View allAll Photos Tagged introspective
To recline is to listen inward—an invitation to ease the breath, soften the shoulders, and rest in a moment that asks nothing of us but presence. In the clamor of modern life, where movement is often mistaken for meaning, stillness offers a quiet rebellion.
It’s not laziness or retreat, but a profound form of trust: that we are enough without the constant proving. I think of golden light pooling on a carpet, a cat stretching unapologetically across a windowsill, or the way dusk pours itself gently into a room. Stillness, in these moments, is not absence—it’s grace.
To truly recline is to allow the world to come to us, rather than chase after it. The fire warms not because we tend to it, but because we draw near. In this softened state, we absorb more—beauty, clarity, comfort. We become porous to goodness.
Rest is no longer a reward for exhaustion; it’s a recognition of worth. There’s something sacred in that surrender, where movement gives way to meaning felt rather than forged. And in that space, reclined and receptive, we remember a truth too often forgotten: that stillness doesn’t diminish us—it completes us.
Despite returning to the location on several occasions over the past year, I last worked an image of Millwall Inner Dock at the start of 2015. The site at the centre of the Isle of Dogs has undergone extensive construction work over the years, and when I last photographed the location, Baltimore Tower was a construction site. Now, nearly two years later, the 45-storey building dwarfs the Lotus floating restaurant beneath it and soars as high as the buildings at the centre of Canary Wharf.
Capturing the scene with a clear reflection is a challenge because it depends not only on a very low wind speed but also on minimal activity from sailing boats, canoers and the occasional paddling of ducks. On a recent winter afternoon, when the wind speed dropped to 1mph for several hours and when subzero temperatures meant no one was eager to venture outdoors unless they needed to, the right opportunity to capture the scene presented itself. The final image is a combination of photographs that I began capturing at sunset with a two-minute exposure, building on this with four-, five-, eight- and nine-minute exposures as late-afternoon turned to dusk, and finishing with an early-evening 12-minute exposure. Each exposure contributed different details, from the final traces of sunshine across the southwest corners of the buildings and a soft pink glow on the horizon to the deep chilly hue of the evening's blue hour and the cityscape lights being switched on. Two-and-a-half hours after I began shooting, I had all of the exposures I needed to create the image I wanted.
Beginning with one of the dusk exposures as my template, I blended in traces of the afternoon sunlight and the building lights in Photoshop using the Lighten blend mode, which was a gradual process using several exposures as more and more of the lights switched on. This was also a selective process because the lights inside South Quay station were much brighter than some of the apartment lights and needed to be toned down with a low-flow brush, and because I wasn't particularly interested in adding lights from the cranes, which continued operating at Canary Wharf's south dock well into the evening. After this phase, I used the Pen Tool to isolate the sky and the dock's reflection, and used a radial gradient mask to blend in the warmer tones in the sky behind Canary Wharf. Capturing a smooth progression from a gentle red to a muted orange and then to a soft pink that faded into the colder sky was important to me because it seemed like this was where viewers' eyes would immediately be drawn when they first see the image.
With the blending phase complete, colour-grading the image was a straightforward process involving Hue/Saturation, Colour Balance, Selective Colour and Gradient Map adjustments. I also applied a very low-opacity Colour Lookup set to the Futuristic Bleak preset, desaturating some of the brighter colours and playing up the more muted tones. Using Silver Efex Pro set to Luminosity, I then added a small amount of shadow and midtone structure to the buildings, as well as raising the sensitivity of the reds and yellows to gently brighten the horizon. Finally, in Colour Efex Pro, I applied a small amount of the Pro Contrast and Detail Extractor filters to give the buildings a final bit of definition against the sky and to bring out some of the finer details in the building lights.
The final image is intended very much as a companion to the sunrise at South Dock which I captured a year ago, but at the same time there were subtle differences to the scene. The cityscape had the same vibrance and energy, and the reflection conveyed the same elegance and tranquillity, but somehow there seemed to be something darker, moodier and more introspective about this vantage point. As people coming home to their apartments in the residential buildings switched on their lights and opened the doors to their balconies to take in the view, I couldn't help wondering what it must be like to see such dramatic redevelopment taking place around them, and how impermanent, but perhaps also how full of possibility, this transforming spectacle must be to someone seeing it change bit by bit each day.
You can also connect with me on Facebook, 500px, Google+ and Instagram.
