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Gallery: in harmony yet different

September 21, 2026 / 8 Comments

Be in harmony, yet be different

Confucius

Harmony isn’t about sameness, but about differences that work together. Whether that’s people, animals, architecture, landscapes, garden planting or colours … Harmony teaches us that different need not mean clashing. And what an important lesson that is!

For Ann-Christine’s Lens Artists challenge this week I’ve chosen seven images from my archives that in a variety of ways speak to me of harmony. My feature photo was taken at the Salar de Atacama in Chile. The colours are harmonious and for me the symmetry in the reflection adds to that sense of harmony and peace.

Lake Atitlan, early morning

Like my feature shot, this is another where the harmonious colours create a sense of peace. And the lone fisherman is in harmony with his surroundings. His is not fishing on a commercial scale, disrupting the balance of nature. He is just one man in a small boat catching just what he needs to make a small living selling in a local market.

Tenryu-ji temple garden, Arashiyama, Kyoto

Is there anything more harmonious than a Japanese garden? Using design principles such as balance, asymmetry, the avoidance of straight lines and empty space, such gardens echo the harmony of nature without copying it directly. This garden was my favourite of several that we visited in Kyoto.

In Chobe National Park, Botswana

Harmony of a different kind now. Here zebra and oryx graze peacefully together, sharing the same space and food. Would that we could all learn to do the same!

In Communa 1, Medellin, Colombia

Medellin offers a lesson in urban regeneration. Thanks to progressive policies introduced by Mayor Federico Gutiérrez, the deprived neighbourhoods and slums known as communas, that dot the hillsides above the more affluent city centre, are being revitalised. Cable cars and escalators provide easier access to jobs in the city, and bring in tourists to see the street art that decorates many of the buildings. With tourism comes opportunity, so small bars and restaurants are springing up to provide an alternative income to the crime and drugs that once blighted these areas. Life here may not be perfect but it has been greatly improved, and there is time now to sit and chat to a neighbour.

Monk in a monastery near Siem Reap, Cambodia

Buddhist monks here welcome visitors interested to learn more about their religion, way of life and messages of peace and harmony. Buddhism teaches that all things are connected; harming others or the environment ultimately harms oneself. Six harmonies guide monastic communities (and are equally useful for the rest of us):

  • Physical harmony: sharing spaces respectfully
  • Moral harmony: upholding shared ethical values
  • Verbal harmony: speaking with kindness and avoiding divisive speech
  • Mental harmony: cultivating shared joy, compassion, and support
  • Harmony in views: respecting differing perspectives while striving for understanding
  • Harmony in benefits: equitably sharing resources
Mural in Eureka, California

Like the communas of Medellin, Eureka has seen significant regeneration with the old commercial buildings in its downtown area brightened with murals and repurposed as cafés, restaurants, shops and galleries. This large mural next to a car park struck me as an excellent illustration of harmony at work. And it’s the ideal note (pun intended!) on which to finish this post.

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