In Deference to the "Magic Hour" & the "Cosmos" On Creative Arts Thursday/Friday
In photography , the golden hour/magic hour is the period of daytime shortly after sunrise or before sunset , during which daylight is redder and softer than when the Sun is higher in the sky .
The cosmos is the Universe . Using the word cosmos rather than the word universe implies viewing the universe as a complex and orderly system or entity; the opposite of chaos .
Fisherman Pauses in Deference to a Moment with the Cosmos
© A. Mac/A.G.
Fishermen Heading Out on a Starry Night
© A. Mac/A.G.
Time to show your stuff and have your say … creatively, of course.
You need only to defer to your sense of what matters to you.
Such beautiful touches of magic, Mac. I wonder which galaxy they will choose to fish from today. (smile)
My guess is they'll head for the Constellation Pisces.
Excellent! The fish there are really jumpin' there I hear. (grin)
What matters to me is being able to view your expert photography, and the creativity of other members.
"Pisces"
A field in Texas at dusk.
Dusk has always been a favourite time for me - well illustrated by you.
Thanks Buzz.
Here's one. Sometimes those periods are very calm and peaceful; sometimes not so much. This one was just before a storm.
That is REALLY colourful.
Definitely. This shot is shown as it was taken, but I've experimented with it too. If I lighten the foreground (top and bottom), the sun tends to fade in brilliance. If I darken it, the sun comes out to a total blaze. I had just the right conditions when I took this one. Dusk with dark clouds covering most of the sky while the air was relatively clear over Lake Michigan to the West. That made the sunset stand out. The conditions were only right in a relative sense, though. The clouds in the foreground were NOT the harmless kind. Since I was out in the open, away from the woods, I got the hell out of there when the lightning started about five minutes later.
We're off and running! Great start, nice variety!
Sunset Stone Creek, Ocala FL.
Beautiful sunset Kavika. It's as if the earth stood still for that split second. So surreal and peaceful. It lifts the Spirit and makes one remember what our world is really all about.
Very well done.
?
Can't you see it Buzz?
Tried again now in early morning when the internet here is fairly good, and can't open that one or the wiki one following. It just shows the code and a tiny kind of thumbnail that won't enlarge.
Strange
My sister has a side hustle making mug, t-shirts and stuff. Today she is making me new coffee mugs:
Perfect EG.
Does Kobe get his own coffee mug?
No. I caught him last weekend using mine.
That is very funny.
Your Sister did a great job, EG. She captured your essence to the last drop. (grin)
Wiki Warrior Wonder Wiener having her morning coffee. Or as we say in Ojibwe ''black water medicine''.
Nuttin' sweller feller than a goood cup 'o Black Water Medicine!
Nice!
Maybe I'll be able to open your photos in the early morning when the internet and my computer work better.
LOL
Here's a little magic...
Oh how I love merry-go-rounds! That childhood excitement follows me still today. Whenever I am near one I have to ride it. My Daughter loved them too when she was little. She called them Uppy Downs, and of course, when she rode them, I got to ride them with her.
I was just listening to Joni Mitchell singing The Circle Game, which is about a carousel.
© A.Mac/A.G.
Beautiful Mac. And it looks like so much fun to ride!
California sunset
California Dreaming.
Beautiful shot G. The only thing I can compare with a Calif sunset is a west coast FL sunset. They are both so very magical. They bring such peace to the soul to end the long day.
Thanks Raven Wing!
Before wildfires - the heavens display their beauty.
Fishing boats heading out at dawn, the Andaman Sea, Langkawi, Malaysia
Great photo, where were you located when you took the photo?
Thanks Kavika. I was on the balcony of our stateroom on a cruise ship. I got up at dawn every day and took photos.
You had a great vantage point for these photos.
Great shot G. All's quiet and serene on that morning as they head out. The fishing must have been very special that day.
Thank you
Terrific photo - I love photos that tell a story.
Here is a Thursday creation revisit...
A fine work of Native American genre!
Thanks Mac.
