A Lake, the Sea, a River

Patti invites us, in this weeks Lens-Artists Challenge, to consider the shots we take – those which have a foreground – perhaps introducing the scene; middle ground – perhaps what the shot is ‘about’; and background, setting the shot in its conetxt, and rounding our ‘story’ off.

I’ve chosen three watery shots. The first, the featured photo, is so freighted with memories of a calm, peaceful November evening at l’Albufera, Valencia, full of peace and joy that I can’t really judge it on its merits. I like the swell of the rippling water in the foreground. The middle ground merely has a bird (I can’t any longer remember what kind) pausing on that pole: for me providing a little context. And the background is surely that dramatic evening sky?

My second is also an evening shot: a beachside walk in my daughter’s home town in Spain. There are seashore strollers silhouetted in the foreground. The Mediterranean itself provides middle-ground context, with no action whatsoever. And there’s Barcelona in the background. Or is Barcelona part of the middle ground, with the sunset providing the backdrop?

I come closer to home for my last shot, to Knaresborough. The raven perching on the wall is a surprising visitor to the photo, perhaps acting as compère, describing the scene behind: the quiet River Nidd and riverside houses. Behind is the commanding viaduct. Is this background feature actually the dominant part of the image? Three sides of the shot are framed by trees, giving a slightly bucolic air to this urban scene.

This was an interesting challenge, Patti. I think that in some ways the techniques you describe start to become more instinctive the more time one spends with camera in hand. But it’s good consciously to revisit them and think about them anew. But looking out of the window at the rain, I think I may give photography a miss this weekend!

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Author: margaret21

I'm retired and live in North Yorkshire, where I walk , write, volunteer and travel as often as I can.

30 thoughts on “A Lake, the Sea, a River”

  1. These are terrific, Margaret. The seaside shots are great examples but a wonderful shots in their own right. And th bridge is a very handsome bridge (and a handsome compare).

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    1. The viaduct IS terrific. And I imagine that if I’d lived there at the planning stage I’d have been in the vanguard of the protest movement to Save Knaresborough From the Horror of a Railway Viaduct! Thanks Elke.

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  4. I can’t choose a favourite here! They all fit the brief perfectly and are great images in their own right. Perhaps the serenity of the first shot just edges it in front of the others, but I do also love the silhouettes and the distant city in your Barcelona shot, while the viaduct in Knaresborough (aways a great subject for a photo) is further enhanced by the foreground raven 🙂

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    1. Well, thanks for that thoroughly positive critique Sarah! The first one is my favourite of the three too – always will be. But that’s memories rather than the photo itself. But it was an easy scene to show a positive image of!

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  7. All three are striking although it’s clear that the first shot resonates with you most. Because your first two are Spanish, your third made me think of Ronda. I need to make time to go further north after visiting my Yorkshire friend and see Knaresborough for myself.

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  9. Gorgeous photos, all of them. I have the very same scene of Knaresborough (minus the raven) hanging in my bedroom. A painting I bought at an antiques shop when I visited there many years ago with my daughter and father-in-law.

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      1. It is a well travelled picture. From Yorkshire to Alberta, from Alberta to Vancouver, from Vancouver to Spain. It has crossed the Atlantic twice! I love it. Yours with the raven is especially wonderful.

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  10. Loved all of your choices for the challenge Margaret. They are so different but each is wonderful. The opener is striking for its serenity, the middle is a gorgeous sunset with the figures giving it extra interest, and the closing image is postcard perfect. It would be a great entrant for a photo contest. Really beautifully done.

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  12. Your images are great Margaret, perfect for the challenge! I love how you drew us into the scene with the crow in the foreground and how you have a point of reference (the pole) in the first shot to orient us and draw us into the scene. But my favorite is the sunset shot in Spain. You have really incorporated the 3 layers into your image to give us a stunning view. Wonderful!

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  13. These are all fabulous shots. Without the context of the challenge I suspect I wouldn’t have looked at them as fully. Really enjoyed the opportunity to appreciate them through this ‘lens’.

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