Egidio’s challenge on Silence has me standing on my soapbox. Television has ruined silence in this world or at least in my house. When my husband is home the TV is on whether he’s watching or not. My neighbor is the same way. “When I get up in the morning the TV goes on,” she says. She can’t handle the silence!

Me, I love the silence. I like to sit and read in silence. Work on the computer in silence. And, most of all, I like the silence when I’m out with my camera. Many of my images reflect this silence and quiet contemplation. When I walk with my camera, I relax and forget the world’s and my own problems.

For me still water helps me feel calm and my body and mind relax. I enjoy the calmness and mirror images of the water. The people on this lone boat must be experiencing a sense of wonder as they navigate this lake. A full moon shines on two shores of another calm and silent lake. How wonderful to sit and watch the moon rise.

I love tree arbors. As I approach them, I’m in awe by their graceful welcoming, and I feel enveloped in their natural sense of silence. I slow down as I drive through, wanting to savor the feeling. After all, they are bowing and welcoming me. The quiet countryside also helps!

People can also support silence through their actions or inaction. A couple enjoying the ocean while sitting in a bed of ice plant shows how the soft sound of the ocean can bring you into a calm and meditative state. Even walking along a creek can calm both human and canine. The three walk in silence.

Mountain views can bring you into awe and silence as you look at the breathtaking view. This is from Ananda Village in Nevada City. A small chapel is a viewpoint for those who want to meditate or pray. The mountains are part of the Sierra Nevada chain.

Fog has different effects on people. For me, it’s calming and sends me into silence and awe. So does a beautiful landscape, especially when it features an old structure. Notice, both images feature trees.

I’ll close with forest images. I love the forest especially when we are the only people camping. I sit and enjoy the smell and silence. Sometimes, nature provides us with something special!

Thank you Egidio for bringing us back into silence and helping us realize how we experience it through our photography. When you post your response, please link to Egidio’s original post and use the Lens-Artist tag.

I enjoyed seeing your responses to Ritva’s subjective challenge last week. They were diverse, creative and beautiful. Next week Patti will be our presenter. “In The Details” challenges us to choose a subject and focus on the details, photographing from different angles, distances using your camera or lens. She’d like you to post three photographs of your subject. This is just a hint, be sure to look for her post at pilotfish.com for full instructions.

In the meantime stay healthy and be safe.

50 thoughts on “Lens Artists Challenge #323: Silence”

  2. Anne, like you, I also find peace, calm, and silence in water. You take us back into nature with these beautiful photos. Even when people are present, silence is evident. Fantastic post and photos!

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  4. Oh, so lovely and silent, Anne! I like a little noise, but now that we live in a rural area, it can be deafeningly quiet here. Your images are fabulous–i just love that tree arbor and the chapel near Nevada city. An ode to silence well done!

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  7. I agree about the television noise! In India, I remember when I was a kid, then there used to be fixed hours when the tele would be on. There was only one channel in the beginning and then later two. But then came the cable tv age and there has been no peace since!
    Love your captures of those beautiful moments of silence, Anne! Each one is special…

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      1. That’s the thing – everything is good in moderation but we don’t have the self-control! For some it is food, for other drinks and for almost everyone – mobile phone 😕…tele is just another example…

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  9. A beautiful variety of finding silence Anne, I especially love the calm coming from the two lakes in your images 💜 xxx

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  12. Silence – I agree. There is so much racket in today’s world. Your thoughts match my own. Luckily, we do not have a TV turned on or a radio – and if we do, it is usually isolated to the listener’s room or space. At times, it sure is fun to rock out, but non-stop noise hides the beautiful sounds of nature – winds, birds, rustling leaves, water, rain and everything else nature has to offer.

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  13. You’ve captured silence beautifully in all your images Anne. I especially liked the reminders that people can sit or walk in companionable as many of us have chosen people-free images this week. But I can’t imagine living in a house with the TV on all the time 😮 I don’t think I could stand it! Ours goes on when we want to watch something and off when we have finished watching, and usually only in the evenings.

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    1. Thanks Ritva. I do watch TV when it’s a show that relaxes me and I enjoy. My old dog usually snuggles next to me for the duration. He even goes as far as asking me to sit and watch. He must need the love.

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  15. I see fog the same as you, Anne, there’s something about it that feels magical. I love that you had people in your post. I think the first ones I’ve seen so far. Nothing is better than being so comfortable with someone you can be in silence.

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