Still life photography

The subject matter is so much more important than the photographer.~Gordon Parks

Being an amateur photographer I don’t own a studio. I rely on available light from surroundings. Interestingly both winter and spring provide fantastic backdrops for such shots.

Next couple of images are taken in Italy during our recent visit. Lessons learned:

• Take care of your belongings while travelling. Taking photos are fun but one must be careful with loose items. Our desire to cover as much as possible at times force us to ignore our belongings. The subject in the this photograph belonged to someone from a group of tourists who were at the same spot just a couple of minutes before us. Being short on time the ladies rushed towards the bus. I didn’t check what was inside but used this case as a subject.

• Instead of visiting only the marked tourist attractions walking in alleys in various parts of a city provide interesting window displays.

• look up look down look all around. Balconies give idea of local choices and even showcase the cultural and traditional trends.

Photography is the only language that can be understood anywhere in the world. ~ Bruno Barbey

Lens artists photo challenge

Here’s a window to my environment

Enjoyed the warmth of this spring

It’s been over a week since we are back from Italy. To our surprise we came back to sunny and warm days. A short vacation was enough to amplify our workload. Anyways we managed both, our duties and personal time.We spent evenings in enjoying sunsets from different places and during weekends we got busy in hiking, chasing spring as we believe “no two springs or sunsets are the same“

What’s the use of a fine house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on.~Henry David Thoreau

To cherish what remains of the Earth and to foster its renewal is our only legitimate hope of survival. Wendell Berry

Spring work is going on with joyful enthusiasm.~ John Muir

Lens artists photo challenge

Six Word Saturday

Jos Monday Walk

I am glad as from yesterday we are back to our default weather routine. It’s mostly wet, cold and grey and yet it’s spring. Even the public road administration has asked people to wait an extra week before changing their winter tyres if they haven’t done it already 😁😲

Have a great week!

Capturing fun moments with mediocre routines

No two walks are the same…

You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment –Henry David Thoreau

Spring is around the corner

Life is full of new experiences with a tag “conditions applied”. Some sees it some don’t. Here is my try to find some moments which may not excite the locals but to me yes and probably to some of you?

Lens artists photo challenge

Jos Monday walk

Six word Saturday

Finding Peace: Then and Now

March 2022

Life is a matter of choices, and every choice you make makes you. ~ John C. Maxwell.

March 2023

Peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be. ~Wayne W. Dyer

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Lens artists photo challenge

Jo’s Monday Walk

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I enjoyed my walks when crocuses were blooming and am enjoying my walks when every inch of land is full of fresh snow.

Adding a little to ordinary moments

There isn’t any such thing as an ordinary life.~ L.M. Montgomery

After a break we resume our daily walks. Walking in fresh snow is such an activity. Just that taking care of umbrella, camera and mittens require skills which I should learn😊. The surrounding looks new every time we pass by. Taking pictures is an addiction but some spots needs our attention and an image is mandatory. First I thought of making these images monochrome but then decided to keep them as they are. Hope you like them.

Jos Monday Walk

Six Word Saturday

Wordless Wednesday 5-23

Wordless Wednesday 46-22

This was the only moment when we enjoyed sunshine in week’s time. Moreover the only image we took during our 90 min. walk. I do not see sunrise and sunset from my home. The sun is always behind those mountains.

What Causes the Sun to Not Rise In the Winter?

Both the occurrence of the Midnight Sun and the Polar Night are a direct result of the position of the Earth and its relationship with the Sun. As most people already know, the Earth is not positioned perfectly perpendicular. If it was, then every location on the entire planet would receive exactly 12 hours of sunlight and 12 hours of darkness every single day. However, as we already know, this is not the case.  

The reason for this is that the Earth has a slight tilt to it. In fact, it is estimated that the Earth’s tilt is approximately 23.5 degrees on its axis. This fairly significant tilt of the earth means that one end of it is always pointing towards the sun while the opposite end is pointing away from it.

However, since the Earth is also constantly rotating on its axis and making a complete revolution every 24 hours, it means that the majority of the planet is still receiving a fairly equal amount of sunlight for the majority of the year. But as you get further away from the equator, this ratio of sunlight to darkness begins to become more and more unequal.

Reference : https://www.fjordtours.com/inspiration/facts/norway-winter-sun/

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Jos Monday Walk – Hope you don’t mind one image post, Jo.

Weekend 133: Welcoming Spring

First crocus

If people did not love one another, I really don’t see what use there would be in having any spring.~ Victor Hugo

The first Irises of Spring

Snowdrops

I am not sure of the reason for such distracted reflection but I find it interesting.

Stand for what’s right. Make your life beautiful. Make your life meaningful.~ Maxime Lagacé

The day the power of love overrules the love of power, the world will know peace. ~ Mahatma Gandhi.

Lens artists photo challenge

Jo’s Monday walk

Enjoying the three states of water

Old ways won’t open new doors!

Water does not resist. Water flows. When you plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a caress. Water is not a solid wall, it will not stop you. But water always goes where it wants to go, and nothing in the end can stand against it. Water is patient. Dripping water wears away a stone. Remember that, my child. Remember you are half water. If you can’t go through an obstacle, go around it. Water does. ~ Margaret Atwood

You suppose that you are the lock on the door. But you are the key that opens it ~Rumi

It isn’t what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it. ~ Dale Carnegie

Six Word Saturday

Jo’s Monday Walk

Lens artists photo challenge

Weekend 132

The urge of getting fresh air

Here is my story. I am not sure if anyone is interested but I shall share it. Many have shown curiosity in knowing, how do I manage with the weather. Regular visitors might have noticed that the weather in my adopted country is quite different than my country of origin. Nothing happens in one day. It takes courage and time to change our old habits.

Ultimately we know deeply that the other side of every fear is a freedom. ~Marilyn Ferguson

In the beginning I struggled with episodes of cough and cold, and sinus headaches. Weather was testing me like anything. Staying inside house forever was not possible but like many others I restricted my activities and thought it was good for my heath. I was wrong. In due time I learned an important lesson from my Norwegian friends, weekends are for outdoor activities. One needs a plan to manage both the household chores and the outdoor fun. It sounds difficult but working on it was a kind of fun. Weather played an important role and we started to plan things accordingly.

In the begining it was only on weekends but later we started doing it a couple of times during a week. The key was to learn how to restrict our TV/social media time. And of course our Norwegain circle helped and supported me a lot. They even arranged outdoor activities and introduced us to new options. Once the joy and happiness was found, we never looked back. Taking images for the blog became one essential activity. As Lao Tzu said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”.

Thank you all for being part of my journey.

धीरे-धीरे रे मना, धीरे सब कुछ होय, माली सींचे सौ घड़ा, ॠतु आए फल होय ~ कबीर दास

A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world. ~ Paul Dudley White (American physician and cardiologist)

Six word Saturday

Weekend 131