Love at first sight – V.J.’S Weekly Challenge #36: Wild card

Well this week V.J. has challenged us with:

This week, I am giving you a carte blanche…well, sort of… there’s a catch.

Go back over the last week’s worth of posts or so, and notice any words or phrases that repeat themselves. I’m talking adjectives, or verbs, maybe nouns.

Well given that my blog is mainly photographs this is an interesting challenge, in fact challenge and challenged have probably been the most common words used, when it comes to the most common shots they have been landscapes featuring ancient monuments and trees, and recently Long Meg and her daughters have featured a good few times.  Hmm I could challenge myself with attempting to take a challenging shot of Long Meg and her daughters but as I live nearly 300 miles and nearly 6 hours away, this might have to wait for my next visit.  Archives also appears quite frequently and therefore I have chosen to use the first shots I took of Long Meg.  This is a 5 shot stitch taken on the old Minolta dimage z3 and never before edited!

‘Love at first sight’, Long Meg and her daughters, Cumbria, 2011.

Ken

 

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Linear imposition – Friendly Friday – Contrasts.

This week Amanda challenges us with:

This week on Friendly Friday Photography Challenge, I am asking you to create a post on “contrasts.”

So I have chosen to use another photo of ‘Long Meg and her daughters’, this time for two reasons.  I like the contrast in this photo of the ‘linear’ being imposed on the ‘circular’, that is the ‘modern’ road being driven through the ‘ancient’ stone circle.  I also just like the visual contrast in this image the highlights and shadows of the sky.

‘Linear imposition’, Long Meg and her Daughters, Cumbria, 2018.

Ken

Dancing Stones – Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge – Made by Humans

This week Cee challenges us with the topic ‘Made by Humans’.

Well I thought I would have to use a picture of a stone circle, and what better to use than Stonehenge, not my personal favorite circle, but such an enigma, just how was it built by humans?

‘Walking at Stonehenge’, Stonehenge, 2017.

Ken

 

Long shadows – Lens-Artists Challenge #32 – Shadows

This weeks challenge from Tina asks us:

Let’s make this week’s challenge SHADOWS.

We this is quite a hard one, as all our best photography is dependent on the shadows, looking for the best placement of light that results in the shadow when taking the shot, or of lightening them or darkening them in post.

So I could choose literally any photo, however lacking a photo of ‘Hank Marvin’, I chose these photos.

‘Long Shadow’, Long Meg and her daughters, Cumbria, 2018.

‘Present Photographer’, Swinside/Sunkenkirk stone circle, Cumbria, 2018.

Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see.  – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Ken

 

 

From one end of the country to the other – Friendly Friday – Stay in your comfort zone.

This week ‘The Snow Melts Somewhere’ challenges us with:

Have you noticed how some people always urge you to come out of your comfort zone? It’s supposed to be good for you.

But sometimes all I want to do is just stay where I’m comfortable, do what I like doing. I don’t always want to leave my comfort zone!

So today’s prompt is short and sweet – yes, you guessed it: Comfort Zone.

So my first photo is of ‘Long Meg and her daughters, a stone circle in Cumbria.  Visiting stone circles and other ancient monuments can be both comfortable and uncomfortable.  But Long Meg and her daughters is definitely a space where I feel at home, recharged and within my comfort zone.  Also for double ‘comfort zone’ points this photo is a panoramic landscape made from a seven photo stitch, those of you who follow me know that taking such photos is also well within my comfort zone.  The resultant file was some 20,000 pixels in width, the resultant image has been reduced somewhat for your viewing pleasure, the site often has cows, and therefore pats, and thus flies, the shear number of little black dots to be removed was probably verging to outside my comfort zone.

‘Panoramic Meg’, Long Meg and her daughters, Little Salkeld, Cumbria, 2017.

My second photo is of St. Ives, taken from the comfortable zone of the cafe in the Tate art gallery.  Visiting Cornwall is well within my comfort zone.

‘Backstreets and gardens’, St. Ives, Cornwall, 2014.

Ken

Fold – Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge – In the Distance

For this weeks challenge Cee asks us:

This week the topic is In the Distance.    Stretch yourself a little with this one.

Well I only just made it, as there will soon be a new B&W challenge from Cee – but here are two shots taken at Mitchell’s Fold Stone Circle last year.

‘Standing’, Mitchell’s Fold, Shropshire, 2018.

‘Preparing to paint’, Mitchell’s Fold, Shropshire, 2018.

Meg’s Trees – #ThursdayTreeLove – 56

Every 2nd and 4th Thursday Parul at Happiness and Food, asks that we share pictures of Trees.

So here is a photo of a magnificent Oak tree within the stone circle, Long Meg and her daughters. October 2018.

Finding a Moment – V.J.’S Weekly Challenge #32: Stillness

This week V.J. challenges us to:

When the world feels like it is crashing down on me, I recognize the invitation. It is time. This week, I challenge myself to practice stillness, through meditation, breathing, yoga – however I find myself there.

Won’t you join me?

So before I find a place to settle down and find my own moment of stillness, here is a photo of Karen finding a moment of stillness within the stones at Castlerigg stone circle, October 2018.

 

There and Back again – Friendly Friday Photo Challenge – Pathways

This week Amanda of Something to Ponder About hosts the ‘Friendly Friday Photo Challenge‘ and asks us:

Share your ‘Pathways’ photos on Friendly Friday.

The first photo is of a pathway I have been using a lot in these challenges recently, the pathway to Sunkenkirk/Swinside stone circle. And a reminder of the value of friendship.

The second a photo of what is probably my favorite circle with the liner pathway that dissects her.  Long Meg and her daughters.

The third a pathway that leads nowhere, but remember that if you are patient you will get to where you want to go. Pier at Brockhole, Lake Windermere.

Pathways can take you in both directions though so be wary.  Rail track in Copenhagen.

But I hope they deliver you to a place of peace.  St. Michaels mount, Cornwall.

And bring you back safely to your friends and family. Karen at Greenway.

 

The road to Sunkenkirk -A Photo a Week Challenge: Vanishing Point

In this weeks challenge Nancy asks us:

A vanishing point, also known as the point of convergence, is a key element in many works of art. Think of the vanishing point is the spot on the horizon line where the other lines diminish. It allows us to a create three-dimensional look in drawings, paintings, and photographs.

When shooting perspective images, sometimes the vanishing point visible. Sometimes it’s not, as in my image. The curve of the vanishing point gives you the feeling that you know what is just beyond the bend in the road.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO (OR THREE…) THAT FEATURE A VANISHING POINT.

So here are two images of the road to Sunkenkirk/Swinside Stone circle, taken on our visit to the Lake district in October 2018.