Thank you in advance for your interest and comments on my photos. That is much appreciated.

Please view at the full size of 1600. It's also more pleasure for you.

(I hope so)

purposseless

Another in a string of un-manipulated, "straight" Pano-Sabotage photographs. The standard adjustments of brightness, contrast, colour saturation etc were the only post capture techniques used.

Pano-Sabotage imagery calls into question the absolutes of the past 400 years. Fixed and unchanging views of the universe as a static, purposeless and unvaryingly efficient machine are no longer tenable as the sciences of Quantum phsyics and the newer disciplines of Chaos and Complexity theories have shown.

Leonard Shlain in his groundbreaking book, "Art & Physics" posits that changes or new developments in Art movements are the FIRST signals coming down the pike that something revolutionary is just ahead of us. He offers that Science very shortly after has huge breakthroughs and he demonstrates his theory magnificently in his book. Pano-Sabotage seems to be a good contender for the signalling of a revolutionary leap in science, according to Shlain's theory, which then leads, of necessity, to great changes in cultures and their thinking. Our times seem pretty much on target.

The unusual lighting of the building on the right is strictly photographic. There's a large glass box tower across the street that was reflecting the late afternoon / early evening sun, bouncing off it's windows all over the subject. It was the main reason I stopped and took the shot.

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Paul Ewing for gifting me with Shlain's incredible book. It's a life changer.

Image shot May 7, 2018.

___________________________________________________

© Richard S Warner ( Visionheart ) - 2018. All Rights Reserved. This image is not for use in any form without explicit, express, written permission.

___________________________________________________

I am VERY proud to announce that I was chosen to be the feature artist of the "Kreative People" Group's Spring Gallery - Running until the end of June. I really must thank both abstractartangel77 and Xandram for bestowing me with this great honour. The link to the gallery appears below:

Please visit my Kreative People Highlight Gallery HERE

Homem sem esforço, sem proposito, sem utilidade, painting by Alvaro Lapa, 1968 (Powerless, purposeless, useless man. I would think that man stands here for human being); seen in the retrospective of his work "No Tempo Todo" in the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo, Porto.

Shot inside the great inner courtyard of The National Gallery of Canada, in Ottawa, June of 2015. With apologies to Architect, Moshe Safdie. The complex structure of beams, panels and panes with the indeterminate geometries of the sky behind them was a perfect setup for a good "tumbling".

The "sabotage" of the right angles and strict triangles of Architect Moshe Sadie's giant atrium is meant to convey, by metaphor, the undoing of the 'strictness' of Sir Isaac Newton's "mechanistic, impersonal, purposeless universe", a view that has cut us off from an integrated and participatory relationship with existence.

Quantum science is undoing this view as it increasingly discovers and accepts that there seems to be a grand sense of order and design to the universe, right down to the source of quanta themselves. Indeed, "God does not play dice with the universe". The more the Quantum paradigm becomes understood and the more that understanding infuses out into everyday culture the closer we get to leaving a heartless, mindless, machinelike universe behind us.

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This image was created for and is dedicated to Paul Ewing, The Wizard of Az, for his Birthday.

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Click on Image to Enlarge !

© Richard S Warner ( Visionheart ) - 2015. All Rights Reserved. This image is not for use in any form without explicit, express, written permission.

Best to be viewed in large size format.

According to Law 9.610/98, it is prohibited the partial or total commercial reproduction without the previous written authorization of the author (article 29). ® All rights are reserved. Conforme a Lei 9.610/98, é proibida a reprodução total e parcial ou divulgação comercial sem a autorização prévia e expressa do autor (artigo 29). ® Todos os direitos

♬MUSIC LINK♬

© Mariana Tomas

“Silence stands outside the world of profit and utility; it cannot be exploited for profit; you cannot get anything out of it. It is ‘unproductive’ Therefore it is regarded as valueless. Yet there is more help and healing in silence than in all the 'useful things.’ Purposeless, unexplainable silence suddenly appears at the side of the all-too-purposeful, and frightens us by its very purposelessness. It interferes with the regular flow of the purposeful. It strengthens the untouchable, it lessens the damage inflicted by exploitation. It makes things whole again, by taking them back from the world of dissipation into the world of wholeness. It gives something its own holy uselessness, for that is what silence itself is: holy uselessness.” (Max Picard)

Happened to see this flower when I was wandering alone purposelessly with my Camera..

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I recommend zooming in with L then tapping (or just tapping the picture on an iPad) to see the detail.

Not far from Arundel is the 1797 tower built by Francis Hiorne as he bid for the contract to rebuild the castle. Today, it stands alone in the landscape, a wonderful, purposeless folly. Hiorne never won the contract he desired, and he died two years later, but his Tower did achieve greatness. It went on to star in Doctor Who.

www.worthingherald.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/retro/hiorne-...

