Posted on by Anne Sandler · 40 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #334: Cats and Dogs

It’s funny that Tina should have us talking about cats and dogs, because it’s raining here right now and at times you’d think it was raining cats and dogs!

Did you have a dog when you were growing up? I didn’t! And we spent the first 7 years of our marriage without a pet. To be honest, we moved nine times in those 7 years–not conducive to having a pet. But when we bought our first house, we adopted our first dog. We’ve had one ever since. Most were adopted; two were purchased.

You’ve probably guessed that we are partial to dogs. They listen better, don’t jump on food prep counters, etc. Mostly they give back love and allegiance. Unfortunately, I didn’t start photography until we got our latest family member, Gem our Schnoodle. He’s 20 pounds of stubborn joy. Here he is as a young dog. I made the mistake of using him as a model while I was doing the 365 challenge. Now he leaves the room when I take out a camera!

He’s now 14 1/2, has a heart condition, and we are doing the best we can for him. He’s even more stubborn in his old age, wanting his daily walk and treats. I have a stroller for him when he tires.

Here are some other dogs I’ve come across during my photo outings.

And there’s always a dog at Chalk It Up!

Now on to the feline subjects of Tina’s challenge. In the past years, I’ve softened my stance on cats, but not enough to own one; or have one own me! Here are some I’ve met.

Then there are the residents of Dead Cat Alley in Woodland, Ca. Well worn ceramic statues adorn a three-blook alley.

And finally at Chalk It Up, I found one of our favorite cat characters.

We’ve come to a difficult decision to not get another dog after Gem passes. At our ages, we wouldn’t get a puppy because we don’t want to leave a dog behind and caring for another senior dog is also something we don’t look forward to. I’m hoping Gem will make it to his 15th birthday. In the meantime, it’s love, love, love!

I enjoyed all the colorful posts last week. Egidio’s challenge put us in a wonderful and complimentary world. I also look forward to seeing your dogs and cats. When you respond, please link to Tina’s post and use the Lens-Artists tag.

Until next week, live in gratitude and be resilient!

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 45 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #333: Complementary Colors

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!

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 101 Comments

Lens-Artists Challenge #331: Resilience

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.

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 71 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #330: Favorite Images of 2024

Happy New Year everyone! I’ve been looking forward to starting a new year since early on in 2024. I guess what I’m saying that 2024 wasn’t a banner year for me. I spent most of it recovering from an auto accident. But, thanks to my wonderful photo friends, I managed to get out with my camera.

It seems when I have a camera in my hands, I have energy and things have a better focus. I’m fine now, but I have learned a lot about friendship. Let’s take a look at 2024.

I do love to photograph in fog. Here’s one from our visit to Rush Ranch.

Old Sacramento and the area surrounding the Sacramento River and bridges gave me the opportunity for some street photography and interesting landscape images.

Asleep in Old Sacramento.
Underneath one bridge looking at another.

I took whatever opportunity I could to use my macro lens. Thank goodness for seasonal sunflowers and bees.

Twice a year I challenge myself and my camera/lens to see how far I can get with 300 mm max. The egret was taken in April and shorebirds in December. Cropping in helps a lot!

I also enjoy photographing lines, angles and shadows, and reflections.

Manetti Shrem Museum
Downtown Sacramento

I can’t end a post about favorites without flowers. These were taken locally in Sacramento.

Last year taught me a lot about resilience, looking forward and smiling. That’s my wish for all of you this year. I have enjoyed being part of this wonderful community, and I experience more of life through your photographic expressions.

Stay tuned, next week, I’m leading the challenge. Until then stay healthy and happy. Live in gratitude.

When you post your response to this challenge, you can link to my post or all of the team’s posts. Please remember to use the Lens-Artists tag. If you would like more information about our Lens-Artists Challenge, click here. 

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 48 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #328: Winter

What does winter mean to you? Sweater weather? Hot chocolate? Jackets and snow boots? John wants to know! To us photographers, it probably means snow and icicle images. To me, winter means one trip to the snow when the air is just right for a winter jacket and boots, you can drive in it without snow tires/chains and hot chocolate can be purchased at the nearest restaurant!

You got it, I enjoy seeing it, playing in it and leaving it behind. Fortunately I live in Sacramento California where it doesn’t snow. However that glorious winter weather is just a little over an hour away up Highway 80 at Donner Lake.

Also up the same road and about 10 minutes closer to home is Blue Canyon where my Astronomer husband has his observatory. Because of its location it is inaccessible in the winter.

Almost to the observatory.
The observatory
The road there and back.

One surprise snow experience happened when we were staying with the younger set of grands, in Reno Nevada, while their parents were away. During the night, I heard a strong wind slapping against the house. I woke up to a winter wonderland like I had never experience before. The truck was buried, the walkway had to dug out and the grands had a fun snow time.

Talking about the same trip, we decided to take the train from Sacramento to Reno, and back. We wanted the experience. Here are some pictures taken from the train on the way home.

