Posted on by Anne Sandler · 55 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #358: Live and Learn

Living is learning! I started learning to be something else other than a mom when pouring a glass of water for a friend during dinner. By rote, I poured him a half glass. He then asked if he promised not to spill, could he have a full glass! That’s when I decided I needed to do something just for me.

I enrolled in a non-fiction writing class at Pierce College, Woodland Hills. This led to writing for the L. A. Daily News as a community columnist and taking my own photos for the articles. When retirement hit, I decided I was done with writing and got my first SLR.

Then the learning began. I learn by doing. I went out on photo outings and asked a lot of questions of other photographers. Later, I joined a photo club where my photos would be critiqued. Then I found LAPC, and here we are!

That was a long way to introduce my response to Tina’s challenge. Through my photographic progression I’ve learned many things like:

Have the eyes in focus!

Use the sun correctly.

Have your picture tell a story.

Be ready. Sometimes you just have to take the shot.

More lessons learned are in the captions.

Fill the Frame
Get Down Low to Accent the Foreground
Find Leading Lines

Oh, there are many more lessons I’ve learned. The biggest lesson is just have fun! I’m still in the photo club and enjoy having my photos critiqued. My photo/friend group has aged, but we still go out once a week. Photography keeps your mind sharp and body exercised.

Thanks Tina for this mental exercise, showing us why we are photographing as we do, and why we should keep doing it.

Last week we went into the woods prompted by Egidio’s fantastic challenge. I enjoyed all your responses. When you respond to Tina’s post remember to link to her original challenge and use the Lens-Artists tag. Next week John will be leading the challenge, so look for his post. Until then stay safe and live in gratitude.

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 42 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #357: Into the Woods

Egidio, you hit the bullseye. I love the woods. Getting out of suburbia and into the fresh air is amazing. I especially love the smell of pine trees. I need to get up to the mountains more often. Fortunately, although Sacramento is too low for pine trees, we do have wooded areas around our creeks and rivers.

Let’s start with higher altitude, the forest, specifically Lassen National Park. These pictures were taken from our last visit in 2023. As soon as I got out of the truck, I could smell the forest. It was wonderful being back after a long absence. Unfortunately they were still clearing away the dead trees from the 2021 fire. Our dog was still alive and I enjoyed our walks around the campground. I think he also enjoyed the new forest smells.

Lets move on to a State Park. Calaveras Big Trees State Park. The Big Trees refer to giant Sequoias. They are impressive trees. Not as tall as our coastal redwoods, but they have amazing girth.

Woods change with the seasons. In the Sacramento area, we don’t get too much Autumn color. We photographers have to go up in altitude to find it. I found these in Grass Valley in what we call the Foothills.

While we are still up in altitude, let’s visit Hope Valley and see how fire can devastate our trees. It will take more years than I have left in my lifetime to grow a new grove of aspens.

Down in altitude and in my local area, Dry Creek is a favorite for children in the summer. You walk through wildflowers to get to the creek. Stock Ranch Nature Preserve is located just behind Costco. It is dark and moist–the perfect place for fungi to grow.

And, now for my favorite National Park in California–Sequoia / Kings Canyon. Although joined, Kings Canyon (higher than Sequoia) has mostly cedar trees and a beautiful forest. Sequoia has the larger Sequoia trees. I’m closing with an image of the infamous, well-known General Sherman. You can’t hug this tree!

You can see why I love the forest and its smells and beautiful trees. Thank you Egidio for this trip down memory lane. When you post your response, please remember to link back to Egidio’s original post and use the Lens-Artists tag. Next week, look for Tina’s post since she will be leading the challenge.

In the meantime, stay safe and live in gratitude!

Please see this page to learn more about the Lens-Artists Challenge and its history.

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 25 Comments

Downtown Roseville

We moved to the Sacramento Area, specifically Antelope, in 2001. In the last 25 years Sacramento County has grown and changed. Cows were walking in Citrus Heights (where I now live), and there are still farms in our neighboring city Orangevale.

