January 10, 2025

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #330 Favorite Photos in 2024

This week gives us the chance to show our favorite photos in 2024, whether they have been previously published or not. The first couple shown have never been published. Even though they were taken a few years ago, after recently stumbling on them in my photo archives and re-editing, they took on a very different look. They are now included in my list of all-time favorites in 2024.   The first picture, from Venice, Italy, was re-edited so it would hopefully have more of a contemporary look.   (You can double click each picture to enlarge it.) An American Bald Eagle which is a permanet resident at the The Avian Conservation Center…

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

September 21, 2024

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #316 Destination: Fun

“Love the life you live. Live the life you love.” – Bob Marley This week Egidio, of (Through Brazilian Eyes) suggests we show pictures of a few things we like to do for fun. I like being with friends, traveling with my husband or quiet times walking with my dog or reading a book. In adittion, having a camera close by is a great way to enjoy my surroundings since I find myself looking for interesting subjects to photograph.   I decided to feature a few pictures of fun places and events my husband and I have enjoyed over the years.  First, the banner picture, was taken at a resort…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in LENS-ARTISTS, 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…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in Nature, Photography, Travel

August 23, 2024

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #312 Sense of Scale

Sense of scale in photography is achieved by showing the size of one subject in relation to the size of another in the same picture. When this is done, the viewer can perceive the space or the depth perception between one verses the other. An easy way to illustrate this is to include a familiar subject along with another subject seen at a distance.  These first three pictures show a few areas of coastline and beaches in Southern Maine. The sense of scale can be visually appreciated since part of the plane is shown in each image. These were taken with an iPhone and can be enlarged by clicking on…

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

May 10, 2024

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #298 To Be Young Again

“Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson  Tina, who is hosting this week, suggests we feature children in our pictures. I rarely photograph people so this topic required a bit of searching through photo archives. My first thought was to look for pictures taken during the summer months that included water. From personal experience children love to play in water on a hot, steamy summer days! The perfect activities at the beach include building sandcastles, skimming the surf on a board, swimming in shallow waves or just enjoying the cool breeze blowing off the ocean. This taken near our house on Kiawah Island…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in LENS-ARTISTS, Photography

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

August 26, 2023

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #263 Faces in the Crowd

“A crowd is not company, and faces are but a gallery of pictures, and talk is but a tinkling cymbal, where there is no love.” – Francis Bacon Our challenge this week is to feature faces, in a crowd or standing alone. I decided on a few random pictures showing various people’s faces in a crowd.  Most are strangers although the last few pictures are the faces of long-time friends. The first is a fascinating exhibit showing numerous faces of Chicago citizens at Crown Fountain in Millennium Park. A different person’s face is projected on LED screens at regular intervals and each fountain has an outlet in the screen there…

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

August 19, 2023

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #262 Framing Your Photos

This week Amy suggests we share a few different ways a photo can be framed either by nature or man made designs.  The header shot is framed by beautiful oak trees and marsh grasses at sunset. The two framed, sculpted flower designs below are located on the lawn of the City Hall Building in Old Montreal, Canada.    An example of a wrought iron gate framing a view of the harbor in Monte Carlo, Monaco. A locked doorway protecting the privacy of a garden and walkway on the hill in Eze, Monaco. A bee is framed by the lovely greenish daisy as it gathers pollen. I will close by showing a favorite…

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

July 29, 2023

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #259 Unbound

“I have never in my life been so struck by any place as by Venice. It is the wonder of the world.” – Charles Dickens This week Dan of departing in 5 mins, is the guest host, and has chosen ‘Unbound’ as our photo challenge. He says, “Unbound: Capturing moments that take you away from your daily routine and/or everyday responsibilities.  Is it a day trip, a road trip, or maybe a great escape?” Several years ago my husband and I took a cruise around the Mediterranean Sea, visiting many interesting countries along the way. We spent fifteen wonderful days learning about other people and countries, sight seeing, relaxing and…

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written by Sylvia - Posted in Landscape, Photography, Travel