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

Happy Birthday Ryan: How to throw a kid’s party without the mess

Children’s birthday parties have changed–from home to party place. I usually don’t post my family’s birthday parties, but this one will be an exception. It was my younger grandson’s 6th birthday, and he wanted it at Chuck E. Cheese’s. Doesn’t every kid?

The staff at the restaurant were great. They kept the kids busy. Every child had a cup full of coins to play with. By play, I mean they played arcade games and received tickets as they went along. Even if they lost the game, they received one or two tickets. There are two sides to the play area; one for young children and the other for older ones. My granddaughter, at 3 years, stayed in the small kid area, while Ryan tried his luck in the bigger kid area. It was difficult to capture pictures at this party because the children were so excited and busy. My grandchildren have become used to me and my camera and are now turning around, not cooperating. I had the camera on aperture priority and auto sometimes, because I had to shoot quickly.

It became easier when pizza (which was pretty good) was served and Chuck E. Cheese himself visited. The only downside to the party was that the mouse was working two parties at once. Did you know that Chuck E. Cheese is a mouse? Then the child and a chosen adult get to go into the ticket machine where tickets are blowing around. Whatever tickets the duo get to grab are theirs to keep. The prize is the big 1,000 ticket which also blows around. If you win that one, you get $1,000 additional tickets. You’ll have to look at the pictures to find out what happened for Ryan and his dad.

The children leave the party stuffed with pizza and tickets which they redeem at the redemption counter. I remember having birthday parties for my boys at our home or the park. We played all sorts of games to keep them busy, fed them lunch and birthday cake and gave them party favors. And, when the kids left, I had to clean up the house. If you can afford it, Chuck E. Cheese is a better option.