Roseville was spreading her wings and spreading out annexing properties. Roseville is in Placer County. The town now consists of West Roseville (suburbia). East Roseville (office buildings), Downtown Roseville (City Hall, shops and railroad). Old Roseville where smaller buildings are found and the railyard.

Roseville became prominent because of the railroad. There is still a depot there, and Amtrak still stops there. The day these pictures were taken, my friend and I were strolling Downtown Roseville. There are shops, restaurants, city offices and two movie theaters. Here are some of the pictures I took that day.

A freight train was moving slowly along that morning.

The Tower Theater.

The square where community events is held and water features entertain the children in the summer has a beautiful fountain. I concentrated on the sculpture and base. I guess I was in a close up mood.

Some other sights I thought were photographable.

Linda Creek borders the Downtown area and beautiful old homes.

That’s about it for Downtown Roseville–for now! Stay tuned for a festival in the square.

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 48 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #356: Quiet Hours

What is a quiet hour? Is it when you are meditating? Reading a book? Taking a walk? For me it’s all these things and also when I have my camera in my hand. I can be in a noisy touristy area or out in the country; with my Fuji, I don’t hear any noise. Guest host SH wants to know how we enjoy our quiet hours. I might be twisting this challenge, but for me a quiet place is one that brings me relaxation and peace. So here we go.

I especially like visiting our Northern California beaches, especially when they are too cold to attract swimmers or have black sand. I can sit and enjoy the solitude, watching the gentle wave come ashore.

I do find trees so relaxing. With or without leaves, their branches are so expressive and inviting. They can form a canopy welcoming you down a path, or in Autumn, treat you to a colorful display of oranges, reds and browns. Your eyes act as a portal. bringing in all the beauty and silence that feeds your body with calmness and joy.

I do enjoy walking down country paths that take me from my suburban life. Fortunately I don’t have to go far to experience the quiet of country life. It’s about 45 minutes from my home. I’m even getting used to getting lost when looking for County Road 18, 16 or 19! I get so relaxed getting lost on these roads, passing farms, wineries, and orchards. I never know what photo delights I’ll find.

Ponds and creeks are in abundance here. If I need a water fix, I don’t have to drive to the ocean. Their calm movement, seasonal changes and water fowl delights my camera.

These are just some of the places I consider quiet places. Thank you SH for having me revisit places that give me relaxation. When you respond, please link to his original post and use the Lens Artists tag. Before our holiday break we enjoyed Ann-Christine having us look back. What fun! Egidio is our host next week. Until then stay safe and live in gratitude.

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 33 Comments

Short visit to the Sacramento Zoo

It’s July 4th in the United States–Happy Independence Day to all who celebrate. This evening we will celebrate with friends and enjoy viewing some fireworks from their hilltop viewpoint. While my meatballs are cooking in the crockpot, I thought I’d share just a few pictures from the Sacramento Zoo. The zoo is remaining in Sacramento and not moving. I don’t know exactly why, probably a money issue.

Here are a few glimpses of our new giraffe. She’s growing fast, but still seeks out her mother.

The capybara, the world’s largest rodent, is asking to be let back in to it’s shelter. Is it people shy?

Our new lioness is grooming herself. I believe they are keeping the new lion and lioness separated for now, only having one out at a time.

We have a new leopard, a clouded leopard. Named because the spots resemble clouds.

I started this post with our youngest giraffe, and I’ll end it with a close relative-the okapi. This is probably the second best picture I’ve gotten of one of them. They are just beautiful.

That’s it for my brief excursion to the zoo. Stay safe and live in gratitude!

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 54 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #355: Looking Back–Creativity

Looking back in our lives helps us see how far we’ve come in the present, especially in photography. It’s exciting that the LAPC team is beginning this new exercise, and Ann-Christine is starting us off with a challenge from 2019 on creativity.

Now, I don’t think of myself as a creative soul. Maybe that’s why when I looked through 2019 for a post on the subject, I couldn’t find one. I wasn’t a team member then.

