Lens-Artists – Wandering Dawgs

Lens Artists Photo Challenge #405 – 13 years of RV Adventures

July 19, 2026Posted in Birds, Photography, Road Trip, RVing, WildlifeTagged Adventures, Campgrounds with a view, fifth wheel camping, Lens-Artists, Photo Challenge, RVing65 Comments

Welcome back to the Lens-Artists challenge after our two week summer break! Ann-Christine:’s challenge is to show adventures from one destination only or from more than one place. She tells us: “Personally, I think every day is an adventure, but indeed some feel a bit more vivid and easier to describe.”

I am focusing on a few memorable highlights of our 13 years of RV adventures. Every day on the road was an adventure. I’ve posted many times about visiting National Parks and about our Alaska RV adventures so for this post I am featuring just a few of our other most memorable adventures.

Our first trip was a two month adventure traveling west to explore some of our western National Parks. Our second day on the road a bedroom window blew out of the camper as we were driving along the Interstate through Mississippi. It was a challenge working out how to get it replaced but that just added to the adventure. You can see photos of the National Parks we visited at Looking Back on our First RV Trip.

Our 3 months traveling from Georgia to the Pacific coast in 2007 began with several days of snow and icy road conditions in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Montana. We even had to spend the night in a motel in Minnesota. I posted about it at Stormy RV Trip. We were grateful to have survived the storms and were able to have many adventures the rest of the trip. I’ll never forget the thrill of walking on a short trail behind our campsite in Cape Disappointment state Park in Washington to discover a beautiful Pacific Ocean beach at the end of the trail. The featured image is a view from that walk on the beach.

View from the beach behind our campsite at Cape Disappointment State Park, Washington

The adventures continued as we drove south along the Pacific Coast on U.S. Highway 101. Whenever there was a scenic view with a parking area we pulled over to take in the spectacular views. We camped in several places in Oregon and northern California with many adventures at each location.

One year we met our daughter’s family at Itasca State Park in Minnesota to explore the headwaters of the Mississippi River with them. One night after we walked across the headwaters we all watched the sunset over Lake Itasca.

Son in Law and Grandson at sunset at Lake Itasca

Some of our most memorable adventures were in what I call the drive through places because many travelers travel as fast as they can on their way to another destination. We had fun camping in the Winterset City campground in Iowa to search for all of the Bridges of Madison County and the birthplace of John Wayne.

Watching the Lonesome Dove miniseries for about the third time gave us the idea for a Lonesome Dove Cattle Trail, Gulf Coast, Cajun Country, Whooping Crane, Bluebonnet and Brisket Tour. Yes, we did all of those things! Surprisingly, the most viewed post on my blog is Starting the Lonesome Dove Cattle Trail.

Every once in a while we stumbled upon a campground in an out of the way place with a spectacular view right from our campsite. Even better was watching wildlife while relaxing in our chair.

Sangre de Cristo Mountains as seen from San Luis State Park

Watching a Blue Heron from our campsite at Mississippi River State Park, Arkansas

Hawk in a tree behind our campsite in Big Cypress Preserve, Florida

Morning Sky over the Mississippi River in Missouri

The more we traveled the more we discovered incredible beauty every where we went. We started slowing down so we could enjoy the many interesting places along the way. No matter where we were, the people we met were friendly and helpful. Although our RV days are over we still enjoy traveling and enjoying each journey.

Thank you so much to everyone who responded to my challenge two weeks ago. You showed us some creative and fun images of Subjects that start with the letter B.

Many thanks to Ann-Christine for this week’s challenge. If you would like to join the challenge please be sure to tag your post with Lens-Artists and include a link back to her post Lens-Artists #405: Adventures.

Be sure to check back on Saturday, July 25 at noon eastern time when Anne will be hosting the challenge.

I will be having some personal medical events going on this week and may not be able to respond to your comments right away. Please be assured I appreciate all of your visits and all of your comments.

You can keep up with all of our challenges by subscribing to the Lens-Artists team members websites: Tina, Patti, Ann-Christine, John, Sofia, Anne, Egidio, Ritva, Beth.

For information on how to join the Lens-Artists challenge please click here.

Every Day is a Gift

Lens Artists Photo Challenge #404 – Subjects that begin with the letter B

June 27, 2026June 27, 2026Posted in PhotographyTagged beach, Bird, boat, Branch, Bridge, bunny, butterfly, Lens-Artists, Photo Challenge, Subjects that begin with the letter B83 Comments

It’s my turn to host the challenge this week. Let’s have a little fun and feature subjects that begin with the letter B. What subjects can you find that start with the letter B?

You can choose several different subjects and share one image of each one.

**Beautiful** **Black** Swallowtail **Butterfly**

**Bridge** over a stream in the **Blue Ridge Mountains**

Or, you can choose images that contain more than one subject that begins with B.

Or, you can choose one subject and include more than one image of that subject. The subject is Boats in the following gallery.

Last week I enjoyed all of your wonderful responses to John’s challenge of Perspective, Depth and Scale. Thank you to everyone who joined the challenge.

I hope you have fun finding lots of things starting with B. I can’t wait to see what you come up with. Please limit your responses to no more than 10 images for your response. Please be sure to tag your post with Lens-Artists and include a link back to this post.

The Lens-Artists team will be taking a break for the next two weeks. Anne-Christine will be hosting the next challenge when we return on July 18.