Thanks for the comments, faves and visits
To see more of my 4K videos please see my Video Website: vimeo.com/randyherring
To see more of my 4K HDR videos see my channel: www.youtube.com/@hherringtech
This image is a picturesque embodiment of nature's quiet dialogue, captured from the secluded banks of a serene lakeside. The foreground is adorned with tall, slender reeds standing like nature's sentinels at the water's edge, swaying softly with the whispers of the wind. Through the natural archway formed by the overhanging willow branches and the sturdy trunks of the trees, one's gaze is drawn to the expansive body of the lake, its surface a mirror reflecting the clear sky and the distant, gentle slopes of the hills beyond. The lush greenery and the calm, soothing waters conjure a sense of seclusion and tranquility, offering a sanctuary for both wildlife and introspective souls. It's a scene where the rustle of leaves and the quiet lapping of water against the shore compose the ambient symphony of the great outdoors. This photograph is a reminder of the still moments of beauty that lie waiting in our natural surroundings, inviting us to step outside and partake in the peace they offer.
www.instagram.com/donstevie_street/
I love Gershwin and his Rhapsody in blue and whilst its synonymous with the great city of New York, I pinched the title for this one. Given I will not be allowed to shoot full frontal flash or the more "direct" forms of street photography for a little while, I need to get my kicks with the more graphic and introspective style.
www.instagram.com/donstevie_street/
Another fun little introspective shot, which reminded me a little of the Matrix owing to the led shop lights that help give this a little more interest and depth.
www.instagram.com/donstevie_street/
A Tospy Turvy house on the beach front at Brighton, early in the morning this little cat burglar was playing on the house and I just loved the absurdity of the image along with the angles!
I've been feeling quite low these past few days. I got my sister to model for me and the words come from an Italian song : Iris - Biagio Antonacci (hence the Italian in the picture). The best translation I can provide in English it would be "When I wasn't with you".
-- Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra
We are all multi-faceted; we have many emotions, desires, preferences, and personalities. I am certainly no exception. Most of my self-portraits thus far have been rather ... serious, or at least generally so. I've felt as though my creativity is limited to my 'deep thoughts' and my sense of humor isn't as applicable. Mainly, I'm usually just not smiling (with the exception of three or so shots). Some individuals (though I will not name them) had a first impression of me as someone serious, uptight, ... whatever. When I heard that, I laughed. And then thought to myself, hmm, is that true? No. Fair enough, but is that how I want others to perceive me? It's definitely not how I perceive myself. I like to have others see me as I'd like to be seen (who doesn't?) -- and I'd like to be seen as who I truly am, not some ideal. Truly, I laugh constantly. I joke constantly. I am too sarcastic. I make really, really corny jokes (e.g. "What do you call cheese that isn't yours? ... Na-cho cheese!" & "What time do you go to the dentist? ... Tooth-hurty!" & etc. etc. ad infinitum...). I love slapstick humor (e.g. Mel Brooks is my hero). Et al.
I am also deeply devoted to the intellect. I'm a philosopher by nature and college degree, and I love it more than just about anything. I know this part of me has come forth strongly in my photostream. I also studied neuroscience as an accompaniment to my theories about consciousness and personal identity. I've learned never to take a single thing for granted, believe anything beyond a shadow of a doubt, or throw my words around haphazardly. Sure, this makes me an analytic bastard who is anal about semantics and logic. People tend to find this tedious. So I have to reconcile two parts of myself: the silly idiot who is always ready to laugh at her own expense, and the thoroughly introspective and scientific seeker. Throw in creativity (which I *think* I have ;-) and you've got me. A big melting pot of talent, absurdity, philosophy, and passion.
Many thanks and love to Maite for picking "Self-Reflection" as today's FGR theme.
& GTWL anniversary edition -- Clones.
Day 75.
& of course: View On Black!
This album's name is dedicated to my favourite game of all time Elder Scrolls Online and race of all time, The Argonians (reptile humanoids). There's a story for you to read below about some of them towards the bottom.
What does Ku Vastei mean? Read below
By Lights-the-Way, Mystic of the Mages Guild
It is hard to describe the culture of my people. Often my tongue stumbles as I try to explain, but it is my hope that ink and quill will give me time enough to gather my thoughts. And perhaps, though such writing, I will finally connect the parts of me that now feel so divided; my homeland of Murkmire and my new life within the Mages Guild.
These journals are to become my ku-vastei. And, as I write that, I can think of no better topic to begin with.
Ku-vastei roughly translates to "the catalyst of needed change," though such a direct translation in no way does justice to the original meaning. Another translation could be "that which creates the needed pathway for change to occur" or even "the spark which ignites the flame which must come into being."
