Practical Lighting, Harmony of Opposites and a Freezing Stare

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Welcome to the latest Light Stalking community update!

In a sense, we are hardwired into developing complements from one to another. Since the dawn of our history, we've been crafting symbols which are capable of being massively understood. Let me quote one of the most intriguing figures I've recently discovered: “let no one despise symbols” — Gottlob Frege.

night and day, black and white

crawling down, with no sign

The yin-yang symbol — known as ‘he tu' — predates the common era. It's part of a larger set of symbols representing taijitu, and has become a popular icon of our globalized culture. Alien to the roots of thee, the western hemisphere interpreted its soothing design as a balance between the forces dueling in the poem above.

Despite its complexity, everyone seemed entitled to try reproducing the circular figure. Another fascinating example of how symbols crawl down to our consciousness is the so-called pointy S. A symbol with a viral level of popularity, in the pre-internet era:

/ \ | | | \ \ / / \ \ | | | \ /

Along with a myriad of examples, these symbols speak for our natural tendency to expect things to be in balance. However, reality is way more random than just true or false and anything in between. We live in a chaotic world and we long for equilibrium. Therefore, such desire can be put into words or images, don't you think?

For our last “symmetry and asymmetry” set, Tersha made a call for reuniting those opposites. For it, our community developed a compact gallery of images attempting to create harmony between counterparts.

Photo of the Week

Presented in the aforementioned challenge, this image highlights one of the beauties of practical lighting. By avoiding extra light sources, the obscure patches within the frame remain silent and still. Also, keeping the light temperatures as they were adds an extra layer of subtle contrast. However, the rich disparity comes from the enlightened tree surrounded by darkness. But my favorite part is the red cord's presence. I just love how it turns the magic away and pulls the viewer's attention to the ground.

Congrats Elin, thanks for sharing such a high quality photograph with us!

Weekly Photography Challenge Digest

Thanks Tersha and Dahlia for pushing our creative boundaries one step forward every week!

Viewing Snow Capped Mountains while Standing in the Desert

Grass 1: Wild v Tame

Grass 2: Land v Water

Grass 3: Alive v Dead

Grass 4: New v Old

Stone vs Wood, Curved Bench vs Straight Elements, Gray Table vs Color background

dark vs light, big vs small

tall & skinny vs short & fat. human vs droid. clean vs dirty. resistance vs. imperial.

black vs white

Big and small

Inside vs outside

For contributing, check out the original challenge post!

A Highlight on the Latest Activity at our Community

beth stumbled with this guy while photographing wild horses in Teddy Roosevelt's national park:

Patrick delighted us with one of his world-class self-portraits:

A whisper of smoke, a shroud of doubt

And for a last treat, Robert got spotted:

Don't forget to check the photo contest winners for Symmetry and Asymmetry; and remember, this month's photo contest is now open for entries. The theme is “Light and Shadow Play“. Submit your photos for a chance to win $250 and please don't forget voting as well.

If you want to make the most of your LightStalking user account, make sure to check the latest posts. Also, don't forget to swim the Mobile Monday Challenge! Last but not least, Check out the current reading throwdown, it has some nice insights and recommendations!

We'd Love To Hear Your Thoughts

Our Feedback Forum is a fine place for all those people wanting to grow fast as photographers. Here, you'll get your work reviewed by knowledgable photographers, but you'll also have the chance to comment on the work of others. We believe in the power of feedback, and here are the latest shots shared in the pool:

The Shark Tank is a great place to learn and to discuss, but please read the instructions in order to get a better experience. Share your comments, opinions and doubts on any or all of the images above. We also will be delighted to see some of your own images. Remember all comments are given to the photographs; not the photographers. Also, don't forget to participate in our upcoming challenge!

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