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…

Read more

written by Sylvia - Posted in Photography, Travel

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…

Read more

written by Sylvia - Posted in Landscape, Photography, Travel

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…

Read more

written by Sylvia - Posted in LENS-ARTISTS, Photography

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…

Read more

written by Sylvia - Posted in Highlights from 2021, LENS-ARTISTS, Photography

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…

Read more

written by Sylvia - Posted in Christmas Holiday Lights, LENS-ARTISTS, Photography

November 13, 2021

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #173: Interesting Architecture

“As an architect you design for the present with an awareness of the past, for a future which is essentially unknown.” – Norman Foster Interesting, beautiful architecture can be seen most anywhere people live, especially in cities and towns.  It is visual art that is hard to ignore.  I always enjoy photographing interesting looking buildings.  I selected a few favorites pictures from within the United States – Maine, Boston and Chicago. This Gothic-inspired architectural house has won the distinction as the most photographed house in Maine.  It is known as the Wedding Cake House since George W. Bourne (a prominent 19th-century shipbuilder) built it for his new bride in 1825. …

Read more

written by Sylvia - Posted in Architecture, Boston Massachusetts, Chicago, LENS-ARTISTS, Photography, Travel

October 23, 2021

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #170: Street Art – Boston

Street art, such as sculptures, murals, graffiti, poster art, is commonly displayed on buildings, walls, sidewalks – anywhere it can attract public attention.  This week Patti invites us to share images of street art whether it is scrawled messages all the way up to the most elaborate of commissioned work.  Even though Boston Massachusetts is full of beautiful and interesting murals and graffiti, I decided to feature four pieces of commissioned works of art and public statues.  The header shot of the Tortoise and Hare at Copley Square, was created as a tribute to all Boston marathon runners by Nancy Schon in May 1995. This first street exhibit more than…

Read more

written by Sylvia - Posted in Boston Massachusetts, LENS-ARTISTS, Sculptures, Street Art

September 18, 2021

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #165: Going Wide

“Appreciation is like looking through a wide-angle lens that lets you see the entire forest, not just the one tree limb you walked up on.” – Doc Childre Life through a wide angle lens. This is where the camera records what you see when looking at a particular scene with eyes fixed in one area.  By using shorter lenses you are able to get more in the picture and everything is on a smaller scale.  Wide angle lenses are versatile and work well in landscape scenes, street photography and architecture shots. I decided to feature a few landscape scenes which were converted to black and white.  The header shot was…

Read more

written by Sylvia - Posted in Black and White, Fine Art Photography, Landscape, LENS-ARTISTS, Travel

September 11, 2021

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #164: Looking Up/Down

“When I’m in Boston, I always feel like I’m home.  I almost cry, I feel so good.” – Luis Tiant This week’s guest host, Sofia Alves, suggests we be conscience of photo opportunities around us which are either down, below our feet, or higher up, above our heads.  Recently we spent two days in Boston.  What a great photo opportunity for this week!  The header shot shows a row of colorful umbrellas hanging above the sidewalk on Hanover Street in Boston’s historic North End.  (Notice the emojis dangling from the purple umbrella!) We started our trip to the city on this Downeaster Amtrak train Wednesday morning.   Once arriving at the…

Read more

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

June 18, 2021

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #152 Shadows and Shade

“Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree and long time ago.” – Warren Buffett This week our Photo Challenge is to show examples of Shadows and Shade.  I decided to feature various pictures starting with this opening picture showing both shadows and shade on the golf course green behind our house in Maine.  In the picture below it is interesting to note tourists taking advantage of the narrow shaded area in the street along as well as the person who is also in the shade walking in the opposite direction.  This street scene is in Corfu, Greece. Interesting shadows of the man and his son…

Read more

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