No extra lighting this time. You can even see the annoying cairin near the base of the falls. Probably one of the more purposeless locations to put one.

Breeze in Volterra

Where we sit, a breeze blows.

What we hear is buzzing.

What we are doing?

Drinking.

On the way a dozen butterflies

purposelessly through every wind.

What we are doing?

Biting.

Grasses bend and nod,

the butterfly passes by.

That is how they can move,

the earth holds their life.

Of the carrots from the freezer,

out of four, two are left.

What we are doing?

Nibbling.

Nothing else.

©Othmar Mahlmeister, 12.06.2022

(Translated with the of Deepl Translator)

“Silence stands outside the world of profit and utility; it cannot be exploited for profit; you cannot get anything out of it. It is ‘unproductive’ Therefore it is regarded as valueless. Yet there is more help and healing in silence than in all the 'useful things.’ Purposeless, unexplainable silence suddenly appears at the side of the all-too-purposeful, and frightens us by its very purposelessness. It interferes with the regular flow of the purposeful. It strengthens the untouchable, it lessens the damage inflicted by exploitation. It makes things whole again, by taking them back from the world of dissipation into the world of wholeness. It gives something its own holy uselessness, for that is what silence itself is: holy uselessness.” (Max Picard)

Last few weeks, I've soured on social media. Soured on the idea of followers, likes, attention, even.

Popularity is a toxin. It's isolating, and creates a dynamic that, at its heart, is antisocial.

Going onto instagram feels utterly purposeless, at this point. Feels like pissing in the wind.

Still like coming here, though! It's a different feel, yeah? Just folks talking, and maybe the fact that Flickr isn't the "popular" place helps it feel less obnoxious. The design is still for people that like talking to each other, looking at pictures. Still considers its users.

Maybe that's what it comes down to: being repelled by sites/apps that feel antagonistic towards their users. Repelled by internet environments that are working not to create positive spaces, but to craft more effective marketplaces.

I'm happy to pay for a place where I can just talk, talk about photos, talk with other people that want to talk about photos. Seems like a good social network has to be paid for, these days.

"The Scream of the Perpetual Walker" portrays a lone man endlessly wandering the streets of Milton Keynes, his ceaseless journey symbolising existential angst and isolation.

The man's purposeless wandering is like a silent scream, a physical manifestation of inner turmoil. His directionless journey reflects the human condition - the search for meaning in an indifferent universe. The photograph's stark contrast and blurred background emphasise his isolation and detachment from the surrounding world.

The urban setting, with its commercial elements and indifferent crowds, further highlights the man's alienation from societal norms and values. The KFC advertisement in the background serves as a commentary on consumerism and the superficiality of modern life, contrasting sharply with the man's existential quest.

The blurred figures in the background suggest a world moving on, indifferent to the man's presence and plight. The repetitive architecture and monotonous landscape symbolise the routine and mechanical aspects of urban life, which the man seems disconnected from, emphasising his lack of purpose and direction.

The photograph draws parallels to Munch's "The Scream," evoking themes of existentialism, expressionism, and humanism. It captures a fleeting moment in the walker's endless journey, emphasising the impermanence of time and the ongoing passage of life. Despite his purposeless wandering, the photograph gives significance to his journey, acknowledging his humanity and the intrinsic value of his individual experience.

In essence, "The Scream of the Perpetual Walker" is a poignant representation of the universal human condition - the search for purpose in an indifferent world. The photograph's stark simplicity and powerful imagery, invite viewers to contemplate the complexities of existence and the isolation of the individual in a modern society.

'You Are The Tree, I Am The Wind'

You are the tree, I am the wind,

You alter my course, yet you also bend;

No longer is either the same after each-

I am the wind, be my tree, I do beseech!

Ethereal, unseen-yet alterations I may make!

Magnificent, beautiful-away, my gust, you take!

Together, we are an ever-changing landscape,

Making wondrous reality out of our dreasmscape!

A tree, without its wind-breathless, becalmed:

A wind, without its tree-purposeless, withdrawn!

The wind sweeps around the tree, the tree dances

More inspiring is this than all other romances!

I, the most powerful wind, you, the most beautificent tree;

Wonder do I what, as one, together, we may be!

By ~ Maurice Harris (30 August 2009)

245/365

Dustin was right! This busted hard disk does make a great coaster.

Get to Know Your Cage

You can only control your own.

Make your next step forward as your inevitability.

Find the fragility in your confinement.

Your self-imposed limitations.

Your reality through past memories.

Then judge who is right and who is wrong.

And discovering something to live and die for.

And a new meaning to discard purposelessness.