The Plains Madonna.
Thanks Kavika. I like to show that Native American Mother's are just like any other Mother. And in many Native American Tribes the children of the Tribe effective belong to the Tribe, as all Mother's of the Tribe and older girls will care for other children when necessary, and the girls are taught the work of the women of the Tribe by Aunts, Cousins, or other women of the Tribe. And the young boys are normally cared for and taught by various Father figures, such as Uncles, Cousins or just other members of the Tribe. As has been said by others many times, "It takes a Village," and true it does.
So the 'Magonna' could be the child's own Mother, or perhaps another Mother of the Tribe caring for the child.
A Mother is a Mother, no matter who the child is. (smile)
Sorry, that should read 'Madonna'.
That is so nice.
Thanks G.
What could be more beautiful than depicting the love between mother and child?
Thanks Buzz. No matter what ethnicity of a people, the Mother's love for her children is universal. no matter how it is expressed.
very nice
A photo of Mt. Konocti on Clear Lake CA. 4300 feet high and with mysteries that abound. The original inhabitants of this area are the Pomo people which to this day still live there. One of the ancient legends by the Pomo was the caves under Mt. Konocti. In the 1990's divers actually found these underwater caves. How did the Pomo know of these caves? In the middle of the lake is a bubbling cauldron feed by a fisher in the bottom of the lake. I boated around it many times.
I took this photo on a cloudy day and a halo had formed around the top of Mt. Konocti.
This is the oldest lake in North American, some 480,000 years old.
.
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To this day Mt. Konocti is shrouded in mystery and legend.
What a beautiful picture, and it does seem to be shrouded in mystery and Spiritual essence that one can almost feel it actually undulating.
I have heard about this mountain it's mystery and many legends. And what makes it even more mysterious are the Pomo people themselves. They seem to live in a world of their own there.
It is great that the divers found and confirmed the caves that were thought not to exist. However, I do hope that their curiosity will not greatly disturb or interfere with the chosen way of life of the Pomo who now live there, as it has been their homeland for more than thousands of years.
Thanks for sharing this most interesting and informative photo and story of it's history. Well done.
Superb image, even better when its story is told so well.
That is a great photo.
I'll add another oldie, as some of our newer members may not have seen them yet.
A sterling image.
Thank you Buzz.
Love it.
Thanks Kavika. I'm glad that you enjoy it.
Very interesting. Is he a shaman?
Thanks G. Yes, he is a Shaman.
Because I came here late
I'll focus on the gate
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I have many more
But don't wish to bore.
Those are truly beautiful gates, Buzz. The Chinese are such talented artisans, and able to create such awesome structures that are so full of wonderful images and colors. I wish I would have been able to visit the world of China many years ago. There and Korea and Japan, just to enjoy the magical wonders of their artistry and designs. Hopefully, in my next life. (smile)
I was 69, retired, unhappy, marriage breaking up, kids grown and on their own and I was bored. I was corresponding with my nephew who was teaching in China, and he said "Uncle Buzz, if you're unhappy why don't you come to China? I'll get you a job teaching English." Although I've travelled in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, throughout Canada and the USA, lots of the Islands around America I had never even dreamed of venturing to the Orient. But as Bilbo Baggins said, I'm never too old for a new adventure. And once I came, I found real happiness in teaching, and even better finding a wonderful wife. I have seen and experienced many of those "magical wonders" you refer to and wish I could have seen more. If you've not done so, you should look at the articles on the Discovery Group - you can get a pretty good taste of China.
Thanks for the heads-up on the Discovery group, Buzz. I will certainly take a look.
I am very glad that you were able to finally find happiness and a wonderful wife in your taking the challenge to go to China and start over.
I've been to over 70 countries in the world and the Asian countries have always been my favorites.
Where haven't you been?
Antarctica.
I used to work with someone who went there on a cruise. She also cruised the Aleutian Islands. She liked cold places.
I've been to Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Island chain.
LOL
Gates to happiness.
On the lake at sunset and the beach at sunrise.
