Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #145: Getting to Know You

by

“To acquire knowledge, one must study;
but to acquire wisdom, one must observe.”
― Marilyn vos Savant

It is a great honor to be your host for this Lens-Artists Photo Challenge and to be part of a community of observers. Thank you for visiting my blog and getting to know me. I look forward to getting to know you, too!

The artist’s gaze, the photographer’s eye, when cast on a subject begins a relationship. That relationship can grow into a deep affection and a profound wisdom. It is that aspect of relating to your subject that I invite you to explore in this challenge.

“We cultivate love when we allow our most vulnerable and powerful selves to be deeply seen and known, and when we honor the spiritual connection that grows from that offering with trust, respect, kindness and affection.” ― Brené Brown

I am a very visual person, as you might be also, and consider observation to be the first tool in my learning kit. To look carefully, curiously, enthusiastically, enduringly, and lovingly at something changes me. I begin to feel connected to that subject. I develop an affection that fuels further and deeper observation and understanding.

“Our ability to perceive quality in nature begins as in art with the pretty. It expands through successive stages of the beautiful to values as yet uncaptured by language. ” ― Aldo Leopold

My journey from Nature-observer to Nature-lover to Conservationist to Earth advocate is the story of how my eyes opened my spirit to a deeper wisdom about the world in which we all live. I celebrated International Earth Day on  April 22 with others around the globe who are deeply in love with our planet and concerned for her health and welfare. As I’ve gotten to know Earth better, I have grown in relationship to her and in my understanding of the factors impacting her. The photos I’ve chosen to illustrate the development of this relationship start with a monarch butterfly caterpillar on a milkweed plant in a restored prairie and progress to a field of coneflowers hosting a swallowtail butterfly and other pollinators. I took all of these pictures while I was working at a conservation foundation and learning about the interconnection between plants, animals, soils, landscapes, and the humans who cultivate, steward, and extract those resources.

My invitation to you is to present a “Getting To Know You” post showing your relationship with a subject you’ve photographed. The subject could be a Person, a Place, a Culture, an Object…anything that has captured your attention, won your affection and taught you a thing or two.

In your post, include a link to my original post and use the Lens-Artists tag so that everyone can find your post in the WP Reader.  We hope you join us and share what you know and love!

Next week, Patti will be hosting Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #146 on Saturday, May 1, so please be sure to visit her site and joint us then, too. Her theme will be “Focusing on the Details”. 

Thank you for spending a little time to get to know me and these butterflies in their natural habitat. I again want to thank the Lens-Artists hosts – Patti, Amy, Tina, and Ann-Christine – for inviting me to host this week’s challenge. It is an honor and a joy to be a Lens Artist!

175 thoughts on “Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #145: Getting to Know You”

  4. Pingback: Among the wildflowers – Suzy Blue

  8. Hi, Priscilla. We’re delighted you’re hosting this week and chose this terrific topic. It’s a great idea. I’m sure you’ll inspire a lot of us! I love how you show how photography helped you make a connection to Mother Earth and nudged you towards becoming an active environmentalist. That’s truly wonderful. Photography gives us the gift of “sight,” doesn’t it?

    Reply

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  12. Such a beautiful and inspiring theme and post, Priscilla. “the photographer’s eye, when cast on a subject begins a relationship”, very well said. Love the monarch butterfly caterpillar. The field of coneflowers, how amazing!

    Reply

  13. I am looking forward to writing and posting my challenge-response to your theme later this week. It’s a great topic and I am looking forward to sharing my take on the challenge. Your quote on the photographer relating to the subject is spot-on!

    Reply

  14. Priscilla, this is a beautiful and thought provoking post. I love that nature is a passion of yours. She’s not political, sometimes demanding that we take care of her, but always there for us to appreciate her beauty. Thanks!

    Reply

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  17. I came here via Tina’s post this morning. What a beautiful world we inhabit. I’m glad we have people like you to cherish and observe. Thank you for your lovely post 🙂 🙂

    Reply

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  19. I thought I left you a comment, but I don’t see it, if I repeated it, I’m sorry.

    Congratulations on the topic, although I think it will not be easy for me. Your photographs are very beautiful.

    Reply

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  29. Gorgeous! I’m looking forward to the bigger butterflies arriving in a month or two. As of now, I am happy to see the Cabbage White flitting about. They are always the first to arrive, and the last to leave, hardy little butterflies.

    Reply

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    • I love pronghorn! They are unique and symbolic of trips to National Parks in the West. I always find that Nature has things to teach us when we observe with an open heart & mind. Great response!

      Reply

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  39. I’m here from Tina’s post. Always nice to meet other people in the blogging world and see what makes them tick. I love the way you introduce us to a mere caterpillar and then lead us into your personal journey. Lovely photographs. I will see what I can come up with from my part of the world.
    Jude xx

    Reply

  40. Your photos are wonderful! I have attracted monarchs to my yard for the past several years. Milkweed abounds. A few weeks ago I was incredibly fortunate to be checking on a chrysalis at the exact moment that the butterfly began to emerge. I was able to capture this miraculous event on my phone and I have posted the video on YouTube https://youtu.be/of-B6kHKZNg. I hope you’ll take a look! I will post my submission to the challenge shortly.

    Reply

  41. I appreciated your description of your journey towards becoming an advocate for the earth. The monarch photos are lovely, Priscilla. I have milkweed seeds that I plan to plant for them soon. They need all the help they can get!

    Here’s my contribution this week. It’s about my connection with pronghorns.

    Following Pronghorn: LAPC & WWP

    Reply

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  43. Love your eye and thoughtfulness, a wonderful theme! Now I find it difficult to know what to post on though, as nature is my own love as well. Love your flowers and monarchs! I will find something for you later on in the week – so glad you said yes to hosting and choosing such a beautiful theme.

    Reply

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  49. Great posting . nice to meet you… yes the photographer is ua love i like it to with histoire place’s. so it will be honer to visit my blog and tell me your opinions..👍💐

    Reply

  50. Partnerships in nature are always fascinating, both for the mind and visual aspects.
    Maybe that´s the answer why it´s human nature to watch these animals hover their subjects.
    Lovely photos and I have learned quite a handful.
    Thank you for hosting this wonderful Theme!

    Reply

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    • Thank you for joining the challenge and sharing your relationships…to birds, photography, your life journey, and your wonderfully supportive husband! It’s great to see that you are sustained in your recovery. Great post! Wishing you all the best. 🙂

      Reply

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    • I did enjoy your post! And I really enjoyed co-hosting, too. It’s such a delight to have an online community, especially in these connection-challenged times. 🙂

      Reply

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  84. Such beautiful photos, so inspiring. Not sure that I will take part in the challenge or maybe. However it was beautiful to read such descriptive words.

    Reply

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