Read more: www.jjfbbennett.com/2021/07/your-cage-with-your-cage.html

001 Scene 07

While studying photography in Pathshala, I developed new technical and aesthetic skills at an academic level and gained a fresh perspective on seeing the world around me. However, I still felt that something was missing. That missing piece was the ability to articulate aesthetics through language and to experience aesthetics with the basis of life itself.

During this time, I developed a deep desire to understand philosophy. Within a few months, I decided to pursue academic studies in philosophy. There were two main reasons behind this decision: first, to gain knowledge of philosophy, and second, to reshape my photographic view point through a philosophical angle—essentially, to integrate aesthetics with philosophy.

As I delved into this complex subject, I found myself particularly influenced by three philosophical ideologies: the philosophy of Nihilism, Engels and Marx’s materialism, and Gautama Buddha’s theory of Functionalism. These perspectives began shaping my understanding of life, humanity, society, and aesthetics. My way of seeing the world started to transform.

Nihilism and materialist philosophy argue that humans are not a special species. According to Buddha, life itself is full of suffering. Since humans are not inherently special and life has no predetermined purpose, people often experience restlessness. My photographs reflect this idea through landscapes, where excessive negative space in the frame symbolizes despair, purposelessness, and solitude in human life. Most people live under the illusion that they are unique compared to the surroundings. This belief prevents them from feeling truly connected to nature.

Lalon once said, "He and Lalon exist together, yet they are separated by infinite distance." Even though humans exist within nature, they somehow remain detached from it. In my frames, vast negative spaces with tiny human figures symbolize this very detachment. Here, nature is immense, and humans are small—serving as a reminder that humanity is not any superior to nature.

The mist in my photographs enhances the minimalist effect, further detaching people from their surroundings. The presence of human-made structures in the background represents our ongoing struggle to prove our superiority. However, the blurred, barely visible architecture behind the fog reflects the failure of this pursuit. Humanity is trapped in this endless contradiction, deepening its existential despair. Meanwhile, the fog thickens, and the distance between humans and nature continues to grow.

Used for the 'I have a request' game in the 'Colorful World' group. (03 Nov 2009)

While studying photography in Pathshala, I developed new technical and aesthetic skills at an academic level and gained a fresh perspective on seeing the world around me. However, I still felt that something was missing. That missing piece was the ability to articulate aesthetics through language and to experience aesthetics with the basis of life itself.

During this time, I developed a deep desire to understand philosophy. Within a few months, I decided to pursue academic studies in philosophy. There were two main reasons behind this decision: first, to gain knowledge of philosophy, and second, to reshape my photographic view point through a philosophical angle—essentially, to integrate aesthetics with philosophy.

As I delved into this complex subject, I found myself particularly influenced by three philosophical ideologies: the philosophy of Nihilism, Engels and Marx’s materialism, and Gautama Buddha’s theory of Functionalism. These perspectives began shaping my understanding of life, humanity, society, and aesthetics. My way of seeing the world started to transform.

Nihilism and materialist philosophy argue that humans are not a special species. According to Buddha, life itself is full of suffering. Since humans are not inherently special and life has no predetermined purpose, people often experience restlessness. My photographs reflect this idea through landscapes, where excessive negative space in the frame symbolizes despair, purposelessness, and solitude in human life. Most people live under the illusion that they are unique compared to the surroundings. This belief prevents them from feeling truly connected to nature.

Lalon once said, "He and Lalon exist together, yet they are separated by infinite distance." Even though humans exist within nature, they somehow remain detached from it. In my frames, vast negative spaces with tiny human figures symbolize this very detachment. Here, nature is immense, and humans are small—serving as a reminder that humanity is not any superior to nature.

The mist in my photographs enhances the minimalist effect, further detaching people from their surroundings. The presence of human-made structures in the background represents our ongoing struggle to prove our superiority. However, the blurred, barely visible architecture behind the fog reflects the failure of this pursuit. Humanity is trapped in this endless contradiction, deepening its existential despair. Meanwhile, the fog thickens, and the distance between humans and nature continues to grow.

The " wild dog" engaged in a post-prandial pursuit possibly partially purposeless.

that was a fun weird day. bored out of our minds with inactivity and purposelessness, my friend and i went to visit our other friend at her home in tipton. this is in spite of the fact that she had left uni to go home the day before and was coming back the day after. we couldn't let a day go by without a meaningful conversation on social issues. we discussed asexuality that day.

Architecture is both the process and the product of planning, designing, and constructing buildings or other structures. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural symbols and as works of art. Historical civilizations are often identified with their surviving architectural achievements.

The notable 19th-century architect of skyscrapers, Louis Sullivan, promoted an overriding precept to architectural design: "Form follows function".

While the notion that structural and aesthetic considerations should be entirely subject to functionality was met with both popularity and skepticism, it had the effect of introducing the concept of "function" in place of Vitruvius' "utility". "Function" came to be seen as encompassing all criteria of the use, perception and enjoyment of a building, not only practical but also aesthetic, psychological and cultural.

