When it come to being entertained at the zoo, the giraffes provide it, especially when there’s a young one in the enclosure. Sumi is about 4 months old (I think) and is so cute. At a recent visit, she was doing something peculiar–gnawing on her mother’s ossicones! At least I think that’s her mom who is lying down. Who else would put up with that! I’ve also included some other pictures to give perspective on Sumi’s size.
A close relative to the giraffe is the Okapi. They also have ossicones but their rear ends have amazing patterns.
While their patterns are beautiful, they are not as much fun to watch as the giraffes.
My other favorite animals are the orangutans, but they weren’t out when I visited. Maybe next time.
When you just need a photographic boost, photograph flowers! That’s what I did at a local nursery. Of course there was a breeze, but that’s not a big deterrent. Just boost up that shutter speed and away you go.
Here are some images from a recent trip to Bushnell Gardens in Granite Bay.
Well, I enjoyed the outing with my Macro lens. I hope you did also.
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!
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.
For so many years, books were my window to the world. They took me away from the Bronx tenement where I grew up to many lands and different ways of life. They were my childhood escape. As I grew up and became an adult, my tastes in books changed. Married and with children, I found amazing children’s authors. But I still relied on books to take me to foreign lands. That remained my treasured hobby–until photography and the Lens Artists community.
Now you take me away and teach me about the world. And with photography, I can express myself and show my travels outside of and within the United States.
This week Ritva challenges us with the task of showing what significance books hold for us. Here’s one for this week’s show and tell.
Last December was a choose your own book month in my book club. I chose to re-read “Travels With Charlie” by John Steinbeck. This was a journal of his cross-country trip with his dog Charlie. This re-read showed me what an impact books and certain authors can have on your life. Now I know why I wanted to travel across America in our 5th wheel trailer in 2013. By the way, this was when I began photography and got my first DSLR.
Our 5th wheel and truck. AKA Rocky (the truck) and Bullwinkle (the trailer)
Steinbeck’s words resonated with me even more after re-experiencing his journey. We may not have gone to the same towns or met the same people, but he found the differences in culture and ways of life as we did.
Here is a small sample of the places we stopped.
Siligman, AZThe Petrified Forest NP, AZMemphis, TNMetro Station in Washington D.C.
We didn’t have Charlie, but we had Gem who was 3 years at the time. What an education that trip was. I still hold those memories in my mind and heart. Just see how you can attract people in a Maine campground with California plates on your truck!
Visiting Family in New JerseyNiagara Falls, NYSpringfield, ILRocky Mountain NP, ColoradoDinosaur National Monument, Utah
Our trip came to an end after 3 months and 16,000 miles. I could have continued for another 3 months. There was so much of the U.S. we didn’t see. But, Richard needed to have a torn meniscus repaired. And Gem was missing his big house. He wasn’t a good traveler!
Thank you Ritva for driving home how one book made a difference in my life. When you post about your favorite book(s), remember to link to Ritva’s original post and use the Lens-Artists tag.
Wow, what a week we had. I truly enjoyed your zooms and creativity. Some of you tackled zooming for the first time and others were pros at it. All your posts were great and fun to see. Thanks for participating.
Next is Sofia’s turn to challenge us. So look for her blog post. In the meantime, stay safe and live in gratitude.
I’ve always wondered what it would be like to attend a rodeo, and I got my chance. We recently visited our friends in Tuolumne and went to the 66th Annual Mother Lode Round Up Rodeo. Held at the Sonora County Fairgrounds, in the country, it was as I expected.
Attendees dressed as cowgirls and cowboys–even the children! Food and souvenir venders selling overpriced goods. We had $5.00 snow cones, which I thought were reasonable. Others found seats carrying fried potatoes that we thought were fried in a basket and dumped on a paper plate, retaining their shape.
But we were there to see the action–and we saw plenty of it. I’m hoping the cowboys ran to their chiropractors right after the rodeo ended. I can’t believe how tossed around their bodies were and the pounding they took. I came home with more than 800 pictures. I’m still going through them, but here are some pictures of the bull riders. All I can say is wow!
I’ll be showing you more as I get them edited–slowly but surely!
Confession time again, I rarely go to movies. The last one I went to was “A Complete Unknown,” and before that, “A Star Is Born.” Both were great movies. Worse, I’m not artistic. So, I’m twisting again. Oh, I loved that dance. I don’t have a sense of rhythm and you can twist and get away without one–a sense of rhythm!
So Sofia’s challenge is certainly a challenging one for me! I tried to make images look as cinematic as I could, and came up with a storyline for each picture. Here goes!
While on a wonderful vacation, a young couple are witness to a murder! They are not seen. What do they do? Go to the police and maybe ruin their vacation? Go home–fast? Or continue their vacation as if nothing happened? Or were they seen by the killer???
A storm recently came through this amazing vacation spot. These were left standing. What are they? What were their significance. How severe was the storm. Will the small town recover?
It’s getting late in the day, and time for picnickers to end their fun day of??? This is your story because I can’t come up with a good plot. I’m a non-fiction writer! I do want to read your ideas!
The party’s over. Everyone has gone home, leaving this balloon arrangement all alone. What was cheered at this party? A birthday, promotion, wedding, divorce?? What do you think????
