SharpFocus photos on Flickr

11 37

"A painter should begin every canvas with a wash of black, because all things in nature are dark except where exposed by the light."

Leonardo da Vinci

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Pedestrian Hours - Painted Seat by Zack

44 9

Pedestrian Hours - Painted Seat: A composed portrait built from crossed lines, saturated public art, and restrained black styling. The color frame celebrates the painted bench, while the monochrome version reduces the scene to posture, pattern, and presence.

Dilettanti by Natalie Panga

14 20

Dilettante

[Italian, lover of the arts, from present participle of dilettare, to delight, from Latin dēlectāre.]

"What distinguishes the artist from the dilettante? Only the pain that the artist feels. The dilettante looks only for pleasure in art."

Bertrand-Jean Redon, better known as Odilon Redon (1840 – 1916) was a French symbolist painter, printmaker, draughtsman and pastellist.

Music Of Silk And Flutes by Natalie Panga

13 20

"In Jincheng, music of silk and flutes mixes together all day,

Half goes to the river breeze, half goes to the clouds.

Music such as this should only go to heaven above,

In this human world, how many times can it be heard?"

Du Fu

Du Fu (Tu Fu; 712–770) was a prominent Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty.

Along with Li Bai (Li Bo), he is frequently called the greatest of the Chinese poets.

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The Joy Of Convolution by Natalie Panga

13 23

"All dripping in tangles green,

Cast up by a lonely sea,"

Herman Melville (1819-1891)

"For she walks above earth,

along the sea-coast,

and across the salt trail

of the sea-drift."

Hilda Doolittle (1886-1961), "Hippolytus"

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Further Than My Dreams by Natalie Panga

15 19

"The sun is brilliant in the sky but its warmth does not reach my face.

The breeze stirs the trees but leaves my hair unmoved.

The cooling rain will feed the grass but will not slake my thirst.

It is all inches away but further from me than my dreams."

M. Romeo LaFlamme, The First of March

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In A Kind Of Twilight by Natalie Panga

13 21

"All action takes place, so to speak, in a kind of twilight, which like a fog or moonlight, often tends to make things seem grotesque and larger than they really are."

Karl Von Clausewitz

"And as the evening twilight fades away..."

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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The Passion Of Red by Natalie Panga

76 33

"In the house of words was a table of colors. They offered themselves in great fountains and each poet took the color he needed: lemon yellow or sun yellow, ocean blue or smoke blue, crimson red, blood red, wine red."

Eduardo Galeano, The Book of Embraces

And Here Is Your Love For All Things by Natalie Panga

103 39

"And here you are hurried,

And here you are gone;

And here is the love,

That it’s all built upon...

May everyone live,

And may everyone die.

Hello, my love,

And my love, Goodbye."

Leonard Cohen Lyrics

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Hyacinths And Sugar by Natalie Panga

13 15

"Poetry is the synthesis of hyacinths and biscuits."

Carl Sandburg

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Lover Of Chalk by Natalie Panga

13 15

"When we speak the word "life," it must be understood we are not referring to life as we know it from its surface of fact, but to that fragile, fluctuating center which forms never reach."

Antonin Artaud (1896-1948), French theater producer, actor, theorist

"...an inexpressible tenderness and fragile delicacy."

Henry David Thoreau

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Prism: Bicolor Balance by Zack

56 13

Prism: Bicolor Balance - Contrast and harmony. The subject is sculpted by dual-tone lighting, utilizing a complementary color scheme to enhance depth and visual impact.

Amusement For Winter Evenings by Natalie Panga

10 22

"Our hut, poor and unstable,

Is the dark and sad to feel.

Why, are you, my little old lady,

Silent at the window-sill?

Are you tired, o my dear,

By the howling of the storm,

Or just dozing while you hear

The still hum your spindle from?"

Aleksandr Pushkin, Winter Evening

www.poetryloverspage.com/yevgeny/pushkin/winter_evening.html

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Red, White, and Blue - Radiant Contrast by Zack

47 11

Red, White, and Blue - Radiant Contrast: A vibrant twist on patriotic tones for flag day. High-saturation gels and minimal styling bring an electric, modern energy to the studio.

Catkins Golden Slumbers by Natalie Panga

13 15

"Golden slumbers fill your eyes

Smiles awake you when you rise

Sleep pretty darling do not cry

And I will sing a lullaby..."

Beatles Lyrics

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I Try To Apply Colors by Natalie Panga

10 28

"I try to apply colors like words that shape poems, like notes that shape music."

Joan Miro

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Youth Soccer Player Studio Portrait by Howard Deihl

39

A beautifully composed and professionally lit studio portrait capturing a young female soccer player preparing for a session. Set against a clean, seamless white backdrop, the athlete sits casually on the floor, leaning forward to adjust her white soccer socks.

