nature – Slow Shutter Speed

Posted on November 18, 2024 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 June 11, 2024 by Anne Sandler · 10 Comments

Sunday Stills Photo Challenge: Not never on Sunday

I’m offering this photo for Terri’s Sunday Stills Pastels Photo Challenge on a Tuesday and it’s not a pastel. It’s more earthy–a mushroom. I like its colors and shape as it clings to a tree.

I’ll try to do better next Sunday!

Posted on December 14, 2022 by Anne Sandler · 38 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #229: Perfect Patterns

As photographers, we are drawn to patterns probably without even realizing it. It’s an integral part of composition. This week Ann Christine helps make us aware of these patterns by challenging us to look for them in our photos.

I’ll start with patterns found in architecture.

**Gates offer beautifully crafted patterns.**

Nature offers patterns of her own.

And, how about fabric!

Here are some more examples of patterns we find as we photograph.

Finally, we can make our own patterns in post as we have fun processing.

Thank you Ann Christine for challenging us with this fun topic. Please link to her post if you have yet to find and show us your own patterns and use the Lens Artists tag. Last week, we had fun seeing your creative diagonals. Tina will be challenging us next week. Be sure to look for her post. Stay safe this holiday season.

Posted on May 12, 2022 by Anne Sandler · 11 Comments

Springtime at Ananda: Crystal Hermitage Garden, Part 2

We are back at Crystal Hermitage Garden, Ananda Village in Nevada City. In my last post, I showed you the tulips planted by the volunteers and promised to show you more of the grounds. Well, I’m keeping that promise. Tulips are planted in October and bloom in April when the Tulip Festival is held. As of this writing the Festival is over, but many people enjoyed its beauty for the month and a half it was available.

The Garden is on three terraced levels. The bottom gives us a view of the mountains. In one picture you can see the gold top of the Temple where members and guests can meditate/pray.

The middle level shows the lovely gardens, pool, and gazebo.

The top level continues with rows of tulips and a small church.

This ends the 2022 tour. Hopefully, in 2023, they will plant again in October and receive guests in April.

Posted on October 10, 2021October 10, 2021 by Anne Sandler · 30 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #169: The Ordinary

Before I started photography, I took nature for granted. While I liked pretty flowers, I never noticed their delicate intricacies. However, becoming a photographer changed all that. I now I look at the light shinning through the petals and the stamens holding pollen for the bees.

Guest host I. J. Khanewala‘s challenge is for us to discover the ordinary around us and cherish it. I do cherish nature.

It might be an eagle, hawk or deer.

Or maybe a landscape in the country, an ocean scene or a well known tourist spot.

But what happens when nature itself provides challenges like the wind storm we had last winter. It blew most of the almond blossoms off the trees in the orchards, devastating the almond crop. Ordinarily these trees would be full of blossoms.

But sometimes humankind provides the igniting spark that destroys what nature has taken so long to create.

In one fire season we went from a scene like this.

To a scene like this, taken yesterday. The results from the Caldor fire.

Let’s not take our extraordinary nature for granted any longer. Be careful to leave areas you visit just as you found it–beautiful!

Posted on June 19, 2021June 19, 2021 by Anne Sandler · 22 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #153: It’s a wonderful world

With all that’s been happening in the world this past 1 1/2 years, it’s important to live in continuous gratitude and remember that there is still a lot of beauty in the world, mostly provided by nature. In her challenge, Amy reminds us that there is a lot around us locally to be grateful for. Photography brings me into that world. At least once a week I go out with friends to capture people, places, animals and things that bring joy into my life.

I’m happy to share some of them with you from this year alone. Please read the captions for information.

**This scene in Port Costa presented a beautiful and natural frame around the bridge emerging from the fog in the distance.**

**Donner Lake in the winter delivers an awesome relaxing snow scene.**

Thank you Amy for helping us to remember that there is a wonderful world out there, and I’m especially thankful for my photo buddies who see it with me.

Posted on May 30, 2021 by Anne Sandler · 25 Comments

Lens Artist Challenge #150: Get Wild

Get wild! That’s the challenge given this week by Dianne Milliard of Rambling Ranger. She gave us parameters: no ” groomed gardens or animals in the zoo. No people or signs of people.” So that left out some of the parties we have in our senior community!

I gave it some thought and focused on an event that was a one time opportunity for me. Something I had never done before. But something wild and caused by nature. The total solar eclipse in August 2017. The event was seen in many places, but we chose Weiser Idaho. We got there a couple of days early so we could get a good spot for our RV. Richard checked out his sun scope and I was trying to get my Nikon d3100 ready. I shot with the 3100 just in case something happened. I didn’t want to ruin my d7100.

I was so nervous and truly beyond my photographic level. I read tutorials, etc. I wanted a trial run, but nature doesn’t do that!

The filter Richard (My husband is an astronomer.) made for me wasn’t the best. So I walked around and talked to other photographers (with more knowledge) and one of them gave me one of his filters. I am always amazed at how generous photographers are!

Eclipse day arrived. I perched the 3100 on the tripod while Richard had his sun scope ready to go. The moon was about to cover the sun, but I couldn’t find it while the camera was on the tripod. I wasn’t going to miss this. Off came the camera and I shot the eclipse hand held.

Here are some of the pictures I got that day.

The beginning:

The last crescent, diamond ring and Totality

The reversal begins as the moon moves away from the sun.

So this was my wild adventure of mother nature at it’s wildest.

Another outcome from this was Richard meeting a former science teacher who talked to him about becoming a NASA Ambassador. Now he gives astronomy talks at libraries and via zoom.

Thanks Dianne. This was a fun and wild challenge.

Posted on June 8, 2014 by Anne Sandler

Trinity weekend: Good morning!

Darn an aging body. I woke up about 5:20 a.m. to use the bathroom (Yes I do check the time.), but couldn’t go back to sleep. So, I rolled out of bed at about 5:40 a.m. Put my sweats and jackets on, grabbed my camera and went outside to experience the river.

Right here I need to back track. Yesterday I said this was to be an all women’s weekend, but we did have a guy along. Karen’s husband Ron had work to do on the property and rode his motorcycle up. I knew Ron was getting up at 6 a.m. to do a controlled burn of excess brush and green waste. But, here I was the early bird, wishing I could have slept in.

However, the river didn’t disappoint me. It was beautiful at daybreak. The sun hadn’t come up yet and all was still. I walked the property, taking pictures and continued to come back to the river to catch the waking colors as the sun rose and hit the tree lined shore.

And, when Ron came down to start the controlled burn, he gave me an additional opportunity of capturing images. I’ve always enjoyed a campfire. We always had one when we camped with the kids; but now, we seldom leave the trailer and television in the evening when we travel.

The morning moved on, and I went in to put Julie’s breakfast casserole in the oven to bake. By the time it was done, only Sue was still asleep. She woke up just in time to eat and leave for the geocaching adventure. Tomorrow would be another day for trying to sleep in.

Enjoy the early morning at Trinity River images. Geocaching will be the subject of tomorrow’s post.