Windows are the soul of...

I put my intention on windows, yesterday, on my walk through town. They say that eyes are the windows of the soul. In a way, windows are the soul of buildings. When you look into them, you may get a glimpse of what's behind except when the shutters are down of course. Without being a peeping Tom, I looked into the windows and saw a variety of things, from a yellow coat at H&M's to the furniture of an empty and closed restaurant.

Suspended bike

Walking through I spotted this bike in suspension. The grey sky was just opening up, so its blue reflected in the canal.

Woman in window

I walked through town, looking at the leaves, the water and shop windows and all else that was there. At one particular moment, I looked up and saw this woman in a huge window, talking to a man invisible to me at that moment. When I stepped aside I could see him talking animatedly to her. But the moment for me was when I first saw her.

Monet in Holland

This moment reminds me of some of the pictures of Monet. He had a garden made, full of plants and flowers. He sometimes painted the same scene several times. He looked and looked, and found the scene different every time he looked at it. Fresh perception, that is what we aim for at Contemplative photography.

Reflection of hotdogstand

I find looking into the water mesmerizing; water changes every split second, it never looks the same. One of the qualities of water is that it reflects its surroundings. Like this red hotdogstand for example. Even on a grey day its colours were bright.

Leaves and water

Autumn in the parc. It was lovely out there, even if the sky was overcast and very grey. If you walk slowly or even stand still and just look at the water, you start to see so many things. Great excercise if you're stressed.

Leaves in puddle

I love autumn, with all its colours, wetness and the falling of leaves. This lovely and peaceful reflection I spotted on my way to the market, it stopped my dead in my tracks.

Curved line

My friend's garden is full of inspiration. So I saw this curved line on a chair. When I describe what is it, it sounds so mundane or flat. Look at it and let the image sink in.

Reflections

As I took a walk during lunch break, I passed one of the wide ditches in Buitenveldert. The reflection of the apartment building with the branch in the foreground stroke me as very graphic.

Berry picking

We went berry picking at my friends house. He has a huge garden somewhere in the woods. The time was right for some serious picking as the berries were quite ripe. Result: two buckets full.

Yellow door

I was at my friend's house and we were cooking in the kitchen. As I stepped out of the kitchen, I saw this beautiful yellow door with lines of shadows.

Shadows of glass

I'm afraid this is one of my preference files: shadows and reflections of objects. Especially with the pretty autumn light, it is sometimes just breathtaking.

Glass on table

I walked into the kitchen and wham, there it was. A simple glass with reflections and shadows.

Red leaf on pavement

As I was walking through the Hortus Botanicus the other day, I spotted this red leaf on the ground. Its colours just hit my eyes.

Reflection of large crane

During lunch break I walked around the hospital of our university. There is a construction site next to the dental department. My eyes immediately went to the large crane reflected in the modern building.

Colourful India

Ganesha on a pink wall

Devi Amma

A glass of mango juice

Pink lotus, flower of Sri Aurobindo

Colourful house in Pondicherry

Spices at the market of Bangalore

Plastic baskets at Bangalore

India and Indians

Last summer I went to India for the first time in my life. I was rather nervous about it, because everybody is saying that it is such a culture shock to stay over there. My yoga teacher here in Holland organized two yoga weeks in Auroville (close to Pondicherry) and that made me overcome my actual inhibitions. I loved it, I had a wonderful time and what I saw of the country made me want to come back one day.

Salesboy on bicycle in Pondicherry

Man in pond

Aurovillian carrying wood

Visitors Hall of Auroville 

Salesman at the market of Pondicherry

Schoolgirls in Whitefields

Schoolboys in Pondicherry