March 24, 2022

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #191 Curves

“In life, as in art, the beautiful moves in curves.” – Edward Bulwer-Lytton Curves seem to be everywhere, especially in nature! When outside have you ever looked around to see how many curvy objects you can see? A few days ago I spent some time with my camera on the eastern end of the beach on Kiawah Island. Most everything in sight was curvy. The header image shows curved dune grasses bent by the blowing breeze.  Sand dunes also tend to be curvy; their shape is constantly changed by the wind. The full picture is shown at the end of this post. The picture below shows the length and curvature…

March 19, 2022

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #190 Close and Closer

“In photography the smallest thing can be the greatest subject.” – Henri Cartier-Bresson This week it is suggested we take a closer look at the subjects we photograph.  Look for interesting details, patterns, colors or unseen objects to show.  This can be accomplished using a macro lens, zoom lens, by moving ourselves in closer or simply cropping.  Note, these images can be enlarged by double clicking them. The banner shot shows different types of coral found on Caribbean reefs.  And, the image below highlights a small area of the reef, revealing the detailed beauty in the various corals.  This was taken at The New England Aquarium in Boston, Massachusetts. This…

March 10, 2022

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #189 Odds and Ends

Odds and Ends is the topic this week so I found a few pictures which do not seem to fit in any particular category.  For example, the header picture shows two “windows” on the wall in a popular restaurant near our house. The one on the right is actually an old mirror in a frame which was shipped from France. It’s wavy, crackled glass is reflecting the beautiful colors from picture across the room and blending them together. As for the second window, guess it speaks for itself. This shows the inside of a cabinet located behind the bar in the other room. And, below are three frogs in the…

February 26, 2022

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #187 Water

“Dance with the waves, move with the sea, let the rhythm of the water set you soul free.” – Christy Ann Martine This week Anne suggests we think about Water.  She says, “Water enhances our photos, adding impact. Photographing it is also fun and sometimes a challenge.”  I agree, photographing water makes the picture more interesting, especially if wildlife is around.  The first several pictures show some of the wildlife we have on Kiawah Island.  These pelicans are resting after having spent their morning diving for food.  In a few more hours they will be out again, fishing, before darkness arrives.   Kiawah is the home of a pod of dolphins…

February 17, 2022

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #186 Low Light

“Pictures taken in low light seem to convey a certain mood or feeling, perhaps more so than those taken in bright sunlight.” – Sylvia Bacon     This week Sofia is challenging us to feature some of our low light images.  Sunrise and sunset on Kiawah Island’s beach seldom fails to disappoint.  At times the sky and its reflection on the ocean becomes so overwhelming when washed with brilliant colors.  The header shot and the one below are two examples. “Get outside. Watch the sunrise. Watch the sunset. How does that make you feel? Does it make you feel big or tiny? Because there’s something good about feeling both.” – Amy…

February 5, 2022

Lens-Artists #184 Travel Has Taught Me…

“I am not the same,having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world” – Mary Anne Radmacher Over the years my husband and I have visited many countries around the world, meeting a lot of wonderful people along the way. These trips taught me alot about people who live all over the world.   I learned people everywhere are basically alike, we all share very similar values and desires.  Family life is very important as well as social friendships, religious beliefs also play a big role in many cultures.  Travel also taught me that complete strangers are generally very kind and helpful.  It does not matter whether we speak…

January 29, 2022

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #183 Memorable Events

“When memorable events are remembered, they bring a smile to our faces.” – Sylvia Bacon This week we are asked to share a few favorite memorable events.  Looking back through my pictures, I decided to start off by featuring pictures from a couple of trips when visiting close friends.  When looking at these pictures again, it was nice to relive the fun we all had plus the wonderful sights and things we did.  The banner picture shows the Cloud Gate sculpture, affectionally known as The Bean.  It is the centerpiece in Millennium Park in Chicago.   The picture below was taken at Niagara Falls, from the Canadian side of the border…

January 22, 2022

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #182 Interesting Objects

It is amazing how many interesting sights are around us once we start looking for them.  This week Patti suggests we share a few things we have seen when walking through a city, the country, a museum, or a beach.  Something different that catches our eye.  This banner shot was taken a few years ago when visiting a botanical garden in Canada.  These artistic metal flowers among the other plants added a lot of color and interest.  And, below is a popular ice cream shop in Maine which is known for their long list of delicious ice creams plus humorous signs around the property.  The picture of the cow and…

January 6, 2022

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #180 Highlights from 2021

“There are no great people in this world, only great challenges which ordinary people rise to meet.” – William Frederick Halsey, Jr.     2021 was such a challenging year for so many; hopefully everyone one got through it ok and became a wiser and stronger person.  I would like to wish everyone a very Happy and Healthy Year in 2022.   Tina suggested we show our favorite pictures from 2021. When looking through my pictures I was surprised as to how many I found. The opening picture shows a pair of Hooded Mergansers (Lophodytes cucullatus) which were featured in an April post, entitled Taking Flight.   The next two images are from a…

December 16, 2021

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #178 Holiday Lights

“We didn’t realize we were making memories; we just knew we were having fun.” – unknown I always enjoy the sights and sounds surrounding the Christmas holidays and especially the time spent with family and friends.  Christmas music everywhere, Christmas cards, buying gifts, wrapping presents, decorating the house, the smell of the tree and other evergreens throughout the house, all leading up to the big day.  Since Tina is giving us our choice of topics this week, I decided to share a few pictures of holiday decorations.  (Each of these images can be enlarged by double clicking it.) For years, during the Christmas holiday my husband and I would spend…