clouds

Celebrating Joni

February 8, 2024Lens-Artist, photography, Uncategorizedclouds, Joni Mitchell, lens-artist challenge, photographyAndrew Seal View all 9 comments

clouds illusion I recall

I thought I would use my response to Egidio’s Lens Artist-Challenge #285: Warm Colors, to also celebrate Joni Mitchell’s Grammy award and my memory of hearing that wonderful voice and song for the first time.

“I was driving my old yellow Triumph TR2 down the Old Kent Road in London in 1969, and as she started singing on the car radio I had to pull over to listen to the rest of the song, a magical moment frozen in time and one that has remained with me ever since.”

The photos of the sunsets and clouds are from my post clouds Illusions I recall. If you follow the link you can enjoy listening to Joni Mitchell’s beautiful, young voice singing Both Sides Now from the original recording – its pure magic.

life’s illusions

October 23, 2020photography, Uncategorizedclouds, Fisherman's Wharf, Joni Mitchell, photography, reflection photography, VancouverAndrew Seal View all 3 comments

Yesterday’s reflective moment in Fisherman’s Wharf, Vancouver as I return to the leaves today.

“I’ve looked at life from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow
It’s life’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know life at all.”

Joni Mitchell – Both Sides Now

the fog of morn

November 25, 2019photography, Uncategorizedclouds, Fisherman's Wharf, fog, iphoneography, photography, reflection, VancouverAndrew Seal View all 2 comments

Fisherman’s Wharf foggy morning in Vancouver🇨🇦

cloud illusions I recall

November 1, 2016Photo Essay, photography, Uncategorized#discoverWP, clouds, Golden hour, Joni Mitchell, memory, photography, postaday, song, Vancouver, WPDiscoverAndrew Seal View all 15 comments

In July last year Ben challenged us to split our photos in two for the Weekly Photo Challenge: Half and Half. I had taken a photograph of the Wall Centre here in Vancouver surrounded by clouds and titled my post for the challenge Both Sides Now. Perhaps you remember it.

For this week’s Discover Challenge: Song Ben asks us this time to “Tell us a story about a piece of music that stayed with you.” How could I not repeat my love of Joni Mitchell’s song Both Sides Now as I explained in this quote from my post in July 2015:

“I took this photo with my iPhone a few weeks ago looking up at the Wall Centre here in Vancouver. The words of Joni Mitchell’s song, Both Sides Now from her album Clouds, instantly came to my mind and a moment of warm reverie came over me as I looked up at the clouds and remembered hearing her voice for the first time in 1969. I was driving my old yellow Triumph TR2 down the Old Kent Road in London, and as she started singing on the car radio I had to pull over to listen to the rest of the song, a magical moment frozen in time and one which has remained with me ever since.”

Both my love of the song and of clouds themselves have never left me. We are fortunate indeed where we live in Vancouver to enjoy glorious sunsets throughout the year, so often accompanied by wonderful cloud formations. My camera is always to hand to record these masterpieces of nature that surround us every day. What better way to share them with you, both as a gallery and a slideshow, and accompanied once again by the unforgettable voice of Joni Mitchell singing one of her greatest songs.

I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow
It’s cloud illusions I recall
I really don’t know clouds at all.

Joni Mitchell 1967

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Half-Light

March 25, 2016photography, Uncategorized, Weekly Photo Challengeclouds, Joni Mitchell, photography, postaday, weekly photo challengeAndrew Seal View all 14 comments

I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow
It’s cloud illusions I recall
I really don’t know clouds at all.

Joni Mitchell 1967

Last posted for the Weekly Photo Challenge: Half and Half in July last year, it seemed to be a good time to revisit one of my favourite photos, which was inspired by Joni Mitchell’s wonderful voice and poetry, for this week’s photo challenge from Krista who asks us to “Share a photo inspired by a poem, verse, song lyric or story.”

Joni Mitchell wrote “Both Sides, Now” in March 1967, inspired by a passage in Henderson the Rain King, a 1959 novel by Saul Bellow. (Wikipedia)

I was reading Saul Bellow’s “Henderson the Rain King” on a plane and early in the book Henderson the Rain King is also up in a plane. He’s on his way to Africa and he looks down and sees these clouds. I put down the book, looked out the window and saw clouds too, and I immediately started writing the song. I had no idea that the song would become as popular as it did. Joni Mitchell.

Enjoy the unforgettable voice of Joni Mitchell singing one of her greatest songs once again.

Studio 365: Day 326

November 22, 2015Studio 365, Uncategorized, Weekly Photo Challenge365, clouds, photography, Photoshop Elements, postaday, sunrise, weekly photo challengeAndrew Seal View all 9 comments

The studio is mobile this weekend so here is a photo trio of today’s early morning sky…

…courtesy of a little experimental manipulation with Photoshop Elements.

Studio 365: Day 256

September 13, 2015Uncategorized, Weekly Photo Challenge365, BC Ferries, Beautiful British Columbia, clouds, photography, postaday, Seascape, weekly photo challengeAndrew Seal View all 12 comments

Dramatic skies over Active Pass and Mayne Island on this morning’s ferry ride to Victoria.
Monochromatic and magical I hope you’ll agree.

Both sides now…

July 19, 2015Uncategorized, Weekly Photo Challengeclouds, Joni Mitchell, photography, postaday, reflections, Vancouver, weekly photo challengeAndrew Seal View all 31 comments

I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow
It’s cloud illusions I recall
I really don’t know clouds at all.

Joni Mitchell 1967

I took this photo with my iPhone a few weeks ago looking up at the Wall Centre here in Vancouver. The words of Joni Mitchell’s song, Both Sides Now from her album Clouds, instantly came to my mind and a moment of warm reverie came over me as I looked up at the clouds and remembered hearing her voice for the first time in 1969. I was driving my old yellow Triumph TR2 down the Old Kent Road in London, and as she started singing on the car radio I had to pull over to listen to the rest of the song, a magical moment frozen in time and one which has remained with me ever since.

Ben’s Weekly Photo Challenge: Half and Half has given me the perfect opportunity to share the photo and to listen to the unforgettable voice of Joni Mitchell singing one of her greatest songs once again. Thanks Ben

Studio 365: Day 198

July 17, 2015Painting, Studio 365, Uncategorized365, Art, Art studio, clouds, John Constable, landscape painting, photography, postaday, The Hay Wain, watercolorAndrew Seal View all 3 comments

Lessons from the Great Masters Day 11 – 17.7.15

Today’s chapter: John Constable: ‘natural’ sky paintings

How often have I marvelled at his great painting The Hay Wain on many trips to the National Gallery in London as a young boy. The scene was painted near Flatford Mill in Suffolk, which was owned by his father. I recently visited this hallowed spot which has changed little over the last two hundred years. All that were missing were the magnificent clouds of his painting.