Now we are about to enter winter. The weather will be cold, in the 30s (F) at night, climbing to the 60s in the afternoon. Yes, that’s the winter I want to experience!

Here in the Sacramento Valley the only time we get rain is in the winter. We do rely on the Sierra mountains snow pack, to fill our reservoirs with the melt during the summer. There have been many years of drought here when water has been rationed.

Thank you John for helping bring back those winter memories. Please remember to link to John’s challenge when you post your response, and use the Lens-Artists tag. Last week we explored elements via Sofia’s challenge. I enjoyed seeing your interesting responses.

Next week is our annual year-end challenge. In December 2022, the Lens-Artists team introduced a “Last-Chance” challenge. The idea was to review the year’s images that never quite fit our challenge subjects that year. The “rule” is that your chosen photographs must have been taken in 2024 and not have been included in response to our 2024 challenges. This challenge is not hosted. So, go through your archives and join us on Saturday, December 14, at noon Eastern Standard Time.

In the meantime, enjoy your holidays, have a safe New Year and we will be back in January.

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 32 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #327 : Five Elements

It’s back to school time, but this time we are learning about the basic elements of fire, metal, water, earth and wood. No, don’t open your chemistry books. Sofia wants us to delve into our archives and find these elements in photography.

Earth. It all starts with earth. From earth we get life in one form or another. As our planet rotates, we get sunsets and moonrises.

The earth also gives us wildflowers and beautiful green areas.

Wood. Trees grow from the earth.

From trees, we get logs. Once milled, we then get wood for buildings.

Water. Our earth needs water to grow the trees. Water erodes rocks and boulders over time to widen and create rivers.

It’s also used for human fun and an animal habitat. Be careful not to disturb the animal!

Fire. Here in California we are Leary of the word “fire.” It usually means a destructive wildfire somewhere. But fire also heats us, especially when we sit around a campfire.

Fire is also important in certain industries like in blacksmithing. It is also used in candle lighting, as in this Chanukah celebration.

Metal. Plastic has taken metal’s place in many areas, but just try to create a glass blown beauty without a metal oven!

The grate on an old steam engine has been replaced along with the steam engine, but there will always be a metal drippy faucet.

One thing Sofia’s challenge has shown me is that we need to take care of our environment. These elements are necessary for us to maintain and improve our world. When you post your response, please link to Sofia’s challenge and use the Lens-Artists tag.

I smiled a lot with all your posts last week. John is up for his challenge next week. Be sure to look for his post. In the meantime stay safe and live in gratitude.

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 40 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #326: This Made Me Smile

There’s nothing more contagious than a smile. Try it. Just smile at a stranger, and they will smile back. You can also wave. For me a smile is hope. And thank you Ann-Christine for showing us that we can still find hope and smile.

So what makes me smile? I’ve chosen five things that help me smile. Let’s start with animals. First, here is my friend Marlene talking with an alpaca; and, second, a zebra at the Sacramento Zoo with an itch.

Now let’s move on to landscapes. I do smile when I see a field of flowers or a mountain covered with wildflowers. Each year the poppies and sunflowers come out, and I try to get capture them with my camera. Because the sunflowers are farmed, they are easier to find. However, to capture a field of wild poppies is more difficult.

How many of you have chuckled when you saw a clever sign? I love that people will pass along their sense of humor to the public. I have two signs to show you. One is outside the bathroom at the Charles Schultz Museum in Santa Rosa and the other at Ruhstaller Farm in Dixon.

Ruhstaller Farm

If you’ve followed this blog, you know I love trees. They are so expressive and bring me joy.

And last, are people. They don’t have to smile at you to have you smile; they just need to be themselves in the moment. Here is my now teenage grandson at the California State Railroad Museum for the first time and a mother and son enjoying the music at a county fair.

Have these images brought a smile to your face? I hope so. Thank you Ann-Christine for helping us smile this week. When you post your response, remember to link to Ann-Christine’s original post and use the Lens-Artists tag.

Last week week Tina prepared us for smiling with her gratitude theme. I enjoyed seeing what you are all grateful for. Sometimes we just need a little poke to help us remember the goodness in life. Next week Sofia will present the challenge, so look for her post.

In the meantime smile and live in gratitude.

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 53 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #325: Gratitude

Each year I set an intention, not a resolution. This year it was gratitude. So, thank you Tina for rolling in this challenge towards the end of 2024. For me, gratitude is a choice you make every day. Living in gratitude makes your personal space better no matter what is going on around you.

I am so grateful for my family who were there for me in 2009 when I had heart surgery. They continue to be there for us, helping in many ways and sharing life cycle joys. I have pictures of my two granddaughters to share. The first is of my younger granddaughter, Olivia, waiting for her birthday party guests to arrive. This was taken in October 2018. She’s grown a lot since then. But the memory of her excitement will always stay with me.

