Tag Archives: photography

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Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Destination – FUN!

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I’m in complete agreement with our Challenge host, Egidio, when he says that being in the great outdoors is his favorite destination. And his photos of Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park inspired me to re-visit my favorite adventures immersed in America’s Best Idea.

“National parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst.” – Wallace Stegner, 1983

In 2017, I took a trek through western U.S.A. and visited eight National Parks. You can read about my American Adventure in the blog posts under that heading above, or click HERE. This year, I am eligible to get a Senior Lifetime Pass, meaning that for the price of one annual pass, I can visit National Parks and Monuments and Forests for the rest of my life without paying any additional fee. What a fantastic birthday present!

On the trail to Angel’s Landing

My first visit to a National Park was to Acadia in Maine. I was only three years old. I made my trip up to Angel’s Landing in Zion 45 years later. Now I’m 62, and my next Park visit will be to Crater Lake here in Oregon. I’ve had many other Park experiences in between. Here are some highlights!

Left to right, by row: Olympic National Park, Wind Cave National Park, Bandelier National Monument, Badlands National Park (top and bottom), Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Dinosaur National Monument, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Mesa Verde National Park.

“The establishment of the National Park Service is justified by considerations of good administration, of the value of natural beauty as a National asset, and of the effectiveness of outdoor life and recreation in the production of good citizenship.” – Theodore Roosevelt, 1912

All very good, Mr. Former President, but the Parks are also a whole lot of FUN to be in!

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Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Common Objects

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Why bother to take a picture of a common object? Well, in my mind, a photograph elevates the common to the extraordinary when the lighting and the composition are exceptional. There’s something very exciting about being able to capture the beauty of everyday items.

 “The only difference between an extraordinary life and an ordinary one is the extraordinary pleasures you find in ordinary things.” ~ Veronique Vienne

“Even the common articles made for daily use become endowed with beauty when they are loved.”
― Soetsu Yanagi, The Beauty of Everyday Things

“Beautiful things of any kind are beautiful in themselves and sufficient to themselves. Praise is extraneous. The object of praise remains what it was—no better and no worse. This applies, I think, even to “beautiful” things in ordinary life—physical objects, artworks. Does anything genuinely beautiful need supplementing? No more than justice does—or truth, or kindness, or humility. Are any of those improved by being praised? Or damaged by contempt? Is an emerald suddenly flawed if no one admires it? Or gold, or ivory, or purple? Lyres? Knives? Flowers? Bushes?”

― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

If you’ve never thought of a simple egg as beautiful, check out our Challenger’s post: Ritva is amazing at seeing beauty and capturing it in light and composition!

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Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Shorelines

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Ocean – Lord Byron wrote, “There is pleasure in the pathless woods, there is rapture in the lonely shore, there is society where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar; I love not Man the less, but Nature more.” I do love the perspective that comes from standing near the largest bodies of water, ones that cover most of the Earth’s surface. It’s not too difficult to find shoreline along the ocean that shows little human interference. Where humans do populate ocean shorelines, there is often a sweet joy in seeing them refreshed by Nature’s cooling and calming effect.

Lakes, Great and small – Henry David Thoreau wrote, “A lake is a landscape’s most beautiful and expressive feature. It is Earth’s eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.” I’ve lived almost half my life in Great Lakes states. Many of the smaller lakes seem to have been domesticated by humans desiring “recreation”, but there are so many of them, it’s still possible to find the tranquil and undisturbed shorelines where birds gather and trees gaze at their own reflections, admiring fall colors.

River, stream, creek – “By the time it came to the edge of the Forest, the stream had grown up, so that it was almost a river, and being grown-up, it did not run and jump and sparkle along as it used to do when it was younger, but moved more slowly. For it knew now where it was going, and it said to itself, “There is no hurry. We shall get there some day.” A. A. Milne wrote that, and created the Winnie the Pooh character that inspired all the games of Pooh Sticks I used to play with my sisters when we crossed a moving body of water on a bridge path. We would each choose sticks of similar size and drop them on the upstream side of the bridge. We would quickly turn around and look over the downstream side to see whose stick emerged from under the bridge first. Moving water is unpredictable, dynamic, fascinating, and absolutely the best thing for hot, swollen feet. I have loved seeking out running water and watching it flow and fall. And I love the silky look it gets when photographed in long exposure time!

