September 3, 2020

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #112 PICK A WORD

Anne-Christine invites us to Pick A Word this week, one or more from this list – Comfortable, Growing, Crowded, Exuberant or Tangled.  Then illustrate it with photos.  I decided to share photos of our two Cocker Spaniels, Chester and Bentley, as they were growing up.  (You are able to double click each image to view in full screen.)  “Where there is love there is life.” – Mahatma Gandhi During their first several weeks together, Chester and Bentley stayed close to each other and were comfortable sleeping together.  This was the beginning of the strong bond between them.  (Bentley was 10 weeks old here and Chester 11 months.) As a puppy,…

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

August 29, 2020

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #111 EVERYDAY OBJECTS

Everyday Objects or Things is the word challenge for the week.  Things we normally see and take for granted, hardly giving them a second glance. “There’s a world out there.  Open a window, and it’s there.” – Robin Williams This week, Patti, http://pilotfishblog.com, is challenging us to spend an extra second or so to really look at something and view it from a new perspective.  We recently arrived at our home in Maine so I decided to walk around the house with ‘new eyes’, looking for a topic.  When in the kitchen/dining room area, out of habit my eyes automatically went to the windows.  So easy to take windows, curtains…

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

August 20, 2020

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #110 Creativity During Covid

This week Tina asked us to share a few things we did over the past few months when the covit pandemic created a worldwide social recession.  “Creativity is the gift that keeps on giving” – Eric Maisel Catching up on long overdue projects around the house, spending more time learning from webinars and working to improve my photography skills became more of a priority. My husband and I spent mornings on the beach.  Exploring with my camera was both mentally and physically rewarding as he walked around enjoying the scenery.  It was during this period a few photography friends spotted a reddish egret – white morph hanging out with some…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in Birds, Kiawah Island SC, LENS-ARTISTS, Lifestyle, Photography

August 13, 2020

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #109 The Sun – A Road Trip North

“Keep your face to the sun and you will never see the shadows.” – Helen Keller This week Amy challenges us to feature pictures of the Sun.  Saturday, when she announced our word challenge, my husband and I were traveling north up the east coast from South Carolina to Maine.  Not knowing what images to share, I decided on photographing the sun various times during the last leg of our three day journey to Maine.  These images were taken on Sunday during a seven hour period with the iPhone 11 Pro Max, from inside the car at 70+ miles an hour.  (If you’d like, double click each image to view…

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

August 4, 2020

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #108 SANCTUARY

“Within you there is a stillness and sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself.” – Hermann Hesse This week Xenia from Tranature.com is challenging us to share our thoughts about our Sanctuary, where we find it and how we create our place of calm and healing.  Be sure to check out her blog. My Sanctuary is a place I can visit either literally or figuratively.  It is a brief retreat from a daily routine plus ever changing events I cannot control.  The importance of a personal sanctuary is to create a balance between a hectic lifestyle and a time to relax and clear my mind. …

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written by Sylvia - Posted in Atlantic Ocean, Kiawah Island SC, Landscape, LENS-ARTISTS, Nature, Photography

July 19, 2020

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #106 AUTUMN

This week Patti wants us to continue thinking about the four seasons; this week the topic is Autumn.  Be sure to visit her post and enjoy the lovely autumn images. To me Autumn is about the beautiful colors Mother Nature creates as the air gets cooler and tree leaves change to glorious oranges, reds and yellows. Maine as well as other states in New England have a well-deserved reputation as being one of the prettiest areas during the fall months.  Over the past years my husband and I have spent our summers in southern Maine,  and occasionally stay through the fall and winter months.  Such a treat to be there…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in Abstract, Maine, Photography, Travel

July 15, 2020

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #105 SPRING

This week Tina selected Spring as our photo word challenge.  After thinking about this topic, I decided to approach the topic of Spring a little differently by focusing on an event that occurs each spring on Kiawah Island when Red Knots or Calidris canutus rufa begin to arrive. These birds leave their winter home on the coast of southern Chile and Argentina and journey to the mainland and islands above the Arctic Circle; a one-way trip of more than 9,300 miles or 14,966.9 kilometers!  For years now Kiawah’s beach is a stop-over in their semi annual migration. Red Knots are amazing birds and one of my favorites.  They are documented as being…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in Atlantic Ocean, Kiawah Island SC, Landscape, LENS-ARTISTS, Photography, SC, Spring

July 9, 2020

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #104 SUMMER

“Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August.” – Jerry Has This week Amy asked us to celebrate summer with our photos.  To me summer time represents people having fun outside, warm air, sunshine, fun at the beach, eating ice cream, outside meals, kayaking, fishing and riding in a convertible with the top down!  So, I decided to share a few favorite pictures of people enjoying summer on Kiawah Island.  “Summer is singing with joy, and the beaches are inviting you with dancing waves.” – Debasish Mridha   Summer time means after dinner bike rides on the beach with a cooler of beverages to enjoy as the…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in Atlantic Ocean, Kiawah Island SC, Landscape, LENS-ARTISTS, Photography, Summer, Sunsets

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

June 13, 2020

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #100 The Long and Winding Road

Tina chose “The Long and Winding Road” as our photo topic this week.  I found a few of my favorites looking back through the archives.   I enjoy photographing roads or paths that meander out of sight, around the bend .  They seem to bring up questions such as where the road leads, what sights are around the bend, how old is the path, who are the people or animals using it?  Each of these roadways look so inviting that it is hard not to want to explore them.   “When the road ahead seems too long, look back to see how far you’ve come.  For even if the hill before you…

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