Perhaps a more direct analysis should be first presented. Ku-vastei is a noun, a thing or person. Vastei directly translates to change, an important part of my culture. Ku is harder to speak of. It is that which leads to change, though not that which creates change. An important role, as stagnation is a fate worse than death.
Take a boulder which sits atop a cliff, teetering in place. It must fall eventually. The ku-vastei does not push the boulder off the cliff; rather, it picks the pebble which holds the rock in place. And so it falls, not by a push, but by a pathway cleared.
Ku-vastei is revered, just as change itself is revered, for to look back at what was means to stumble as you move forward. Sometimes, a little push in the right direction is all someone needs to remember such wisdom. Other times, they may need to be shoved.
-------------------------------------
The Gee-Rusleel Tribe
by Emmanubeth Hurrent, the Wayfarers' Society of Wayrest
I've had the privilege to speak to two different Miredancer elders now, and I've learned a great deal from both of these conversations. The "Gee-Rusleel," as they call themselves, are among the most introspective Argonians I've met in my travels. They also tend to be the most pleasant. For all their reclusiveness and wariness, I've never met a people more willing to share a meal or a game of Shells and Stones. They are skilled crafters, with a particular knack for working with Hist amber and egg shells. They are also peerless navigators, guiding their flat-bottom boats effortlessly through the swamp, master weavers, and skilled cartographers.
The most defining characteristic of the Miredancer tribe, however, is piety. This deep reverence for the Hist has earned them the right to name a "Sap-Speaker" for countless generations.
According to the elders I spoke with, the Sap-Speaker is the Hist's direct intermediary. (This is, of course, subject to debate. Many tribes boast unique methods of communion with the Hist. But as far as I have seen, the Miredancers make the most compelling case for the methods they use.) Sap-Speakers often go into seclusion for days or even weeks on end, venturing either down into the roots or high into the canopy of leaves in the uppermost branches. Here, they commune with the Hist. Indeed, the word that one of the elders used was "journey."
These journeys into the Hist tax the Sap-Speakers, but are thoroughly private affairs. After days by themselves, the Sap-Speakers emerge to hide away with old books, scrolls, and tablets. I asked after the purpose of these periods of seclusion, and this is what the elders told me. "The Sap-Speaker enters the embrace of the Hist to learn from the great tree," one elder said. "While in close contact with the roots and branches, the Sap-Speaker receives visions and other forms of communication that neither you nor I would understand."
The other elder continued. "Even the Sap-Speaker finds some of what is shown to be mystifying and confusing. I have heard that a Sap-Speaker is treated to ancient metaphors, arcane secrets, and visions that make little sense to creatures so far removed from sap and pulp." Apparently, the second period of seclusion allows the Sap-Speaker time to reflect on what he or she was shown, as well as time to consult with the ancient writings of Sap-Speakers who came before. After a suitable period of study and reflection, the Sap-Speaker emerges to reveal the Hist's will to the tribe.
I attempted to get more information about what happens while the Sap-Speaker meditates among the roots or branches, but I'm not sure the elders knew much more. They did tell me that the only nourishment the Sap-Speaker receives during these periods of seclusion is provided by the Hist itself in the form of sap, leaves, and the otherwise forbidden fruit of the tree.
There is a price to pay for the gift of Hist communion, however. Ingesting large quantities of Hist sap is a dangerous affair, even for Argonians. Sap-Speakers routinely suffer the effects of sap-poisoning, including "gold tongue" (permanent change of mouth pigmentation to a golden hue), unbidden hallucinations, "bark-scale" (thickening and darkening of surface scales), and other maladies they were reticent to talk about. The current Sap-Speaker, Thumarz, was in seclusion during my visit to the tribal village. I hope to meet him someday. If he's half as wise as the elders I interacted with, I'd no doubt learn a great deal from him.
Despite their deeply religious nature, the Miredancers also seem to have an obsession with games of all types. They are particularly fond of the games Nine-Shells and Shells and Stones, as well as sports such as the popular "teeba-hatsei" (also known as "hip and tail ball.") In addition to lovingly explaining their own games, they wanted to know everything I could tell them about the games we play back in Wayrest. I must admit, their enthusiasm was quite infectious! And I found it highly amusing to watch them try to re-create Deceiver's Bones from the vague description I provided.
The Miredancers are also inveterate gamblers, but they often forget to collect their winnings. Unlike the games of men and mer, Miredancer competitions appear to be completely devoid of malice or injured pride. Victory and defeat seem more like afterthoughts than objectives, due in no small part to their phlegmatic disposition. As in most things, their focus is strictly on the moment—the now. It pains me to leave their village, but I still have many more tribes to study. I doubt any of them will be as fascinating or as friendly as the Miredancers.