Her posture combines relaxed athleticism with a confident, direct gaze toward the camera lens.The photography highlights crisp details, excellent color accuracy, and controlled studio lighting. The high-contrast setup creates soft shadows that add depth to her white jersey and shorts. Key details are sharply captured, including the "NTX" club crest on her left chest, partial branding on her uniform, and a distinct bow in her tied-back hair. The composition draws focus to her expression and the intentionality of her movement. A professional shallow depth of field keeps the subject sharp while softly rendering the pristine studio environment, delivering an authentic and impactful sports editorial aesthetic.

October Gave A Party by Natalie Panga

12 18

"October gave a party;

The leaves by hundreds came -

The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,

And leaves of every name.

The Sunshine spread a carpet,

And everything was grand..."

George Cooper

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Random Festive Things by Natalie Panga

10 19

"Sometimes it's good to contrast what you like with something else. It makes you appreciate it even more."

Darby Conley

"So much of life, it seems to me, is determined by pure randomness."

Sidney Poitier

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Off the Shoulder — Unbuttoned by Zack

18 7

Off the Shoulder — Unbuttoned: Shedding the formality while keeping the power. A daring intersection of heavy fabric and bare skin.

The Luminous Mysteries by Natalie Panga

13 19

"A day spent without the sight or sound of beauty, the contemplation of mystery, or the search of truth or perfection is a poverty-stricken day; and a succession of such days is fatal to human life."

Lewis Mumford

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Out of Sync by Mike Vogel

5

Purposefully shooting with an out of sync flash to produce different artifacts on the image

For Whom The Little Bells Toll by Natalie Panga

12 17

"Each man's death diminishes me,

For I am involved in mankind.

Therefore, send not to know

For whom the bell tolls,

It tolls for thee."

John Donne

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aMAZEment by Natalie Panga

14 17

"Amazement awaits us at every corner."

James Broughton

In everyday speech, both maze and labyrinth denote a complex and confusing series of pathways, but technically the maze is distinguished from the labyrinth, as the labyrinth has a single through-route with twists and turns but without branches, and is not designed to be as difficult to navigate. (from Wikipedia)

"People must feel that the natural world is important and valuable and beautiful and wonderful and an amazement and a pleasure."

David Attenborough

Love Never Dies A Natural Death by Natalie Panga

15 9

"Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don't know how to replenish its source. It dies of blindness and errors and betrayals. It dies of illness and wounds; it dies of weariness, of witherings, of tarnishings."

Anaïs Nin

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Richelieu Embroidery by Natalie Panga

13 11

"A painting is a symbol for the universe. Inside it, each piece relates to the other. Each piece is only answerable to the rest of that little world. So, probably in the total universe, there is that kind of total harmony, but we get only little tastes of it."

Corita Kent

"Art is a harmony parallel with nature."

Paul Cezanne

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Trinity by Ron Masters

12 5

Approaching Hatcher Pass, Alaska. Each of these is a single exposure. Levels were adjusted separately in the sky and land to maximize the dynamic range.

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An Honest Tear by Natalie Panga

10 22

"An honest Tear Is durabler than Bronze..."

Emily Dickinson

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Ruby throated hummingbird perched while feeding 0337 by Edward Mistarka

12 34

Ruby throated hummingbird perched while feeding on penstemon flower. Also called beard- tongue, Penstemon canescens. Lots of problems with noise even though iso was 400. Any ideas of how to brush out noise selectively? I ran two noise programs and it helped a lot, but not too much in the darker areas of the bird.

Obscura - The Art of the Tease by Zack

26 11

Obscura - The Art of the Tease: A study in tension and transparency, using sharp rim lighting to carve a cool, sapphire silhouette out of the void. It’s a masterclass in the power of suggestion because some things are far more interesting when left to the imagination.

In The Right Light by Natalie Panga

11 21

"In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary."

Aaron Rose

"And God said: Let there be light: and there was light."

Bible

"He that has light within his own clear breast

May sit i' the centre, and enjoy bright day:

But he that hides a dark soul and foul thoughts

Benighted walks under the mid-day sun;

Himself his own dungeon."

John Milton

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Scarlet Sessions - Liquid Fire by Zack

40 8

Scarlet Sessions - Liquid Fire: A study in controlled luminance and high-gloss drape, where directional key light fractures across metallic weave to create molten highlights. The composition leans into editorial minimalism with deep charcoal negative space, clean architectural lines, and a posture that balances command with quiet ease. Fabric becomes structure; light becomes the narrative.