Thanks to Anne for inviting our Shoreline illustrations!

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Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Cool Colors

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“The half-circle of blinding turquoise ocean is the love’s primal scene. That this blue exists makes my life a remarkable one, just to have seen it. To have seen such beautiful things. To find oneself placed in their midst. Choiceless.” – Maggie Nelson

John’s challenge to us this week is to depict cool colors. He says, “Cool colors evoke calmness, serenity, and tranquility, feelings often associated with water, sky, and nature.” From green to violet, the short wave colors reflect a part of the spectrum found in abundance on our blue planet. As the northern hemisphere turns away from the sun, days are growing shorter, nights are growing colder, and the change in light brings a mellow calm to the excitement of summer. I wish you well, Friends, as this season comes to an end!

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Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Sense of Scale

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How much do I love you
I’ll tell you no lie
How deep is the ocean
How high is the sky

How many times in a day
Do I think of you
How many roses are
Sprinkled with dew

How far would I travel
Just to be where you are
How far is the journey
From here to a star

And if I ever lost you
How much would I cry
How deep is the ocean
How high is the sky

Irving Berlin penned the lines to this song, trying to express the meaning of an important love. As a human, I sometimes feel my experiences can fill up the whole world, when in truth, they simply fill my own body and mind and soul. Keeping a sense of scale in the Anthropocene Era is difficult. Human impact is literally changing the planet. It’s important to look around at the other branches on the Tree of Life and practice being mindful of their significance.

This oak tree in the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge near Vancouver, WA is about 400 years old. When the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts, this tree was but a sprout. When I look at the size of the limb that fell to the ground compared to my friend walking around the tree, I am in awe. This living being has been through a LOT – while staying in one place.

Is there a place you go to put your human self in perspective with the rest of the Universe?

Thanks to Sofia for the technical instruction and inspiration for this Lens-Artists theme.

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Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Zig-zag

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“Life belongs to the living, and he who lives must be prepared for a change.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Our Challenge host for this week, Patti, writes, “It’s time to take a photographic detour off the straight and narrow path and veer into the territory of unexpected turns, switchbacks, detours, and zigzag lines, much like our journey through life itself!”

When I think of meandering rivers or of trails that switchback up and down a steep grade, I think of the dangers of a straight shot. Without zig-zagging a bit, you pick up too much speed. Too much sediment rushes downstream, you tumble head over heels, or you break down in exhaustion trying to go up against gravity. Slowing down and lengthening your path of travel allows you to see more sights, to savor life along the way.

It seems that in building structures, the zig-zag of diagonal beams builds strength and distributes stress. That sounds like something that could benefit us all.

I think seeking and celebrating all things Zigzag is a worthy Challenge!

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Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Balconies

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I’m really enjoying seeing balconies from my fellow Lens Artists who are world travelers! They are so diverse and interesting and culturally influenced by weather and social status and other factors. Our host, PR, gives many beautiful examples – visit our inspiration HERE.

When I visited New Orleans in May, I was very impressed with the balconies in the French Quarter. I suppose they function to move air in the upper stories of these city buildings, but they are decorated so lavishly as well.

However, as a performer and a theater nerd, my first thoughts about balconies are about the ones inside a concert hall or theater.

Have you ever stood on a stage and looked into rows of balconies? Have you ever stood on a stage and looked into the faces of people in the balcony, anticipating your performance, eager to be entertained, to be moved, to feel alive? Would you find that exciting…or terrifying? For me, the difference is whether I believe I’m being celebrated…or being judged.

Have you heard the term “balcony people”? Joyce Landorf Heatherly wrote a book about them, saying, “Some people are in the ‘balcony’ of your life, cheering you on, energizing you with their affirmation. Others are in your ‘basement’ doing exactly the opposite. This book is about being a balcony person.”

Jennifer McClure writes in LinkedIn: Balcony people are intentional with their encouragement. Balcony people listen well, and ensure others feel they’ve been heard. Balcony people focus more on facilitating victories that solving problems. Balcony people have the courage to share constructive feedback – even when it’s difficult.

