Posted on by Anne Sandler · 45 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #258: Fences

As photographers we look for things to use as leading lines that take our viewer’s eyes to our subject or through the photo. This week Dawn Miller of The Day After challenges us to show fencing as leading lines or as an element to showcase a subject.

For instance some fences are put up to keep people out, protecting whatever is inside the fence. Down near Rio Vista we have wind turbine farms. There is fencing to keep people out. And farmers use fences in orchards to keep us out, especially during an almond harvest.

Talking about keeping things safe, how about fences that keep you safe!

Then there are fences that lead us places. They are usually located along pathways.

Some fencing is old and needs repair.

How about the opportunity for leading line shadows. Don’t we photographers love that!

And then there are fences that just add to our images.

I’ll close with a metal barrier around a memorial set up for the victims of the Paradise Camp Fire in 2018. The entire town was burned. Some rebuilt and some couldn’t go back. My neighbor lived there and took a few of us photographers to document the devastation. This memorial was erected to honor that day.

Fencing keeps us safe and where we belong. It also protects private property. Thanks Dawn for fencing us in this week. When you post, please remember to link to Dawn’s original post and use the Lens-Artists tag. And thank you Philo for a not so simple challenge on simplicity last week. I enjoyed your responses. Next week Dan Fenner of Departing in 5 Minutes leads our challenge with UNBOUND. Be sure to look for his post.

If you would like to participate weekly in our Lens-Artists Challenge, click here for more info. 

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 28 Comments

Bee there: Sunflowers in Yolo County

It’s been three years since we went searching for sunflower fields. The pandemic shut us down in 2020 and it has taken us that long to go scouting. By scouting, I mean getting in the car and heading out to the countryside of Yolo County. After getting lost on various County numbered roads, we did find two or three fields.

One had a beekeepers boxes on the side of the field. Since we were respectful of the owners private property, we did not walk into the fields. We stood on the side and used our long lenses. We also took advantage of flowers in the front of the field. Because of this, the bees didn’t bother us.

Here is a sample of our Sunny bounty. Sunflowers help me smile. They are happy flowers!

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 42 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #257: Simplicity Photography

I always learn more about my photography approach when I work on these challenges. Through Philo’s challenge, our guest host this week, I’ve learned I’m not a true minimalist type of photographer. I may be simplistic, but not in a minimal sense. For me simplistic means concentrating on one subject without a busy background.

For those of you who have been following my blog, you know I love do photograph macro/close ups of flowers. I get in close and fill a frame. One flower.

Sometimes I do leave some negative space, but it’s still a tight crop.

How more simple can you get than a lone tree providing shade for cows?

Maybe a shoreline, providing a relaxing place can be a simple image.

How about an insect gathering nectar from a flower? For me these are simple images telling one story with one strong image.

A woman was showing off the find of a beautiful shell.

A shore bird walking along with it’s shadow, makes a simple statement and does show some negative space. There’s hope for me after all!

Thank you Philo for helping us realize the simplicity in our photography. Please remember to link to his post and use the Lens-Artists tag. I’m sure he wants to see all your great posts through the week. Next week Next week, Dawn Miller of The Day After will be leading our challenge, having us look at fences.

If you would like to participate weekly in our Lens-Artists Challenge, click here for more info. 

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 20 Comments

Playing Catch Up: Mather Lake

I’ve been busy? I’ve been preoccupied? Time got away from me? Whatever the reason, I’m looking at my unposted photos from May. One of those outings was to Mather Lake and I was still trying to get used to the new Tamron 18 -300mm lens. You’ll be happy to know that it and I have become good friends. It’s just so different from the Fuji lenses.

I like Mather Lake because it’s close and has swans. I love swans. They are so graceful. But very often they are on the other side of the lake. Too far for a 300mm lens. That day in May I got lucky.

Here are some photos.

There’s more to come!

