Maine Archives - My Colorful Expressions

October 11, 2025

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #368 Autumn Colors

“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.” – Lauren Destefano Autumn comes early in Maine. You can tell it has arrived when a sweater or light jacket is needed in the mornings, leaves begin to turn into lovely yellows, reds and oranges, colorful chrysanthemums are visible everywhere and small groups of Canadian Geese stop over in local ponds for a day or two as they head south. Maine as well as other states in New England have a well-deserved reputation as being one of the prettiest areas during the…

written by Sylvia - Posted in Photography

June 21, 2025

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #353 Stormy

Take time to look towards the sky, notice the various cloud formations and lovely colors created by the sun’s light. The photo challenge topic this week is Stormy. Many things can be referred to as being stormy but generally I think about stormy weather such as snowstorms which often occur in Maine, rainstorms, severe storms which can be most anywhere and then there are also hurricanes and nor’easter which are formed over water and occasionally move over land leaving a lot of destruction in its wake. Having lived most of my life along the eastern coast of the United States, I have experienced a fair number of storms, especially Nor’easters…

written by Sylvia - Posted in Atlantic Ocean, Nature, Photography

September 7, 2024

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #314 Shorelines

“My life is like a stroll upon the beach, as near the ocean’s edge as I can go.” – Henry David Thoreau Where do I find peace and relaxation? At the shoreline watching shorebirds search for food and listening to the rhythmic sound of gentle waves washing up on the sand. I also enjoy being around others on the beach walking along the ocean and seeing children playing in the sand. Occasionally, a few people are lucky enough to see a Loggerhead turtle return to the ocean after laying her eggs in the sand. This first selection of shorelines was taken during our many travels to the Islands of Aruba…

written by Sylvia - Posted in Nature, Photography, Travel

June 24, 2023

Weekend Sky #105

“If you are in a place where you can enjoy sunrise and sunset,then you are living like a lord.” – Nathan Phillips The header image was taken in southern Maine as a storm was approaching. And, in the image below, the sun is setting over Kiawah Island, SC. Hope you enjoy seeing these pictures!

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

February 25, 2023

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #237 Bringing Softness

“I like the muted sounds, the shroud of grey, and the silence that comes with fog.” – Om Malik This banner shot shows how fog and natural light can bring softness and beauty to everything it touches. “Our soul is like a soft and gentle flower, it needs to be nurtured, cared for, tended to, with sufficient sunlight, fresh air and freedom to bloom into its most precious and beautiful form. – Miya Yamanouchi The photo challenge this week is led by Bren, she suggests we bring or show softness in a few of our photos. One way this can be accomplished in camera is by photographing in the fog or…

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

October 2, 2021

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #166: Colors of Autumn

“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.” – Lauren Destefano Autumn comes early in Maine. You can tell it has arrived when a sweater or light jacket is needed in the mornings, leaves begin to turn into lovely yellows, reds and oranges, colorful chrysanthemums are visible everywhere and small groups of Canadian Geese stop over in local ponds for a day or two as they head south. “How beautifully leaves grow old. How full of light and color are their last days.” – John Burrows. A look…

written by Sylvia - Posted in Autumn Colors, Landscape, LENS-ARTISTS, Maine, Photography

August 7, 2021

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #159 POSTCARDS

Postcard pictures from the southern coast of Maine – show postcards or our own pictures which could be used for postcards and which create happy memories. Years ago I collected postcards when traveling to remind me of interesting sights and happy memories. Now in the era of digital photography it is easy to snap a picture and design my own postcards for friends. Friends like seeing them along with a brief note, a thank you or just ‘thinking of you’ message. “I choose to collect memories instead of things.” – Elena Levon Since I am in Maine now it only seems right to show my postcard pictures from here. The…

written by Sylvia - Posted in Fine Art Photography, LENS-ARTISTS, Maine, Photography, Travel

July 28, 2021

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #158 Along Back Country Roads

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the road less travelled by, and that has made all the difference.” – Robert Frost This week we are challenged to feature images seen on back country roads. Roads we walk or ride on off the beaten path, through farmland, forests, quaint small towns or in the middle of nowhere. Here are a few sights which caught my attention when exploring unknown country roads. The building below is on Peake’s Island, a small Island in Casco Bay off the coast of Portland, Maine. Peake’s Island is only accessible by ferry; the few people who live there have cars, otherwise others have…

written by Sylvia - Posted in Fine Art Photography, LENS-ARTISTS, Maine, Old Buildings, Photography

February 23, 2021

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge: #136 The Letter S

The challenge this week is showing subjects that begin with the Letter S. For the fun of it, I also decided to use multiple words starting with “S” to describe each photograph. Interestingly, the common thread surrounding these pictures is the ocean. This was not planned ahead, it just happened – Humm. Silhouettes showing people waiting for the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico. The sun’s rays streaming through the clouds created a beautiful display. Shadows, silhouettes, and a sunset as several men fish and watch the soaring seagulls overhead. Swirly S shape carved in the beach sand the ocean tide advanced onto the shore. Sun and clouds casted shimming…

written by Sylvia - Posted in LENS-ARTISTS, Nature, Ocean, Sunsets

November 21, 2020

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge #123 Found in the Neighborhood – Wabi Sabi

For our Photo Challenge, Ann-Christine suggests we rediscover our surrounds. Look around and make an effort to notice things that are generally overlooked. Think outside the box. As she says in her post, “There is so much to discover, if only you open your mind and all your senses. Follow that road, follow your curiosity… There might still be lovely surprises around the corner.” Be sure to see her post on Found in the Neighborhood. The Kiawah Island Photography Club had an interesting program earlier this week. Jamie Konarski Davidson, an award-winning freelance outdoor & nature photographer, gave a presentation entitled “Wabi Sabi: Finding Beauty in Imperfection”. Wabi-sabi in photography…

written by Sylvia - Posted in Black and White, Fine Art Photography, Maine, Old Buildings, Wabi Sabi Photography

Several years ago, a talented group of four ladies started a blog log called Lens-Artists Photo Challenge. Each week one of them selects a topic and the challenge for all LA blog followers is to post their pictures and text relative to the topic. By the way, anyone is welcome to join this international group of photographers.

Participating in this continues to be quite rewarding. It has trained my eye to be more aware of people and things to photograph in addition to making new blogging friends all over the world.

Photography has always been a big part of my life and traveling offers many wonderful photo opportunities. I live on Kiawah Island in South Carolina and spend summers in southern Maine. Hope you like seeing my posts as much as I enjoy creating it!

“You don’t make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.” ∼ Ansel Adams