Meanwhile, more recently, my older granddaughter, Madison, was getting ready for her wedding. Of course grandma had to take the pictures. The morning was just bursting with love.

I’m also grateful for my two grandsons Christopher, a teacher, and Ryan, a high-school student.

When you have pets, they are family. I’m grateful for all the loyal and loving dogs we’ve had. Here are Molly (now deceased) and Gem (who is 14 years now but a puppy in this picture).

Memories are something I cherish. I guess that comes with age. Richard and I took wonderful trips in our trailer. It’s my favorite way to travel. I’m so grateful we chose to travel this way while we could.

I can’t end this post without mentioning how grateful for my passion for photography. It’s helped me find many friends and has shown me the wonderful area I live in.

Remember, when the going gets tough, find something you’re grateful for. And, yes, there’s a take away for you in every circumstance. The world is a lot better when you concentrate on gratitude. Today, I’m grateful for the LAPC community.

Thanks Tina! I think we all needed to shift our mindset to gratitude. When you post your blog, please remember to link to Tina’s challenge and use the Lens-Artist tag. Last week Patti had us concentrate on details, and we saw wonderful images in your posts. Ann-Christine is up next, so look for her challenge. In the meantime, live in gratitude each day.

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 36 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #324: In the Details

I’ve learned another thing about the way I take photographs, and thank you Patti for this challenge that gave me the lesson. I tend to photograph wide as in landscape or close as in close up or macro. In this week’s challenge, Patti wants us to focus on details, meaning getting closer or moving around our subject. It just so happens I already did that a few weeks ago.

My friends and I were roaming around the Yolo County countryside when I saw a complex that featured a rusted wheel sculpture in front of a nondescript building. You know I like rust. Since I was driving, I pulled in and announced I was getting out to photograph the rusted wheel.

My first mistake was not taking a full wide angle picture of the wheel. I just ran over and started photographing pieces and details, missing the image of the entire wheel. It’s amazing how excited I can get about rust, and isn’t that what Patti asked for? Here’s what I photographed, but unfortunately I can’t show you what the whole wheel looked like! I think you can tell from the first image.

As a bonus, when I looked inside the wheel, this is what I found.

So while a good image may bring in the details, I will remember to take a wide angle of the whole! Lesson learned. The building was a community center, complete with pool.

When you post your detailed images, be sure to link to Patti’s post and use the Lens-Artists tag. Silence was truly golden last week as we all replied to Egidio’s challenge. I loved the relaxation I received when viewing your posts. Next week Tina will be challenging us, so look for her post.

In the meantime, go wide, medium and close! We are always learning.

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 50 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #323: Silence

Egidio’s challenge on Silence has me standing on my soapbox. Television has ruined silence in this world or at least in my house. When my husband is home the TV is on whether he’s watching or not. My neighbor is the same way. “When I get up in the morning the TV goes on,” she says. She can’t handle the silence!

Me, I love the silence. I like to sit and read in silence. Work on the computer in silence. And, most of all, I like the silence when I’m out with my camera. Many of my images reflect this silence and quiet contemplation. When I walk with my camera, I relax and forget the world’s and my own problems.

For me still water helps me feel calm and my body and mind relax. I enjoy the calmness and mirror images of the water. The people on this lone boat must be experiencing a sense of wonder as they navigate this lake. A full moon shines on two shores of another calm and silent lake. How wonderful to sit and watch the moon rise.

I love tree arbors. As I approach them, I’m in awe by their graceful welcoming, and I feel enveloped in their natural sense of silence. I slow down as I drive through, wanting to savor the feeling. After all, they are bowing and welcoming me. The quiet countryside also helps!

People can also support silence through their actions or inaction. A couple enjoying the ocean while sitting in a bed of ice plant shows how the soft sound of the ocean can bring you into a calm and meditative state. Even walking along a creek can calm both human and canine. The three walk in silence.

Mountain views can bring you into awe and silence as you look at the breathtaking view. This is from Ananda Village in Nevada City. A small chapel is a viewpoint for those who want to meditate or pray. The mountains are part of the Sierra Nevada chain.

Fog has different effects on people. For me, it’s calming and sends me into silence and awe. So does a beautiful landscape, especially when it features an old structure. Notice, both images feature trees.

I’ll close with forest images. I love the forest especially when we are the only people camping. I sit and enjoy the smell and silence. Sometimes, nature provides us with something special!

Thank you Egidio for bringing us back into silence and helping us realize how we experience it through our photography. When you post your response, please link to Egidio’s original post and use the Lens-Artist tag.

I enjoyed seeing your responses to Ritva’s subjective challenge last week. They were diverse, creative and beautiful. Next week Patti will be our presenter. “In The Details” challenges us to choose a subject and focus on the details, photographing from different angles, distances using your camera or lens. She’d like you to post three photographs of your subject. This is just a hint, be sure to look for her post at pilotfish.com for full instructions.

In the meantime stay healthy and be safe.