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Lens-Artists Challenge #323 – Silence

Mount Rainier and Reflections Lake.

Egidio hosts this week’s theme: Silence. He writes, “This week, I propose we explore how we see silence in photography. This is a subjective theme, so there is no right or wrong approach. It is your vision and way of perceiving silence in your work, whether you are a hobbyist or a professional photographer.” You can read Egidio’s entire challenge post here.

Egidio provided several options for sub-categories, but he allowed us to honor our personal vision in the project. Black-and-white has always drawn me to contemplate and study an image, often creating a vibe for me that “screams” silence. >grin< My opening photo is a good example. Frequently, mountain views are complete, with noisy winds whipping through the passes. On this day, the winds were “silent,” as reflected in the still waters that mirrored Mount Rainier.

The Red River at Fargo’s Lindenwood Park.

One of my favorite black-and-white images from Fargo features the Red River as it winds through Lindenwood Park and underneath the pedestrian bridge connecting Minnesota and North Dakota. The windless day provided a silent reflection in the water.

Our “backyard.”

Freshly fallen snow has a sound-insulating effect that affects volume levels. This effect seems significantly enhanced when the snow is actually falling, but I don’t have any scientific evidence to prove that theory.

Barcelona at Night.

I recently shared this image as a Cellpic Sunday. It’s an altered reality, shot in the middle of the day. I had great fun converting it to a nighttime shot, and I couldn’t help putting it with this group of photographs that reflect the theme “silence.”

The American Cemetery at Normandy, France.

One of my primary travel goals has always been to visit Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery nearby, where so many young men who lost their lives in World War II are interred. On an earlier cruise, the stop at Le Havre was canceled due to weather conditions. In October 2024, we finally achieved the objective. Though many people were on our tour bus, the mood at the cemetery was clearly respectful silence. The skies threatened rain and added to the somber mood. One note about the photo: Many people walked through the rows, stopping to read the markers. Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom made removing the people in the distance easy.

Lions stalking a herd of impala.

The sharp-eyed driver of our safari vehicle in Kruger National Park spotted these two lions as they hunkered down in the grass. I couldn’t see either lion until one of them popped her head above the savanna grass. I didn’t see the other lion in the background until I loaded the image into Lightroom for processing. Lions are masters at stealth, silently stalking their prey. Over the next few weeks, I will share photos and tell stories of our photo safari.

Egidio’s post provided some thought-provoking comments on silence in photography, but I have gone my way on this challenge. Egidio also shares next week’s theme, In The Details, hosted by Patti. Check out the theme description in his post, as you might need to take your camera out for a stroll or a project that fits the challenge. For more hints on joining the challenge responses each week, check here.

John Steiner

46 comments

  5. I love the huge variety of images/topics and the stories behind them. Each one is the perfect source of silence. Personally, I’m drawn to the wonderful winter landscape and the lions. But that’s just me because I love snow and wildlife/animals. A beautiful post, indeed! Thanks so much for sharing, John.

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  6. Monochrome works so well for this challenge and your photos are just perfect for it too, John. Favourite this week is the Cemetery in Normandy but I cannot wait for more photos of your safari experience.

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  9. You’ve captured the essence of silence so well and I agree that the monochrome edits help with that. I’m jealous of your first shot as we had fog the morning we drove past that Reflection Lake so there was nothing to be seen even a yard from the bank, never mind reflections of the mountain!

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  10. John, what a great way to explore silence. You are absolutely right about black-and-white photography screaming silence. It is so evident in the beautiful images you shared. Fantastic gallery!

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  12. Simply stunning in black and white, and especially the two in sepia. I liked the lions image. At first I thought lions aren’t silent, but they are when they are hunting. Well done!

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  15. The black and white photos really do scream silence. Such lovely pictures, I am partial to the Mount Rainier photo seeing as I live near her sister Mount Baker.

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  16. I think I have the exact same picture from the American cemetery in Normandy. Lol. I know the silence of the snow. It’s one of my favorite silences. Seeing your photo takes me back to the joys of being the only person walking in the park in Illinois after a freshly fallen snow. I really enjoyed the Barcelona shot as well.

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  18. Terrific idea to go with B&W which does indeed evoke a sense of silence John. All of the images are wonderful but I especially loved the Barcelona image. And who doesn’t love a pair of stealthy lions?!

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  19. Dear John
    Impressive gallery 👍👍 We agree with Tina, B&W evokes a sense of silence. Colours are talkative 😉
    Happy weekend
    The Fab Four of Cley
    🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

    Reply

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