Nunzia Rondanini stated, "Through its aesthetic dimension architecture goes beyond the functional aspects that it has in common with other human sciences. Through its own particular way of expressing values, architecture can stimulate and influence social life without presuming that, in and of itself, it will promote social development.'

To restrict the meaning of (architectural) formalism to art for art's sake is not only reactionary; it can also be a purposeless quest for perfection or originality which degrades form into a mere instrumentality".

Among the philosophies that have influenced modern architects and their approach to building design are Rationalism, Empiricism, Structuralism, Poststructuralism, Deconstruction and Phenomenology.

Solitude

While studying photography in Pathshala, I developed new technical and aesthetic skills at an academic level and gained a fresh perspective on seeing the world around me. However, I still felt that something was missing. That missing piece was the ability to articulate aesthetics through language and to experience aesthetics with the basis of life itself.

During this time, I developed a deep desire to understand philosophy. Within a few months, I decided to pursue academic studies in philosophy. There were two main reasons behind this decision: first, to gain knowledge of philosophy, and second, to reshape my photographic view point through a philosophical angle—essentially, to integrate aesthetics with philosophy.

As I delved into this complex subject, I found myself particularly influenced by three philosophical ideologies: the philosophy of Nihilism, Engels and Marx’s materialism, and Gautama Buddha’s theory of Functionalism. These perspectives began shaping my understanding of life, humanity, society, and aesthetics. My way of seeing the world started to transform.

Nihilism and materialist philosophy argue that humans are not a special species. According to Buddha, life itself is full of suffering. Since humans are not inherently special and life has no predetermined purpose, people often experience restlessness. My photographs reflect this idea through landscapes, where excessive negative space in the frame symbolizes despair, purposelessness, and solitude in human life. Most people live under the illusion that they are unique compared to the surroundings. This belief prevents them from feeling truly connected to nature.

Lalon once said, "He and Lalon exist together, yet they are separated by infinite distance." Even though humans exist within nature, they somehow remain detached from it. In my frames, vast negative spaces with tiny human figures symbolize this very detachment. Here, nature is immense, and humans are small—serving as a reminder that humanity is not any superior to nature.

The mist in my photographs enhances the minimalist effect, further detaching people from their surroundings. The presence of human-made structures in the background represents our ongoing struggle to prove our superiority. However, the blurred, barely visible architecture behind the fog reflects the failure of this pursuit. Humanity is trapped in this endless contradiction, deepening its existential despair. Meanwhile, the fog thickens, and the distance between humans and nature continues to grow.

Noora favourite all time record

Wake Up

Eden

Margaret Street London.

Noora is from Dubai and is in London studying electrical engineering, which didn't seem a big deal to her, but was interesting considering how in Britain they are actively trying to recruit more girls into the engineering. Noora said she felt Dubai was a progressive place to grow up.

She spent a year studying in New York and loved it. She stayed in Greenwich Village and she found it less uptight and serious than London.

We discussed Dubai and how up until the 1960's and the discovery of oil it was just a small town within the desert. Now there is probably no place in the world that has developed so rapidly. But old traditions still survive and where she grew up still has a great sense of community and people are very family orientated. Money has obviously changed the dynamic but the people of Dubai - Noora told me there were two types of people - whether 'land' or 'sea' people - still retain their old values.

She is influenced by the 'close' people around her. The thing that drives her is being passionate about trying to succeed whether it be in education or just the exploration of life and ultimately in improving herself.

Her dream is be a writer like Albert Camus whose views help create the philosophy known as absurdism.

He said that people should embrace the absurd condition of human existence. He then thought that this promoted life in wilful experience.

This is from Wikipedia,

In philosophy, "the Absurd" refers to the conflict between the human tendency to seek inherent value and meaning in life, and the human inability to find any in a purposeless, meaningless or chaotic and irrational universe. The universe and the human mind do not each separately cause the Absurd, but rather, the Absurd arises by the contradictory nature of the two existing simultaneously.

www.flickr.com/groups/100strangers/

© All rights reserved please do not use on any other websites or blogs without my explicit permission.

While studying photography in Pathshala, I developed new technical and aesthetic skills at an academic level and gained a fresh perspective on seeing the world around me. However, I still felt that something was missing. That missing piece was the ability to articulate aesthetics through language and to experience aesthetics with the basis of life itself.

During this time, I developed a deep desire to understand philosophy. Within a few months, I decided to pursue academic studies in philosophy. There were two main reasons behind this decision: first, to gain knowledge of philosophy, and second, to reshape my photographic view point through a philosophical angle—essentially, to integrate aesthetics with philosophy.

