Our world is a saturated place; colour almost explodes around us every day.
For those of us fortunate enough to be able to see them, our world is full of colour; there are so many hues and shades that many are indistinguishable to our eyes.
Sunrise
The earth, ocean and sky are Mother Nature’s palette; she has splashed her paint brush around producing landscapes which are dazzling and often spectacular.
The breath-taking cauldron of colour which can result from a sunrise or sunset will often have us spellbound by one of nature’s most stunning displays. The rich mix of hues as the sky gradually begins deep crimson, becoming orange or yellow before finally treating the watcher to the clarity of blue that maybe only the atmosphere can get just right is the magic of a sunrise. We witness the opposite in reverse at sunset, until the eventually becoming ensconced in an inky blackness.
Richness of a sunset
Spring is possibly nature’s favourite season for showing off, blossoming cherry trees, fields of poppies or sunflowers in late spring, meadows filled with bluebells set against the rich green of untouched pastures. Even a single rose or orchid can have many subtle shades within its delicate petals.
Autumn or Fall can be equally spectacular, as whole forests even hillsides gradually lose their greenery taking on a golden cloak or maybe even a reddish hue. It is generally a short display only lasting a few weeks before the trees lose their finery, the leaves falling to form a brown carpet which cracks and rustles beneath our feet.
A distinctly English sunset
Nature has produced bioluminescent creatures, fireflies and huge algal blooms of phytoplankton which can colour miles of ocean at various time of the year all over the world.
It is not only the natural world which is saturated, man has not only embraced colour but in some circumstances enhanced it.
Spices and incense are not only aromatic; their fragrances are possibly surpassed by the range of colour they provide. Markets and souksattract travellers from all over the world, the hustle and bustle and the promise of a bargain but often we follow our noses food cooking or other aromas drifting on a breeze. Inevitably they usually lead us to a small stall where all manner of spices are gathered together, saffron, cumin, oregano, paprika and cinnamon are just a few. The range of colours associated with them seems almost limitless, reds, yellows, oranges and even blues; it is these that ultimately please our senses when visiting these exotic locations.
Spice world
It is not only the spice stalls that are dressed to impress however often those selling fruit and vegetables are equally as stunning and are some of my favourites for taking a few pictures.
We have all enjoyed the artistic expression of a painting, the brushstrokes and subtle mix of pastels can produce great emotion in the viewer. We can often just stand and gaze at paintings, marvelling in the detail and fathoming the story of the image.
Fresh chillies for sale
Marketing fruit and veg
Of course a photograph is a modern form of this expression and many an image has taken our breath away. Regardless of whether it is an expansive landscape or an intense portrait, it is often the shades of colour or shadow which are imperceptible to us that bring the image to life.
A stare almost as intense as the colour
We express our artistic nature and celebrate colour in many forms. The glaze that is used to brighten our ceramics, the way we decorate our homes, street art, huge murals on the sides of houses or on the sidewalks, multi-coloured fabrics which we drape over ourselves, the displays of our computers or televisions, exploding fireworks, the colourings we add to our food, even body paint.
Colourful ceramics
This world would be a drab place without colour, we need to celebrate it, and our planet is a festival of shade. Not everybody is fortunate enough to be able to enjoy it, therefore those that can should not take it for granted, revel every day in the complex hues in which we are surrounded.
A field of sun
Make the most of our saturated world, it is our blessing.
Nature’s palette
Stunning photos! The colors are so rich and varied. My favorites are: Spice World, the Stare, Ceramics, A Field of Sun and nature’s Palettes. Beautiful . . . Thanks for sharing with us ~
Speaking as someone who spent half of his life in the black and dark of the coal mines and is now trying to spend the rest of his life in the white and light of the Alps, colour isn’t all it’s cracked up to be
Iain, what I meant to say was; “Great post and pics, thanks for sharing!”.
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