Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Thematic Photographic 29 - Quiet


Night vision
Laval, QC, December 2006 [Click to enlarge]

Welcome to the new theme: Thematic Photographic explores "quiet" for the next seven days. Please scroll down for instructions on how TP works.
Quiet can mean radically different things depending on how we're feeling at any given moment. Literally, it's usually seen as an absence of sound. More figuratively, however, I've always perceived the term as that sense of peace you get when you're left alone long enough to think.

Quiet to me is a long walk on a dark night, or a blistering bike ride deep into the farm-dotted countryside that surrounds my adopted hometown. Never mind the wind rushing past my helmet as my legs maintain a constant cadence and my heart beats at some insanely high rate. The world isn't intruding, and it's here, wherever that "here" may be, that I do my best thinking. I return to my family, my life refreshed and ready for whatever it is that comes next.

We're hoping to find some quiet around the Levy homestead in the days and weeks to come. The world has been a very difficult one of late, and it'll be nice to get some distance from it. Along the way, I hope to once again look through my lens and bring back moments like this that remind me why we all sometimes need to get away in the first place.

Your turn: Starting today and continuing for the next week, I hope you'll share quiet-themed photos on your blog, then drop a link into a comment below. Here's the lowdown on how TP works.
  • Every Wednesday evening, at precisely 7 o'clock Eastern, I post a new Thematic Photographic entry.
  • Each entry has a unique theme. This week's is...quiet.
  • You post a similarly themed image over on your blog.
  • You paste a link to your entry in a comment here.
  • If you've already posted something that fits (on a blog, Facebook, MySpace, wherever) simply post the link to the existing entry. Old or new, all photos are welcome.
  • You may post as many photos or links as you wish. For the next week, I'll be supporting this theme with a related picture/posting each day. I encourage you to do the same. This is all about sharing, so feel free to share to your heart's content!
  • Please share this link with friends, too, and encourage them to join in. The more, the merrier.
  • And please accept my thanks for your enthusiasm. Your participation has made TP a true highlight for me each and every week.

28 comments:

Mojo said...

I completely understand what you mean by "quiet in the midst of noise". It's odd, actually, but I had a similar thought when I chose the photo I did for my opener for this week. The setting was anything but literally "quiet", but the noise was just that: noise. White noise that filters out more of the distractions than it creates. A loading dock (or the shoulder of a busy street) may not be empirically "quiet", but it promotes the more important "inner quiet" under the right circumstances.

I hope things return to some kind of normalcy for the Levy household soon. Meanwhile, I offer this bit of quietude.

Thematic Photographic 29 - "Quiet" v.1.0: "Yates Mill by Night"

magiceye said...

love your definition of quiet.
my interpretation of quiet is here

Nestor Family said...

Hi, Carmi! Many blessings and peace wished to you and family over the coming days and weeks...

I have an entry here for this week. Loved your photo and descriptions here.

A Family Completed... said...

Love the definition. My quiet comes when everyone in the house is asleep. I have that feeling of fulfillment and warmth having them here but have the peace and quiet. Literally my favorite time if the day.
HERE is my submission

kenju said...

Carmi, I missed the post about your friend. I am sorry. I know you will miss him and I hope that your memories will sustain you, as much as that is possible.

Olyal said...

What a quiet photo! Such an everyday place appears serene yet ominous at the same time.
I've got into TP much earlier this week!

Here's my contribution.

Barbara said...

Aha! I'm on in on the first day this week! Well, when a subject presented itself for the theme I had to take advantage of the photo op. So, here my Quiet as a World in Ice. Enjoy!

Mamapippa ... said...

Hello,
I've posted a quiet photo, taken somewhere in Portugal.
You can find it here:

http://mamapippaphotography.skynetblogs.be/post/6541744/thematic-photographic--n--29------quiet-----s

Maggie, Dammit said...

I am so sorry for what you are going through.

Anonymous said...

A drive in the country sounds lovely about now...

Carina said...

I hope you find all the quiet peace you need.

I have to say, though, that this picture frightens rather than comforts me. It reminds me of the city at night and all the things that go on when no one is watching.

Anonymous said...

hey carmi

the one thing that draws me to the cottage, the quiet. nothing is quite as quiet as our little island in the middle of a big lake.

http://3yrplan.typepad.com/photo_du_jour/

sending only good wishes, and a happy chanukkah to you and your family.

Mamie said...

Carmi, I've been sending thoughts of peace and serenity to your family this week.

I've posted my photo of quiet - hope you can feel it.

Terri said...

Carmi, I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your friend.

I've posted my quietness here.

Anonymous said...

Interesting thoughts. Quiet can be defined in so many ways.

Pamela said...

Here is my Quiet Post

My photos are always so literal. But, if I hang around you long enough I'll soon be finding some deep stuff with my camera (:

Pamela said...

Here is my Quiet Post

My photos are always so literal. But, if I hang around you long enough I'll soon be finding some deep stuff with my camera (:

awareness said...

Carmi...I had similar thoughts...the examples which came to mind are moments when it was all quiet inside but surrounded by the noisy life.

Sometimes its the external noise that can protects us enough to quiet it down on the inside.

My photo and a few thoughts are up.....

thank you for the opportunity to think about this a little more deeply.

take care.....

Anonymous said...

Interesting what one sees in a photograph. Probably says more about who we are than what's in the picture. Mine is posted here .

bobbie said...

I have finally decided which of so many photos I would use for "Quiet". I think that Quiet, or Peace, almost synonymous, is the perfect theme for the season. You'll find mine here:
http://bobbie-almostthere.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

There are a lot of interpretations. Come and visit my entry. Nice weekend!

Justin and Sarah Rose said...

What a perfect subject for the beginning of winter. Thanks Carmi! http://acoupleofroses.blogspot.com/2008/12/thematic-photographic.html

Mystic Thistle said...

A good theme again! here's mine

http://paulnewmanshirtdays.blogspot.com/2008/12/about-glen-growing-up-and-also-for.html

Barbara said...

From the sublime to the... well, see for yourself at Quiet is a Black Screen. Hee hee!

Pam said...

i finally got mine up here:

http://herroyalness.blogspot.com/2008/12/thematic-photographic-11-thematic-theme.html

Nikki - Notes of Life said...

I thought I'd join in again :)

Quiet in the Countryside

Anonymous said...

Carmi

Haven't seen you for a while! Am joining in your theme this week:

http://rosneath.wordpress.com/2008/12/22/quiet/

belleek

PastormacsAnn said...

Squeezing in under the wire to post my photos of quiet.

My quiet photos

Blessings to you Carmi.