Creative Challenge: Camouflage and Impressionism

A collection of photos from Creativity Spreads with the theme of Camouflage and theme of Impressionism. These photographers did an amazing job with their art and photography. Excellent work!

Images © by individual named and unnamed artists. No reproduction allowed.

Creative Challenges

Hello Friends, and thanks for tuning in to the Photo Café.

Creative Challenge #1
Impressionism
Take one current image of a garden, flower or tree, and use processing to create fine art. Think of Monet or Van Gogh, and see how creative you can get. Lightroom, Photoshop, DxO, Nik, Topaz and so many free and easy software programs are available to use.

SPECS
Due by June 18, 2020 before 12:00pm eastern time.
2000px on the long side
sRGB color
JPEG

Send image to mike@jenniferkingphoto.com
Please include the challenge in the subject header of the email (impressionism).

Creative Challenge #2
Camouflage
Find camouflage subjects in nature, or create a still life to camouflage a subject. Have fun, be creative.

SPECS
Due by June 18, 2020 before 12:00pm eastern time.
2000px on the long side
sRGB color
JPEG

Send image to mike@jenniferkingphoto.com
Please include the challenge in the subject header of the email (Camouflage).

Awake or Asleep in Reine, by Bob Specker

The Reine Rorbuer [ fishing huts ] in the Lofoten Islands off the northwest coast of mainland Norway are a photographer’s paradise. In February of 2020 Jennifer King led a group of five photographers there to see, photograph, and in many other ways enjoy the wonderful scenery, hospitable villages, and very cordial residents. The area’s mountains were covered in a quiet, soothing blanket of white with frequent refreshing snowfalls during our stay there, the Aurora Borealis gave us a satisfying performance, and we picked up some local Norwegian lingo and enjoyed their seafood based hospitality.

One day while the group was driving through the fishing villages our  guide, Jennifer, expressed the opinion that while the area was a spectacular place to visit she was doubtful whether or not she would enjoy living there herself. As I understood her comments, her concerns were whether or not life would be stimulating enough there, whether one could find fulfillment and satisfaction unless one perhaps had been born there and raised in the traditional ways of the local people. We all understood her thoughts.

Later that day she gave her group an assignment to photograph any aspects of Reine Rorbuer during our afternoon free time and to do so in order to create a cohesive story with our images. I initially struggled with finding such a common thread until I thought back about her earlier comments about living there. That led me to seek out images which would highlight whether the village of Reine was, in fact,  “asleep or awake”  and stimulating or quieting, during our stay there. Was the village asleep, with few signs of life or human movement, or was it awake, with clear indications of a bustling, active community ?

It was winter and many activities were shut down for the season so it was not easy to find clear cut examples of either the village’s being asleep or awake. I had to use my imagination. The images I furnished to Jennifer to tell my story may or may not clearlyl convey the desired effect. See what you think as to how each image illustrates one or other aspect of Reine, Norway. No categorization will be completely ‘wrong’; that’s the beauty of practicing the art of photography.

Bob Specker

The dormant sod roof shows ’sleeping’ vegetation.

This image also has dormant vegetation but the bridge in the background hints at daily movement and traffic over it [life] although one can not see vehicles from this distance.

The sea birds resting on the water and looking for fish to eat were actually one of the unambiguous signs of life and activity, even if not of the human sort.

Again, dormant vegetation, but of a different type of that in prior images

Implied life and wakefulness : the rooster’s movement when windy and even its mere presence pointed to human habitation and life.

Similarly, stairs imply human occupancy/life but also the spiral form of it seemed more awake and dynamic than a static straight-line staircase. And even the hint of a split of some sort in the right-most window covering might be construed to mean ’some living person is inside’ [ quite a stretch, eh ? ].

The waving flag of the hotel ownership gave hope that, at least here, something was going on and ‘live’ guests were welcome. And wave it did in the very strong winds.