As I delved into this complex subject, I found myself particularly influenced by three philosophical ideologies: the philosophy of Nihilism, Engels and Marx’s materialism, and Gautama Buddha’s theory of Functionalism. These perspectives began shaping my understanding of life, humanity, society, and aesthetics. My way of seeing the world started to transform.

Nihilism and materialist philosophy argue that humans are not a special species. According to Buddha, life itself is full of suffering. Since humans are not inherently special and life has no predetermined purpose, people often experience restlessness. My photographs reflect this idea through landscapes, where excessive negative space in the frame symbolizes despair, purposelessness, and solitude in human life. Most people live under the illusion that they are unique compared to the surroundings. This belief prevents them from feeling truly connected to nature.

Lalon once said, "He and Lalon exist together, yet they are separated by infinite distance." Even though humans exist within nature, they somehow remain detached from it. In my frames, vast negative spaces with tiny human figures symbolize this very detachment. Here, nature is immense, and humans are small—serving as a reminder that humanity is not any superior to nature.

The mist in my photographs enhances the minimalist effect, further detaching people from their surroundings. The presence of human-made structures in the background represents our ongoing struggle to prove our superiority. However, the blurred, barely visible architecture behind the fog reflects the failure of this pursuit. Humanity is trapped in this endless contradiction, deepening its existential despair. Meanwhile, the fog thickens, and the distance between humans and nature continues to grow.

While studying photography in Pathshala, I developed new technical and aesthetic skills at an academic level and gained a fresh perspective on seeing the world around me. However, I still felt that something was missing. That missing piece was the ability to articulate aesthetics through language and to experience aesthetics with the basis of life itself.

During this time, I developed a deep desire to understand philosophy. Within a few months, I decided to pursue academic studies in philosophy. There were two main reasons behind this decision: first, to gain knowledge of philosophy, and second, to reshape my photographic view point through a philosophical angle—essentially, to integrate aesthetics with philosophy.

As I delved into this complex subject, I found myself particularly influenced by three philosophical ideologies: the philosophy of Nihilism, Engels and Marx’s materialism, and Gautama Buddha’s theory of Functionalism. These perspectives began shaping my understanding of life, humanity, society, and aesthetics. My way of seeing the world started to transform.

Nihilism and materialist philosophy argue that humans are not a special species. According to Buddha, life itself is full of suffering. Since humans are not inherently special and life has no predetermined purpose, people often experience restlessness. My photographs reflect this idea through landscapes, where excessive negative space in the frame symbolizes despair, purposelessness, and solitude in human life. Most people live under the illusion that they are unique compared to the surroundings. This belief prevents them from feeling truly connected to nature.

Lalon once said, "He and Lalon exist together, yet they are separated by infinite distance." Even though humans exist within nature, they somehow remain detached from it. In my frames, vast negative spaces with tiny human figures symbolize this very detachment. Here, nature is immense, and humans are small—serving as a reminder that humanity is not any superior to nature.

The mist in my photographs enhances the minimalist effect, further detaching people from their surroundings. The presence of human-made structures in the background represents our ongoing struggle to prove our superiority. However, the blurred, barely visible architecture behind the fog reflects the failure of this pursuit. Humanity is trapped in this endless contradiction, deepening its existential despair. Meanwhile, the fog thickens, and the distance between humans and nature continues to grow.

is watch you walk away and not be able to run after you.

Today was so hard - so so so so so freaking hard. And I'm going to completely vomit up all my feelings into this description and be a complete girl and over emotional because right now I really need to get it all out because I'm so heartbroken and I just don't know what to do with myself. I really just don't know what to do with myself. I'm just sat here, I could shower but I don't have the energy or drive to get up and stand there in the water, I don't have the motivation to walk into the town or just go downstairs and get something to eat. My love is gone. I had to stand there while he went up the escalator and watch him leave, I was crying so hard behind him. In the car home I couldn't think straight, it feels like I've lost part of my mind, like part of me is missing - all of his things are gone from my room, and I've been searching for something to remind me that it wasn't all a dream. I have no idea what to do from here. I need my Aaron back. I'm hurting so hard!!! And its not just missing being able to see him and touch him and talk to him, I miss being able to turn to him and just knowing he is at most a few meters away from me. This is so hard. I had no idea how hard this was going to be. I guess it doesn't really help that I have Damien rice on repeat. My mind is so twisted right now, i feel like all my insides have been tied up in knots and my bones have been replaced with paper, I feel so weak

I've never needed someone so much in all my life, and I'm not a needy person - I love being alone so much I purposely isolate myself a lot of the time, but now I've felt what its like to be loved and be part of something other than myself I feel so helpless. I've never been loved so unconditionally like Aaron loves me - he is the most amazing person on this earth, ever to have lived - he is my world, he is my life and he is everything to me, without him i'm not even just a mess, i'm a purposeless mess. Like now, i'm just sat here doing nothing but crying and sniffing really loudly, and it really hurts. This is so freaking hard. I need you :(

Come back :(

106/365

Sometimes, I just feel like being a breeze, wandering purposelessly in the forest.

