Slow Shutter Speed

Posted on September 7, 2025 by Anne Sandler · 55 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #364: Quiet Moment

Oh boy, I’m so glad Ritva’s challenge is a quiet moment and not more than a moment! I left that joy behind when I was raising three boys and numerous dogs. I have since found solitude at my computer, when writing or processing pictures; when I’m walking with my camera, gazing at nature’s beauty or any kind of non-thinking down time reading or watching TV. I’ve started to turn off my cell phone ringer during these times. It can ruin just “being!”

Since this is a photography blog, let’s concentrate on walking with my camera. Dirt paths often lead to solitude. I walk slowly so I don’t miss a photo opportunity for the small things. As I walk, reality becomes distant.

Fog is a weather phenomena that urges me to stop, breathe and relax. I love walking through the mist. The thicker the better. Maybe it brings me into the mystery of a different existence.

Water, whether waves crashing on rocks or a serene lake, makes me stop, look and listen. At the ocean, I listen to the waves as they rush in and hit the shore. At the lake, I listen to nature if there are birds or even nothing but quiet. How relaxing are both experiences!

The beauty of flowers quiets my mind. How gorgeous they are in full bloom. I have to concentrate to get the macro images. This is a quieting experience for me since I’m taken away from reality.

Animals at the zoo also quiet my mind and body, especially when I see a flamingo sleeping–maybe in an awkward position!

Okay, I put that in just for fun. Let me close with a simple country scene that I can be in all day and not want to leave.

These days, it’s difficult to find quiet. When we find a quiet environment, can we quiet our minds? Thank you Ritva for helping us remember we do need to practice quiet mindfulness. When you respond to her challenge please remember to link to her original post and use the Lens-Artist tag.

Wow, did we have fun last week during our scavenger hunt. You sure kept me busy with your amazing and inventive responses, and I loved it. Egidio will be leading our challenge next week. Be sure to look for his wonderful post. In the meantime, stay safe and live in gratitude!

Posted on August 30, 2025August 30, 2025 by Anne Sandler · 77 Comments

Lens Artist Challenge #363: Virtual Scavenger Hunt

How many of you venture out for our weekly photo challenges? Or do you hunt through your archives? Me, I usually rummage through my archives. I will admit, it’s fun, bringing back great memories. And having a reason to do that search is even better. So, this week, I challenge you to a virtual scavenger hunt!

Listed below are 20 options. Do a deep dive into your archives, going back as far as you want to find the items. Some examples are:

Something with wavy lines:

Something with a camera:

Something with a wheel:

Something with a cool shadow:

Something with a smooth texture:

Below are more suggestions. You can choose from those or from what I’ve posted. Please find at least five images but no more than 10, and just one image from each suggestion. This would give you a maximum of 10 images in your post. Part of this challenge is choosing which to post!

Zig zag lines

Something with green eyes

Some cool jewelry

Something circular

Something rectangular

Something with a design

Something with a pattern

Something with a bumpy texture

Something with a soft texture

Something with water in it

A set of keys

Something glass

A zipper

Shoelaces

Art supplies

Now, if you have a deep desire to look for these outside, please do so. You can also mix it up between inside and outside. Just don’t post a picture that doesn’t relate to any of these items. Be creative and bold. Most of all, have fun! Please be sure to link back to my original post and use the Lens-Artists tag. I want to check out each and every post to see what you scavenged.

Thanks, Beth, for getting us in a sports mood last week. Next week Ritva will be back so be sure to look for her post. In the meantime, stay safe and live in gratitude.

Posted on August 24, 2025 by Anne Sandler · 41 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #362: Sports, Sporting Events and Fun Games

Another confession, which I seem to do often with LAPC, I’m not good at sports and never have been. Pro sports has become a business. Players are traded back and forth. Teams move. Fans have to pay big bucks to attend games. Have you guessed that I don’t enjoy pro sports. Beth wants us to dig into our archives for sporting events. So let’s look at everyday sports that us common folk enjoy.

Take ice skating for instance. I don’t skate (Remember I’m not good at sports!) but I do enjoy watching families on a skating rink. Young skaters have barrels to help them balance. The first two photos were taken at the Charles Schulz Museum and the third at the Folsom Ice Rink that they put up each winter.

How about a community kite flying event? I totally enjoyed watching children and their parents fly their kites at the Natomas Kite Festival.

Have you ever been on a horse? I got up on one once and got off quickly. They are big animals! We have several local parks where riders can ride on paths. I was getting fancy with the second image taken as a rider was riding around a ring.

I see a lot of people fishing at our neighboring lakes and at our rivers. These were taken at Mather Lake. Father is giving son some instruction.

Bowling is a sport I used to do about 48 years ago. I bowled on the PTA league. My average was low and handicap high. When I bowled a great game, that handicap put us over. Here we have a birthday celebration. Did you know breakdancing is a sport, making it into the Olympics in 2020! Maybe this dancer should try out.

Let’s end with a rodeo. This was my first rodeo. I wondered why the riders would do this to their bodies. I hope there was a chiropractor handy.