There are many types of creativity. You find it in science, architecture, art and more. Teachers and parents have to be creative to reach and teach the children. I don’t think of myself as creative. I can’t create art, but I can see it in everyday circumstances and photograph it.

Here are three places where I found creativity.

Gloshoff Sculpture Ranch in Fairfield.

This ranch is an ongoing exhibition of metal sculptures and it grows each year. You know you’re near the ranch when you see neighbors displaying Mr. Gloshoff’s art in their front yard. You need to make an appointment and he doesn’t mind photographers photographing his creations. Here are a few.

I also believe creativity is in the eye of the beholder. I guess how a photographer interprets an object is creativity. Here are some objects from IKEA as I saw them.

Nature’s shadows form creative patterns that photographers can’t resist. At least I couldn’t.

And finally, one of my favorite forms of creativity is signage.

Thanks Ann-Christine for sending me through my archives in search of creativity. I totally enjoyed your responses to my reflections challenge last week. You kept me busy and posts are still trickling in. You gave me a great week and had me smiling. Please link to Ann-Christine’s post and use the Lens-Artist tag when you respond to her challenge.

We will be off next week. Wherever you are, celebrate life and capture creativity through your lens. We will be back on July 12, when, guest host, Stupidity Hole (SH) will present the challenge. I wonder what he has in store for us? In the meantime, stay safe and live in gratitude.

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 106 Comments

Lens-Artist Challenge #354: Reflections

What do you do when you’re getting ready to leave your home? You look in the mirror. We look to see the image we are reflecting. Reflections are formed when light bounces off a surface, creating a mirror image of the viewed object, in this case us!

As photographers, we look for reflections in:

Water

Buildings

Cars

Anything shiny can help create a reflection.

I’ve fallen down a rabbit hole again. I never gave too much thought about reflections or how I used them. I just liked them and used them a lot. So here are some tips I found while visiting some rabbits.

Still water: a body of water with minimal movement will give you clear reflections.

Check the angle of your camera for the clearest reflections.

Pay attention to lighting. Harsh glare can ruin a reflection while the golden hour can create a magnificent one.

Dull lighting can work also as found in puddles.

Long exposures is something I have never tried because I don’t carry around my tripod or my one ND filter. But the rabbit told me not to let you down and to ask Leanne Cole for advice.

Advice from Leanne Cole:

“You definitely need a tripod and ND filters. Timing depends on the filter you are using and the available light. You might need 30 seconds, 1 minute, 2 minutes or more. I use an aperture between f8 and f14. I tend to use the aperture to help me get the time I want. Long exposure for water is great when the water isn’t quite mirror like, but almost. An exposure of 20 or 30 seconds can get you that mirror like photos.”

Leanne’s Images!

Thank you Leanne!

Again, do as I say, not as I do. Use polarizing filters especially when photographing on glass. I’ve been lucky—and lazy! I love capturing interesting window reflections. These images were not photographed in bright sunlight. The first is a window reflection of a building across the street. The pink photograph is of a beauty salon and the trees across the street.

Now for some fun things the rabbit reminded me of. Have you ever used a crystal ball?

You photograph a subject through one and the magic happens—upside down reflections.

And how about seeing a busy shop through an antique mirror?

The rabbit finally tired of all my questions and chased me back to reality. Now it’s time for you to experiment with reflections of any kind. I’m looking forward to seeing how you and your camera reflect on various subjects. Most of all, just have fun!

When you post your fun photos, remember to link back to this post and use the Lens-Artists tag. I’m looking forward to seeing all your reflections this week. Last week Beth presented her first challenge as a team member. It was sure a stormy week. I enjoyed seeing and reading your posts. Next week Ann-Christine is challenging us, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, stay safe and live in gratitude!

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 61 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #353 Stormy

The first storm I can remember was the 1949 category 4 hurricane that made landfall near West Palm Beach Florida. I was about 6 years at the time, but remember the tremendous and horrific winds. To this day, I don’t want to be out in the wind.

Then came the 6.6 magnitude Sylmar earthquake (while we lived in the San Fernando Valley), followed by the 1989 6.9 Bay Area quake. Things have been calm since we moved to Sacramento. While our rivers are prone to flooding, we are far enough away to be out of danger, and the area’s creeks are not allowed to overflow.

