Picture One
There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer. ~ Ansel Adams
This quote fits how I feel about photography to a tee:~) As most of you know, I love taking picture of ordinary things and then asking what you, the viewer, sees in them.
I always find it fascinating that the viewers to my site will see very different things in a picture than what I see.
We might both agree on the basics of a picture. For example, the picture above is part of a tree. I imagine we can agree on this:~)
It’s when we both look deeper into the picture that our perspectives begin to change. We start to see imaginary things in the swirl and shape of the wood and even the colors in the picture.
I’ll even go a step further and say that we need to do this. As humans, it is our tendency to personalize what we see. If we look at something long enough, we will see things in it, even things we know don’t exist in the actual picture. I think is a marvelous testament to how very creative and imaginative our brains are:~)
The Challenge
I’m giving you the header picture (Picture One) and this picture (Picture Two), just so you have some choices:
Picture Two
Your challenge today is to pick a picture, take some time to look at it and then answer these two questions:
- What made you pick the picture you chose?
- What do you see in this picture?
Put your answer in the comment box and be sure to indicate which picture you selected.
Have fun, be creative and enjoy!
The Sandcastle Special Challenge
Congratulations to those of you who took on last week’s Sandcastle Special Challenge! Your creativity was a wonderful, as it was diverse. Thanks for sharing your creative minds:~)
{ 38 comments… read them below or add one }
I chose the first one.
No idea ewhy.
But i see some big old lips chewing on a tracker bar. lol
Arts web show´s last [type] ..Free flow spirit and burlesque visual poetry
@ Arts web show — I can see the mouth, too…but I’ve a haven’t a clue what a “tracker bar” is. Want to explain? It’s funny how this old piece of a tree can become something so different when you stare at it!
Thanks for staring:~)
Hi Sara .. I chose the first one too – a little well waiting to be filled with life giving rain .. a little more rotting breakdown and perhaps a seed that will flourish, bringing forth new shoots .. a space while it’s dry to plomp my bottom and peruse the world around me .. a place to stand and stare at all the shapes, twirls that the wood has made the different layers .. the wonder of the simple world.
Great pictures .. thanks- Hilary
Hilary´s last [type] ..Under Sea Sussex – Tompot Blenny- Piddock- Devonshire Cup Corals and Jewel Anemones
@ Hilary — WOW…love this comment. You sound so poetic! I love the ending, “the wonder of the simple world.” Have you thought about trying some poetry at your site? That’s what this comment reminds me…free verse poetry.
Thanks for the visit!
Hi Sara,
I’m going to be different. I chose the 2nd one. I have no idea what the picture actually is. However, in it I see clear blue water that has frozen on the surface, trapping bubbles and reflections of the trees just below the surface.
@ Linda — That’s kind of cool…literally:~) I didn’t see this when I looked the first time, but now I can see how it could be frozen water with bubbles trapped in it. Great comment and thanks:~)
Hi Sara….
I’m choosing the 2nd picture. I see a swimmer on the surface (left side of the picture) of the Gulf of Mexico 20 years after the BP oil spill as an oil/dispersant plume silently hovers below the swimmer as two strange hybrid creatures resembling groupers/bats swimming just below the swimmer. To the right of and below the grouper/bats is a newly discovered deep sea creature slowly rising to the surface taking on the characteristics and purpose of what we call IUDs. My question is who or what is taking the picture from below the Gulf surface???
Whew….way too much symbolism and imagination there…don’t you think?…….Ken
@ Ken — LOL…I forget how funny you are. You should visit more often. I always love reading what you write. Hmmmm…it kind of scares me to think about who or what is taking the picture below the Gulf surface. It also scares me what will the future will hold for our beautiful Gulf?????
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this challenge:~)
Sara, the first photo had so many things in it, but I chose picture two because I loved the colors and the textures in it. In it, I see a fossilzed plant – the curly cue. A rare plant not seen in centuries and believed to hold magic powers.
Talon´s last [type] ..Elusive
@ Talon — I agree with you about the fossilized plant as that what I also saw, but you have a very creative take on the curly cues. I should I given this picture to you because I feel there’s a story waiting to be born full of magical powers:~)
Hi Sara,
I would normally choose picture two based on the colors and the potential for investigating farther…
But picture one speaks to my heart, because I *know* the tidbits by the tree are fairy offerings..I think the tree was felled and the fairy of the tree left behind these offerings to bless the passage..and to provide for new birth..
Joy´s last [type] ..Fearless Fun Friday- Random Facts…
@ Joy — That’s such a nice thought. I like the idea that the fairy would have left an offering to the lost tree. When I look at the picture, I can see what I think is new growth. So, the fairy must have been right:~)
I pick picture two.
I’m drawn to its intriguing mix of asymmetry, fragility and organicity. I’m mesmerized by the colors and the cracks; as if staring too long might cause new cracks or new colors to appear (or to be noticed). Plus, I love anything that reflects light.
@ Belinda — I also liked this picture of stained glass because of it unusual mix. I loved the curly cues and agree with about the fragility and reflected light.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this:~)
I choose the second picture because I love the blue and gold.
It is the planet made of peacock feathers,
A place for peacock get-togethers–
Strutting, preening, in fine display,
A locality for vanity
I’d say.