I think photography is a sport since it gets me moving, gets me thinking, and gets me preparing these posts for LAPC! What do you think? Thanks Beth for helping me realize that watching sports is an important part of my photography experience. When you post your response, be sure to link to Beth’s original post and use the Lens-Artists tag.

Last week, thanks to Sofia’s challenge, we saw all sorts of doors from rustic to fancy. We also saw unique door knockers and knobs. I’ll be presenting the challenge next week so get ready for something different! Until then, stay safe and live in gratitude.

Posted on August 17, 2025 by Anne Sandler · 29 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #351: Looking Back to #20 – Doors

We can look at doors physically; when open, we walk out or in. But there are also emotional doors that can free us or hold us prisoner. Photography, in itself, is a door for us photographers. With camera in hand, we walk out to new and old discoveries and away from reality for a while. This week Sofia is encouraging us to share our door images. Let’s see what doors I’ve come up with.

I visit many small towns primarily in the Gold Country area. Doors range from rustic to cut glass modern.

Gates can be classified as doorways. They also swing in and out! Well, except for the gate at Folsom Prison–it swings only in! And I zoomed way in to get this picture. We couldn’t go beyond a certain point. Oh, and I did a lot of cropping too!

**Main Gate to Sutter’s Fort in Sacramento**

Here are some images that are singular in their category. They are captioned.

Let’s end this post with some unique door knobs.

What a fun challenge this was. Thanks Sofia. Be sure to link your response to Sofia’s original post and use the Lens-Artists tag. Last week we enjoyed the sights and sounds of your trips to fairs and markets. Some were unusual and colorful. Next week Beth will be challenging us, so look for her post.

In the meantime stay safe and live in gratitude.

Posted on August 10, 2025 by Anne Sandler · 46 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #360: Found at the Fair/Market

I’m reluctant to start this post with a negative; but I really don’t like crowds. However when it comes to festivals and fairs, my camera insists on taking me to them. And, I go willing. Such is the power of photography!

This week Ann-Christine is asking us to show some of the celebrations we’ve enjoyed.

I loved the Sacramento Music Festival, in Old Sacramento, each year. We used to work the youth gig. I was always amazed at the talent of our youth. Of course, we had our adult favorites too. Each festival started with a parade down Front Street. Unfortunately we no longer have this festival, but I do have pictures and memories.

And there’s always something to photograph at small town county fairs.

One year my friend Linda found us a Pirate Festival to explore. These pirates played the part!

A nighttime carnival is something I really enjoy. We have an old shopping center that used to host a small carnival once a year. Now that they’ve decided to tear it down, we’ve lost that fun opportunity. You know how I enjoy slowing down my shutter!

Ann-Christine also mentioned markets. Not only do farmers’ markets have delicious produce, but they provide excellent photo opportunities.

Actually, I do have fun at these festivals. With camera in hand, the crowds don’t seem to bother me. Sometimes people will move when they see me taking a picture. I guess crowds aren’t all that bad.

Thanks Ann-Christine, I enjoyed reliving these fun times. Please remember to link your post to Ann-Christine’s and use the lens-artists tag. I also enjoyed seeing everyone’s lines and patterns posted for John’s challenge last week. Sofia will be challenging us next week so look for her post.

In the meantime, stay safe and live in gratitude.

Posted on August 7, 2025 by Anne Sandler · 31 Comments

Sacramento Zoo: The Giraffes

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.

That’s it for the zoo today.

Posted on August 3, 2025 by Anne Sandler · 65 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #359: Tools of Photo Composition: Lines, Colors and Patterns

It’s amazing how we learn. In past posts I’ve said that I learn by doing and photo composition is no different, but there’s always something new to learn. Now John is giving us a lesson on the use of lines, patterns and color in photography.

Not taking any photography classes, I learned by experience and asking questions of other photographers. That’s when I first heard of the Rules of Thirds, negative space, etc. But they were just names to practices I was already doing. Maybe it was my working for 20 years with a graphic artist. And loving bright colors, that came naturally.

With that explained, here are my examples.

My love for photographing buildings yields many lines and patterns. I like the blue sky against the brown building.

Fabrics have lots of lines and patterns.

Have you noticed how stairs can also have patterns and circular lines?

I can’t forget ICM! Lines and patterns and color all over the place.

You’ll find lines and patters in the least obvious places. Like in a warehouse and a bridge.

And now for my favorite. This is a mural set in between two buildings. The sun, shade and reflections create lines and patterns on this beautiful image.

So there we have my journey through lines, colors and patterns. Thanks John having me delve into my archives for this one. This was a natural to follow Tina’s wonderful post asking us how we “Live and Learn.” I enjoyed see all your responses. As usual, please remember to link your response to John’s post and use the Lens-Artists tag. Next week Ann-Christine will lead the challenge.

In the meantime, stay safe and live in gratitude!

Posted on July 31, 2025 by Anne Sandler · 26 Comments

Macro Flower Therapy

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.

Posted on July 27, 2025 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.

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 July 20, 2025 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.