So that’s a brief stormy background of my life for Beth’s first challenge. She wants to know about various types of storms: stormy weather, stormy feelings or stormy situations.

I can tell you from experience that each leads into the other. Bad weather leads into frightful feelings which, in turn, lead into terrifying situations! Here are some bad weather situations I was able to capture with my cameras.

Let’s start with rain. While camping in Lassen National Park, it would rain every afternoon. Last month, while visiting our kids in Reno, a rain storm was heading our way. I’ve never been able to catch rain like that with my camera.

Lassen NP
Reno, NV

We’ve also seen some threatening clouds. These may have been taken during our Alaska cruise.

Last year, we experienced atmospheric rivers in Northern California. These are rains that drop about 4 to 6 inches of water in a short time. The American and Sacramento rivers did flood at Discovery Park (the confluence of both rivers).

Our local creek also crested during another storm. The water was channeled into the rivers.

We are too low in elevation to get snow, but California has mountains. On one trip down to Southern California, we ran into snow. This is on Highway 5.

Now for Highway 80 on a visit to Donner State Park.

Last but not least was our famous “getting snowed in” trip to my kids in Reno. A snow blower is helping to dig them out.

These are fond memories, but I’m glad they are just that. I was too young to capture pictures of the hurricane, but the snapshots of the aftermath are still alive in my memory. Fortunately, we didn’t have much damage from the earthquakes, but I do remember holding my son’s highchair down during the afterquakes.

Beth, I hope you’re having fun with the various responses you are getting. Thanks for taking me down memory lane and having me appreciate where I live–out of super storm’s reach. Please link to Beth’s post when you respond and use the Lens-Artists tag.

I’ll be challenging you next week, so stay tuned and look for my post. Until then, stay safe and live in gratitude.

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 41 Comments

A Horse Tale: Washoe County, Nevada

Once upon a time, a grandmother wanted to see the wild mustangs just outside of Reno while she was visiting her kids and grandkids. Her wish came true.

My son, daughter-in-law, grands and I piled in their SUV and began our trek. Our first stop wasn’t to see the horses. We stopped for chocolate. Oh my gosh–yum! We are going back there when I visit next.

On our way to the small town of Genoa, we spotted a horse family. A mare, her colt and the stallion. Here are some of the pictures I captured.

The final image is where they noticed me and decided to trot away. Their herd was nearby.

So grandma’s wish came true. These horses are just beautiful. I’m sure there will be another visit when I return.

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 48 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #352: Mellow

We all mellow out in different ways. Many of you have posted music lyrics. Music also relaxes me. One song does come to mind–“Here Comes the Sun” by George Harrison of the Beatles. However my favorite rendition is by Richie Havens. Google it. You’ll soon be dancing around, forgetting your cares and mellowing out.

But this is a photo blog, and this week Sofia asks us to mellow out. Here are just a few places I take my camera to relax.

A High Sierra Lake. The still water is calming and I do love the forest.

Trees with their graceful branches are beautiful and welcoming. They are also beautiful when snuggled in fog and looking mysterious.

Driving on a mountain road is relaxing for me. Since I live in a valley, driving these roads, away from suburban traffic, mellows me out. The car was off the road when I took this photo!

And, how about the gracefulness of birds in flight. I sit and wonder what it must be like to soar in the air like that on your own power.

You know how much I love to photograph flowers. Just being able to capture their beauty mellows me out.

And finally, we can’t forget the relaxation brought by an amazing sunset. We have to watch carefully so we don’t miss its natural beauty because the moment is fleeting.

Thanks Sofia, you reminded us of the need to just get away and mellow out however we do. It’s a great practice for our physical and spiritual beings. When you post your response, please remember to link to Sofia’s post and use the Lens-Artists tag. Last week Ritva opened the wonder of books–another way to relax. Next week Beth is leading her first challenge, so be sure to look for her post.

In the meantime stay safe and live in gratitude!