May 14, 2021

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #147 Gardens

“Beauty surrounds us, but usually we need to be walking in a garden to know it.” – Rumi I have always enjoyed walking through botanical gardens in various cities, enjoying the interesting collection of plants, trees and artwork on display.  When in southwest Florida, Naples Botanical was one of my favorite places to visit, with my camera of course! Naples Botanical Gardens is one the youngest gardens in history to receive the American Public Gardens Association’s prestigious Award for Garden Excellence.  They have 170-acres featuring a Preserve and a Water Garden in addition to showcasing a few gardens from around the world – Asian, Brazilian, Caribbean plus a Florida Garden,…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in Flowers, LENS-ARTISTS, Nature, Photography

February 11, 2021

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge: #134 From Forgettable to Favorite

There are many Forgettable pictures in my archive files due to camera shake, wrong exposure, etc.  So, they end up being either deleted or ignored.  This week Tina wants us to revisit the Forgotten ones to see if it is possible to make them into a Favorite. (Not an easy task in some cases.😊)  Thank goodness for editing software programs like Photoshop, Lightroom, Nik, Topaz and Luminar to name a few.  Plus, some of these programs even have AI capabilities (artificial intelligence).  They do a remarkable job of analysing an image and suggesting ways to improve it. In my editing workflow, Adobe Photoshop (PS) is the go to software program.  Initial…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in Abstract, Flowers, Landscape, LENS-ARTISTS, Photography

January 14, 2021

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge: #130 IT’S A SMALL WORLD

This week Lens-Artist’s guest host, Anne Sandler suggests we think about close-up and macro photography.  She skillfully describes the difference between the two.  Be sure to read her post, It’s a Small World. I have a macro lens but find that it is not used much.  Instead, I tend to photograph small objects using a long lens with a short focal point. This particular picture below was taken with a Nikon 18-300 lens, focal point of 145, f/5.7. My banner shot is the beautiful variegated Shell Ginger flower from Florida. This was taken with a Nikon 18-105 lens, focal point of 42, F/4.8.  Interestingly, months ago before being introduced to…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in Flowers, LENS-ARTISTS, Nature, Photography, Wabi Sabi Photography

June 16, 2020

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #101 A Single Flower

“Flowers always make people better, happier and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine to the soul.”– Luther Burbank Lens-Artists Photo Challenge has a well- known guest host this week, Cee Neuner at Cee’s Photo Challenges.  For our topic this week she chose an interesting topic, “A Single Flower”.  Flowers mean so much to so many people.  They can help you feel better and happier; a gift of flowers can express love, friendship and caring.  Their beauty is unparalleled.   “A single flower is miraculous.  It may not live long, but before it withers, it blooms to its fullest and bestores nature with so much love and beauty.” – Amita I…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in Flowers, LENS-ARTISTS, Photography

April 5, 2020

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #91 SIMPLICITY

Patti suggests we think about Simplicity this week so I decided to feature a few flower and landscape shots to illustrate how beautiful and elegant things are when they are not lost in the detail.    “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” – Leonardo da Vinci     “Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry     “Simplicity is the glory of expression.” – Walt Whitman     “There is beauty in simplicity” – unknown     “Nature is pleased with simplicity. And nature is no dummy” – Isaac Newton     “Our life is frittered…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in Flowers, Landscape, LENS-ARTISTS, Nature, Photography

November 7, 2019

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #70 MONOCHROME

This week we are exploring Monochrome photography.  Patti suggests we can include images in black and white, sepia, and/or different shades of one color.  And, for an extra challenge, add a bit of color to a black and white image.  Monochromatic pictures showcase a color scheme based on only one, single color tint. It uses only variations or shades of a single hue, which is made by altering the saturation and brightness of the base color. Black and white colors are always added. (Colorpedia by Paletton).   I decided to feature with a few photographs in black and white with a single hue of color added and was surprised as to…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in Birds, Flowers, Kiawah Island SC, Landscape, LENS-ARTISTS, Nature

August 20, 2019

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #59 ANGLES AND PERCEPTIONS

This week Ann-Christine challenges us to explore the word Angles and Perceptions using pictures.  Not necessarily geometric angles (although there are numerous angles in each flower) but photographs looking at the same object from different angles and observing it from a different perspective, which in turn influences our perception of the world!  She says “the importance of different ways of seeing the same object, thing, person, happening…cannot be overestimated.”  Viewing objects this way and forming a new perception is very powerful! “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” – William Shakespeare   I decided to show this beautiful hibiscus on the table from different angles;…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in Angles and Perceptions, Flowers, LENS-ARTISTS, Photography

May 3, 2019

LESS IS MORE: Lens-Artists Photo Challenge

This week Amy wants us to think about how the concept of “Less Is More” can impact our pictures.  Removing as much as possible to establish the focus on only one or two elements in an image, while still conveying the overall feeling or spirit, can be challenging at times. “Simplify:  say no to the good so you can say yes to the best.”  Decided to experiment with two of my favorite subjects – flowers and bottle-nose dolphins.  I wanted to see if it is really true that sometimes “Less Is More” can create a better picture. “There is beauty in simplicity.” – unknown This image seems to be a…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in Bottle Nose Dolphins, Capt Sams Spit, Flowers, Kiawah Island SC, LENS-ARTISTS, Photography

April 6, 2019

HELLO APRIL: Lens-Artists Photo Challenge

This week Amy challenges us to say “Hello April!” with a few of our photographs.  The advent of April is magical with renewed beauty and life all around.  The sun begins to get warmer although April breezes add to slight chill in the air. New life appears on plants and trees while many birds and animals begin caring for their young. “April hath put a spirit of youth in everything. (Sonnet XCVIII)” ― William Shakespeare           “A gush of bird-song, a patter of dew, A cloud, and a rainbow’s warning, Suddenly sunshine and perfect blue – An April day in the morning.” – Harriet Prescott Spofford…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in Birds, Flowers, LENS-ARTISTS, Photography

March 1, 2019

CLOSEUP: Lens-Artists Photo Challenge

This week Leya invites us to show a few close-up pictures, “your own home is an endless source of motifs – and maybe a look into new worlds.”  I chose flower images because the delicate blending of multi colors, texture in the pedals and the intricate designs of each flower is so unique when viewed Closeup.  Most of these images were taken in our yard with either a Nikon 18 to 300 mm lens or 18 to 105. I did not use my micro lens but instead took Closeups of these flowers in the RAW format so I was able to crop close and show little details. A few other…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in Digital Art, Flowers, LENS-ARTISTS, Nature, Photography