["the tribe is not currently in the game but in the world of the game"]
Portrait taken in 1973 on Kodak Tri-X bw negative film using a Minolta SR-T 101 SLR. The negative was later scanned for digital reproduction, and developed further by softening the image, increasing contrast, and adding monotone color. Cropped to square format.
captured in palma de mallorca, this photo depicts the silhouette of a man deep in thought, with the shadow of a street lamp cast above him. in german, there is a saying "ein licht geht auf," which means "a light goes on" when someone finds a solution or understands something. the interplay of light and shadow in this image beautifully symbolizes the moment of realization and clarity.
Standing atop Cime de la Bonette at 2802 meters, Europe's highest paved road summit, I was captivated by the shifting interplay between overcast skies and the golden autumn landscape below. This moment captured the atmospheric beauty that defines high-altitude environments where clouds drift close enough to touch.
My intention was to showcase how mountain landscapes transform under different weather conditions. The heavy cloud cover creates a dramatic, moody ambiance that contrasts beautifully with the warm golden tones of the autumn ridges. From this exceptional vantage point, the endless succession of peaks stretching toward Italy reveals the true scale of the Alpine massif.
What drew me to this composition was the subtle quality of light filtering through the clouds - not the harsh drama of approaching storms, but rather the softer, more contemplative atmosphere of an overcast mountain day. This diffused illumination brings out textures and contours that brilliant sunshine might wash out, painting the landscape in muted, sophisticated tones.
This image represents the full spectrum of mountain photography - embracing not only those perfect blue-sky moments, but also the quieter, introspective beauty of clouded days when the mountains reveal a different, equally compelling character.
a moment carved in grain and smoke — the rough tenderness of time drawn into his fingertips, his gaze drifting somewhere between memory and indifference. the world turns behind him, but here, everything stands still in the breath of a cigarette and the fold of an old wool cap.
Soundtrack : www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQYUiviwD-s
THE LINES OF MY EARTH – SIXPENCE NONE THE RICHER
“We must return to our primordial state of beingness, who we truly are, put our fears and Ego aside, then rebuild our understanding of love upon sincere and sustainable human virtues.”
― Joseph Rain
I went into the forest to scream
I thought the trees would understand
the vibration shook their ancient roots
they cried in golden leaves that fell to ground
I felt they understood
and how it was for me
they did not ask me questions
their canopy of comfort sheltered me
I entrusted all my secrets
carved into the etched and textured bark
interwove my life-lines within the trace of theirs
combined our spirits in the dark
the night had fallen in the aftermath
once the echoes of my cries died down
the trees bled their sweet-honeyed sap of life
as I shed the shroud that held me down
freer now than I had ever been
I could fly with night owls way up high
and sit upon the tallest branches
to wish upon the star-lit sky
the pinnacle of all desire
is desirous of the need
to be at one with all the earth
to feel; to love; to bleed
the gamut of our mortal emotions
I ran from the first time I breathed
and the lessons I learned kept getting stronger
the faster I ran; the more I perceived
now I sit silently in the darkness
emptied of my constant self
the science of my religion
the knowledge implanted within my mind
from the ancestral sliver of inherited skelf
the patterns repeated over and over
down through the ages we tread
needless, egotistical behaviour
had become our buttered bread
sustaining our greed and hunger; our need to justify
never satisfying our deeper feelings
giving vent until our exhausted veins grow dry
there is nothing in the darkness
that is not present in the light
no need to fear what we cannot see
no need to flee; no need to blight
the perfect imperfections held
within our souls; without
the secrets only we can know
are the ones we want to shout
they are the ones that pin us fast
and stuck in perpetual motion
a hamster wheel; a merry-go-round
jump off; set free emotions
cathartic actions speak louder now
than lips sewn tight with silvered threads
of lies and secret, harboured desires;
of heavy thoughts and dreads
lighten our hearts and free our souls
to float above the ether
look down; around; this is all we have
this one moment that will not last forever
live it well; cherish this time
for the second it is borne to be, is the second it will depart
and may never be repeated like the silent notes
played in the rhythm between the beats of our ever-loving hearts.