Now this is one smart store owner. They have provided a bench outside their shop for the proverbial husband whose wife is shopping and has a credit card. He trusts her not to spend too much since he’s relaxing and reading a book. Or, was that book provided by the storekeeper so his wife would spend more time in the store? What do you think?
Your special places posted last week were wonderful. John certainly got our travel juices going. When you respond to Sofia’s challenge, please link back to her post and use the Lens-Artists tag. Ritva will be challenging us next week, so get ready and look for her post.
In the meantime, stay healthy and live in gratitude!
Retirement is a big change. At least for me it was since my life revolved around the grandkids, husband and mom. My small parttime business, which I was closing, was my outlet. What would I do? Enter– photography.
Photography changed my life! It rescued me, gave me purpose and became a passion.
My business was something I did for me. It kept my brain active, and I enjoyed being a part of my client’s successes. I was truly afraid of giving that part of me up. But once I stepped on that photography path, I knew I had found the right outlet.
This new venture was a steep learning curve, especially since I didn’t want to take classes. (I didn’t want homework!). Photography became my brain gym. I joined photo meetup groups, and met other photographers, some of whom became friends. I found photographers are willing to share knowledge.
I soon became a photo addict, reading tutorials, and went out on as many outings as I could. I didn’t realize what the greater Sacramento Area had to offer as far as beauty. I did my best to go out to various places like the Foothills, the Sierras, the coast, the city and the countryside.
I was definitely on the photography path. Now 13 years later, I’m still traveling the photography road and loving it. I have Chronic Fatigue, but when my camera is in my hand, I’m never tired. I see opportunities like my camera would. Compositions just pop out to me saying, “Here I am! Take the shot!”
Now what to do with all the photos I’ve taken? I started a blog which led to the Lens-Artists Challenge. I’ve so enjoyed sharing photos with all of you and learning about where you live and travel. Photography has brought me all this. It has enriched and changed my life.
What has enriched and/or changed yours? That is your challenge this week. Share with us your joys and passion of a hobby or life experience that helped direct your life’s passion. It might even be a person who made a difference along the way. Express your thoughts in words and pictures.
Oh, use as many words as you need! I really enjoyed your posts in response to John’s Pick A Word challenge last week. What a variety! Next week Ritva will present the challenge, so look for her post.
Color, that’s what it’s all about. It’s used to entice us to purchase items. We dress in colors that complement our complexion. And as photographers we always use color even if we process in black and white. This week, Egidio encourages to show us how we use complementary colors in our photography.
Nature gives us color every time we go out, especially complementary colors. First is green. What doesn’t complement green. On the color wheel colors shades of orange, red and purple complement green when you cast a wide net.
But we humans know how to use complementary colors also. From a seat cushion, to fireworks against a golden bridge, to an abstract and to a ship’s interior.
When you see ads, interior spaces or store fronts, think about how they use color. Thanks Egidio for this wonderful and colorful challenge. When you post your response, please link to Egidio’s post and use the Lens-Artists tag.
I enjoyed seeing your responses to Ritva’s post that had us looking down last week. You gave me lots of ideas! Next week Tina is presenting the challenge, so be sure to look for her post. In the meantime, stay safe and live in gratitude!
Help, I’m in a deep rabbit hole—again! I was trying to find a simple definition of resilience for you, but I got into an environmental and scientific discussion on the subject. The simplest definition I could find: Resilience refers to the ability to successfully adapt to stressors, maintaining psychological well-being in the face of adversity. It’s the ability to “bounce back” from difficult experiences.
Are you resilient? I’ve made this my intention for 2025. I think we will need it as we face a troubled world, especially here in the U. S. To me, resilience is the ability to make your way through adversity, finding happiness along the way.
How does that apply to photography. As photographers, we find resilience in nature and interpretate it in our photos.
Mountains in Lassen National Park can be 27,000 years old. More recent volcanic activity has created changes in the ecosystems in the park. Some haven’t changed in those years. They are resilient.
Another natural example are our trees. The General Sherman Sequoia tree in Sequioa National Park is 2,200–2,700 years old. It’s still growing taller and wider. Yes, resilience.
And what about those plants, given a small amount of dirt, that seem to push through rock and survive.
We can also photograph metal. I love to photograph metal when it ages and becomes rusty. Metal is strong and resilient, used in gates, trains, cars and more.
People are resilient also. Just ask any mother about resiliency!
Families show resilience through traditions carried through generations, like Christmas and Chanukah.
History teaches us about resilience. Wars, natural disasters, rising out of poverty, and more. Although horrific to some, in 1846 the Donner party showed survival resilience. Their story is told at the Donner Memorial State Park, and nearby Donner Lake is named in their honor. https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=503
The current fire storms in Southern California are testing people’s resilience. People have died, more are displaced and homes are gone. When the fires are out, residents will have to muster up more resilience as they rebuild their lives.
My challenge for you this week is to find how your photographs portray resilience. How do they speak to you?
We had a lot of fun in last week’s challenge, Favorite Images of 2024, and I enjoyed seeing and reading about your selections. Thank you John! As you respond to this challenge, please link to this post and use the Lens-Artists tag. I do want to see all your resilient images. Next week, Ritva will lead our third challenge of the year. Be sure to look for her post. In the meantime stay healthy and live in gratitude.
Slow Shutter Speed 