Lens-Artists Challenge #355:
Looking Back to #42 – Creativity
This week, the Lens-Artists Team begins a recurring theme that we call Looking Back. In brief, we revisit a previous theme with new photos. This allows our viewers to revisit that theme if they followed the Lens-Artists Team at the time of the original challenge. Otherwise, it will give recent followers like me a chance to contribute to a previous challenge. The Looking-Back frequency is not fixed. The inaugural Looking Back post comes from Ann-Christine, one of the original team members. You can see her new post here. You can also view her original post #42 here.
A little background about me is probably necessary. I never considered myself artistic and have always had a more scientific mind. Although I played a couple of instruments as a child and teenager, in school, I was drawn to the exact sciences and graduated with a degree in engineering. When I finally embraced the arts — specifically, literature — I recall one of my college professors saying that my first paper reflected my engineering background. No surprise there!
I believe we can be our worst critics. That is, in part, because several of us inevitably find ourselves comparing our work to that of others. That is a bottomless rabbit hole. Art is unique. Therefore, I look back at my previous photos and edits, comparing them with my current work. I enjoy seeing how much I have evolved as a photographer.
All life is an experiment.
The more experiments you make, the better.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
How does this relate to creativity? Take the featured image. It was initially out of focus. Well, maybe a blade of grass might have been in focus. However, the Texas Bluebell (Eustoma exaltatum ssp. russellianum) flowers were not. Since storage is relatively inexpensive nowadays, I rarely delete the photos I have captured. How did I create that abstract? I tried a horizontal mirror image, but didn’t like it. Then, I flipped the image’s right side vertically in the center. The emerging format began to resemble a butterfly. I accentuated the blur in the foreground and background while increasing the texture in the center. The result of that creative process was pleasing to my eye.
The two images above underwent a different process. With the flowers in focus and the distinct color separation against the grass, I added a slight motion only to the grass. That was easy to do as I could isolate only the green hues for the apparent motion.
An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail.
Edwin Land
Experimentation, even with failures, can lead to creativity, progress, and discoveries.
Now, let’s look at more straightforward photos. This week, as I gazed out the windows in our bedroom, I noticed large blue or purplish flowers growing wild in the field next to the pond behind our home. I thought they might be Texas Bluebells, but I have seldom seen them growing wild. I grabbed my camera and went outside. You should have seen how happy I was as I approached the flowers and saw several patches covering the field. Here we are, approaching our first anniversary at this home, and Nature gives me this gift. Time for some macros (click on images for a larger view).
For the creative process, I tried to get a little lower to capture different perspectives, including one with the buds. However, when I got close to the center of one of the flowers, my eyes saw something different.
Taking advantage of the soft textures on the petals, I increased the blurred effect I had captured with this macro.
Last week, Anne got us in a reflective mood with her challenge on Reflections. This week, in our first Looking Back challenge, Ann-Christine chose Creativity. I know there will be lots of wonderful surprises in your posts. Don’t forget to use the “lens-artists” hashtag when creating your post so we can easily find it in the Reader.
We are off next week, but our guest SH (of Stupidity Hole) will feature a new challenge on July 12. It will go live at noon EST in the USA. Tune in to find out more about the challenge then. Please see this page to learn more about the Lens-Artists Challenge and its history.
That is the story behind the shots. If you liked this post, you might also be interested in others featuring Abstracts, Lens-Artists, Macros, Teravista, Texas, Texas Bluebells, and Wildflowers. Until the next time, keep clicking and capturing the beauty your eyes find.
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Tra Italia e Finlandia
Molto belle, Egidio! 👏
Egidio Leitao
Grazie mille, Luisella.
Image Earth Travel
Gorgeous and the colours are so deliciously vibrant!
Amy
Remarkable, Egidio! I’m so impressed!
Egidio Leitao
Thanks a million, Amy.
SoyBend
You certainly used your creativity on this post, Egidio. I especially liked the close ups. I also have scientific and artistic sides to me. They can compliment and contrast with each other, as you’ve discovered.
Egidio Leitao
Thanks for your kind feedback, Siobhan. I agree with your assessment about how scientific and artistic sides can complement each other.
Sofia Alves
These are simply gorgeous, Egídio, so much more than just flower photos 🙂
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, Sofia. I have a macro photographer friend here with whom I go on photo walks often. I generally think about a walk with you to see what images we’d come up with.
restlessjo
Almost a year gone by already, and you’re still creating beautiful photos, Egidio. Happy 4th! xx
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, Jo. xx
Tranature - quiet moments in nature
Such gorgeous flowers Egídio and what a treat to see! 😊
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, Xenia. I count my blessings for having those flowers so close. This has been a good year to see them in the wild.