AP – Copyright remains with and is the intellectual property of the author
Copyright © protected image please do not reproduce without permission'
My artwork is a compilation of 3 of my photographs
Berlin, Gardens of the World, Chinese Garden Cabinet "Dule Yuan": Looking from the fountain pavilion over the watercourse to the mirror wall at the other end
"Die Beschäftigung des Menschen mit sich selbst ist nicht erst seit dem Aufpoppen von Yogastudios und Meditations-Apps en vogue. Die introspektive und unabhängige Denkweise war z. B. bereits ein zentrales Element der gelungenen Lebensführung chinesischer Gelehrter. Sima Guang, Politiker, Historiker und Gelehrter aus der chinesischen Song-Dynastie, erschuf im 11. Jahrhundert einen Garten, der dieser Lebensführung angeblich besonders zuträglich war: den Dule Yuan, übersetzt in etwa „Garten des abgeschiedenen Vergnügens“. In einem Aufsatz beschrieb er die Struktur und die landschaftlichen Höhepunkte des Gartens. Seither kommt dem Dule Yuan ein herausragender Platz in der chinesischen Gartenbaugeschichte zu.Die Gestaltung des Gartens geht zurück auf ein Gemälde des Dule Yuan aus dem 16. Jahrhundert. Seine geometrische Achsenstruktur setzt sich aus einem Bambuspfad, einer rechteckigen Platzfläche und einem Wasserkanal zusammen. Blickfang und beliebtes Fotomotiv des Gartens ist die modern gestaltete, stählerne und in Gold lackierte Bambushütte, die sich harmonisch in die sanfte Geometrie der sie umgebenden Gartenlandschaft einfügt. Durch die umliegenden Spiegelflächen entsteht eine vertikale Tiefe, die die Grenze zwischen Mensch und Natur verschwimmen lässt. Ganz im Sinne des Dule Yuan sind die Spiegelflächen außerdem Schnittpunkte zwischen Realität und Imagination, zwischen Sehen und Gesehenwerden. Dieses fließende Raumbewusstsein ist es, was die spirituelle Essenz chinesischer Gärten ausmacht."
Beschreibung übernommen von der Website der Gärten der Welt
www.gaertenderwelt.de/gaerten-architektur/internationale-...
"The preoccupation of humans with themselves hasn’t only been in fashion since the advent of yoga studios and meditation apps. Introspective and independent ways of thinking were, for example, already a central element of the way of life of Chinese scholars. Sima Guang, politician, historian and scholar of the Chinese Song dynasty, created a garden in the 11th century that was said to be particularly beneficial to this lifestyle: the Dule Yuan, translated as "Garden of Secluded Pleasure". In an essay he described the structure and landscape highlights of the garden. Since then, the Dule Yuan has maintained a pre-eminent position in Chinese horticultural history.The design of the garden is based on a painting by Dule Yuan from the 16th century. Its geometric axis structure is composed of a bamboo path, a rectangular plaza and a water channel. The garden's eye-catching and popular photo spot is the modern designed steel bamboo hut painted in gold, which blends in harmoniously with the gentle geometry of the surrounding garden landscape. The surrounding mirror surfaces create a vertical depth that blurs the boundary between man and nature. In the spirit of the Dule Yuan, the mirror surfaces are also intersections between reality and imagination, between seeing and being seen. This fluid awareness of space is what makes up the spiritual essence of Chinese gardens."
Description taken from the web site of the Gardens of the World.
www.gaertenderwelt.de/en/gardens-architecture/internation...
I never knew that a day
like today lay before us.
I've got the sun in my heart
and my heart's in the sun.
Skies are as bright
as your eyes,
the horizon is open.
(An experiment in using shadows. What I learned: More RAM is needed, asap. New video card couldn't hurt, either)
Recent work from the ongoing Introspective Illumination project. My intent for this project is to explore themes of identity and mortality. I aim to explore how our identity is influenced by the spaces we inhabit and our connection to them. Additionally, I want to engage with existential questions about existence, impermanence, and the passage of time. By closely observing and collaborating with the spaces I inhabit—considering their colors, light, form, and texture—I create starting points for self-exploration, reflection, and deeper understanding.
I caught Jacob being introspective. We were trying to get to the north cape but on the way there we somehow got turned around and drove in the wrong direction for half an hour. It's hard to get lost in the smallest province, but we did it.
Pentax ME Super
Late morning in April, but the shadows were still long and the sunlight still low; it gave this path an introspective feel.
A close-up of Irene. A fantastic friend.
This photo was taken during the trekking to Toubkal, Morocco.
Close-up series
Ongoing exploration of work as I develop a potential series "Introspective Illumination". This project is a deeply personal exploration of mindfulness and self-reflection. It is set against the relentless pace of our hyperconnected society with its incessant urgency and the pervasive challenge of accomplishing more in less time. The project seeks to juxtapose the relentless pursuit for efficiency and productivity with the inherent human need for rest and contemplation.