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 38 Comments

Lens Artists #256: Inspiration Found in the Kitchen

I’m not one to be inspired in my kitchen. When we moved to this small house, two-thirds of my cook books went to other kitchens and I seldom look at the remaining ones. In fact, I seldom follow a recipe. That doesn’t mean I’m a creative cook. It means I’m too lazy to go to the store! But somehow we eat well without eating out too often.

I think I got a little away from Ritva’s topic on finding inspiration in the kitchen. While I may not be inspired, I do find joy and that’s because I love my Mickey Mouse treasures. Yes, I’m a Mickey lover. Here are some of my kitchen treasures.

The top three were gifts and the planter was the first thing I brought into this house. It’s only be sheer determination that it has lived. I’ve been known to kill a cactus. The mug is my last Mickey mug and my husband is not allowed to use it since he broke the others. The toaster is not in use because it gets hot, but I love it anyway. The Mickey skeleton was given to me by my grandson and his girlfriend. She loves Halloween. I enjoy seeing it move when the morning sun shine on it.

Outside of my kitchen, I have photographed kitchen related items like these at Ikea.

And then there’s always the hardware stores.

Or farmer’s markets.

I photographed this at a still life class given by the Gold Rush Chapter of PSA.

I’ll end with something you’ll never see in my kitchen. Knowing I am in the paper plate time of my life, I gave my good china and silver to my daughter-in-law while I could see her enjoy it. This was taken in the Sacramento Railroad Museum’s dining car.

I think I’ve expounded enough on my kitchen philosophy. Thank you Ritva for letting me have some fun and showing you my kitchen treasures. By the way there are more Mickeys around the house!

And thanks to Patti for encouraging us to tell stories through our pictures last week. Your responses were varied and great. Next week Philo will be challenging us with simplicity. Be sure to look for his post.

By the way, the WordPress Reader tag for Lens-Artists is not working well. I hope that through all of us posting on Ritva’s challenge, more will find it. Remember to link to her post and use the Lens-Artists tag.

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 48 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #255: Telling A Story

I have been told that every picture should tell a story. Lately I’ve been looking for the story in images I photograph. I’m working hard at finding the story in a simple, beautiful landscape. Maybe that’s the story! This week, Patti is encouraging us to show one to five photographs that tell a story. I have two single images that I think tell two very different stories, and, no, they are not landscapes.

The first was taken while on a photo outing in San Francisco on the Embarcadero.

I don’t think I need to explain the story in this image. Homelessness is worldwide. It isn’t contained to any one city, state or country. I have more pictures of the unhoused, but this shows the plight of someone who is decently dressed, trying to get along.

My second story is heartwarming to me. My granddaughter was impatiently waiting for her guests to arrive for her birthday party. Her anticipation and excitement was overwhelming.

She kept checking the window near the door for her friends’ arrival. And it was a fun make over pamper party. Having raised three boys, this was a special treat for this grandma.

Two single images telling two very different stories. Thanks Patti for this insightful challenge. Please remember to link to Patti’s post and use the Lens-Artists tag in the reader when you reply to this challenge. And thanks to Tina for last week’s spirituality challenge. I was amazed at all the different interpretations you all offered.

Next week we will welcome five guest hosts for July’s challenges. They are:

Please look for their blogs and challenges. I’m looking forward to see all your responses.

The Lens-Artists team will be back in August with Ann-Christine hosting on Saturday, August 5. Look for her post on Leya at noon ET.  Take care and enjoy your July activities.

Interested in joining the Lens-Artists challenge? Click here for more information.

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 32 Comments

Lens-Artists Challenge #254: Spiritual Sites

Oh Tina, what a trip you’ve put me on with this challenge on spiritual sites. My mind went to spirituality right away. My spirituality is very personal and would take up more than just this post. But turning spiritual into someplace peaceful and contemplative helped me focus. Going through my archives I did find some places where I’ve found peace and was able to focus.

