December 14, 2024

Lens Artists Photo Challenge #328 Winter

“There’s just something beautiful about walking in snow that nobody else has walked on. It makes you believe you’re special”. – Carol Rifka Brunt John, our host this week, mentioned in his opening sentence that winter will be upon those living in the northern hemisphere in only two weeks. Must admit I had to smile when reading his words because we have already had two snowstorms and it is only December 14!  For the challenge, John suggests we share some pictures of what winter means to us. Personally, I have enjoyed the couple of winter months we have experienced in southern Maine. Out of the fifteen summers spent here we…

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

December 7, 2024

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #327 5 Elements

Sofia is challenging us to explore the 5 Elements of Wuxing that create the world around us: Wood, Fire, Earth Metal and Water. This Chinese Theory asserts that the world changes according to 5 elements’ generating or overcoming relationships so a balance can be maintained.  For example, Water nourishes Wood (waters flowers, plants) and/but Water regulates Fire. Earth generates Metal (minerals and ores) and Metal generates Water (condensation on metal surfaces). Wood generates Fire, which generates Earth in the form of ash and soil. To learn more about the 5 Elements of Wuxing, be sure to read Sofia’s blog Photographias.  She explains the relationships beautifully through her pictures and explanations….

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written by Sylvia - Posted in LENS-ARTISTS, Photography

October 26, 2024

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #321 Intentional Camera Movement (ICM)

“Intentional Camara Movement so much more than a Blurry Photo.” – Charlotte Bellamy For the challenge, Anne has suggested we explore Intentional Camera Movement or ICM. What is ICM? An in-camera photo technique that involves moving the camera while taking a shot, giving the picture a unique and creative look. The resulting image can have textures, layers or streaking and can produce abstract, minimalist, and impressionistic images. Some say that it is a creative process that can be personal and each pictue is unique.  When fall recently arrived in southern Maine, leaves on the trees turned into gorgeous colors.  So, as soon as I saw Anne’s challenge I knew I…

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

October 19, 2024

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge #320 Looking Back

Travelling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller. – Ibn Battuta Sofia of Photographias, our host this week, suggests we show a few pictures of memories we have made on the years. She says “look back at things we have loved in life, things that have happened, places we have visited we would like to experience again. Anything that is a treasured memory.” The many years my husband and I have traveled all over the world gave me many treasured memories. We have visited various parts of India, England, Brazil and Canada on many occasions. Hong Kong, Singapore, Bali, Ireland and the Caribbean Islands were also…

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

September 21, 2024

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #316 Destination: Fun

“Love the life you live. Live the life you love.” – Bob Marley This week Egidio, of (Through Brazilian Eyes) suggests we show pictures of a few things we like to do for fun. I like being with friends, traveling with my husband or quiet times walking with my dog or reading a book. In adittion, having a camera close by is a great way to enjoy my surroundings since I find myself looking for interesting subjects to photograph.   I decided to feature a few pictures of fun places and events my husband and I have enjoyed over the years.  First, the banner picture, was taken at a resort…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in LENS-ARTISTS, Photography

August 23, 2024

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #312 Sense of Scale

Sense of scale in photography is achieved by showing the size of one subject in relation to the size of another in the same picture. When this is done, the viewer can perceive the space or the depth perception between one verses the other. An easy way to illustrate this is to include a familiar subject along with another subject seen at a distance.  These first three pictures show a few areas of coastline and beaches in Southern Maine. The sense of scale can be visually appreciated since part of the plane is shown in each image. These were taken with an iPhone and can be enlarged by clicking on…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in Landscape, LENS-ARTISTS, Photography, Travel

August 17, 2024

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #311 What’s in a Garden

 “The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just on the body, but the soul”. – Alfred Austin Anne-Christain writes that several essential elements are used to create gardens; water, representing life-giving force; and plants, which provide the color and changes throughout the seasons. You also often find bridges, water falls and stepping stones. This banner image shows one of the many lovely flower gardens planted by neighbors in our golf course community in Well, Maine. For me, gardens are a wonderful place to explore, relax and reflect. This vase of roses looks like a small…

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

August 7, 2024

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #310 Zigzag Pictures

Our photo challenge is to feature pictures showing zigzag lines. Did not think I had many pictures but was surprised. As it turned out, most of these images are zigzag lines seen in nature, first is ocean waves, then butterfly wings, water reflections, Atlantic coastline and a slab of marble.  The first picture was taken at sunset on Kiawah Island, SC. Next is a beach scene of the Gulf of Mexico in Bonita Springs, Florida. Other zigzag lines seen in nature is lovely patterns on butterfly wings. Below is a Southern Oak Hairstreak butterfly with light-colored zigzag lines on its wings. (As a side note, the appearance of having it having…

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

June 29, 2024

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #305 Two Rectangles

Egidio, who is leading our photo challenge this week, suggests we show pictures emphasizing two rectangles.  He says, “By two rectangles, I mean you have two dominant rectangular areas in your image. For many people, this is one of those compositional tools we use without thinking about it. These rectangles give balance, harmony, and unity to a composition.” The image of these carps shows two pairs of rectangular areas created by contrasting light and shadows. Ever noticed the numerous rectangular areas on a baseball field?  Large billboards, advertisements around the seating area, division of seating sections in the stands and even grassy rectangular patterns on the field. Overall, these pleasing…

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

June 8, 2024

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #302 Artificial Intelligence and Photography

The header shot is a “pure” Artificial Intelligence photo! It began with a blank page in Adobe PhotoShop. The page was selected by the Lasso Tool and AI Contextual Task Bar Tool was instructed to create an “ocean background sea oats foreground”.  And this is what was created! For this week John has suggested we explore Artificial Intelligence techniques found in various software programs such as Adobe PhotoShop and others. Some software programs have had AI editing around for several years and is regularly used to remove digital noise, distractive objects and enhancing details. I use it in this context along with Dodge and Burning Tools when posting images on…

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