Challenge! Cameraderie Challenge #76: Contemplative Photography- WINNER ANNOUNCED

OCBeyer

All-Pro
Location
Ellicott City, Maryland, USA
Name
Christian (Otto) Beyer
Start Date
Dec 3, 2024
End Date
Dec 31, 2024
When considering Bartjeej's critique of my photo I couldn't help think of contemplative photography - pictures that suggest contemplation.

"Contemplative photography is an artistic practice that combines mindfulness with the act of taking photographs, encouraging the photographer to be fully present and aware while capturing their surroundings. This approach emphasizes observation and perception, allowing individuals to engage deeply with the moment and find beauty in everyday scenes. By focusing on the process of seeing, contemplative photography nurtures a personal connection to art and nature." https://library.fiveable.me/key-terms/art-and-meditation/contemplative-photography. The photos can be of of anything - nature, people, creatures, things etc.

Henri Cartier-Bresson wrote, “Technique is important only insofar as you must master it in order to communicate what you see. . . . In any case, people think far too much about techniques and not enough about seeing.”

As usual, this Challenge will consider originality, technical merit and artistic vision (though as per the definition, technical merit is not as important)

No change to the tried and trusted rules, which are as follows:

1. Either take pictures that match the nominated theme or select one from your portfolio. You must be the photographer that created the image in order to enter it.
2. Only one entry per challenge, please. If you want to withdraw an entry and replace it with another, that is OK, but you must make it clear in the post containing your
replacement picture that this is what you've done. You can add or change the title and add to the edit line to let everyone know.
3. The decision of the curator at the end of the challenge is final - don't give him/her a hard time about it: this is just a friendly photo challenge, after all!
4. The winner will assume the responsibility of curator for the next Challenge, and as soon as possible post a message in a new thread in the Cameraderie Photo Challenges forum,
with details of the new theme. Don't forget - the opening message must include a copy of these instructions, which also double as the rules.
5. The curator cannot enter in his / her / their own challenge

The 76th Cameraderie Challenge will run from now through December 31st.

I'm looking forward to seeing your photos.
 

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Great theme Christian! I'll get contemplating! Hope to find time to actually make one such image in the coming weeks, as I enjoy taking my time with photography but rarely get to do so. If not, I'll browse the archives and think back to my mindset at the time of shooting. I like the example you posted here 🙂

One minor tip from one challenge host to another: if you edit the title of your first post to start with 'Cameraderie Challenge #76', it'll be more obvious to the casual browser what kind of challenge this is
 
When considering Bartjeej's critique of my photo I couldn't help think of contemplative photography - pictures that suggest contemplation.

"Contemplative photography is an artistic practice that combines mindfulness with the act of taking photographs, encouraging the photographer to be fully present and aware while capturing their surroundings. This approach emphasizes observation and perception, allowing individuals to engage deeply with the moment and find beauty in everyday scenes. By focusing on the process of seeing, contemplative photography nurtures a personal connection to art and nature." https://library.fiveable.me/key-terms/art-and-meditation/contemplative-photography. The photos can be of of anything - nature, people, creatures, things etc.

Henri Cartier-Bresson wrote, “Technique is important only insofar as you must master it in order to communicate what you see. . . . In any case, people think far too much about techniques and not enough about seeing.”

As usual, this Challenge will consider originality, technical merit and artistic vision (though as per the definition, technical merit is not as important)

No change to the tried and trusted rules, which are as follows:

1. Either take pictures that match the nominated theme or select one from your portfolio. You must be the photographer that created the image in order to enter it.
2. Only one entry per challenge, please. If you want to withdraw an entry and replace it with another, that is OK, but you must make it clear in the post containing your
replacement picture that this is what you've done. You can add or change the title and add to the edit line to let everyone know.
3. The decision of the curator at the end of the challenge is final - don't give him/her a hard time about it: this is just a friendly photo challenge, after all!
4. The winner will assume the responsibility of curator for the next Challenge, and as soon as possible post a message in a new thread in the Cameraderie Photo Challenges forum,
with details of the new theme. Don't forget - the opening message must include a copy of these instructions, which also double as the rules.
5. The curator cannot enter in his / her / their own challenge

The 76th Cameraderie Challenge will run from now through December 31st.

I'm looking forward to seeing your photos.
Hey, thanks. I though it wa
Great theme Christian! I'll get contemplating! Hope to find time to actually make one such image in the coming weeks, as I enjoy taking my time with photography but rarely get to do so. If not, I'll browse the archives and think back to my mindset at the time of shooting. I like the example you posted here 🙂

One minor tip from one challenge host to another: if you edit the title of your first post to start with 'Cameraderie Challenge #76', it'll be more obvious to the casual browser what kind of challenge this is
Thanks bartjee. I though it was automatic (I should have contemplated proof reading.)
 

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To take away the fear of the big word Comtemplative;
Every picture in which you honestly deal with the subject is one of these !
There is a second limit that excludes contemplativeness; a Moto Zoom Cam with more than 5 frames per second and tracking AF switched on. ;-)
really good topic 👍


P.S.

E.Hopper "Girl in comtemplation style"
 
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Oh, and how could I forget to mention Karen with her wonderful meditative b&w arrangements in SiN !
These still lives have been my daily joy and fascination

Oh, and how could I forget to mention Karen with her wonderful meditative b&w arrangements in SiN !
These still lives have been my daily joy and fascination.
Amazing macro shots. (sigh)

How do I go about seeing Karen's photos? Is that the moniker she uses?
 
Is that a double exposire? I like the effect!
Spot on.
I am currently experimenting a lot on in camera multiple exposures. For this one, it is not in camera ME though. I took 3 shots of the scene. 1 without people and 2 shots with the couple. I originally chose one for this challenge. But then, I want to add some blur for the theme. Luckily, I got the two pictures with slight difference in the couple's position.
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December has been crazy busy for me, but today while on a walk inbetween Christmas brunch and dinner, I could finally let my eye and mind wander aimlessly.

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For many mosses, the dead of winter with its extensive humidity is peak growing season. And with little else providing color, it's easier for moss to draw your attention.
 
Well, the New Year is here and the challenge is officially over. We've got 8 very interesting entries and I realize, considering the subject matter, I may have bitten off more than I can chew. So I'm enlisting the help of my wife, Beverly. As I've known for years, she has a different, and often more discerning eye than I have. Already she has been able to pull more meaning out of some of the photos than I originally had. So we will be studying them today and I hope to have the results to you shortly.

Happy New Year!
 
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