What is unique to some, may not be unique to others. It all depends on your life experiences. This week, Amy is asking us to post pictures of places and things unique to us. Since I began photography as a hobby 10 years ago, I have been to places that were surprisingly different/amazing to me.

Let’s start with the Coachella Valley Preserve in Thousand Palms, California. I had never seen an oasis before, and here was one in the California desert. You can see a large cluster of palm trees in the middle of a desert. As we walked through the preserve, we saw pools of water that fed the thirsty trees.

Have you ever tried light painting? Yes, painting with light and captured with your camera. You can’t do it alone because someone needs to hold the light source. And, of course, it has to be dark. One of my camera groups hosted this unique experience.

I remember seeing a giant sequoia for the first time. That definitely was a WOW experience. The sequoias occur naturally only in groves on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California. They can grow up to 279 tall and have a diameter of 20 to 26 feet. This is one tree you just can’t hug!

Redding California is home to the Sun Dial Bridge. It’s a steel, glass, and granite bridge that crosses the Sacramento River and is simply beautiful, especially at night. This bridge is one of the largest sundials in the world. Its shadow traces an arc that is so big it can record time for only four hours a day, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. When visible, the shadow moves about one foot per minute.

The Folsom Powerhouse is “an example of the tremendous advance in the commercial application of electricity. H.P. Livermore realized that the water of the American River could turn generators for electricity in Sacramento, 22 miles downstream. With his partners, Livermore built the powerhouse, which still looks much as it did in 1895.” During a docent led tour, of the small facility we learned how amazing this was. And it was certainly unique in that time.

Yes, my camera has shown me many unique places. I’m sure there will be more to come.

Please remember to link to Amy’s post when you respond to this challenge and use the Lens-Artist tag in the reader. Last week, thanks to Patti, we enjoyed seeing many empty spaces and variations on the theme. I appreciated your imagination and photography. Next week Ann-Christine will be leading the challenge so be sure to look for her post. Until then, stay safe this holiday season.

40 thoughts on “Lens Artists Challenge #278: Unique”

  1. The concept of “unique” is definitely in the eye of the beholder as you say, Anne! That light painting experience looks truly unique and amazing. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing every one of these places (except 1000 Palms). Seeing the Sequoias is always a humbling experience!

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  2. Anne, what a unique trip! I liked the photos of the preserve. It’s a very different (unique) place. I tried to hug one of those redwoods in vain… My favorite photo is the sundial. What a stunning capture that is!

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  3. The Coachella Valley Preserve is unique, Anne, I love the path image, beautifully captured. Sun Dial Bridge is very special. The giant sequoia, wow!! Thanks for introducing the Folsom Powerhouse to us. I had tried the light painting a few years ago with our photo group, your light painting images are so cool!!

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  6. Well Anne, WP strikes again. Unexpected error w my comment😡. What I tried to say is I loved all of your choices. The bridge is magnificent and I wish I’d thought of the sequoias, truly unique and a personal favorite among my experiences. Marvelous response!

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    1. Thanks Margaret! The sequoia is a survivor. The picture with the people is in Calaveras Big Trees State Park and the General Sherman is in Sequoia National Park. General Sherman is well guarded from people.

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    1. What I enjoy about visiting our National Parks are the international visitors I meet. I’m glad you’ve had the opportunity to see Sequoia NP and hope you continued up to Kings Canyon NP. So many visitors miss these beautiful parks because of Yosemite, which is better known.

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  9. That’s a lovely set of photos. The redwoods are specially breathtaking. Your photo of the sundial bridge is lovely.

    Just a thought. Every tall structure is a sundial, so One World Trade Center in NYC must be the biggest in the USA, isn’t it?

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  13. Lots of additional inspiration here, Anne. The Preserve feels like an oasis looking at your photos. A great idea to include the sequoias. You are right, it is impossible to forget the first time seeing the massive trees, knowing some are older than our country . And I loved the uniqueness of the sundial. Awesome!

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    1. Thanks Siobhan! Light painting is something you can’t do alone. I did it with a camera club. This series was well planned and they had great “light painting toys.” You can start with a flashlight covered with colored film. Shining the light on an object will give it color. These pictures were taken with handheld lights in a dark room and photographed on a slow shutter to get the movement. Try it. It’s fun.

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  21. “It all depends on your life experiences.” True, it does. Also what you believe in and live for. All your places and things are truly unique to me as well, but that bridge/sundial is really something. Naturally I also would have wanted to see the biggest sequoias – that must be one of the greatest Wow’s ever!

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