with their environment or highlight the whimsy of the profound world, in which we find ourselves. The universe is full of connections, many of which are waiting to be discovered; part of my journey as a photographer is to document these connections.
Any assignment, be it an event, a product shoot or a portrait session is always approached through communication with the client; this is where the first connection is established. Ideas are exchanged and a collaborative plan of action forms, ultimately resulting in a set of images that aim to exceed the expectations of each client.
And, lest we forget, it is important to have fun while practicing the serious business of photography!
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36 thoughts on “Tuesday Photo Challenge – Lights”
I did wonder over the weekend if Light might come up !! Bingo !! Beautiful photo (as always!) Happy Christmas Frank 🙂
What a beautiful focus for this week’s challenge, Frank. I’m in. 🙂 Looking forward to it. Debbie
ps – that is a fantastic photo, especially with the reflection of the lights in the water. Wow truly moved me.
Dutch goes the Photo! 
I did wonder over the weekend if Light might come up !! Bingo !! Beautiful photo (as always!) Happy Christmas Frank 🙂
Happy Holidays, Judith! Your guess was spot on!!
What a wonderful photo and very apt theme Frank. Have a wonderful week and beautiful Christmas Frank. 🎄
Thank you, Miriam! Have a very Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!
Thanks Frank!
So beautiful! This was such perfect timing, I just went to an amazing light show. Will have photos up later. 🙂 Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas, Michelle! Lights are the way to celebrate the season!
Truly! Thank you 😊
Night photos are complicated and hard to pull off for people like me lol. I love love love how crystal clear and beautiful this photo is.
Long exposures of this kind do require a DSLR and a release timer; I really love them, as they allow for a different view of the world around us.
Glad you like this one!
Wow, Frank, the photo is so magical. It lights up the air and water. Just beautiful. Here is my entry.
https://theshowersofblessing.wordpress.com/2016/12/20/tuesday-photo-challenge-christmas-lights/
Thank you very much and a very Merry Christmas!
What a beautiful focus for this week’s challenge, Frank. I’m in. 🙂 Looking forward to it. Debbie
ps – that is a fantastic photo, especially with the reflection of the lights in the water. Wow truly moved me.
lovely photo, Frank 🙂 Merry Christmas!
https://ladyleemanilablog.wordpress.com/2016/12/20/klee-and-dales-cosmic-photo-challengeshow-us-your-winters-light/
Thank you very much! Wishing the happiest of Holidays to you and your family.
Absolutely stunning. Nubble Light (as I’ve told you before) is my favorite place. Looking at this photo makes me feel like I’m home again. ❤
Thank you! Yes, it is a cool spot and I remember how much you like it. Happy Holidays to you and Steve!
Looking forward to this roundup! Here’s my entry: http://mistilayne.com/jessica-jonathans-barndiva-wedding/
It’s one of my favorite photos of lights overhanging an outdoor venue 🙂
Thank you! It should be a lot of fun, as the entries are spectacular.
Great to have you in the fold again! Happy Holidays to you and Steve!
I am so excited to be contributing to this challenge again Frank! 🙂
Done! Thank you Frank, I learned so much yet again. I am grateful for you and your blog! Merry Christmas – Debbie
A wonderful post, Debbie!