Sometimes, I just feel like lying watching the raindrops falling down. Having no thoughts of getting up for work.

And sometimes, I just feel like being back to my childhood, singing, dancing and playing in a carefree way..

goo.gl/JVWY74

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I recommend zooming in with L then tapping (or just tapping the picture on an iPad) to see the detail.

© All rights reserved.

Hmm, some highlight bloom / halation, bubbly bokeh and calming natural earthy colors. I did crop to 8:5 ratio but other than that, it's as is. 😊

Nikon D7200 (APS-C crop sensor / DX)

Minolta MD ROKKOR 50mm f/1.7 prime

Fotodiox Pro MD - Nik adapter

ISO100, 50mm, f/1.7, 1/320sec (-0.3EV)

(thus 75mm+ full frame equivalent)

single photo, manual, handheld

i cant get in there without you

true to my word, i procrastinated everything today. I stayed in bed until it was time for Aaron to call (about 2pm) then got up, went into town and bought a pumpkin. then i got home and put off taking my shot until I could talk to Aaron, then ate my dinner and put off doing essays, and posted a million pictures and videos of me and aaron here on our new blog and then took my shot. I feel better than yesterday, but its a weird feeling of pointlessness. I feel kind of purposeless. As though I am just hanging about in England for a while until I get to go home to Aaron and live again. Its so weird! Waking up alone is weird. Going places on my own is weird. And I love being on my own usually. Damn.

BUT on the positive side, I JUST BOUGHT ANOTHER TICKET TO AMERICA!!!!! no waiting around for me this time! My plane trip is all booked up :D I am so excited, and so begins another countdown.

Better Viewed Large. Trying out some more new combinations in post processing with new software. Arches National Park is a beautiful national treasure. There is so much to shoot that it is hard to focus on any one thing, but for me...the colors really start to come out in low light.

FOR THOSE INTERESTED I HAVE AN EXHIBITION AT THIS LINK <a href=" www.flickr.com/groups/inspiringcollection/discuss/7215762... .

The Desert Has a Voice (JHWatkins) not hdr

The desert has a voice that calls

In dry, dirt dreams-

Warm, wind-washed wonders

In wingless, soulless flight.

Cold, moonlit masquerades

Through long level years,

Crying out with countless cares on deafened ears-

Drowned in measured, motor-muffled madness,

And child-chattered, purposeless flight.

Quietly, calmly calling-

Darkened, deepening desert-

Star-filled with stumbling stalkers

And wounded warriors in fevered nights.

Dreams-peaceful, persistent, dreams-

As wheeled sky turns

Eternal turning, evening eyes-

And thoughts of morning colored light.

Millennial seas-

Doomed and dusty years-

Row upon heaping row of years-

Tears-

Caked, covered

And desolate.

The desert has a voice-

That calls and halts

And peers with perfect perspective-

Stopping us in our way.

“I have seen blood-stained battles!

I have seen despot desires!

I have seen prophets come and go,

And ages pass with shallow…glancing blows!

I have seen civilizations crumble…

Tumbling, heavy-handed

Into pagan pasts!”

The desert has a voice-

And every grain of sand has a name-

Every wind-blown grain of sand.

And someone-somewhere-knows the names.

They have perfect place and purpose-

Rocks cry out! Rocks….sing!

Some soaring angelic scribe somewhere

Records the history of rocks, and sands, and deserts.

Drab, dull, drifting desert distances and plans.

Ragged, jagged, craggy-edged

Mountain spine explosions and

Dry, desert sand.

The desert has voice and future-

With lifted hill-high green valley-

And clear bright stream winding

To cool, crystalline sea.

They wait….silently…

Almost… forever waiting-

But I know the secret of deserts-

And –

Dreams.

James Watkins-April 2006

In the opening sequence of the Prisoner we see Patrick McGoohan as he angrily resigns his top secret government position and then drives through London under a stormy sky. He gets home, packs a bag, some holiday brochures fall out.

A white gas hisses through the keyhole and he falls unconscious. He awakes in an identical room but through the window sees a strange village surrounded by sea and mountains. Everything looks cheerful and bright, with gaily dressed people and quaint, turreted buildings. But the village has a sinister purpose; its population are prisoners, identified only by a number, from whom information is required.

There is no escape. The prisoners have had all desire to escape taken away, either by their purposeless existence, brainwashing or surgery. Number 6 is the only one with the will to escape, the one who refuses to be broken: "I am not a number; I am a free man".

