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!
Welcome to Week 105 of the Tuesday Photo Challenge. This week’s episode of the challenge marks the 2nd anniversary, thanks to all of your great contributions!
The inspiration for this week’s theme came from our fine Spring weather here in New England… Overnight sleet and snow turned into a torrential downpour of rain for most of the day, so how can I not go with the theme of Rain? What does rain make you think of? What is your favorite thing to do in the rain? Do you break out into a song and dance through the puddles?
For this challenge, bring out your best rain moods and share them with all of us to lift our spirits and welcome the droplets from the sky!
Here is a connection with last weeks theme with a bit of rain…
Catch Bull in Rain
This was another shot from Baxter State Park in Maine, on a very rainy day! It was a torrential downpour for most of the day. Rain gear for camera and photographer were much appreciated and well used! This moose was one of 27 that I photographed during this weekend, which was truly amazing!
The full rules of this challenge are in TPC Guidelines, but here’s the tl;dr:
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)!!
Welcome to the 104th round up of the Tuesday Photo Challenge!
Your posts were filled with a breath of fresh air! The moods created in your posts were filled with the breath of life, whether resulting from the clean air of Nature, the exhalation of a child into a soap bubble or the trees that produce a large part of the oxygen we need every couple of seconds. Filled with the spirit of the universe, it was a joy to read each and every one of yours posts!
Thank you for your amazing contributions to this theme, as we all breathe together on a planet that tells us to care for one another and the environment, in which we live.
Here’s a sample of some of my favorite air to breathe….
Autumn’s Leaves
Sometimes, looking up, we get the most stunning views, such as these Autumn leaves against the bright blues sky; this is the season, in which I love to get outside and breathe in the cleanliness and purity of the air.
The following were this week’s participants in the challenge with links to their posts:
Kicking things off this week is Sarah in her post in By Sarah, which takes us to New Zealand to breath in the fresh air in Buller Gorge!
ladyleemanilla provides a great set of images, which are great to breathe in deeply and appreciate.
Stella’s post in Giggles & Tales takes us to a great set of locations that lend themselves to sitting down and take in a deep breath!
In a great post in Life of Manders, we get a fantastic view of Hraunfossar in Iceland which is filled with stunning landscapes!
Xenia’s post in whippetwisdom brings us a new breath, as Eivor and Pearl enjoy the fresh air!
In What if we all cared?, we get a wonderful post about taking a breath, relaxing and roasting some marshmallows.
In pensivity101, we breath in the fresh morning air, as we’re floating along the canals and rivers.
In another great post from Anita’s Images, we go for a hike in Majjistral Park which is filled with breathtaking views and a great Basenji!
In Field Notes from over the Hill, Gwenny takes us to one of her favorite locations, where she could sit all day and breathe in the entire place.
The Dolomites in Italy is where Geriatri’x’ Fotogallery brings us to breathe in fresh mountain air!
In a great post in theonlyD800inthehameau, we get to enjoy a great photo and some lateral thinking, as breath is filling the soap bubble!
Nicole takes us to Ben Nevis in Scotland in Une Photo, Un Poéme, where we get a breath of fresh air thanks to a tree!
In a Roaming Urban Gypsy, we get to visit some of the breathing sites in the city, some of which have drawn their last breath…
In a great post in Don’t Hold Your Breath, we are taken to an awesome place to take a break and breathe deeply!
In a great post in Woolly Muses, we cycle through the fresh air that is generated by trees.
Susan takes us into a breath of Spring in Musin’ with Susan, as she brings us the first rose of Spring!
Another wonderful post in Chinese Corner with Min brings us the fresh air that is brought by a generous Spring in Beijing.
George has a fantastic post in the Alchemist of the Woods, as he takes us to a program that connects girls with horses to help them overcome trauma in their lives.
Layue’s everyday photo blog takes us to a green field at sunrise, where we breathe in the freshness of life.
