Places Where Time seems to Stop

I have recently went on a trip to Torun, a well-known Polish city, full of medieval monuments. It is the city where I used to study Fine Arts and spent there whole five years enjoying student's life as well as all opportunities the city offers to people coming there. I have always thought that I know all its architectural treasures, but last Friday trip made me really in awe at the place we, my Andrew and me, discovered. It is the old past fort, now inhabited by people, cats and pigeons alike. Looks like a ghost with broken windows, some without panes and with people's clothes hung in other ones. On top of this, there is also satellite TV that seem totally out of the place.

Dancing Lady Triptych from Ciechocinek

Dancing Lady Triptych was taken in Ciechocinek, 2012

This year Spring I was in Ciechocinek, well-known spa town in Poland. Ciechocinek is famous for its uniquesaline graduation towers of extreme value for many serious diseases treatment, i.e. cardiovascular, respiratory, orthopedic, traumatic, rheumaticand other diseases. My stay in this town has also been connected with health curing after my accident in Summer 2011.

International Photography Awards (IPA) 2012 - 2 Honorable Mention awards for 2 series PATH and SEASONS

Path and Seasons two series of 5 works each, submitted to this year International Photography Awards IPA 2012 were awarded with Honorable Mention award. Path was submitted in Non-pro Fine Art Landscape category and Seasons in Non-pro Nature Trees category. This very special 10-Year Anniversary Edition of the competition attracted more than ever photographers from all over the world submitting 10 000 works. The jury panel comprised of over 80 international photography professionals.

5 Tips for Beginner Artists & Photographers

Nostalgic Landscape, by Danuta Antas, 2010

Go beyond an ordinary vision

One of the most basic yet important tips I would ever give a beginning artist and photographer is just Go beyond and ordinary ... whether it is landscape, flower, still nature, portrait or any other field of your interest. When you will experiment with composition, perspective, light and try to show things different, it is likely you will develop your own, unique style. When I have worked as an Art teacher, my students always were encouraged to experiment and make their own approach to common themes they were supposed to draw or paint. The most extraordinary ideas that appeared in their creative minds, even such as drawing a picture with a dotted pink elephant, met with my greatest joy, as I knew that imagination has

El Paradiso Mio Colour Version Canvas Print Sold

Yesterday, I sold another print of my photographic work at Warsaw based online gallery where my works are respresented and promoted. This time it is landscape above, called El Paradiso Mio, one of my favourite images. I love the place depicted in the image for its special atmosphere and magic light that comes as if from within the scene itself. Whenever I look at the scene I am enthralled by its beauty.

I would love to hear about your magic photographic spots, or better to see your shots taken there. Share with us!:)

4 Tips for Better Understanding Light in Visual Art?

'Divine Light', Fine Art Photography by Danuta Antas, 2010

Light is a major factor for mood building.

Natural light, the greatest source of which is the Sun, is responsible for all life on Earth and for our seeing and perceiving the reality surrounding us. In Visual Art terms it is the major creator of mood and feelings, the creator of drama in an artwork. Being aware of the nature and quality of natural and man-made sources of light is essential for a conscious creation and avoiding misinterpretation. For photographers, understanding physical nature of light is very important to achieve a proper white balance in their images.

Spiritual Journey Through the Language of Art in Pictures

Mystic Wood, Fine Art Photography by Danuta Antas, 2010

In December 2010, I published a photography book on Blurb. The book, called El Paradiso Mio, was meant to be my spiritual journey through the language of Art in pictures. The majority of shots in the project was taken in Botanic Gardens in my hometown Bydgoszcz. The point of the series was to create my inner paradise that will exist in me forever. One of the ways to do this is by looking for the beauty where nobody sees it, or creating it with my imagination.

How to Stir Your Imagination with 360 Degrees Perspective

'El Paradiso Mio", Fine Art Landscape Photography by Danuta Antas

In Summer 2010, I participated in a family picnic or gathering that was organised in a rural area some 40 minutes drive by car from the city I live in. As nice as the day and the weather were, we as a family, spent wonderful day. Taking advantage of out-of-the-city trip, I took a camera with me as I always do that. It's better to carry some additional bags in a car's boot than to get frustrated for loosing opportunity for great shots.

Each shooting spot carries countless opportunities

When our Children Become Our Clients

My Daughter and Me at Various Stages of our Life, Photo Collage by Danuta Antas

Not so long ago, ... in fact I feel as if it was yesterday, I taught my daughter Monique to discover the world marvels and enjoy all the miracles around us. Now, I was asked to design a business card for my child, who is now a lawyer, which I actually don't know when it happened. I miss the time, when she was small and even being a working mother, I always had a time for walks, plays, book reading, etc. with Monique. We mutually enjoyed our company and truly, now from some time perspective, I think she gave me more than I did for her. Even all the time and effort I devoted to her can not compare to how much I gained from Monique's incredible passion for learning new things, her enthusiasm, intelligence, fantastic sense of humour and strong character.