You can keep up with all of our challenges by subscribing to the Lens-Artists team members websites: Tina, Patti, Ann-Christine, John, Sofia, Anne, Egidio, Ritva, Beth.

For information on how to join the Lens-Artists challenge please click here.

Every Day is a Gift

Lens Artists Photo Challenge #403 – Perspective, Scale, Depth

June 22, 2026Posted in PhotographyTagged Delicate Arch, Depth, Grand Canyon, Lens-Artists, Mount Rushmore, Perspective, Photo Challenge, Scale, Tools of photo composition60 Comments

For this challenge John is asking us to look at tools that shape visual space: perspective, depth, and scale.

Perspective

The view of Mount Rushmore from in front of the monument.

This closeup of Georgie Washington shot from below shows a different perspective of the monument.

Scale

Depth

Last week your responses to Sofia’s challenge showed many amazing wonders from around the world. Thank you to everyone who joined the challenge..

Many thanks to John for this week’s challenge. If you would like to join the challenge please be sure to tag your post with Lens-Artists and include a link back to his post Lens-Artists #403: Perspective, Dept and Scale.

Be sure to check back on Saturday, June 27 at noon eastern time when I will be hosting the challenge.

You can keep up with all of our challenges by subscribing to the Lens-Artists team members websites: Tina, Patti, Ann-Christine, John, Sofia, Anne, Egidio, Ritva, Beth.

For information on how to join the Lens-Artists challenge please click here.

Every Day is a Gift

Lens Artists Photo Challenge #402 – Looking Back to Lens-Artists Challenge #1: Wonder

June 17, 2026Posted in PhotographyTagged Lens-Artists, National Parks, Nature, Photo Challenge, Wonder39 Comments

For this challenge Sofia is looking back to our first Lens-Artists Challenge: Wonder. Sofia explains her challenge like this: “We’re looking for the moments, places, people that we treasure, the little stories behind a shot that stuff our lives with meaning and joy.” You can visit Patti’s original challenge at Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Wonder.

I believe the world in incomprehensible beautiful – an endless prospect of magic and wonder. – Ansel Adams

I am grateful I have been able to experience many of the wonders in America’s National Parks. Some are huge, some are tiny, some are living, some took thousands of years to create. They all brought me joy. Here are just a few wonders I fell in love with.

The ancient mountains of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the rugged peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina

Ancient Giant Redwoods in Redwoods National Park and Palm Trees in Everglades National Park.

The amazing landscapes created by nature in Yosemite Nationanl Park and Bryce Canyon National Park.

Moose in Denali National Park and a Bugling Elk in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The serenity of a waterfall and an old homestead surrounded by tall trees wearing their autumn colors.

Tom Branch Falls, Great Smoky Mountains NP

I can’t leave out the wonder of discovering small things like a butterfly on colorful wildflowers.

Last week Patti challenged us to Focus on the Subject. I enjoyed all of your beautiful responses. Thank you to everyone who joined the challenge..

Many thanks to Sofia for this week’s challenge. If you would like to join the challenge please be sure to tag your post with Lens-Artists and include a link back to her post Lens-Artists #402: Looking Back to Lens-Artists Challenge #1 – Wonder.

Be sure to check back on Saturday, June 20 at noon eastern time when John will be your host for the challenge.

If you don’t want to miss any of our challenges you may want to think about subscribing to the Lens-Artists team members websites: Tina, Patti, Ann-Christine, John, Sofia, Anne, Egidio, Ritva, Beth.

For information on how to join the Lens-Artists challenge please click here.

Every Day is a Gift

Lens Artists Photo Challenge #401 – More Tips on How to Focus on the Subject

June 9, 2026Posted in Birds, PhotographyTagged Focus on the subject, Hot Air Balloon, House Finch, Lens-Artists, Nature, Photo Challenge42 Comments

For this challenge Patti has given us tips on how to focus on the subject in our photos.

She asks us to “Select 2 or 3 tips and then use them to compose several photos. In your post, share your photos. Try to limit them to 4. Identify what tip you used. For an extra challenge, post a “before and after” photo of the same scene/person/object. Identify how you could improve the first shot and then reshoot it, using one of the tips mentioned here.”

Vary your subject placement

I placed this curious House Finch on the right and also used negative space and selective focus to blur the background

Get Closer to the subject

I used a telephoto lens to get close to this little bird

Use Negative Space

The colorful hot air balloon stands out from the negative space of the blue sky

Use Leading Lines

The leading lines of this road draw the eyes to the beautiful green fields on the Dingle Peninsula, Ireland

Last week Tina challenged us to use the Rule of Threes in our photos. Your responses were wonderful. Thank you to everyone who joined the challenge..

Many thanks to Patti for this week’s challenge. If you would like to join the challenge please be sure to tag your post with Lens-Artists and include a link back to her post Lens-Artists #401: More Tips on How to Focus on the Subject.

Be sure to check back on Saturday, June 13 at noon eastern time when Sofia will be your host for the challenge.

You can stay up to date on all of the Lens-Artists challenges by subscribing to the Lens-Artists team members websites: Tina, Patti, Ann-Christine, John, Sofia, Anne, Egidio, Ritva, Beth.

For information on how to join the Lens-Artists challenge please click here.

Every Day is a Gift