CBBH Photo Challenge: BLUE

Posted on by under CBBH Photo Challenge, Photo challenges

This month´s CBBH Photo Challenge is leaving me feeling anything but BLUE – because I just love the colour!

According to this website: “Color is a meaningful constant for sighted people and it’s a powerful psychological tool.  By using color psychology, you can send a positive or negative message, encourage sales, calm a crowd, or make an athlete pump iron harder.

Psychology of Color: Blue

Ask people their favorite color and a clear majority will say blue. Much of the world is blue (skies, seas). Seeing the color blue actually causes the body to produce chemicals that are calming; but that isn’t true of all shades of blue. Some shades (or too much blue) can send a cold and uncaring message. Many bedrooms are blue because it’s a calm, restful color. Over the ages blue has become associated with steadfastness, dependability, wisdom and loyalty (note how many uniforms are blue). People tend to be more productive in a blue room because they are calm and focused on the task at hand. Some studies are showing that weight lifters can lift more weight in a blue gym – in fact, nearly all sports are enhanced in blue surroundings.”

windmills of la mancha, Spain

The best examples of restored “Don Quixote”  Spanish windmills can be found in Consuegra, not far from Toledo in central Spain, where several mills spike the hill just outside of town.  I certainly had some tilting to do, to capture not only the sails, but also the magnificent blue of the wide open sky.

BLUE PAINTED DOOR IN THE HAMLET OF ACEBUCHAL, ANDALUCIA

This blue painted door can be found in The Lost Village of Acebuchal,  situated in the heart of the Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara and Almara Natural Park.   The village, which sits on the traditional muleteers’ route between Granada and Malaga was abandoned and in ruins from 1949 to 1998, but has now been beautifully renovated, restoring the original style.

plumbago in low light

When I bought my new Canon Powershot SX220HS camera back in June,  I was playing around with the low-light setting, and managed to capture the beautiful blue plumbago plant growing in my garden.  It´s such a pretty colour.

Lady in blue - Colmenar, Spain

A few weeks ago, I travelled to the village of  Colmenar to meet up with another local blogger.  Whilst I was waiting in the square opposite the Town Hall (Ayuntamiento) at the appointed time, I couldn´t help but notice this couple sitting on a nearby bench, deep in discussion.  My eye was drawn to the colour of the woman´s clothing, which was the most amazing shade of blue. 

Street sign for Calle Beso, Torrox, Spain

This street-sign in the nearby white village of Torrox always makes me smile.  Beso in Spanish means “kiss” – so this is Kiss Street!

Balcony blue - Cómpeta, Spain

My final image for this month´s Photo Challenge is from my home village of Cómpeta, and shows a pretty balcony, filled with flowers, against the  deep blue painted windows as their background.

This month´s CBBH Featured Blogs:

** Alyson at the Algarve Blog is a very talented artist and, along with her hubby Dave (a peanut-butter-loving photographer), give regular glimpses into their expat life in southern Portugal.

I am particularly enjoying reading Aly´s A – Z of Portugal, where she takes each letter of the alphabet and writes a different post using the letter as the basis for a post, about things she cares for in Portugal.   This is a very easy blog to read, with many stunning photographs, which always makes me glad that Portugal is an easy drive from my home in southern Spain.

** Talking of a friendly blog with great photos leads me on to my next choice – the Lucid Gypsy.   Gilly describes herself as “a middle aged techno hen with a passion for travel, writing, reading and well, life” – and is very busy working full time, studying and crafting pretty things in the beautiful south west of England.

Gilly loves taking part in Word and Photo Challenges and is always quick to leave an encouraging comment.  Why not pop over and say HELLO to her?

So that´s the CBBH Photo Challenge for November, folks!

Remember, all you have to do is post your entry by the end of the month,  link back to this blog and, most importantly,  don´t forget to add links to any two blogs that you´ve commented on during the past month, so that we can all HOP OVER and have a look.  Make sure you FOLLOW THIS BLOG so you don´t miss next month´s exciting challenge!

For more information on how the CBBH Photo Challenge works click here.

