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

Lens-Artists Challenge: Stormy

The gathering storm: I took this photo in Australia, in the wine-growing area of New South Wales.

What began as a bright and sunny day quickly darkened as a storm front moved in. Shortly after this was taken, the sky was almost black and it rained. A lot…

Lens-Artists Challenge: Stormy

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

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

Lens-Artists Challenge: Unique

Clouds are like snowflakes: no two are ever the same.

This one was floating above The Corniche in Abu Dhabi when I snapped it from the terrace of our apartment as the sun went down. Until I pulled it out of my files for this challenge, I’d never even noticed the aeroplane. I guess that makes this particular scene really unique.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Unique