Joanne Mason Photography

Sophia’s challenge this week for Lens Artists is “Mellow,” a lovely theme. When I think of “mellow,” I think of summer—a gentle warmth and relaxation. It’s the sun on your skin, not too hot, and the refreshing summer breeze on your face. It’s a time to pause, breathe deeply, and enjoy calmness. This feeling comes from lazy afternoons spent in the sun, reading a book, or simply watching life unfold. It’s about a peaceful lack of pressure and the freedom to take things slow. Longer daylight hours allow for outdoor activities like park walks, barbecues, playing with pets, or watching sunsets, enhancing that summer mellowness. It’s the boost of serotonin in your brain, improving your mood and creating a sense of tranquility.

The featured image above is “Sunset on Lake in Maine.” The lack of sharpness is due to being photographed through a porch screen, but I think it adds to the softness. What can be more mellow than watching the sunset from the screen porch of a summer lakeside home in Maine?

(Some images here may have appeared elsewhere. But all have been freshly edited for this post.)

How mellow is this summer scene of Edward MacDowell Lake in Peterborough, New Hampshire? I would watch the clouds go by, searching for animals and other shapes in the clouds and study the reflections in the lake.

Summer flowers seem themselves to enjoy the mellow light of summer. In the gallery, a pink Rhododendron, a pink Azalea, and a lovely pink Cosmos. Click to view them.

This scene is typical of rural Connecticut. It was photographed at the InSitu Gardens in Redding. This inviting scene is inherently mellow. I want to lie down in that grass and bask in the summer sun.

“Summer Orchard Scene” was photographed in an old apple orchard. I’m not sure of the flower identification. My best guess is Lunaria, also known as Perennial Honesty. However, it might also be Hesperis, also known as Dames Rocket. It bears some resemblance to Phlox, but Phlox flowers have five petals. Whatever, it’s a good place to sit and contemplate the life history of the orchard.

This image is titled “Monet’s Garden.” The original photograph was shot at the Hammond Japanese Gardens in North Salem, NY. Editing produced the following; alas, I cannot remember just what I did, though some adjustments to color are evident. I liked the edited image with the colors and it made me think of Monet’s gardens at Giverny. So I titled it “Monet’s Garden.” Subsequently, the image was exhibited in a show. Viewers would ask me, “Is that really Monet’s garden?” For the current post, I’ve added some light mist to soften the image and make it even more mellow.

Those are my contributions to this week’s theme. I hope you like them. Next week Beth will offer her challenge. You can find out more about the Lens-Artists Challenge here.

Have a good week, all! Be mellow!