I hope everyone taking part enjoys the exposure the CBBH Photo Challenge offers to featured blogs and, who knows, you may end up finding a new favourite!  I´m looking forward to seeing your interpretations.

[CBBH logo Image credit: (cc) Mostly Dans]

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102 thoughts on “CBBH Photo Challenge: BLUE”

  1. Pingback: CBBH PHOTO CHALLENGE: BLUE

  3. Pingback: Travel theme: Circles « East of Málaga

  4. Pingback: Giving thanks for the most beautiful sunsets « East of Málaga

    • Thanks Amy.

      I wonder why you aren’t getting my new posts in your Reader? How odd! Maybe if you try un-following and then re-follow – it might just give it the nudge it needs!

      Reply

  7. Pingback: CBBH Photo Challenge: BLUE | Meg Travels

    • Glad you enjoy the challenge, Alyson but I made it easy for you this month with BLUE as Portugal is all about blue, I always think.

      What a wonderful selection of photos – absolutely stunning as always.

      Not long now till the next challenge – isn’t it shocking how soon they come around?

      Reply

  9. Pingback: CBBH Photo Challenge: Blue | Algarve Blog

    • Love your set of blue photos, Patricia. You´ve managed to cover so many areas in your photos – plus something to keep us from feeling blue. What a beautiful child 🙂

      Thanks for your participation in this month´s BLUE challenge – and I hope you enjoy visiting some of the links left on other entrant´s blogs.

      Reply

  12. Pingback: CBBH PHOTO CHALLENGE: BLUE | Patricia Sands' Blog

    • It´s certainly nice to see your blue skies, lakes and marinas basking in the sunshine after the weather we have had over the past couple of weeks!

      Great photos, Rachel, well captured!

      Look forward to seeing your links.

      Reply

    • forgot to finish my thought up there, must be this late hour…..I had shut down then realized that I didn’t reply here with my post. so, here it is 🙂 hoping to get to sleep now that I’ve scolded the teenagers. am I going to survive the teenage years?!?!?!?! ay caramba!!

      Reply

    • What a visual feast of blue you have offered to us this month, Toby! Just when I think I´ve discovered my favourite of your photos – wham – you hit me with another!

      I think I´m going to say the stained glass window in the Església de Santa Maria del Mar church in Barcelona. They are notoriously difficult to capture because of the intense light from outside – but you have managed it effortlessly. Well done!

      I´m off to look at your links now 🙂

      Reply

  18. Pingback: CBBH Photo Challenge: Blue | travels with toby

    • Ah – but what about your spectacular “Love in a Mist” flower, Jo? Wow!

      Thanks for introducing us to two blogs you like to visit. It´s always good to hear of other places that have been recommended by people we know. 🙂

      Great entry to this month´s challenge, Jo!

      Reply

  20. Pingback: CBBH Photo Challenge: Blue | Chronicles of Illusions

    • I do like them – very much – especially the old door in your first photo. Gorgeous!

      Thanks for the links to two other blogs – I´ll hop across there, right away 🙂

      Reply

  22. Pingback: CBBH Photo Challenge – Blue | Paradise has Mosquitoes – Photo Challenges

  24. Pingback: CBBH Photo Challenge: Blue « Ana Travels

    • What lovely photos of Santorini – a place that I have only ever seen wonderful images of, but have never managed to visit. Yet 🙂

      I´m glad you have found peaceful, agreeable solitude Sally, though trust you don´t have too long to wait until the tide turns and you can once again head out to sea 🙂

      Fantastic entry to this month´s CBBH Photo Challenge, and thanks for your links to two VERY interesting and quite different blogs. Well done.

      Reply

    • What a lovely entry, Gilly, which you have done perfectly. What artistic children they are!

      Thanks for introducing us to two blogs, both of which are new to me – so extra special. I love finding new blogs to visit, especially if they are recommended 🙂

      Reply

  29. Pingback: CBBH Photo Challenge: Blue | Lucid Gypsy

    • Stunning photos from your travels around the world.

