December 30, 2023

Lens Artists Photo Challenge – Happy New Year!

Wishing everyone a wonderful year ahead filled with happiness, inner peace and Hope for a better tomorrow!   I feel lucky to have seen this lovely holiday scene at Freshfields, Kiawah Island, SC. “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” – J.K. Rowling (Albus Bumbledore, from Harry Potter) My Hope for 2024 is for it to be a prosperous year of pleasant surprises, joy and good health for you and your family! In closing, it would not seen right if I did not include my favorite quote which many of you have read before… “Unexpected kindness is the most powerful,…

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

December 9, 2023

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #278 Unique

“Unique is the quality of being unlike anything else.” – Amy, L-A host for the week.  Here are a few unique scenes of trees and architectural structures I stumbled on over the past many years. The header shows Fort Gorges, a former US military fort on Hog Island Ledge in Casco Bay, Maine, built in 1864. It was never used and fell to decay and ruin until a few years ago when it became a historic landmark, was restored and opened as a tourist site. “Of all man’s works of art, a cathedral is greatest. A vest and majestic tree is greater than that.” – Henry Ward Beecher This grand…

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

November 25, 2023

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #276 Looking Up, Looking Down

“Sometimes changing your perspective is all it takes to see the light.” – Dan Brown James of Jazzibee is the guest host this week. He challenges us to view the world from different perspectives by Looking Up and Looking Down. This first image was taken looking up at the colorful rigging on a local commercial shrimp boat. Looking up at the upper half of the stupa at Brahmavihara-Arama Buddhist Monastery in Bali, Indonesia. Tibetan style eyes surround the top symbolizing Buddha’s wisdom to see all things in four directions. “Look, up at the sky. There is a light, a beauty up there, that no shadow can touch.” – J.R.R. Tolkien…

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

November 17, 2023

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #275 Filling the Frame

“Filling the frame” refers to the technique of composing an image so the subject takes up most or all of the frame. The best way to accomplish this is to move in closer to the subject or use a zoom lens. By allowing the viewer’s focus to be only on the subject, often times details are revealed that are not readily noticeable otherwise. Plus, this helps to get rid of distracting elements in the background. Below are a few of my examples. (Click on each image to show more details.) Anne Sadler is the host this week so be sure to learn all about “Filling the Frame” by reading her…

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

October 28, 2023

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #272 Billboards and Signs

This week’s challenge is led by John of PhotobyJohnbo. As he points out, “signs are everywhere, they try to sell us, they can provide information, they can warm us of hazards, they can make us laugh, and they can tug at our emotions.” Here are a few of my favorite informative signs. Below and above are “fun” business signs to let everyone know what is being served inside. The first two are in front of well-known ice cream shops and the last three restaurants’ signs are advertising their specialties. Sign Posts  On the beach in Wells, Maine, in Kennebunkport, Maine and on a Maine golf course! Hope you enjoyed seeing…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in LENS-ARTISTS, Photography

October 21, 2023

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #271 Contrasts

“There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast.” – Charles Dickens The challenge this week is to show a few ways of expressing contrasts in photography, such as tone, lights/shadows, colors, architectural structures, softness/texture, landscape. In the first image shows a stark contrast between silhouettes of the people along the shore line and the lovely golden tones from the setting sun. Even though these two pictures are the same ferns the contrast in their color is determined by the seasons. A beautiful green color most of the year although in autumn the cooler temperatures turn them into gorgeous reds, oranges and yellows. “Contrast…

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

September 30, 2023

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #268 Tell Us Why

This week Tina says “our challenge is to choose a few images which are our all-time favorites. No matter the subject or how long ago they were taken. Then we need to TELL US WHY you chose them.” (Note: I apologize in advance that many of you have seen these images before -clicking on a picture will enlarge it)  This cloud formation below appeared after an afternoon storm in Maine. This is a favorite because the sunlight creates various colors in the clouds and is also focused on what appears to be vertical looking columns of clouds. These flowers are from our garden in Wells, Maine. I am drawn to the…

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

September 23, 2023

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #267 Recharge

“Lose yourself in nature and find peace.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson Egidio, Through Brazilian Eyes, is the guest host this week. The topic he chose is Recharge, he suggests we show examples of something we enjoy doing or seeing that help recharge our batteries and relax. For me, a walk outside is the perfect solution. I tend to walk fast when exercising, oftentimes taking our dogs so we can exercise together. Needless to say, at times when they are along it is not particularly relaxing right now since the puppy often sees interesting things to explore along the way. Although  going out with them does increase my energy level for…

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

September 9, 2023

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #265 Black and White or Monochrome

“There’s something strange and powerful about black-and-white imagery.” – Stefan Kanfer What is the difference between black and white and monochrome pictures? They both start as a black and white image with various shades of grey. Although, monochrome images go one step further since a single toning filter is added to create an overall mood or feeling. I always photograph in color and usually in Raw which means some post-editing is necessary. One of the last steps is to convert the picture to black, white.  It is always fun to see how a picture looks in black and white verses color. Here are a few black and white examples below….

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

September 2, 2023

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #264 Primary Colors

Primary colors are red, blue and yellow. What makes them special is all other colors are created by mixing two or more of these three colors together. Generally speaking, these are not usually seen together but I did manage to find a few random examples to share. The first two images show how dramatic the sky can appear when it is lit up with reddish, yellowish and blue colors. (Click on each picture to see it in full view.) For fun, this is a recent TV picture of Hurricane Franklin as it was passing by the FL, GA, SC coast, heading north in the Atlantic Ocean. Good news is it…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in LENS-ARTISTS, Photography