Author: jansenphoto

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!

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Round Up 137

A quiet moment is worth much!

Welcome to the 137th round up of the Tuesday Photo Challenge!

Tranquil moments abound in the amazing array of photos that you shared in response to this week’s theme.  Many of you echoed the sentiment that it’s important to take a deep breath and step back from the chaos, particularly during this holiday season.  Your posts truly captured this sense of serenity that we often lack in our daily lives.  Thank you for all the work you put into them and the creativity that you brought to bear!

I hope that you enjoy these wonderful posts, as much as I did.

Here’s another bit of quietude…

Soft Circles among Leaves

This image is one that draws me into a meditative state, reaching inner tranquility, as my mind’s eye floats among the leaves…

The following were this week’s participants in the challenge with links to their posts:

  1. Shelley’s post in Quaint Revival shows that she’s truly elf-taught: and she has great tips on photographing holiday lights!
  2. In Charles’ entry in his blog, charlesewaugh, we visit Skyline drive and get a tranquil vista of Shenandoah National Park; this is an area that I certainly want to visit!
  3. Irene shares the hush of the morning with a wonderful photo in Heaven’s Sunshine.
  4. In Jordy’s Streamings we encounter a hypnotic view of rose spirals, beautifully photographed!
  5. In this week’s entry from Don’t Hold Your Breath, we visit Shamian Island, an unhurried oasis amidst a bustling city.
  6. This week, pensivity101 takes us out on the water, where tranquil moments abound, as we glide along its surface.
  7. No shortage of tranquil location in the Limousin area, as we find out in theonlyD800inthehameau; this image certainly showcases that!
  8. Alice takes us to lovely locations in her post in the 59 Club; water brings out the tranquil moments here!
  9. In another great post in WhippetWisdom, Xenia brings the tranquility of the beaches and a wonderful haiku.  In a second post in Tranature, we enjoy tranquil moments along forest paths.
  10. The post by Na’ama Yehuda brings us in touch with Nature’s tranquil presence through a fantastic poem.
  11. In another awesome post in Junk Boat Travels, we find out about those tranquil moments on a tour bus, thanks to WiFi!
  12. In Life Amazing, we not only get to see some tranquil locations, but find out that real tranquility is achieved when the youngest children sleep!
  13. Ulli’s post in the interesting blog Banactee takes us back to a simpler time in a wonderful wooden still life!
  14. In a lovely post in A Pause for Nature, we learn to appreciate the tranquil moments of the river, as that means that it is not flooding its surrounding areas.
  15. Sarah’s posts in By Sarah and By Sarah show us two different views of tranquility.
  16. Danny’s post in Danny James Photography features a location that is known for its tranquil nature: a Japanese garden.
  17. Anita’s post in for the Love of has all sorts of tranquility, as even the birds are quiet this morning.
  18. In a great post in Roaming Urban Gypsy, we get treated to a number of sites in Brooklyn that are very tranquil.
  19. Tatiana shares a lovely post TravelArtPix of the foggy views in Nova Scotia. in Giftsmart, we get to enjoy the color purple in tranquil landscapes.
  20. Brian captured some wonderful quiet moments in Bushboys World with stunning photos!
  21. In this week’s post in To See a World in a Grain of Sand… Ann-Christine captures a true moment of tranquility in a gorgeous photo!
  22. Jase brings a different post in Proscenium that is all about snow business and its impact!
  23. In Heart to Heart‘s post it’s all about me time, as it’s a great time to relax!
  24. In this week’s post from MyTravelCSP, we can see ourselves sitting and being mesmerized by the water rushing by…
  25. In her post in Finding My Own Way, Laura shares a stunning photo of tranquil times in the landscape.
  26. Cee shares some wonderful shots in Cee’s Photography, where water and sky feature to quiet our mood.
  27. Woolly has several tranquil photos in his Woolly Muses post, one of which really stands out for me!  Which one really speaks to you?
  28. In a lovely post in Fleeting Muse, we are treated to two different times of tranquility: evening and morning.
  29. In Nut House Central, Kammie features several great photos and can rest easy, as Wednesday is just fine for TPC entries 🙂
  30. Maria’s photo in her post in KameraPromenader is simply stunning and wraps us in a cloak of tranquility.
  31. Deb’s photo in Twenty Four is one of those landscape images that you can simply look at for hours!
  32. This week’s post in One letter UP – diary 2.0 talks about the serenity of sunsets and demonstrates it beautifully!
  33. In Photo Roberts Blog, we can feel ourselves drawn into the photos and feel the tranquil moments.
  34. Hammad showcases the silence of the blues in his photos in his wonderful Blog of Hammad Rais!
  35. In another great photo, Susan truly captures tranquility in her post in Musin’ with Susan!
  36.  With another stunning photo in Land of Images, we cherish a rare moment…
  37. In her awesome blog, This is Another Story, Yinglan features some stunning photos that really talk to this week’s theme.
  38. In another wonderful post in ForgivingConnects, Debbie reviews the year and really captures the tranquility that she has achieved!
  39. In a lovely post in A Young Retirement, Bud and Jane definitely found some tranquil spots!
  40. In Sgeoil‘s post we go into Nature for a generous helping of tranquility.
  41. Olga certainly captured a beautifully seren scene in her post in Stuff and what if…, and the poem is icing on the cake!
  42. Ilka’s wonderful post in A Thousand Miles reminisces of her sons’ favorite hiding places when they were little, and their being extra quiet in hopes to not be discovered…
  43. Marie shares a gorgeous photo of a very tranquil kitchen in Aarhus in her post in the New 3R’s: Retire, Recharge, Reconnect!
  44. In a great post in Pictures without Film, we escape the maelstrom of the daily grind in Cornwall with a photo of the engine house at Carn Galver.