Miriam has put together another great post in Showers of Blessing, as she heeds the call of Spring!
Xenia created a lovely post in her blog Tranature, where we find the mist across the river generating a deep breathable mood.
I hope that you enjoy these posts and let the authors know!
The WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge has the very hopeful theme of Awakening, which is a great way to think about sunrise!
Sunrise and sunset are probably most photographers’ favorite times of day for the beautiful light that they produce. Or course, sunset is a bit easier on most, as it doesn’t require getting up early in the morning, but for my money, there’s nothing like sunrise, particularly in Winter, as it’s crisp and refreshing!
Here’s one of those mornings…
Sunrise Streaks
As the Sun comes up, the Yoga Tree stretches her limbs toward the sky in anticipation of a day filled with energy and recharging.
Welcome to the 103rd round up of the Tuesday Photo Challenge! My apologies for the delayed round up, as I’ve had a rather busy week.
Your views of the future have been amazing! I really enjoyed reading your posts and seeing some of the amazing photography. There was great variety, as well, ranging from looking at the possibilities of the future and things, to which we look forward, to deep thoughts and great trips that look like a lot of fun!
Thank you for a great set of posts!
Here’s a different look into the future….
The Line
Right in my home town of West Boylston, this railroad line provides a view that makes us wonder about what lies ahead….
The following were this week’s participants in the challenge with links to their posts:
Hammad starts things off this week with a wonderful post in The Blog of Hammad Rais, where we get a look into the future!
Xenia’s entry in whippetwisdom has faith in the future, which is understandable with those lovable whippets!
In pensivity101, we read about her plans for the future, in which she likely will not be rich, but definitely happy!
By Sarah‘s post provides a wonderful view of the future, as it’s maturing in barrels at the winery!
In a lovely post in Don’t Hold Your Breath, we’re looking at a future in Milan, which looks rather nice in May!
Robert always has great photos in Photo Roberts Blog, which this week look forward to a wonderful Summer!
In another lovely post in Fleeting Muse, Pranab presents us with some future fruits in the blossoms that she photographed.
Nicole’s view of the future in Une Photo, Un Poéme presents us with wonderful fields that speak of Summer!
Doar Nicole shows us stunning photos of tulips in her post for this week, which are accompanied by a great poem!
Miriam’s post in Out an’ About takes us back to the future at slightly less than 88 mph; exploring the sands looks like a lot of fun!
In a great post in Woolly Muses, we get to see some photos from a safari in Africa with amazing animals!
In a lovely post in Land of Images, we are looking forward to a hopefully near future of bluebells and wild garlic!
In a fantastic post from Anita’s Images, she shows us some of the great things of the future, as well as what we need to do to protect our environment for that future!
With a stunning photo, Life in Minutes brings us a future that looks beautiful with a reminder that our future lies in the past!
I hope that you enjoy these posts and let the authors know!
Welcome to Week 104 of the Tuesday Photo Challenge. Just a quick note to let all of you know that last week’s round up will be published tomorrow.
As I just came back from a fantastic show by Brit Floyd, I’m a little inspired to take a hint from one of Pink Floyd’s songs that always has spoken to me, with this week’s theme of Breathe. The opening lyrics are powerful, as they tell us to ‘Breathe, breathe in the air. Don’t be afraid to care.‘ Good advice for all of us, as a deep, cleansing breath can help center us in any situation.
For this challenge, look to share what Breathe means to you; whether it is something that reminds you to breathe deep, or gives you the urge to breathe it all in! Have fun and I can’t wait to see what you share.
Here is a location, where I very much breathed it all in to feel part of the woods…
Breathe
Baxter State Park in Maine is a massive area that is filled with amazing natural beauty and animals. This gentle path was a perfect place to relax and breathe in all of Nature’s bounty!
The full rules of this challenge are in TPC Guidelines, but here’s the tl;dr:
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)!!
Take a breath of fresh air and capture that image!