So, I would like to add to our weekly Balcony challenge and invite you to consider how you gaze at others from above. Are you looking on in love and encouragement, benevolently shining your smile in a glow that allows the one in focus to shine? Or do you perhaps gaze in judgement like a magistrate whose frown sparks fear into the hearts of those standing below?

I find the balcony to be an interesting arena, worthy of creative thought.


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Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Perfect Pairs

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My driveway, good for gathering blackberries or snowballs

Elizabeth of Albatz Travel Adventures hosts the Challenge this week with a tutorial on creating photographic diptychs. I’ve been playing around with the WordPress image gallery options, and this makes me think of pairing up mis-matched socks or table place settings. Do you wear imperfectly mated socks? Do you put differently colored dishes together? Do you match up contrasting fabrics and textures and patterns to create an ensemble (or a room) that is balanced and pleasing? I am in awe of people with that kind of design sense. This is a fun way to play along! I will close with one of my very favorite pairings…

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Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Habitat

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“A habitat is a place where an organism makes its home. A habitat meets all the environmental conditions an organism needs to survive. For an animal, that means everything it needs to find and gather food, select a mate, and successfully reproduce. For a plant, a good habitat must provide the right combination of light, air, water, and soil.” – from the National Geographic website 

Star Solomon’s Seal, Marys Peak in the Oregon Coastal Range

It is wildflower season in the mountains of Oregon. Hundreds of native pollinators are gathering food, spreading pollen, and laying eggs. It’s a “FEED AND BREED” fest that is breathtaking to behold, especially with a backdrop of snow-capped volcanic peaks.

Cone Mountain meadow
Indian paintbrush, Menzie’s larkspur, cat’s ear, etc. on Cone Peak, looking at Iron Mountain in the Cascades.
The Three Sisters, Cascade Range

I hiked the Cone Peak-Iron Mountain Loop trail on Tuesday. The high point was the observation deck at the top of Iron Mountain, 5440 feet above sea level. From there, several snow-topped volcanic peaks along the Pacific Rim range are visible: Mt. Hood, Mt. Jefferson, the Three Sisters, and Diamond Peak. My friend and I had hiked under utterly cloudless skies for hours. From the summit, though, we sighted some clouds gathering southwest of the Sisters. One looked suspiciously vertical and grayer than the rest. Could it be smoke? When I got back home, I looked up the wildfire news. Sure enough, a wildfire near La Pine, Oregon, had started. The latest report says that the “Darlene 3” fire is 42% contained and has burned 3,889 acres as of Thursday.

Wildfires are a huge threat to habitat here in the Pacific Northwest – for plants, animals, and humans. In others parts of the world, flooding is the greatest threat. Both are linked to the warming of our planet’s atmosphere, which I believe is the most destructive and catastrophic phenomenon in human history. I grieve habitat loss and climate change deep in my soul. For my sanity, I witness the beauty of Nature and photograph what I can, when I can. May this testimony stand with others as an inspiration to make adjustments to the human habits that effect and dominate our global habitat.

My thanks to Tina for her stunning wildlife photos and her invitation to consider Habitat. Do visit her post HERE.

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Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Two Rectangles

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This week’s challenge offers a photography technique about composition. Edigio of Through Brazilian Eyes illustrates how two dominant rectangular areas in a photo create a balanced and pleasing image. I thought the example below seemed to offer a good example.

The porch pictured above belonged to a historic building on the William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge not far from my home. Unfortunately, it burned to the ground last December. Here’s a news photo I found of it in flames.

(Photo by Damien Miller/USFWS)

When I first read of this composition technique, I was reminded of an annual event that I visited in the Milwaukee Art Museum. It was called “Art in Bloom” and featured a contest of flower arrangements inspired by the artwork on exhibit. I tried to photograph the original art and the flower arrangement in a way that would showcase the similarities. Lo and behold, the two rectangles technique seemed to emerge!

In this case, more than two rectangles…

Thank you, Lens-Artists, for continually engaging our creative community. I wish you all the best – see you next week!