I hope that you enjoy these posts and let the authors know!

Three Line Tales – Tenderness

Tenderness with a punch!

Many thanks to Sonya for Week One Hundred and Forty-Nine of Three Line Tales, part of her awesome blog Only 100 Words!

three line tales week 149: a close up of a butterfly
photo by Boris Smokrovic via Unsplash

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Gentle as a breath,
Tender touch reaching pollen.
Generation Next!

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Thank you to Sonya of Only 100 Words for coming up with Three Line Tales.

You’ll find full guidelines on her TLT page, but here’s the tl;dr:

  • Write three lines inspired by the photo prompt (& give them a title if possible).
  • Link back to this post.
  • Tag your post with 3LineTales (so everyone can find you in the Reader).
  • Read and comment on other TLT participants’ lines.
  • NEW: If you want your post to be included in the round-up, you have until Sunday evening to publish it.
  • Have fun.

Happy three-lining!

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Tranquil

Recovery of reason!

Welcome to Week 137 of the Tuesday Photo Challenge!

Amidst the hubbub of the holiday season (or is it the shopping season?), all of might wish for a moment of quietude; to find peace in the maelstrom of deadlines, demands and expectations is precious any time of year, and, possibly, even more sought after this time of year.  With that in mind, I thought it might be nice to have this week’s theme be Tranquil!

Take a moment to breathe deep, maybe meditate and center yourself; let your creative mind’s eye guide you to express the Tranquil state.  Hopefully, you are there, or it’s what you look to achieve.  Have fun, relax and enjoy this week’s challenge!

Here’s a relaxing moment to get you going…

Peaceful Morning

Rocky Pond has provided for a number of great moments to photograph over the years, and this morning was no exception. Nearly still, with the Sun  peeking around the tree, accentuated by birdsong, this was a tranquil moment!

The full rules of this challenge are in TPC Guidelines, but here’s the tl;dr:

  • Write a post with an image for this week’s topic
  • Please tag your post with fpj-photo-challenge (if you’re not sure about how tags work, please check out this WordPress article about tagging posts)
  • 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 a peaceful week!

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Round Up 136

Contact across the planes!

Welcome to the 136th round up of the Tuesday Photo Challenge!

What a truly amazing set of posts on this week’s theme! You made Contact with the world around you, your inner feelings and touched in your posts!  It was fun to read about your varying interpretations, and while not all contact was the good kind, there was an amazing amount of positivity in all the contact!  I truly enjoyed reading all your amazing posts, and thank you for the amount of effort that put into them!

I hope that you enjoy these wonderful posts!

Here’s contact of the ghostly kind…

  • Searching for Answers

Floating through the ether, her presence approaches the fount of knowledge, the mansion’s library. Searching through its vast stores for information that might explain her sudden disappearance from this earthly plane…

The following were this week’s participants in the challenge with links to their posts:

  1. In a wonderful post in Junk Boat Travels, we learn about the sometime benefit of making contact with great people on organized tours!
  2. The appetite inducing post by Geriatri’X’ Fotogallery might leave you wanting some delectable morsels!
  3. In Nut House Central, Kammie shares how contact is kept with the younger generation…
  4. Shelley’s post in Quaint Revival speaks of her struggles to break free from the fashions of the 1980s; and much more!
  5. In a lovely post in Minding my P’s and Q’s, we find out about contact with the higher powers of the universe through Nature.
  6. In this week’s contribution in Don’t Hold Your Breath, we go to the artists’ market, where there is much to enjoy!
  7. In Charles’ entry in his blog, charlesewaugh, we enjoy the contact between Sun and Sea!
  8. The post by Na’ama Yehuda celebrates the magic of contact that a child makes with Nature.
  9. In a lovely post in WhippetWisdom, Xenia not only shares amazing photos of Eivor and Pearl romping on the beach at sunset, but also has a great tanka!
  10. Tatiana shares a great post in Giftsmart, which features the release of baby turtles into the sea!
  11. In this week’s post in To See a World in a Grain of Sand… Ann-Christine reminisces of a time that one of her dogs might not appreciate so much…
  12. Sarah’s post in By Sarah features a gorgeous photo, where land makes contact with the water…
  13. Maria’s contribution in her post in KameraPromenader provides a lovely view with the minimal contact between skater and ice!
  14. This week, pensivity101 reminisces about her dog Barney, who used to enjoy the televised Fly Ball competition a bit too much!
  15. Jase features an amazing photo in his post in Proscenium; time to rise and shine to catch that kind of view!
  16. In Heart to Heart‘s post we make eye contact, with a camel!  She also has a second post in Heart to Heart, that makes a significant splash!
  17. Debbie has a great post in Travel with Intent, which has the largest hands that I have ever seen!
  18. Ron has a really cool post in Progressing into Solitude which makes me want to play that bass!
  19. In a wonderful post in theonlyD800inthehameau, we get ready to see the start of a tennis star!
  20. Nicole’s post in Une Photo, Un Poéme is all about avoidance of contact by using the token system…you’ll want to see it!
  21. Sandy encountered a flocking in her post in Out of my Write Mind, as she made contact with the first snow of the season!
  22. In Jordy’s Streamings we make contact with several amazing locales around the world, both natural and human made.
  23. In another great post in Land of Images, we keep contact across the expanses!
  24. This week’s post in One letter UP – diary 2.0 is a bit of a throwback, as things do not go well for Mr. Bill!
  25. In another great post in ForgivingConnects, Debbie talks about the wonderful result of self-forgiveness, an endless gift that keeps on giving!
  26. Olga contributes an amazing post in Stuff and what if…, as she makes contact with a dream!
  27. Woolly takes us to various forms of contact in his Woolly Muses post, the not so good, when it affects our cars, and the great kind that allows us to communicate with one another!
  28. Deb’s post in Twenty Four has an amazing photo that connects us with the human spirit!
  29. In MytravelCSP we make contact with the Kadakvasal dam near Pune; a gorgeous location!
  30. In a lovely photo Susan captures the contact between two parrots in her post in Musin’ with Susan!
  31. In Sgeoil‘s post we are introduced to a quote by Edouard Manet and a beautiful photo that goes well with it!
  32. In a great post in Robert’s Snap Spot, we encounter lots of great contact with the planet and each other!
  33. Ilka’s wonderful post in A Thousand Miles talks about the wonderful time in the morning that is purely hers.  Also, we find out why Alf didn’t want to solve jigsaw puzzles 🙂  
  34. Khürt put together an excellent in Island in the Net, as he discusses his use of manual settings on his camera to push his photography to even higher levels! The results are stunning!

I hope that you enjoy these posts and let the authors know!

Three Line Tales – Global

Think global, act local!

Many thanks to Sonya for Week One Hundred and Forty-Eight of Three Line Tales, part of her awesome blog Only 100 Words!

three line tales, week 148: gulls over a stormy sea
photo by Lalo via Unsplash

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Waves roar like thunder,
Scent of brine carried in air.
Gaea’s engine revs…

****

Thank you to Sonya of Only 100 Words for coming up with Three Line Tales.

You’ll find full guidelines on her TLT page, but here’s the tl;dr:

  • Write three lines inspired by the photo prompt (& give them a title if possible).
  • Link back to this post.
  • Tag your post with 3LineTales (so everyone can find you in the Reader).
  • Read and comment on other TLT participants’ lines.
  • NEW: If you want your post to be included in the round-up, you have until Sunday evening to publish it.
  • Have fun.

Happy three-lining!

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Contact

Making contact…

Welcome to Week 136 of the Tuesday Photo Challenge!

As I was caught repeating a theme last week (great attention to detail!), I made doubly sure that this week’s theme was not used for a previous TPC. Also, I want to thank Na’ama for contributing the theme of Contact.  When I saw this theme in her list, I was at once intrigued, as Contact can be taken in multiple directions.  First contact with aliens might be far-fetched, but making contact can range from a fender bender to a phone call…

I hope that you will let your creative huices flow for this week’s theme and have some fun with it! There were some great whimsical entries last week and I certainly look forward to your flights of whimsy!

Here’s an interpretation to get you going…

Contact!

In the dogsport of agility, there are certain obstacles, such as this see-saw that require the dog to touch a certain area before dismounting.  This area of the obstacle is called the contact area.  As you can see in this photo, there are very fast dogs that get to the end of the see-saw and then have to ride it down.

The full rules of this challenge are in TPC Guidelines, but here’s the tl;dr:

  • Write a post with an image for this week’s topic
  • Please tag your post with fpj-photo-challenge (if you’re not sure about how tags work, please check out this WordPress article about tagging posts)
  • 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)!!

