Tag: Lens-Artists

Lens Artists Photo Challenge #360 – Fairs/Markets

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For this challenge Ann-Christine asks us to share our memories of fairs, Farmers’ markets, Christmas markets, or carnivals.

It has been many years since I went to a fair or carnival but I sometimes enjoy strolling through open air markets and Farmer’s markets or attending festivals. Unfortunately I’m usually too busy browsing and shopping to take any photos so I’m afraid I don’t have many images to share.

The following image and the featured image are from the open air market in Marigot in St. Martin. The stalls were filled with colorful locally made items.

The Savannah Scottish Games and Celtic Festival is held every May. The colorful kilts of the clans, the sounds of the bagpipes, athletic competitions, tents from various clans, food vendors, Irish Dancers, and Irish Music are a few of the fun things to enjoy at the festival.

One year we stumbled upon the Llano Fiddle Fest when we were traveling around Texas. We had fun for two days tapping our toes to the music of the talented fiddle players.

The Savannah Book Festival is held every February. Book lovers turn out despite the chilly weather for a chance to hear a talk by their favorite author and hopefully get their book autographed. Some of the lines can get quite long for some of the authors.

I’ll finish with a beautiful display of vegetables for sale at a Farmer’s Market in Virginia.

Last week the responses to John’s challenge Photo Composition with Lines, Colors and Patterns were very creative and fun. Be sure to check back on Saturday, August 16 at noon Eastern Time when Sofia will be hosting the challenge

Many thanks to Tina for this challenge Lens-Artists #360 – Found at the Fair or Market

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

Every Day is a Gift.

Lens Artists Photo Challenge #359 – Tools of Photo Composition: Lines, Colors, and Patterns

Posted in Nature, PhotographyTagged , , , , , , , 41 Comments

John’s challenge is to find examples of photographs that feature compositional elements such as lines, patterns, or colors. I see these elements all around me in man made structures and in nature.

In the featured image the black walkway on this pedestrian bridge leads your eye to the figure dressed in red at the end of the walkway. The pattern of the green supports surrounding the walkway frame the walkway.

This wooden dock over the salt marsh is made with lines and interesting patterns that reflect in the water at high tide.

The Monarch Caterpillar is an example of colors and patterns in nature.

Vibrant colors and patterns in these hot air balloons.

Last week Tina’s challenge was Live and Learn. I learned some new things from your wonderful responses. Be sure to check back on Saturday, August 9 noon Eastern Time when Ann-Christine will be hosting the challenge.

Many thanks to John for this challenge Lens-Artists #359 – Lines, colors and patterns

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

Every Day is a Gift.

Lens Artists Photo Challenge #358 – Live and Learn

Posted in Birds, Nature, PhotographyTagged , , 35 Comments

Tina’s challenge is Live and Learn. Tina reminds us of the importance of continuing to learn new things as we age. Here is her challenge: “Show me some of the things you’ve learned about photography or any subject you choose. Do you learn by doing as I do, or are you one who learns from classes, or online, or through working with others?”

I’ve never taken a photography class. I learn by doing and by experimenting and by making plenty of mistakes.

Some of the most important things I’ve learned in my photography journey is to always be prepared with batteries charged, space on the memory card, and a clean camera and lenses.

One of the most important editing techniques I have learned is how to crop. When we spotted this bear on the side of the road I didn’t have much time to frame the shot. I cropped the photo and edited the colors to achieve the final image shown here.

One of the reasons I keep participating in the weekly Lens-Artists challenges is because it helps me to learn new things about photography. These photos illustrate some of the photography tips and techniques I’ve learned.

The featured image uses a Bokeh technique. I learned from one of Sofia’s challenges that In photography, a Bokeh is the blurred or out of focus background in a photo. I frequently use this effect when photographing flowers.

When photographing wildlife, always focus on the eyes

I learned about Zooming from one of Anne’s challenges.

Fill the Frame

Leading Lines

Rule of Thirds

Last week Egidio took us Into the Woods for some Forest Bathing. I enjoyed all of the wonderful responses. Be sure to check back on Saturday, August 2 at noon Eastern Time when John will be hosting our next challenge.

Many thanks to Tina for this challenge Lens-Artists #358 – Live and Learn

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

Every Day is a Gift.

Lens Artists Photo Challenge #357 – Into the Woods

Posted in Georgia, Nature, PhotographyTagged , , , , , , , 35 Comments

This week Egidio challenges us to go Into the Woods for some Forest Bathing. He tells us “Shinrin-yoku is a concept that was developed in Japan in the 1980s as a form of natural therapy and stress relief. In English, it is translated as “forest bathing” or immersing oneself in a forest atmosphere. It is a way to allow all your senses to experience nature mindfully.” His challenge is to show how we do forest bathing in our corner of the world.

I think I was “”forest bathing” before I knew what it was. I just know that I love the quiet of being in the woods. I feel peaceful and calm when I stand in the woods surrounded by trees.

I think that I shall never see, A poem lovely as a tree. – Joyce Kilmer

The trees in my home state of Georgia vary depending on where you are in the state. In coastal Georgia the common trees are pine trees, oaks, palmettos, and palm trees. The featured image is of a maritime forest on Jekyll Island. The following gallery was taken on a Georgia marsh hammock near my neighborhood. Wood Storks are one of the many wading birds that are seen on the trees here.

The Okefenokee Swamp in south Georgia is filled with Cypress trees. Seeing these ancient trees from a boat makes me feel like I have stepped back in time.

Cypress Trees in the Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia

Sweet Gum, Winged Sumac, Maple, Sycamore, Pine, and Water Oaks are just a few of the trees that I see when walking in the woods of middle Georgia. The landscape changes with seasons. No matter what the season I feel a sense of serenity in these woods.

Early Spring in the Georgia woods

Wild Dogwoods bloom in the spring in the Georgia woods

Summertime in rural Georgia woods

Many thanks to last week’s guest host SH for his challenge of Quiet Hours. Your responses to the challenge took me to many beautiful quiet places. I hope you will join us next week as Tina leads us in our next Lens-Artists challenge on Saturday, July 26 at noon Eastern Time.

Many thanks to Egidio for this challenge Lens-Artists #357 – Into the Woods

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

Every Day is a Gift.

Lens Artists Photo Challenge #356 – Quiet Hours

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Our guest host SH has challenged us to show Quiet Hours. In his post he asks us “what makes for “Quiet Hours” to you. How do you see it in an image? How do you navigate the idea?”

My favorite quiet hours are early morning. These quiet times help me feel peaceful and calm before I start my day.

The featured image above was taken on a misty morning looking out at a field in rural Georgia. If you look closely you can see some deer at the far end of the field. The next three images were taken early in the morning when no one else was up yet.

Quiet morning in coastal Georgia

Early morning fog over the Santa Fe River, Florida

Sunrise at Burwash Landing, Yukon Territory

Another time I feel the quiet is when traveling on a lonely road with no other vehicles in sight.

We felt like the only people in the world on the Klondike Highway on the way to Skagway, Alaska

Back Country Road off the Blue Ridge Parkway

Our view out the front window of the truck as we drove south on the Parks Highway, Alaska

Many thanks to Ann-Christine for her challenge of Creativity and to all of you for your wonderful responses. I hope you’ll join us on Saturday, July 19 at noon Eastern Time as Egidio hosts the next challenge.

Many thanks to our guest host SH for this challenge Lens-Artists #356 – Quiet Hours

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

Every Day is a Gift.