Looking for Meaning in Life - Isolated People in a Crazy World

Isolated People, Fine Art Photography by Danuta Antas, 2010

Today being in a mood  for sad reflections on human nature and our crazy life on this world, posting one of my poems and photographs I did in 2010.

Inspirational Music, Images, Poems for Today

'The Path' taken in Ostromecko Garden by Danuta Antas, 2010

For today, just a few images of my colour collection of pictorial photography and some music I love listening to as well as a few words of my writing, which is too much to call poetry. These are my reflections on life and human nature jotted down quickly to keep them for my memory.

If you get inspired at least a little bit, let me know in the comment below:)

Nature Inspired Story Telling Photography

Two Worlds, pictorial photography by Danuta Antas, 2010

My photographic interests so far go in two directions. One of them, it is black and white photography where mood created by means of light serves me for expressing my feelings, reflections about life, mystic of nature and generally to show my awe at the immense beauty of the world we live in.

The other path I follow, I would call Story Telling Photography, is for expressing my inner child nature that needs to live in an imaginary world of fairy tales and good spirits. This kind of photography is made in colour or not so rare, it is a mixture of colour and b and w photography. I know, I know! specialists advise to specialize:) in one kind of work as it is easier to build your brand. But ...

How to Make Money on your Fine Art Photography

Sample book cover design based on my landscape photography - it took up 15 minutes to do

One of the major problems that emerging fine art photographers encounter is how to make money on selling their art and be able to upgrade their gear, buy pro lens, promote their art, do website, submit works to photo contests, etc. All things that need to be done to build our photographic presence, both, on-line and in a real world require quite a big money.

What if you are not a well-off artist and you can't rely on family, expect any legacy or any other support, yet you are a gifted person who has something to say to this world?

Language of Art - Colour Relativity

The concept of colour relativity in Visual Art

is one of the most important, yet very complex issues. Thus understanding this should be priority for beginning artists and photographers. This article is devoted to only one aspect of colour. I mean colour relativity. As much as colours are important for visual communication, they are pretty unstable. Their quality, tones, brightness, etc. change in relation not only to light but also to surrounding colours.

How to Find New Inspirations for your Art?

Jewel by Danuta Antas, 2011

All artists need new inspirations for their creative work to develop

and sometimes, when our life situation makes us somehow limited by lack of time, lack of money or any other lack:), we, creative souls may feel anxious, disappointed or even depressed. I can only say that since Summer 2011, I have been limited by ... Oh! ... how many things,

Flower Photography - Alexis Sold

Alexis by Danuta Antas, 2010

I have currently sold a print of Alexis flower photography at online Warsaw based photo gallery. The photo I did 2 years ago, while visiting my sister's house. Its title comes from my sister's name, Aleksandra for she is such a great lover of flowers. Her home and garden are full of all kinds of plants, flowers, all of them very well-cared. I shot this hydrangea flower to catch the warm mood of Summer afternoon and to show how I felt at that particluar day. I must call my sister and tell her good news:)

Digraphy - My Digital Graphics

Digraph 8 by Danuta Antas, 2010

More than 20 years ago, during my fine art studies, I learnt printmaking techniques, including intaglio and relief ones. I particularly liked aquatint and a mixture of etching and aquatint for their tonality and softness. Later on, while working as an Art teacher I had to give up printmaking for some personal reasons. Yet, my love to this wonderful world of black and white tones, textures, lines is still alive and finds its way in a form of what I call DIGRAPHY - digital graphics.

Language of Art - Key Concepts

Whether you are new to Arts or you are professional artist, it is important to understand and create your own art language. Well, I sometimes call it handwriting of visual art. Creating a visual image is like writing; it serves to pass on messages; it serves for communication. Being a child, you had to learn each single letter and then to learn to put them together to make words, and sentences and so on... But letters were just a starting point. And similar case is with Visual Arts. They too, have their own "letters". Luckily or not, there are much fewer of them neccesary for visual communication. What are they?

Inspirational - Saved Soul

Dancing Couple by Danuta Antas, 2010

Believe it or not, my 4-leg friends, Bari and Uzi (their photos below), saved my broken soul several years ago. I was in deep despair and depression after my dark period. At that time, between 2003-2006, I was able to notice only the worst things in this world, nothing seemed good for me.

When the dogs appeared in our family, they've made us regularly go for a walk out to the wood. Observing them, their happiness at simplest pleasures, no matter how bad the weather was, made me realise that there are countless reasons to be happy, even if nothing particular changed in my life. I have found big pleasure in observing well-known spots, how they change at certain days, seasons, weather conditions, etc. When not

Interview at MavorArts

Digraphy No 20 by Danuta Antas, 2011

Hi Back!

It is several days since I came back from hospital after a small surgery on my leg I broke last year. I didn't manage to publish the info about my interview at MAVORARTS before this. Elinor Mavor, who is a wonderful person and the US based artist, illustrator, runs this website where she publishes interesting articles, shares her works as well as occasionally publishes interviews with artists of her choice.

I met Elinor on Facebook last year and I am deeply grateful for it and that she noticed something interesting in my art. She did a great job, spending much time on browsing all my websites and blogs to find out as much as