Definitely a sign of long winter sleeps here although soon the racks will be filled with cod to dry in the ocean air.

The light at the door of the restaurant was one of the few genuine signs that life was going on here.

And the letter carrier’s motion back into his vehicle indicated that at least some folks inside were getting mail.

This boat will never sail again, a certain sign of one type of ‘nautical’ sleep.

This bright pink heather plant was one completely unambiguous sign of life in Reine, albeit it botanical, not human.

These boats were moored in their docks while their owners may or may not have been sleeping or awake.

A merchant selling winter fishing gear could be a sure sign of life in Reine.

In summary, it looks like Reine was much higher on the ‘asleep scale’ and I admit having to r    e    a    c    h       quite a bit to find any meaningful signs of life that day.

Lofoten Islands, Norway

During our 2021 workshop, we had a day or two that was windy, snowy and cold, and decided to give photographers a creative challenge: Capture Their Visual Story of Lofoten.

Here is a video from photographer and friend Sue Williams.

“Rare and Rugged Reine” depicts a modern day village accommodating tourists who visit this beautiful landscape.  The signage not only provides a public service, but also appeals to the English speaking athlete who should take advantage of Lofoten’s recreational activities, regardless of the severe climate.   

Out of Yosemite with the Legends of Photography

What an amazing week this was in Yosemite National Park. I was honored to be one of the instructors along side the legendary photographers of Ansel Adams era, including William Neill, John Sexton, Charlie Cramer, Michael Frye, Alan Ross, Harold Davis, Jack Curran, Charlotte Gibb, Franka Gabler, Alex Noreiga, Matt Payne, the Ansel Adams family and yours truly!

Yosemite is more than just a grand landscape, it is a wonderland of photo opportunities for intimate landscapes, details, abstracts and nature. Here is one of my favorite photos called “Fire and Water” taken in the Merced River at sunset with reflections of El Capitan in the water.

Fire and Water

Reflections of El Capitan in the Merced River at sunset

Yellowstone 2020

We kicked off our winter season with more workshops inside of Yellowstone National Park. Winterscapes, abundant wildlife, and a very special sighting and photo op with the Wapati Wolf pack. 17 strong, this pack made evening appearances in Lamar Valley, then moved over to Tower Junction for the best display every seen. The alpha male and female came over the ridge of the mountain, while the other 15 wolves ran down to the river. Needless to say it attracted a crowd, but in all of my years photographing wolves and wildlife, I have never seen anything like it. Truly amazing to see 17 wolves in the wild at one time. Can’t wait to get back. Want to be on the 2021 waitlist? Send us an email at info@jenniferkingphoto.com and we will get you to the best winter location in the world!

Did we forget to mention the landscapes? We had one of the most dramatic sunsets every witnessed in Yellowstone. A winter storm approached as the sun was setting creating dramatic light and snow over Lamar Valley. Who’s ready to go back to Yellowstone?

Isle of Skye, Scotland

Have been hiking through the Highlands of Scotland for the past couple of weeks. A giant glowing ball of light has been spotted in the sky, and some say it is called the sun. An unusual sighting this time of year. We have actually had mostly sunny conditions which is uncommon, but very welcomed. Headed to the Fairy Glen to catch a sunset. Hope you all have a great day!

Winter in Yellowstone 2019

Winter in Yellowstone this year was pretty remarkable. While we had some good bison and coyote photo opportunities, it was the landscapes that stood out so well this year. We had great weather, blue skies, and a lot of fog which made for the best landscape photos I have ever seen from Yellowstone. We photographed bison, elk, mule deer, white tail deer, black tail deer, coyotes, swans, ducks and more, but there was one animal that got away… the elusive bobcat. Randy spotted him from the front seat of the snow coach, and we all jumped out with anticipation. This bobcat lived up to his reputation. He was long gone and hidden before we could photograph him. One day Mr. Bobcat.. I will find you!!!