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Photo Challenge

Graceful

Whether it’s a person, a building, or an abstract shape, show us something that exists harmoniously with its surroundings.

I love winter, but there’s something about this time of year that always feels clunky to me: all those layers. Watching for ice on the sidewalk. Keeping track of kids’ mittens and toques (a lost cause). Nature might be at its most minimalist — bare branches, pristine fields of snow — but, unless we’re trained figure skaters, we tend to navigate these landscapes far less gracefully than usual. (Disclaimer: I’m not a trained figure skater.)

Luckily, we have swans to inspire us.

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Gracefulness is a tricky quality — it manifests itself as an effortless, subtle harmony between a subject and its environment. I took the photo above a few weeks ago at a seaside fish market in Richmond, British Columbia. There was a fun, messy element to the place: people shuffling about, seagulls excitedly circling fishing boats, fresh fish heaped on beds of ice shavings. The swans? They were there in the midst of the action, but you couldn’t tell by their comportment. Stately, elegant, but never stiff, they simply lounged in the water, enjoying some sun.

For this week’s challenge, share something that says “graceful” to you: from a couple dancing a smooth tango or a skyscraper soaring with ease above the skyline, to a leaf that dropped just so atop a moss-covered rock. You can focus on people, animals, architecture, or objects — or go for an abstract shot where the composition itself channels a fluid, streamlined essence.

I look forward to seeing your take on this theme!

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  5. This theme reminds me of number of paintings, which I created in 2014.. somehow effortlessly, very joyful and graceful too.. Unusual experience, which I recommend for every one.. Some of them are called:

    – The Breath of The True Self..
    – The Healing Power of Nature.. or
    – The Blossom of Life..

    Can’t wait for another wave of graceful inspiration..

    PS Great theme!!!

    Liked by 1 person

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      2. I’ve been having the same issues and I’ve contacted wp on several occasions! Please help me Ben! It’s heartbreaking to go through the struggles of putting together writings of hardwork and Finally see everyone’s posts go up except my own! 💔

        Liked by 2 people

      3. You should be able to comment and create pingbacks as usual going forward. But thank you for respecting our participation guidelines — for example, not posting on First Friday posts past your first post, creating multiple pingbacks in one post, etc. — so that we don’t encounter similar issues in the future. Happy blogging!

        Liked by 2 people

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