First, let’s start with Sedona. As you mentioned this special place has calming and energetic vortexes. I’ve been there three times and have found this to be true. I knew I needed to go to Sedona after my son was killed. There, I found peace and closure. My favorite spot is Red Rock Crossing, a calming vortex.

Sedona

My favorite spot at Red Rock Crossing.

Water has always been soothing for me whether it’s a still, calm lake in Waterton National Park, Canada; the splash of a wave hitting a wall in Pacifica or first light on Yosemite Falls.

And doesn’t a foggy sunrise bring you to that sense of peace? The sun never fails to shine through.

Coloma California

Let’s close with sunset. Which is always a reflective time on whatever may be troubling you or making you happy.

Marin Headlands, California
Sedona

I close this post with a sense of calm. Thank you Tina for leading me on this spiritual trip. When you respond to this challenge, please link to Tina’s original post and use the Lens-Artist tag in the WordPress reader. I enjoyed reading all your fragmented posts last week. They were creative and amazing. Next week Patti will be presenting our challenge, so be sure to look for her Pilotfish blog.

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 24 Comments

In memory of a wonderful photographer: Bren Brashley

This morning when I saw the title of Leanne Cole’s blog post I got a sinking feeling. Bren had announced that she had cancer shortly after she did her guest post for the Lens Artist Challenge in February on Bringing Softness. The news wasn’t good.

Through her LAPC challenge, Bren showed us how to achieve softness in any picture using clarity. This was a new technique for me and I enjoyed it. I was her liaison for this challenge, and she was a joy to work with. Here are some of the images I posted for her challenge.

As Leanne said, Bren loved flowers. Leanne posted several on her post as a tribute and asked us to do the same. Here is my tribute to Bren.

I’m encouraging all photographers to follow Leanne’s suggestion and post your favorite floral images in tribute to one of our own, a wonderful and caring photographer Bren Brashley.

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 35 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #253: Fragments

This is my lucky morning. I was trying to think of how to approach Brian of Bushboy’s challenge on fragments when I remembered taking my new Fujifilm XT3 camera down to Old Sacramento for some practice in May of 2020. My photo buddies and I masked up for the morning and drove down to the waterfront. I was trying all sorts of photography, like these closeups.

You can all these fragments of a train, boxes near the train depot and the gate closing in a train. I thought my new camera did well.

Could a fragment be a moment in time? Here we have some children having fun on the swings in front of the old school house in Old Sacramento enjoying their portion of play time.

Oh, I just love the candy shop and the tasty free and for purchase treats they offer. Can a candy shop be fragmented into separate bins of candy?

My final image isn’t a fragment, but an image of a train that has been moved elsewhere.

Since that day, my Fuji and I have been on all sorts of adventures. I’ve grown to love that camera, but, like life, it took some getting used to.

Thank you Brian for taking me on my fragmented memory. Looking back is such fun. When you reply to Brian’s post please remember to link to it and use the Lens-Artists tag. Last week was such fun as we saw all your buggy images. Some species I’d never seen before. Next week, look for Tina’s challenge on her Travels and Trifles blog. I wonder what she has in store for us. Until then, stay safe!

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 13 Comments

A nice morning with the new lens: Effie Yeaw Nature Center

I’m still learning the ins and outs of the new Tamron lens. Each week, it becomes easier. We hadn’t been to our local Effie Yeaw Nature Center in Carmichael in a long time. It’s a favorite place to see deer and other small creatures. However, this time I didn’t see deer, but I did enjoy the trees and the river.

At the Center’s entrance there’s a small pond and hut.

Some trees were blown down during the big wind/rain storms in the Spring. I did see some poppies

I was also able to capture a sunburst through one of the trees and a woodpecker sitting on a stump.

The American River was full and flowing nicely. Two kayakers were taking advantage of the beautiful day.

That was our morning at Effie Yeaw. When we were at lunch, I was saying that I hadn’t seen a deer. The others said they saw one at the entrance as we were leaving. Oh well, another missed opportunity. I’m lucky that this wonderful nature center is close.