Nestled in the mountains of Kyoto Prefecture, Miyama feels like a step back in time. The thatched-roof farmhouses, mist-covered hills, and quiet fields create a landscape that seems untouched by the rush of modern life. It’s a scene where tradition and nature blend seamlessly — a perfect moment for this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, hosted…
Category: Travels
A celebration with flowers
This challenge is called #1Day4Cee and it is a tribute to Cee plus a joint birthday celebration of Dan and of Marsha. Here are some flowers and Autumn foliage taken in Kawaguchiko, as our tour passed by this beautiful lake.
Sunset over Mt Fuji
Watching the sunset from our hotel window. This is Mt Fuji in the distance, bathed in golden light and growing shadows. My entry for Becky’s November Square with the theme, Shadows.
Sunrise in Tokyo
For Tina’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, the theme Ephemeral feels just right. This morning, I watched the sunrise from my hotel window in Tokyo. The sky slowly shifted from soft grey to pink, then to gold as the sun appeared over the city skyline. For a few quiet minutes, everything felt calm … no trains yet,…
What my heart is telling me right now
There are days when you find yourself torn between staying home and setting out to travel. Staying home brings a sense of peace … the comfort of familiar walls, a warm cup of coffee while still in your pyjamas, and the gentle rhythm of daily life. It’s where you can rest, reflect, and feel grounded….
Lugano in Monochrome
There’s no set theme for this week’s Monochrome Madness Challenge, so I’ve decided to feature monochrome shots from my travels. Lugano is a charming city set beside the shimmering Lake Lugano and surrounded by mountains, located in the Swiss region of Ticino, right near the border with Italy. The market in Lugano is a delight…
Autumn
This week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, hosted by Johnbo, invites us to celebrate the beauty of Autumn. No matter where you are in the world, there’s something truly magical about autumn. It’s my favourite season — and I bet I’m not alone in thinking that. In Victoria, Australia, the countryside glows in rich shades of amber,…
Everyone should see this…
Living in Australia, I’ve always been aware of how far away we are from the rest of the world. It often feels like only the truly determined travellers make their way down here. But just beyond our shores lies another country, equally distant yet full of wonder—New Zealand. I recently journeyed through the South Island,…
Wordless Wednesday – 44
BURGOS, SPAIN
Mt Titlis in Monochrome
There’s no set theme for this week’s Monochrome Madness Challenge, so I’ve decided to feature monochrome shots from my travels. Ascending Mt. Titlis, the world transforms. The funicular lifts you above the valley, and the cable car carries you closer to the peaks, where snow and rock merge in stark contrast. In monochrome, the ridges…
Symmetry in Monochrome
Symmetry in monochrome photography reveals itself everywhere—sometimes in magnificent architecture, sometimes in the smallest details. It may be the grand domes of churches, the pillars of castles, the rows of windows, or the quiet pull of an alleyway. In Melbourne, it appears in the architecture—in the arches, the bridges, and the geometry of the city…
Longing for…
To long for something is to feel that deep pull toward what isn’t here yet—a mix of hope, desire, and maybe a little ache. It’s not always about big dreams; often, it’s the small, everyday things that make life feel whole. This week, Egidio invites us to lean into the melancholic and the pensive, to…
Lucerne in Monochrome
There’s no set theme for this week’s Monochrome Madness Challenge, so I’ve decided to feature monochrome shots from my travels. The River Reuss flows through Lucerne and beneath the Chapel Bridge, Europe’s oldest covered wooden bridge and the city’s iconic landmark. Across bridges and spires, monuments and lampposts, Lucerne whispers in monochrome. A Cruise through…
Virtual Scavenger Hunt
“Creativity is a scavenger hunt. It’s your obligation to pay attention to clues, to the thing that gives you that little tweak.” – Elizabeth Gilbert Anne’s challenge this week is a ‘Virtual Scavenger Hunt’—how fun is that? I’ve been digging through my photo archives and smiling at all the memories that popped up along the…
A red window in Se do Porto
The Porto Cathedral (or Sé do Porto in Portuguese) is a Roman Catholic church right in the heart of Porto’s old town. It’s one of the city’s oldest and most important buildings. Inside, there’s a red window — small and easy to miss if you’re not paying attention, but very beautiful if you take a…
Heidelberg & Rhineland in Monochrome
On a Rhine River Cruise, with wine on one hand and a camera on the other. Enjoying the line of coloured houses and the view of some medieval castles. In the centre of Heidelberg, the university town of Germany, are these charming houses and restaurants. The Heidelberg Castle overlooks the old town. The Bruckentor or…
Tuesday Streetart: Riverside – 100
CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND Christchurch is such a great city for walking, and what makes it even better are all the murals you spot along the way. When I was wandering near Riverside Market, I came across what I thought was an old vintage building. But when I looked closer, I realised the whole thing was…
Tuesday Streetart: Christchurch – 99
Rise From the Rubble’ is a mural by Brandon Warrell on Hereford Street in Christchurch, New Zealand. It’s a symbol of hope, commemorating the resilience and efforts of the Christchurch community to restore the beauty of their city after the 2011 earthquake.