Steve Schwartzman
Congratulations on having those bluebells pop up within sight of your house. Other people’s accounts and my own observations confirm that this has been a good year for the species. Whether bluebells will return to the field next to you in 2026 remains to be seen; plants can vary a lot from one year to the next. Between their flowers and their buds, bluebells offer so many possibilities for photographers, as you’ve been finding.
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, Steve. I count my blessings for sure. We will have lived here one year come July 9. It’s been really nice for a number of reasons, one of which the nature scenes right in our backyard.
photobyjohnbo
I always enjoy creative edits of photographs, especially when, like myself, the photograph is imperfect. It’s a challenge to make it better… that’s the challenge for me, as well, isn’t it. >grin<
Egidio Leitao
Indeed.
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography
I do find creativity in photography – how you compose and light your topic – creative choices. Editing – is absolutely creative, with the tools we have it is one of the things I really enjoy. Your photos are lovely and yourd edits enhance them
Egidio Leitao
I, too, love the editing process to bring out what my eyes were attracted to when I clicked the shutter button. Thank you for your feedback.
shoreacres
Your images are beautiful, but I’m especially pleased by the ‘news’ underlying them: that it’s bluebell season again. It’s one of my favorite flowers. It can be a little hard to find them down here, but it’s clearly time to start looking. As one of your photos shows, some insect already has found them as well, having taken a nibble from one of the petals.
I laughed aloud at your bluebell butterfly. It looks remarkably like one of the set in the Rorschach Inkblot Test. I was given the Rorschach as part of a battery of tests prior to heading overseas for work. When the person in charge asked me about the butterfly image, I said it looked like a butterfly that had been run over by a lawn mower. He just looked at me — with good reason, I suppose.
Egidio Leitao
I must say that until this year, I had only seen them at the Wildflower Center. Now, I have it here behind our backyard and in other areas I bike around. It’s nice to see them growing in the wild. I laughed at the lawn mower reference.
Leya
Creativity is always a mark with you, Egidio! Love your editing and the bluebells are gorgeous.You are a skilled editor and photographer. Enjoyed!
Egidio Leitao
Ann-Christine, thanks so much for this valuable feedback.
Tina Schell
What a lovely walk through your creative process Egidio! I loved the Texas Bluebells set (is that actually what they are??) especially. The final image is truly stunning! It would be a wonderful series to fram as a set-just sayin’ !
Egidio Leitao
Thanks for sharing your views, Tina. Yes, the Texas Bluebells are really called that. Your suggestion is definitely worth exploring. Thanks.
I. J. Khanewala
Those bluebells are lovely, and you nailed that last edit
Egidio Leitao
Thanks a million, I.J. I am very partial to the last one, too.
Toonsarah
These colours are naturally beautiful and your clever edits enhance that – I really love the last one in particular and the ‘butterfly’ is fun!
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, Sarah. I had fun editing these images.
Wandering Dawgs
Egidio, your creativity always comes through in your beautiful photography and these images show you can take transform an image to a work of art. I love all of these!
Egidio Leitao
Beth, your kind words brightened my day! Thank you.
philosophy through photography
You are welcome, Egidio.
Always a pleasure to interact with you.
As far as the WP glitch is concerned , I just gave up.
I am re subscribing again,
Egidio Leitao
I wrote you an email this morning.
philosophy through photography
Thank you, Egidio, I read it. I once again set my notifications. Let me wait and see, whether your new post gives me that ringtone.
Namaste.
philosophy through photography
Thank you, Egidio, for blending observation with experimentation so beautifully. The joy is contagious, and those Texas Bluebells feel like nature’s housewarming gift wrapped in purple. Loved how a simple backyard moment turned into a poetic macro adventure—soft, subtle, and bold.
Just an update- I am yet to see your posts in my reader. This WP glitch is not going to disappear soon. Maybe I shall repeat resubscribe step one more time.
Egidio Leitao
Thank you very much for such detailed and thoughtful feedback. I so much appreciate it.
About WP, I just looked at the list of subscribers and saw your name there. I don’t know why you don’t see posts in the reader. Your name is showing as subscribed to my blog.
Vicki
Lovely images.
I think we are all creative. Some in subtle ways, Some more obvious.
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, Vicki. We all come from various places with a similar goal in our photography.
Terri Webster Schrandt
Your images show your talent and creativity, Egidio! And yes, we are our own worst critics. Blog photo challenges have really honed my own photography skills. And the creativity we use is a wonderful bonus. Nice to get to know you.
Egidio Leitao
Terri, many thanks for the feedback. I like these challenges because of those same reasons and also because they are very friendly. We respect one another’s work.
JohnRH
Wowww. GREAT photos Egidio. Creative!
Egidio Leitao
Thank you, John.
Anne Sandler
Great creativity in seeing the possibilities in your images. And then you have the ability to create what you saw in your mind. Well done!!
Egidio Leitao
Anne, that sums it up perfectly. Yes, I add what my mind wants to see in some photos. Thank you.