This fellow stopped by to visit me this morning while I was having my coffee.
Beautiful sunset and sunrise, Jane. And such an elegant visitor to share you early morning with.
Sunrise, Sunset (Fiddler on the Roof)
Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge at the golden hour.
How lovely, EG. The reflections on the water really add to the touch of magic it presents. Well done.
Beautiful photo and it brings back a lot of memories, EG.
Bridges fascinate me, and in Chongqing there are many bridges needed to cross the Jialing and Yangze Rivers. But where I spent my summers as a kid at my grandmother's cottage at Burlington Beach on the strip of land that divides the western tip of Lake Ontario from Burlington Bay (a/k/a Hamiltion Bay) there were two bridges - a Bascule bridge for the traffic and a swing bridge for the rail line, but eventually a massive high level bridge replaced the Bascule one and a lift bridge like the one in your ;photo replaced the railroad swing bridge. The bridges were required for the boat traffic, including the big ore ships, to pass through the land strip.
The Alhambra, Granada, Spain
How lovely! And all the floral additions to the artwork is truly awesome.
Thanks Raven Wing. I'm glad you like it.
Great example of framing, and in this case the framing has at least equal importance with what is framed.
Time for a new creation to start the weekend off...
Team work...it saves the day.
Very great. It looks like they "read" each other.
Thanks G. Glad you like it.
A meeting of minds? Everything about that creation is fantastic.
Thank you so much Buzz. Another venture in framing techniques. Glad you like it.
Part of the Po Nagar Cham Hindu Temple complex, Nha Trang, Vietnam. Founded sometime before 781 A.D. I posted this extra large to really show the detail.
Wonderful photo G.
The few photos I have of Nam don't look anything like this.
Thanks Kavika
Did you get to Nha Trang? It was as pretty cool coastal city.
Never made it to Nha Trang. I spent my time in the central highlands.
I don't think you were having fun. Happily, I was there as a tourist.
Awesome G. Thanks for posting it large so we can see the intricate details of the Temple. Magnificent!
And I copied and reduced it so we could look at the whole temple without having to scroll.
Could I be sued for copyright infringement?
You could be, but I'm willing to negotiate a settlement.
My final settlement offer is to give you every cent I get paid for having used your photo.
I'm rich!!!
Don't spend it all in one place....
Hello Friday! And another new creation to start the weekend off.
Non-verbal expression between human and animal … nicely portrayed.
Thank you Mac. The Native Americans and their horses work as team, No verbal commands are necessary. The horse is trained to respond to the physical demands from their rider, as well as the situation at hand that the horse will automatically respond to the Warrior without verbal direction from him. This allows the Warrior to concentrate on what he is engaged in at the moment, be it battle, hunting or other necessary work.
The horse works with the Warrior as if it were an extension of the Warrior. As you say, no verbal expression between them is necessary when working together. They are of one mind, and often the horse will take the lead knowing from experience what it must do. No one else is allowed to ride a Warrior's horse. Doing so would be much too confusing for the horse, and could adversely affect the relationship between the horse and its own Warrior.
In order for the horse to maintain the very close oneness with their Warrior, the Warrior will take the horse for a 'pleasure' ride, just the two of them, no urgency, and the horse is allowed to determine its own choice of direction and gait. This also allows the horse and Warrior both to help each other to de-stress when they have been engaged in intense situations.
The bottom line.....the horse is the life line of the Warrior, and vise versa. They depend on each other for their survival. It is this Spirit oneness between the Warrior and his horse that I have tried to express.
I love it!
Thank you Kavika. There has always been a very intimate relationship between Native Americans and the various animals that surround us. We are all connected.
Where have I seen that before? LOL
Oh heck! I didn't know I had posted it before. Oh well, like Double Mint gum, double your pleasure, double you fun.
Fantasy Image.
Lighthouse in Another Galaxy
© A. Mac/A.G.
Another beautiful, magical, mystical fantasy, Mac.
WOW
When were you there?