Wordless Wednesday – 43
BURANO
Amsterdam in Monochrome
There’s no set theme for this week’s Monochrome Madness Challenge, so I’ve decided to feature monochrome shots from my travels. Amsterdam is a city that often dazzles in colour—golden light on the canals, flower-filled windows, bikes in every hue, and gabled houses leaning into one another like old friends. But what happens when all that…
Leading Lines & Churches
Whenever I travel, I always find myself drawn to churches. There’s something about stepping inside—whether it’s the quiet, the history, or the light filtering through stained glass—that instantly grounds me. This week’s theme for John’s Lens Artist Photo Challenge is Lines, Colours, and Patterns. I’ve chosen to focus on leading lines in churches—a powerful visual…
Wooden Cottage in Glenorchy
Spotted this charming little cottage in Glenorchy, New Zealand —with its rusty old wheel still attached and glass windows with flower boxes spilling over with blooms. The weathered wood, the vintage vibes, and that stunning alpine backdrop make it feel like something straight out of a storybook. This is something really special. And this is…
Paint the town (and windows) red
The Cardrona Hotel is one of New Zealand’s most beloved historic landmarks. With its vintage character, mountain backdrop, and deep roots in local history, it’s a place that captures both the eye and the imagination. Next to it is a red vintage petrol pump, windows of a red phone booth and charming old cottages. I…
Sit & Knit
Spotted these two red chairs in the town of Te Anau, NZ—right by the lake and just too cute to ignore. Te Anau’s known as the gateway to Fiordland, but honestly, it’s got its own quiet charm that makes you want to stay a little longer. The chairs had a little sign that said ‘Sit…
London in Monochrome
There’s no set theme for this week’s Monochrome Madness Challenge, so I’ve decided to feature monochrome shots from my travels. Monochrome scenes of London adds mood and timelessness to the city’s iconic sights. The London Eye stands still against a moody sky, while Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament glow in contrast. A red…
Quiet Hours
This week, SH is our Guest Host for the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, and the theme is “Quiet Hours” It’s a gentle reminder to pause and notice the stillness—whether it’s a quiet sunrise by the sea, an early walk through empty streets, or a mountain view that leaves you breathless. These are the moments that ground…
Hungary in Monochrome
This week, Sarah is leading the Monochrome Madness Challenge with the theme “Beginning with an H”—and for me, it was an easy choice: Hungary. I visited Budapest, the capital of Hungary, a few years ago, and it instantly became one of those cities that stayed with me long after I’ve left. For this post, I’m…
Kia Ora Aotearoa
TRAVEL DIARY: DAY 14 QUEENSTOWN The Māori are the Indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand (Aotearoa). They first settled the islands over 700 years ago. In New Zealand, “kia ora” is a common Māori greeting meaning “hello,” “goodbye,” or “thank you.” More than a phrase, it conveys a wish for well-being—“have life” or “be well.”…
Strolling around Te Anau
TRAVEL DIARY: DAY 12 TE ANAU On our 12th day, the rain poured nonstop. Luckily, we had this extra day to stay in—it would’ve been too difficult to drive. So, it turned into a Netflix kind of day. TRAVEL DIARY: DAY 13 DRIVE FROM TE ANAU TO QUEENSTOWN What a surprise—the sun came out just…
Chinese Settlement in Arrowtown
Let me take you back to Arrowtown, New Zealand—this time, in the opposite direction from the main street I shared earlier. The first thing that caught my eye was a historic cabin nestled against a forest backdrop. It is the old Police Hut in the Chinese Settlement of Arrowtown which is a favourite among photographers….