Looking forward to the contacts that you create  this week!

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Round Up 135

Memories fill our hearts!

Welcome to the 135th round up of the Tuesday Photo Challenge!

First of all, thanks to each and everyone of you for your warm wishes and thoughts.  Your contributions to this week’s theme of Memories are stunning and creative.  There were a number among them that really touched me, some made me smile and even laugh. It was a joy to read all of your posts and I appreciate the amount of effort that you have put into each post!

I hope that you enjoy these wonderful posts!

Our dogs are always in our hearts…

  • Intense Bette
  • Ransom relaxing
  • Darwin having fun
  • Tonka looking awesome

Tonka was our first dog, a lovely mutt, who we got from the shelter when she was about 10 weeks old; she was not the bravest soul, but could always tell good people from bad and stood her ground when she felt the need. Darwin was our first Cardigan Welsh Corgi; we got him when he was six months old and a timid little dog.  He grew into a proud and confident dog who loved agility and herding and lived to the age of 16.  Ransom was our second Cardigan, who loved nothing better than snuggling.  We lost him earlier this year when he was almost 15.  Bette came from the same breeder as Ransom and was a smart dog, who ruled the pack for many years.

The following were this week’s participants in the challenge with links to their posts:

  1. In the Nut House, Kammie shares wonderful memories of places and family!
  2. This week, pensivity101 takes her inspiration from Cats, as well as family, one of which led to the purchase of a piano!
  3. In another great post in theonlyD800inthehameau, the deadhead correctly observes that this theme is a repeat; go check out his great photo and I hope that the repeat was acceptable 🙂
  4. Ladyleemanila shares the wonderful memories of her Pearl wedding anniversary and the great places she visited on the trip that came with it!
  5. In this week’s contribution in Don’t Hold Your Breath, we go to the Garden of Peace and Comfort, a stunning locale!
  6. Xenia share the memories of seals in her blog Tranature, which are wonderfully cute!  In a lovely post in WhippetWisdom, Xenia shares the magic of Eivor and Pearl with great tankas.
  7. Tatiana shares a great post in Vegas Great Attractions, as she introduces us to the Nevada State Museum. In TravelWays we visit the wonderful beaches of Acapulco!  And in TravelArtPix the Panama City skyline is featured!
  8. The post in Na’ama Yehuda is filled with the power of the heart’s memories!
  9. Sarah’s post in By Sarah takes us to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, which features the roll of honour.
  10. In a wonderful post in For the Love Of, memories of past dogs are shared with us and they are truly touching!
  11. Jase features Lucy in his post in Proscenium; Lucy is a not so sweet cat ‘rescued’ by the kids…
  12. Emily displays a pattern in her post in Zombie Flamingoes, and I think that she needs to share some of this pattern!
  13. Sandy shares a great memory in her post in Out of my Write Mind, as that class photo is fantastic!
  14. In Heart to Heart‘s post we get to experience the joys of a trip to Bangkok in 2013.
  15. In this week’s post in To See a World in a Grain of Sand… Ann-Christine shares a wonderful memory with a magical beast!
  16. The wonderful post by Geriatri’X’ Fotogallery makes me want to taste those freshly picked mangos!
  17. In his post in the Blog of Hammad Rais, Hammad not only has some great photos, but also a wonderful poem that walks down memory lane!
  18. In another wonderful post in Land of Images, we enjoy the memory of a balmy day in the dunes.
  19. Woolly shares some really cool memories in his Woolly Muses post, which is filled with the best of Botswana.
  20. Deb’s post in Twenty Four takes us to a gorgeous location in New Zealand on the occasion of her birthday in 2012.
  21. In a lovely post in Mama Cormier, we get to meet both the oldest and youngest member of her family.  
  22. Olga has great memories in her post in Stuff and what if…, and the Ukrainian Garlic festival looks very cool!
  23. Khürt may not have been feeling his best for Thanksgiving, but as we can see in his post in Island in the Net, thanks to a great support system he got to enjoy it!
  24. This week’s post in One letter UP – diary 2.0 features a rather whimsical memory and is highly enjoyable!
  25. In another fantastic post in Life Amazing, we are treated to some amazing family photos and their importance.
  26. Maria’s memories in her post in KameraPromenader gave me a chill…it may have been a little cold!
  27. The post in Ostendnomadography is filled with fantastic travel memories; those locales are just amazing!!
  28. Ilka’s post in A Thousand Miles brings back the memory of the restorative power of the forest by the Lech.
  29. Ron starts the contributions of the week with a great post in Progressing into Solitude.
  30. Debbie has a great post in Travel with Intent, where she features the St. Pancras Station soldiers’ sculptures, which are an eerie reminder of the toll of war…

I hope that you enjoy these posts and let the authors know!