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Caught in my tracks
When you’re bored, sad, or lonely, you can handle it in many different ways. The other day, I turned to something unexpected: asking AI to write a short story with me. I would start a sentence and AI would shortly complete the idea and vice versa. It was not an attempt at creating a literary piece, it was just fun. And it led me to genuine surprise. Here is part of the story as it was created: AI: The water seemed to shimmer, and the stone… Me: … looked like a riddle of sorts. I poured the water over the stone… AI: … and as the liquid touched its surface,…
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Objects in Motion
The October assignment in my still-life photo project for this year wanted me to present “Objects in Motion”… …and let me tell you, it brought an interesting experience. The theme felt intriguing but challenging. I had some ideas — like capturing small tin balls hanging on ropes that swing and collide with one another — you know that design? But I didn’t have the objects and couldn’t manage to create anything. I didn’t use the time I had and lacked motivation. Everything felt wrong. So eventually, because I didn’t want to skip this entirely, I took a transparent plastic bottle, set a nice textured background against a table and rolled…
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Artist’s desktop
The September assignment in my still-life photo project for this year was to show “Artist’s Desktop”. Because this year’s project is based on props I already have at home, my thoughts went straight to bullet journaling — the small creative ritual that accompanies my days. It’s not grand art, more a quiet practice, but it brings those tiny sparks that brighten my days. However modest they may seem, they never lose their value; sometimes they even grow into something bigger. Once the idea settled, the props practically chose themselves: colourful brushes, paper pads, stamps… Familiar items, yet surprisingly tricky when observed through a lens and brought into focus. Dust settles…
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Music and Sound
The August assignment in my still-life photo project for this year was to be inspired by “Music and Sound”, which made me think of two instruments: a piano and flute. I wanted to play the piano when I was a little girl, but when I applied for lessons at a music school, I was told my fingers were too short to make the effort worthwhile. That might have been true, but I was bitterly disappointed. Perhaps they had too many children asking for piano lessons so they tried to steer us towards less popular instruments instead. Years later, I bought a flute and some selfinstructional books. I practiced diligently, though…
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Seasonal Fruits and Refreshments
The July assignment in my still-life photo project for this year requested capturing “Seasonal Fruits and Refreshments” and I knew exactly where to look for it — in our own garden. For gardening, this year was quite generous in terms of weather. The spring late frosts did not cause much damage and the early summer brought just enough rain. And there’s definitely something deeply satisfying about photographing fruit you’ve watched growing on your own trees and bushes — it transforms a creative assignment into something much more personal. The blueberries have become my favorite breakfast addition, brightening my morning oat flakes and yoghurt with their pleasing tartness. They’re not only…
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Everyday Geometry
The June assignment in my still-life photo project for this year was focused on “Everyday Geometry”. Geometry is all around us in everyday objects and sometimes it creates eye-catching patterns and shapes. The truth is that we usually walk past such mathematical elegance without thinking about it or even without realising it is there. I would even say that geometric shapes and patterns have a meditative quality. They welcome simplicity and create visual harmony that brings peace to our overloaded brains. There is something calming about clean lines and balanced proportions. They don’t demand attention in a loud way… I found out that black and white benefits the theme greatly…
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Windows and Reflections
The May assignment in my still-life photo project for this year was planned to show “Windows and Reflections”. Quite self-explanatory, isn’t it? So I gave it a try, and surprisingly, I found myself drawn to B&W images as the final result. They may feel melancholic without those bright colours but the lack of vividness offered space for one’s own imagination and reflection. We live in a world full of colours and even though that is undeniably wonderful, the colours can be distracting and even overwhelming. I must confess it is sometimes a relief to strip off the unnecessary baggage and get to the core. Would you agree?
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Tools of the Trade
The April assignment in my still-life photo project for this year expected me to shoot “Tools of the Trade”. The idea was to use tools related to a hobby or craft and portray them in a still life arrangement. My immediate inspiration became my bullet journalling supplies — those colourful washi tapes, decorative pictures and vibrant brushes that make planning feel like an art form. But as I was looking at them arranged on my desk, they didn’t feel quite as impressive and storytelling as I expected — they didn’t capture the essence of what “tools of the trade” meant to me. So I decided to switch gears and asked my husband…
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Kitchen stories
The March assignment in my still-life photo project for this year asked me to capture “Kitchen stories”. As each kitchen hides and reveals countless objects and activities, I initially thought it would be an easy theme. But as I discovered, when you dig into the details, this is too worn, that is too reflective, this does not look as interesting as expected and those elements simply don’t complement each other… Among my ideas was a composition with frozen strawberries placed in an old metal bowl alongside frozen blueberries and a beautiful dish towel. I loved the result — until I noticed the blueberries had smudged the plate they were sitting on, the…
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Průhonice castle and park
The day before yesterday we moved the hands on our clocks one hour forward to enjoy longer evenings with more light, and it’s that time of the year when I begin to anticipate seeing colours returning to nature. In freshly growing grass, new lush leaves, delicate flowers, bushes in blossom, and in the bright sunny sky… But it’s always wise not to expect too much too soon. Until mid-May, we can still experience frosty days. Last year spring began warmly, but then the frost arrived mercilessly, burning the buds, flowers, and leaves – much was lost. This year the forecast suggests that April will be a cold month, which I…