Dolcemente by Natalie Panga

16 10

"There is something in the nature of tea that leads us into a world of quiet contemplation of life."

Lin Yutang, The Importance Of Living

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Red, White, and Blue - Star Spangled Energy: by Zack

43 9

Red, White, and Blue - Star Spangled Energy: Diving deep into complementary colors and cinematic moods. A high-energy study in light and allure.

If You But Knew by Natalie Panga

12 17

"If you but knew the flames that burn in me which I attempt to beat down with my reason."

Alexander Pushkin

"I loved you: and, it may be, from my soul

The former love has never gone away,

But let it not recall to you my dole;

I wish not sadden you in any way.

I loved you silently, without hope, fully,

In diffidence, in jealousy, in pain;

I loved you so tenderly and truly,

As let you else be loved by any man."

Alexander Pushkin

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The Close Up by zuckshot

8 2

Just the average Song Sparrow. Captured during a walk at a local park.

Colorful by Humberto Barba

6

Presence - Minimalist Form by Zack

19 6

Presence - Minimalist Form: A lean toward high-fashion minimalism, where a simple necklace and neutral palette allow the subject's presence to dominate the frame.

Benchside Relaxing – Class of 2027 Senior Portrait by Howard Deihl

30

A relaxed full-length outdoor portrait featuring a high school senior from the Class of 2027 graduation year. She is pictured sitting comfortably on a long, modern wooden curved bench with her legs crossed. She smiles brightly for the camera, showing off her timeless, casual style in a charcoal gray long-sleeve henley crop top, wide-leg light-wash blue jeans, and classic white Adidas Samba sneakers with black stripes. The dark storefront windows and subtle green shrubbery behind the bench create a clean, contemporary urban background.

Do you have all your cameras and lenses calibrated?? This will help: bit.ly/sharpfocus Time to calibrate the @sonyaustralia A7II and 70-200 f4 with #datacolor Lenscal, before testing the lens by Matt Granger

9 2

A Foretaste Of The Mystery by Natalie Panga

11 24

"Love is an endless mystery, because there is no any reasonable cause that could explain it."

Rabindranath Tagore

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Lara Croft: Artifact of Intent by Zack

54 4

Lara Croft - Artifact of Intent: Beyond the adventure lies a moment of focused reflection. The composition emphasizes a refined, editorial approach to the iconic aesthetic, utilizing a custom gobo to create an atmospheric, noir-inspired depth. The look of someone who has already solved the puzzle and is waiting for everyone else to catch up. What do you think she’s observing?

La Beauté Agricole by Natalie Panga

12 11

"When the winter chrysanthemums go,

there's nothing to write about

but radishes."

Matsuo Bashō, translated by Robert Hass

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Off the Shoulder - Magnetic Tension by Zack

27 5

Off the Shoulder - Magnetic Tension: Precision in posture, playfulness in presence; an effortless balance of high-fashion poise and undeniable spark. Godox AD200 w/ blue gel against white seamless backdrop. Godox v1 to the left and right.

Venceremos! by Natalie Panga

13 16

"Freedom is never dear at any price. It is the breath of life. What would a man not pay for living?"

Mahatma Gandhi

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Strawberry Break by Natalie Panga

11 28

Interesting Facts about Strawberries

In actuality strawberry is not a fruit but only an enlarged receptacle of the flower of the plant in which strawberries grow.

In the 13th century, strawberry was known more for its medicinal value than as a delicious fruit to be consumed. Strawberries were widely cultivated in ancient Rome to be used in various medicines prepared by them to treat diseases like skin discoloration and digestive disorders. Belgium even maintains an exclusive strawberry museum to enlighten people more about the use and medicinal value of this fruit that belongs to the rose family.

Attempts to produce new hybrid varieties of strawberry were started in the world as early as in 1700. The experiments made by the French scientists to create a new breed of strawberry by crossing the strawberries brought from North America with the varieties from Chile became a success in 1700s. It is a scientifically proven fact that strawberry has more nutritional value than many other fruits that we consume. It contains 20% RDA of folic acid in a single serving. This water-dissolvable vitamin that is found in large amounts in strawberries is known for its ability to reduce birth defects involving various nerves and brain disorders.

(www.growing-strawberry.com)

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Me And Sunflowers by Natalie Panga

11 24

Ruby throated hummingbird amongst turtlehead flowers 5233 by Edward Mistarka

5 27

Ruby throated hummingbird amongst turtlehead flowers. Large size is much better in quality.

Nocturnal Art by Natalie Panga

10 27

"All architecture is great architecture after sunset; perhaps architecture is really a nocturnal art, like the art of fireworks."

Gilbert K. Chesterton