January 27, 2024

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #283 Illustrate a Favorite Quote

“Birds in flight fascinate me. I admire eagles, falcons [and all birds]. I’m inspired by a feather but also its color, its graphics, its weightlessness and its engineering. It’s so elaborate…” – Alexander McQueen This week I am sharing a few favorite quotes and illustrating them with pictures. This first quote relates to the header image showing a flock of Red Knots (Calidris canutus rufa) during one of their stop-overs on Kiawah Island, SC. These birds migrate from their winter home on the coast of southern Chile and Argentina to islands above the Arctic Circle for summer, a flight of more than 9,300 miles or 14,966.9 kilometers, a journey which…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in Landscape, LENS-ARTISTS, Photography, Red Knots Migration

September 3, 2021

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #163: Keep Walking

“Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead.  Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow.  Just walk beside me and be my friend.” – Albert Camus This week Amy is asking us to share pictures of people walking.  What better place to see than in Charleston, South Carolina.  Due to it’s size, it is an easy city to walk, and one of the most visited cities in the United States.  Much has been written about Charleston Historic District which showcases magnificent historic homes, churches, and other buildings.  (A post for another day.)   These pictures show part of the retail and business area in Charleston.  They were taken…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in Charleston SC, LENS-ARTISTS, Photography

May 8, 2021

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #146 Focusing on Details

“Photography is an art of observation.  It has little to do with the things we see and everything to do with the way you see them.” – Elliott Erwitt This week Patti suggests we feature photos Focusing on Details.  I found a few images showing details that really seem to make the picture more interesting.  This first one was taken a few years ago in Ernest Hemingway’s house in Key West, Florida.  This room is his writing studio where, it is said, he used the typewriter on the right to produce seventy percent of his works during the nine years he was in residence, 1931 – 1939.   Notice that there…

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

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 17, 2019

STREET ART: Lens-Artists Photo Challenge

For this week’s Lens-Artist Photo Challenge, Patti suggests we share some images of Street Art.  Looking through photos, there seem to be different styles such as “artsy” pictures, fun images designed to make people smile, those showing a landscape scene or ones where the artist has a statement to make.  Interestingly, in many cities’ artists are encouraged to create murals or Street Art on buildings, sidewalks or wherever they can find a “canvas”.  For example, Montreal holds annual graffiti or Street Art festivals, one of which is internationally renowned.    “I laugh at the way some people think graffiti is all selfish tagging and vandalism. Thoughtful street art is like…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in Charleston SC, Frederick Maryland, Kiawah Island SC, LENS-ARTISTS, Montreal, Photography, Travel

April 12, 2019

SOMETHING DIFFERENT: Lens-Artists Photo Challenge

Tina asked us to show Something Different this week.  Hmm… a very interesting challenge which made me think about what subjects in photography I least enjoy photographing and are not  in my comfort zone.  Photographing people up close and especially strangers in a public place is something I rarely do and not what you would expect from me! “I like to challenge myself.  I like to learn – so I like to try new things and try to keep growing.” – David Schwimmer   All of these images are from a morning photo shoot which focused on street photography in Charleston, SC, on part of King Street.  Some of you may…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in Charleston SC, LENS-ARTISTS, Lifestyle, Photography, Travel

January 26, 2019

CITY SCAPES: Lens-Artists Photo Challenge

For this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, Patti invites us to “share a cityscape of one city or several cities with populations in the thousands or millions.  Near our home or thousands of miles away, most importantly, show the big picture view.” When thinking about big cities – what is it about a city that attracts some people or can cause others to try to avoid them as much as possible!  Do you enjoy visiting a city, would you like to live in one if you don’t already?  Personally, I like cities and would probably be happy living in one since I’m married to a “city guy” who loves them. To me,…

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

January 18, 2019

CURVES: Lens-Artists Photo Challenge

This week Tina invites us to think about Curves;  “…pay some attention to curves  – in nature, in architecture, on our roads and in our lives … just about everywhere if you think about it.” Curves can be defined many ways; as a rounded line or shape, a curve ball is something baseball players and fans know all about, school test papers graded on a curve and then there is the person or organization that strives to stay ahead of the curve instead of behind it!  I decided on a few unrelated pictures showing curves as smooth, rounded lines, shapes or path.  Except for the last image these pictures were taken in Charleston, SC…

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

January 4, 2019

FAVORITE PICTURES OF 2018: Lens-Artists Photo Challenge

This week Ann-Christine encourages us to think back on 2018 and show pictures recapping some memorable moments.  What a challenging assignment!  With so many images to choose from, it is difficult to narrowed them down and pick only eight.  Probably one of my personal highlights in 2018 is the inception of this photography blog.  This became a reality when an old friend (and great photographer, I must also add) encouraged me to participate in the newly organized weekly Lens-Artists Photo Challenge Group.  And of course, I said “yes”!  Taking pictures and writing is easy enough although creating the website was a different story.  Fortunately with her ongoing encouragement and support, My Colorful Expressions.com was…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in Angel Oak Tree, Charleston SC, Landscape, LENS-ARTISTS, Photography, St Kitts, Travel