      Hard to pick a favourite, but the Breat Barrier Reef IS pretty spectacular 🙂

      Thanks for including links to 2 other blogs. I love this part of the challenge 🙂

      Reply

  31. Pingback: CBBH Photo Challenge: Blue | Anotherdayinparadise2's Blog

  32. Pingback: Indigo and the Hennaed Heroine | The Wanderlust Gene

  34. Ooh Marianne you’d think it would be easy to have lots of blue photos but turns out I don’t, unless skies that just happen to be blue (the easiest colour to catch here in southern Spain heehee!) count! Well let’s see if I can participate this month. Anyone up for photo after photo of blue skies?

    Reply

  40. Pingback: Feeling the Blue | Canoe Communications

  41. What a great subject and beautiful photos. Lovely post. I love color. It’s definitely mood-altering. I’d love to participate in your challenge. I’m a new blogger and still don’t quite understand about sending a link. I’ll figure it out and keep following.

    Reply

    • Hi Angelina – thanks for letting me know, and I would love for you to join in the challenge this month.

      Just choose your BLUE photo to post on your own blog, link back here (so others can find the challenge), and after you have told us about it, just post the names of two blogs you enjoy visiting – making the names of the blogs click-able links.

      If you need any further help please let me know.

      Reply

  42. Fabulous shades of blue, Marianne. I love the shot of the couple on the bench. It’s almost as though she was posing for the photo. 🙂 I follow and enjoy both of your featured blogs. Great choices. 🙂

    Reply

  43. Such beautiful, color-rich photos in response to the challenge. The woman in blue really caught my attention. There she is, in clothing that probably would not have been out of place 100 or even 200 years ago, sitting on a park bench. Taken by herself, one wouldn’t know her “time” — until you look just to her right. There’s a plastic water bottle at her side. Great shot! 🙂

    Reply

    • Congratulations for being the FIRST person to respond to this month´s challenge!

      Blue and white Portugese tiles are always very impressive and you have given us a good selection there, Julie.

      Two fantastic blog links as well – wonderful – well done!

      Reply

  46. Pingback: CBBH Photo Challenge: Blue Portugal « Julie Dawn Fox in Portugal

  47. Beautiful photos, thank you. I love strong colours and the various shades of blue are gorgeous. I’m doing a photography course at the moment and yesterday I was learning about the colour wheel. I’m amazed at the variety of shades within one particular colour, and how the colours in the spectrum complement each other or harmonise with several other colours. Blue and orange contrast wonderfully with each other and I see that illustrated in several your photos, most outstandingly in photo 5. Thank you for the practice session!!

    Reply

  48. oh no!!!!!!! what have you done!??!?!?!??! fancy choosing ‘blue’ as a theme?!?!? how on earth am I going to choose a selection of photos for this …. I have thousands!!!!! 🙂
    it’s my absolute favourite colour too … and your selection has already inspired me! what beautiful photos you have posted – we have a ‘lost’ village here too and it has recently been restored (have a house with a blue door shot just like yours!) – and I LOVE the shot of the couple on the bench, what an amazing blue dress… wonderful!
    And – thank you – so much – for featuring Algarve Blog and writing such lovely things about our blog – you are too kind!
    …. scurries off to computer muttering ‘blue blue …. wonderful blue….!’
    😉

    Reply

    • Hahaha – I just KNEW you would have some fantastic BLUE photos for us, Alyson – Portugal is famous for them.

      It´s always great to be able to feature blogs that I know my own readers can not only relate to, but also enjoy.

      I always love to explore the Algarve blog – it´s a favourite escape of mine 🙂

      Reply

  50. Wow that’s me! I can’t believe you chose me, what an angel you are Marianne thank you!
    Just look at that intense colour, I don’t know if I can capture it so well. I love all of these but the lady shines out, it’s like you can see right into her lovely soul.

    Reply

    • I chose you because I always bring something away whenever I visit your blog, Gilly. Your blog makes me feel good 🙂

      Couldn´t resist photographing the lady – she looked so beautiful.

      Reply

  51. All my favourite blues, Marianne – they’ve got sunshine and joy in them. I suppose one day the depression in the Bay of Bengal will dissipate and we’ll get sorta’ blue skies again – till then, don’t know that I can participate this month – I’ve posted my best blues before 🙂

    Reply

I´d love to hear from you, and much appreciate your comments. Thank you.

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