The series asks more questions than it answers. Why is Number 6 being held? Why did he resign? Who is Number 6? Who are his jailers? Who is Number 1? The village is run by Number 2 whose identity changes from episode to episode.

The series is rich in imagery and visual impact. The surreal architecture of the village with its Mediterranean atmosphere coupled with the high-tech interiors, tannoys, surveillance cameras and piped music create a bizarre combination. There is great attention to detail throughout with no item too large or small to receive the Prisoner stamp, from steet signs to cans of food to village credit cards, Mini Moke taxis and staff uniforms. Large and menacing balloons (occasionally referred to as 'Rover') patrol the perimiter. A dwarf, mute butler opens the door to No 2's Green Dome.

Enigmatic to the end, the last episode caused ITV's telephone lines to be blocked by the many millions of viewers who called in desperate for an explanation. Even though the series is close to 50 years old, there are new viewers who may not have seen it before and we do not wish to spoil it by revealing the ending here. Many diverse and creative conclusions have been drawn from the series such as was Number 6 a victim of a nervous breakdown, or is he, like us, a prisoner of ourselves? Was this an allegorical conundrum or a statement about personal freedom, democracy and social engineering?

Another case of severe random- and mundaneness, ..it appears. I was on the way out, shooting b&w only (so I thought), and the light on the stairs asked to be photographed. So I did. 😜

Filtered in part through a curtain, with shadowplay of my plants, fractured, abstracted by the multi-level-ness of the staircase, dirt n everything. The wood of the steps is bright and yellow-ish brown by itself, but that was the time I used a yellow filter for b&w. Yes, I know, it makes absolutely no sense with digital; it was a means to make colors less distracting, assisting "seeing in black & white", and it was only a light one (classic K2, # 8) affecting most things, not just choking one color channel, so loss of light and details was not really noticeable. Shooting raw, the color information is still all there of course, even with b&w in-camera profile, so I could not resist to develop this one in color, and that is why resp. how this satisfying deep yellow in the image came about, and I tried not to interfere with it.

It's definitely not something that can't be done in postprocessing, however, I kind of like and cherish these (in my case often idio- 🍄 syncratic) details, knowing how a photo came about and that there was something physical at work, unique to that particular moment to make it the way it is. 🌈 ✨ 😋

Nikon D7200 (APS-C crop sensor / DX)

Minolta MD ROKKOR 28mm f/2.8 prime

Fotodiox Pro MD - Nik adapter

ISO100, 28mm, f/8, 1/40sec (-1EV)

(therefore 42mm full frame equivalent)

single photo, handheld, manual focus

A bit of a mood piece, I do like that, 😊 more often than sometimes. Those colors feed the soul, should we have one.

It comes easy for me to have weird yet pleasant associations with this type of thing: Totally unrelated, but somehow I think of slightly neglected mid-century modern architecture under Californian light, 250μg+ Orange Sunshine tabs, or the preciousness of the warmth of the last friendly autumn afternoons. What can I do..? 😮‍💨

Nikon D7200 (APS-C crop sensor / DX)

Minolta MD ROKKOR 50mm f/1.7 prime

Fotodiox Pro MD - Nik adapter

ISO100, 50mm, f/1.7, 1/800sec (-0.3EV)

(thus 75mm+ full frame equivalent)

single photo, manual, handheld

I've written about Rawlins, Wyoming before. It's one of the most photogenic towns I've seen. I don't know if it will become a regular stop for me (it's still too far east to start the funnel back into Seattle), but I will definitely stop again.

There's an oldness and tiredness to it that I feel on the end of a trip. At this point, I had battled road weariness and the sadness of the road and had overcome it.

Last year's trip was like no other. After finishing the Nez Perce portion of it, I felt strongly like not being on the road. I knew it was a temporary feeling and that I had to keep going.

If I'm honest, I don't think I knew then that it was temporary. When you start down that dark spiral on the road, you can't think clearly. You need perspective and time.

Fortunately, both perspective and time are found in abundance on the road. You just have to see them.

After the shooting for the project was over (about halfway through the trip), I felt purposeless. I didn't want to be on the road, and I didn't want to go home.

But I soon regained my footing. It was a mistake to go through North Dakota in a time like this. North Dakota is depressing and gut-wrenching. I should have gone south. I should have done a few things differently.

Soon enough, however, I wound up in South Dakota and Nebraska and felt this sense of home returning to me.

Not home like where I grew up or home where I live now. But a home on the road. I found grasslands and praire, old towns and older roads. This is where I realized that I'm a midwest photographer. It looks like I was the last to find out.