I'm there as I type this. It's a location in Cyberspace.
Such a beautiful place, I'd like to visit one day. But, not yet.
A still from a video I took of a storm out on my front porch.
Looking up at a tree at Greenfield Village in Dearborn, MI.
A beautiful spot in Linkoping Sweden.
Beautiful photos Ahyoka. Very interesting as well.
A nice series. Are you able to enlarge them. If you wish I could do it for you.
I should be able to... I didn't realize they were so small until after I posted it.
Hope that's better.
Absolutely.
I love close up photos of flora too. The following two were taken in Sweden too.
And in Timisoara Romania:
Such beautiful flora. Getting the closeups really helps to get a better understanding of the flowers their elegant designs. The top one is truly awesome.
Lovely.
We are lookin' good in this Creative Arts Thursday/Friday edition. Keep it going!
And thanks to all for being here.
Saturday's Thursday/Friday's addition.
© A. Mac/A.G.
A very interesting view, Mac. Much like a Beacon in the Sky for those who sail the heavens.
Sometimes looking up is good exercise for one's neck.
.
Indeed looking up is a good exercise for the neck. However, if I were to look up that high I would fall on my arse. So while my neck would have a great workout, my arse would not be so lucky. (grin)
But...they are both truly beautiful. (smile)
Here is an old artwork for Saturday from a creation back in time......I hope you enjoy it. It is one of the first attempts I made at creating the Native American artwork a few years ago.
Very beautiful. Please tell us the story.
Thank you Buzz.
It is basically, the Creator watching through the eyes of the great Eagle to see if our people are taking care of the gift of our world that he has put into our care. The earth is not just a vast area of great resources for Man to use for their own agendas and wealth, but, for the benefit of all who dwell upon the earth, including our many Brothers and Sisters of the wildlife.
For Man to continue to survive, they will have to also insure the survival our wildlife Brothers and Sisters.
Another powerful image. Important story.
I'm in for Sunday.....
Amazing!
Thanks G. I am very glad you like it.
A little scary, beautifully presented
Thanks Buzz. It represents the Native American belief in Shape Shifters. Which is when a human changes itself into an animal or some form of beast. They are also known by some Tribes as Skinwalkers. There are many legends and myths about them among the different Tribes, but, they are most all of the same concept.
Well, it's Monday morning here, and keeping it going I'm returning to my theme of gates.
Primitive gate
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Fancy gate
.
Stone gate
Bill (not my photo)
These are really some very nice gates, Buzz. Including the last one. (grin)
My fav out of all of them is the first one, the rustic one. The others are very well done, but, the rustic one looks as if it has some interesting history.
Yes, it does have history. I took that (and many other photos) on a two-day trip into the mountains of Sichuan, the area that suffered the massive 2008 earthquake. Where that photo was taken was along a trail from where much tea was grown, and long ago, maybe even 1000 years ago, the farmers would carry it over the mountains on their backs to a market. Near that gate these statues of those farmers are standing. Those are not logs, they are rolls containing tea.
Thank you for the history behind the rustic gate. The 2008 earthquake was indeed a huge tragedy for the people. The massive destruction and loss of life was truly unbelievable.
The story of the farmers carrying their rolls of tea such a long distance to market is one of true dedication. Thank you for adding that as well.
That rustic gate led to some ancient buildings that I believe were a sort of stop-over point for the tea farmers, which is why I included that story.
Here is one for Monday. I wish all a happy and enjoyable week.....
I do recall seeing the image of that pretty little girl before, so nicely framed.
Thanks Buzz. It is also an early one, when I first started experimenting with framing.
Tuesday's gate
That's a really lovely gate, Buzz. Not as ornate as some, but, it has its own personality. The gold writing on the posts is very interesting. The area looks like a market street that the gate leads into.
Spent a couple of days at the Jersey Shore and fished in the surf; the ocean was rough and the wind strong and I got just this one fish, a flounder … too small to keep (which I wouldn't do even if it met the legal size).
© A. Mac/A.G.