Sally D’s Mobile Photography Challenge: Black and White (Monochrome Series I: Still Life in Stone)

21 September 2015

Lens:

1. Monochrome Series: Still Life in Stone; Copyright © 2015 Sally W. Donatello All Rights Reserved

2. Monochrome Series: Still Life in Stone; Copyright © 2015 Sally W. Donatello All Rights Reserved

3. Monochrome Series: Still Life in Stone; Copyright © 2015 Sally W. Donatello All Rights Reserved

Let me know which you prefer and why. Click each image to enlarge.

Pens:

I am on a mission to create a series of monochromatic images that focus on the simplicity and meditative qualities of stones. Historically, these products of nature are seen as builders of the soul, builders of gardens, builders of fences and walls. Their multiple uses have encouraged great inventions, including Zen tea gardens..

In the Lens section are three of my first tributes to some of Mother Nature’s building blocks. Monochromatic Series I: Stone are samples from my gardens. For decades every space that I have created and cultivated has had the element of stone as an integral part of its aesthetic and function. Their presence is all-inclusive, so much so that they have become my own signature. I place them in ways that combine instinct with blatant planning.

“Autumn’s Ode to Stone”

Time marks each contour and performance.

Their architecture defies reason, forcing appreciation and interpretation.

Whimsical blueprints and physical science collide, adjusting composition of understanding.

 

Nature’s monuments still the light,

Patterns appear, lazy and strong,

 

Adrift in secret and witnesses to all.

Shapes prevail as keynotes.

 

Lines appear, forcing age, weathering spirits.

Sometimes reviving the glow of calm or rage.

 

Earth speaks through their voices.

Formations soothe or provoke,

Quietly shouting truth and lies, challenging those that cross their paths.

 

Nature’s stonework is not prideful.

But alert with primordial integrity.

They divulge meaning/ objectivity/ power/ humble presence/perseverance.

 

Angles, forms, shapes give credence to

Ambiguity,

And steadfast patterns emerge and recede.

 

Pause, admire, stare, observe,

Be alert to the dream. Be alert…

 

Speaking volumes through visual encounter,

Not letting go, proceeding as an element of

hope’s endurance.  ~~ Sally W. Donatello

Tip of the Week: Japanese gardens are the quintessential meditative spaces, combining human nature and Mother Nature. Click here to read the online article, “28 Japanese Garden Design Ideas to Style up Your Backyard,” The simple act of viewing these gardens can inspire a spiritual retreat or a plan to make one for yourself. I create small sculptures with stone. Each isolated work offers a chance for silent observation and peaceful emotional and visual rewards. Be inspired by their quiet presence and physical beauty.

Connect to the Natural World Website

View other entries for the challenge:

http://nadinetomlinson.com/2015/09/21/datura-the-lovely-lethal-flower/

https://badfish2.wordpress.com/2015/09/21/grid-into-the-fog/

https://sustainabilitea.wordpress.com/2015/09/21/sally-ds-mobile-photography-challenge-black-and-white-cementing-a-conrete-moment-or-two/

https://patchworkponderings.wordpress.com/2015/09/21/sally-ds-mobile-photography-challenge-black-and-white-picket-fence/

https://piecesofstarlight.wordpress.com/2015/09/21/sally-ds-bw-mobile-challenge-the-season-changes/

https://angelinem.wordpress.com/2015/09/21/sally-ds-mobile-photography-challenge-black-and-white-at-night/

http://luciledegodoy.com/2015/09/21/sally-ds-mobile-photography-challenge-black-and-white-4/

https://maggiecarlise.wordpress.com/2015/09/21/sally-ds-mobile-photography-challenge-black-and-white/

http://debs-world.com/2015/09/22/sally-ds-mobile-photography-challenge-black-and-white-sunroom/

http://artifactsandfictions.com/2015/09/22/in-the-garden/

http://ohmsweetohm.me/2015/09/22/sally-ds-mobile-photography-black-and-white-challenge/

https://shareandconnect.wordpress.com/2015/09/22/mobile-photography-black-and-white-trees/

https://chasinglifeandfindingdreams.wordpress.com/2015/09/22/seeing-the-other-side/

http://pilotfishblog.com/2015/09/25/sally-ds-mobile-photography-challenge-black-white-silhouettes-in-the-temple-of-dendur/

http://nwframeofmind.com/2015/09/27/sally-ds-mobile-photography-challenge-black-white-fall-in-the-park/

Note:

As always I welcome comments about this post or any part of my blog. My photographs for the mobile photography challenge are taken with an iPhone 6.

If you’d like to join this Mobile Photography Challenge, please click here for details and history of the challenge. If you have any questions, please contact me. Below is a reminder of the monthly schedule with themes for upcoming challenges:

1st Monday: Nature.

2nd Monday: Macro.

3rd Monday: Black and White.

4th Monday Challenger’s Choice (Pick One: Abstraction, Animals, Architecture, Food Photography, Night Photography, Objects, Panorama, Portraiture, Still Life, Street Photography, and Travel).

5th Monday: Editing and Processing with Various Apps Using Themes from the Fourth Week.