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'Tear Down'

Camera: Exakta VX IIb (c1963)

Lens: Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 2.8/50mm

Film: Fomapan 100; (x-05/2009)

Process: HC-110B; 6min

Rawlins, Wyoming

July 2019

Welcome to the Desert of the Real

Tel un automate sans réelle consigne,

je reste planté là dans l'attente d'un signe,

à jamais me libèrerait de ma tristesse,

perdue dans les dédales de mon ivresse

While studying photography in Pathshala, I developed new technical and aesthetic skills at an academic level and gained a fresh perspective on seeing the world around me. However, I still felt that something was missing. That missing piece was the ability to articulate aesthetics through language and to experience aesthetics with the basis of life itself.

During this time, I developed a deep desire to understand philosophy. Within a few months, I decided to pursue academic studies in philosophy. There were two main reasons behind this decision: first, to gain knowledge of philosophy, and second, to reshape my photographic view point through a philosophical angle—essentially, to integrate aesthetics with philosophy.

As I delved into this complex subject, I found myself particularly influenced by three philosophical ideologies: the philosophy of Nihilism, Engels and Marx’s materialism, and Gautama Buddha’s theory of Functionalism. These perspectives began shaping my understanding of life, humanity, society, and aesthetics. My way of seeing the world started to transform.

Nihilism and materialist philosophy argue that humans are not a special species. According to Buddha, life itself is full of suffering. Since humans are not inherently special and life has no predetermined purpose, people often experience restlessness. My photographs reflect this idea through landscapes, where excessive negative space in the frame symbolizes despair, purposelessness, and solitude in human life. Most people live under the illusion that they are unique compared to the surroundings. This belief prevents them from feeling truly connected to nature.

Lalon once said, "He and Lalon exist together, yet they are separated by infinite distance." Even though humans exist within nature, they somehow remain detached from it. In my frames, vast negative spaces with tiny human figures symbolize this very detachment. Here, nature is immense, and humans are small—serving as a reminder that humanity is not any superior to nature.

The mist in my photographs enhances the minimalist effect, further detaching people from their surroundings. The presence of human-made structures in the background represents our ongoing struggle to prove our superiority. However, the blurred, barely visible architecture behind the fog reflects the failure of this pursuit. Humanity is trapped in this endless contradiction, deepening its existential despair. Meanwhile, the fog thickens, and the distance between humans and nature continues to grow.

Lake and Pinnacles, Evening. Kings Canyon National Park. July 30, 2010. © Copyright 2010 G Dan Mitchell - all rights reserved.

Evening light reflects surrounding pinnacles in the surface of a subalpine Sierra Nevada lake

This photograph takes me back to a long southern Sierra backpacking trip I took with friends back in 2010 — a trip from which I have recently shared a few other photographs. We entered the backcountry of Kings Canyon National Park from the east over one of the high Sierra crest passes, a few days later crossed another even higher pass to enter the upper Kern River drainage, spent a few days in a very remote portion of this area, and then exited back to the east over the crest by way of one of the more notorious east side passes — not the most notorious one, but definitely on the short list of awful passes... in a wonderful way. ;-)

The lake in this photograph was the site of our first night camp, after we came over that first pass and dropped to this beautiful sub-alpine valley with its lakes, meadows, rocks, and small trees. We settled in to this first camp... and into the familiar and welcome patterns of a long trip into the backcountry. These include camaraderie among friends who have shared many backpacking experiences, purposefully purposeless wandering around the wilderness neighborhood, sitting on rocks and staring, and watching the day transition to evening and then night.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist whose subjects include the Pacific coast, redwood forests, central California oak/grasslands, the Sierra Nevada, California deserts, urban landscapes, night photography, and more.

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Text, photographs, and other media are © Copyright G Dan Mitchell (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Pentax LX SMC PENTAX-M 1:1.7 50mm JCH Street Pan 400 Eco Pro 1:1 05/22/2022

[20/365]

explore[#14]

you guys are absolutely amazing.

listen. watch the video.

this is my first square crop of life and it makes me so fucking nervous. it's over processed but i don't care. i like it.

replaced with a slightly different edit.

i feel like a sloth today. purposeless. annoyed. eternally small. shitty.

i think when i hit a good benchmark in this project, i'd like to do a print giveaway. i was think once i hit day 50? i can't believe i'm already on 20. i'm crawling back to bed and maybe i just won't wake up. maybe?

zaige.tumblr.com/

www.formspring.me/zaige0

[...] If we strive for goals, relishing in the pleasure of circumstance, nothing is enjoyable, and life becomes purposeless [...]

-- Quote by Andrew the Apostle

Nikon D200, Samyang 8mm, f/3.5 fisheye, 8mm - f/13 - 0,77s

Madrid, Spain (June, 2019)

www.riccardocuppini.com

www.facebook.com/RiccardoCuppini.photography

337/365 Work with textures

I took the original image @ "The Morikami ~ Museum and Japanese Garden"

Delray Beach, Florida, USA.

With my husband Cellular's phone: Samsung SGH-T929

July 25th/2009

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