LOL
Fireblossom´s last [type] ..Ascension
@ Fireblossom — I like the term “a locality for vanity!” Looking at the picture, I can see the peacock. I grew up around peacocks, even though they were native. I’ll tell you one thing…they are LOUD, but also very beautiful, especially when they put on their display:~)
Picture One
Cat , rat, dog, Moose, sleepy baby bird and a snapping turtle
Picture two
Prehistoric cave drawing of a man chasing some kind of cow. Frozen in ice with a plant growing in it just before it froze.
@ desk49/Ellis — I can see the cat, the rat and the dog, but ya got me on the MOOSE with Picture One. Actually, I can kind see a moose in Picture Two…the curly cues!
Picture Two — I can definitely see the cave drawing. I’m not sure about man chasing some kind cow, but I trust your creativity and that’s what fun about these pictures. I really enjoy seeing what someone else sees in a picture:~)
You’ve got a wonderful imagination, Ellis!!! Thanks for participating in this challenge. I promise I will NOT overlook you again:~)
Hi Sara.
I picked the second picture because it’s artsy, abstract and I loved the vibrant colours. I see the perspective I would imagine a person might see if they were in outer space looking down on the earth (except for those black squiggly things), lol.
Thanks for sharing the link to your last Challenge, Sara. That was fun!
Davina´s last [type] ..A Certain “Type” of Mystery
@ Davina — Maybe those black squiggly things are a new discovery about earth? I agree about the colors.
Thanks to you for sharing your thoughts about this challenge:~)
Hi Sara,
The first picture.
After all day kayaking the river that crosses that mysterious land he found a place to rest for the night at the shelter provided by a small cave in one of the many ancient trees, or at least that’s what he wanted to think, being the trees normal in size he couldn’t forget he was still a little man.
Alien Ghost´s last [type] ..Anticipation Maniac
@ Alien Ghost — I like the story, especially the “perspective” part of it:~)
I picked picture number 2 because of the color and it made me feel like relaxing and going with the flow, how I thought the beach would feel in Hawaii, but it did not….the curly figure was the current and movement indicators as that life flows forth…
Can you guess I have so much tension in my neck that my hands will not stop shaking today? I am so glad I got Dragon Dictate installed, just for days like today – so I can do more than just read and leave
I liked the top tree too….looks burly
Patricia´s last [type] ..SMILING ON A BEAUTIFUL MORNING
@ Patricia — I appreciate you stopping by. It sounds like things are still pretty tough right now for you.
You do what you have to do and if it’s just reading…well, that’s what you do. It does sound like a good idea to get Dragon Dictate. I also hope that you try to take lots of mini-breaks to ease that tension. Most of all, be good to yourself:~)
I like the second one. The colors make me happy, that blue, and the watery effect. Reminds me of ocean, which I miss a lot!!
xo
Jannie Funster´s last [type] ..Somewhere Down The Lacy River — Funny Typos 18
@ Jannie — I can see you picking the second picture:~) I bet you liked the colors and even the funky curly cues. It does sort of look like the ocean with those blues and greens. Come for a visit sometime and I’ll take to a really pretty beach:~)
Sara,
I like picture number one. My thinking was similar to Joy. I imagine a fairy living in that tree. I can see his little fairy helmet, his fishing pole and his little boat.
Eric | Eden Journal´s last [type] ..Exploring the Brain Twisting Worlds of Subjective Reality
@ Eric — Like I said to Joy…I can see this as it does sort of look like a home. I like the acorn being the fairy’s helmet, the leaf his boat and the twig as his fishing pole. Very well seen…you’ve got an excellent imagination.
Thanks for the visit:~)
Picture Two for sure! How could I NOT pick that one? It’s so flippin’ weird, and weird is good in my book!
It’s a weird moon rock with ancient markings on it that date back long before we started to exist on our little rock we call the earth. Fabulous!
@ Tony — I glad you think picture two is weird and I’d enjoyed what you saw in the picture. It’s interesting how an everyday object — in this case…a stained glass window — can become something so different when you see without it’s environment.
I also love the way your imagination works:~)
Only one? Darn.
Ok, I’ll pick the second one because the colour grabbed me and I see a crow in need of being pieced back together. This is a recurring theme for my photography as well. Fun stuff.
Thanks for your recent visit to my blog. Very much appreciated.
Hilary´s last [type] ..Water- Water
LOL skipped again It’s okay my reply was not that good anyway.
desk49´s last [type] ..If Love was Death-
@ Ellis — WHAT!!! Did I skip you..NOOOOOOOOOOO:~(
I will go back to your comment. I LOVE your comments and I apologize if I missed it:~)
I picked the second one because I saw a face right away. It reminded me of that tree character in Pocahontas singing “Listen to your heart”.
Kelvin Kao´s last [type] ..New Business Cards
@ Kelvin — I like your imagination and seeing a face in this picture. I didn’t see Pocahontas, yet…maybe I should watch it!
Thanks for participating!!
moose is across the top of the cats head. Snapping turtle below cats head to over by the sleeping bird. looks liek it is going to bite the bird.
man middle left cow middle top three legs and a big flopy ear. But like all men this guy liked himself cause his head is really big.
desk49´s last [type] ..If Love was Death-
I pick the first one, because I see an old man in the picture. The smooth part in the upper middle is his nose, and the stuff right underneath is his mouth. Funny thing is that I cannot see anything in the second picture.
Colleen´s last [type] ..Kennewick Homes
@ Colleen — That’s interesting about the second picture, but I think it happens, especially if there are two pictures. One will demand your attention over the other.
Thanks for participating in this challenge:~)