Lens-Artists Challenge: Ephemeral

“The only constant in life is change” – Heraclitus

This week, the challenge is to capture an image of something ephemeral: something here now, but gone probably well before tomorrow. My first thought was clouds: ever-changing, always moving.

My second thought was fireworks. I really enjoy capturing firework displays (feux d’artifice they’re called here) and with a bit of luck it’s possible to get yourself some really arresting images.

However, I decided to stick with my original inspiration. This is a view from the Caen-Portsmouth ferry just before it set sail one early morning in August this year. The clouds will soon roll by and the sea will flow with the changing tides. The view might look the same five minutes later, but in reality it will be different, unique – and transient.

Lens-Artists Challenge: Ephemeral

Cellpic Sunday: A Mackerel Sky

A dramatic cloud formation from one morning earlier this week.

Cellpic Sunday 14 September 2025

Monochrome Madness: Begins with ‘H’

An interesting challenge for the latest iteration of Monochrome Madness: can I spy something beginning with ‘H’?

Well yes, albeit after a little thought. This is the harbour of the city of La Rochelle, as the sun begins to set.

Monochrome Madness; Begins with H

Last on the card May 2025

An unusual cloud formation as the sun sets.

Last on the card May 2025

Lens-Artists Challenge: Complementary Colours

I’d like to think that I have a reasonable grasp of the theory behind complementary colours. The problem is that the world doesn’t necessarily adhere to the principle and often seems quite happy to juxtapose any old clashing shades with nary a thought about the aesthetics of the matter.

Orange and blue are certainly complementary, and when the setting sun hits the underside of clouds, the vibrant orange glow it can produce sits very well against the still-blue sky. Crop out any earthbound distractions and you could get yourself a bit of abstract art.

Well, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it…

Lens-Artists Challenge: Complementary Colours

Cellpic Sunday: On a country walk

A walk along a country lane yesterday yielded this spectacular cloudscape.

Cellpic Sunday 10 November 2024

Cellpic Sunday: Sunset in La France Profonde

A particularly dramatic dusk one evening last week, here in the depths of the French countryside.

Cellpic Sunday 15 September 2024

Cellpic Sunday: Approaching menace…

“Soon it’s gonna rain…”

Cellpic Sunday 19 May 2024

Lens-Artists Challenge – Day and night

I took this photo in Australia’s Hunter Valley as storm clouds gathered. It wasn’t shot in black & white and nor have I converted it to monochrome.

It was actually mid-afternoon, but as those menacing clouds rolled in, they had the effect of turning day into night.

Lens-Artists Challenge: Day and night

Shelter from the storm

Usually, we’re quite lucky with the weather when we go on one of the voyages (coach trips) that are arranged by various local associations. However, on this particular occasion we struck out and it rained - really rained – for the whole day.

Fortunately, on the visit to the safari park we were able to take shelter in this little train.

CWWC 14 December 2023