One of my joys in my photographic journey is to visit small towns and stroll their streets. This is when I look for details that I may not find in Sacramento. In fact, I’m seldom in downtown Sacramento. One-way streets drive me crazy. So, I’m happy that Ritva chose this subject for her challenge.
Doors always catch my eye. Here are three that caught my eye while on photo outings.
And where there are doors, there must be windows!
Sacramento used to be known as the City of Trees until it became The Farm to Fork Capital.
Now for some street scenes from my wanderings.
Thank you Ritva for encouraging us to see as our cameras do and to pay attention to details. When you respond to her post, please link to Ritva’s post and use the Lens-Artist tag.
I’m sorry to have missed Ann-Christine’s and Sofia’s challenges, but I did have an enjoyable time cruising the Panama Canal. And it’s great to be back. Next week Tina will be leading the challenge, so stay tuned.
It’s that time of year here in Northern California–RAIN! But this year, it started in December, giving our rivers more than an adequate water level. It started again in late January and so far in February. Discovery Park is at the confluence of the American and Sacramento Rivers, and in years of heavy rain fall, it tends to flood.
Of course I can’t miss a good opportunity to photograph a flooded area. But, we were almost too late. I remember one year the picnic tables were under water. Here are some pictures from that area.
River View from the I St. BridgeFlooded Parking LotFlooded Parking LotNot under water, but look at that burl.
After Discovery Park, we went to Old Sacramento to see what we could find.
It’s still raining, but not as hard. I’m not complaining too much because most of the rest of the year we are dry. Summer rain is not normal for us.
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.
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.
Through LAPC’s wonderful community we learn in many ways: from the challenge itself and in the responses. Sometimes when I’m challenged with the challenge, I wait. I want to see what you have presented to get my creative juices flowing. I can then come up with a twist. This week, with Ritva asking us to post common objects in an uncommon way, I was stumped. So I’ve decided to show you objects that were taken with my camera during outings.
Let’s start with buildings. I do like to photograph tall buildings that have reflections. It’s the architecture that attracts my eye and then the reflection is a plus. Sometimes, the reflection isn’t of another building, but the clouds.
Since I live in the suburbs, I enjoy riding out to see what I can find in the countryside. Fortunately, here in Sacramento, it’s not too far. There are plenty of barns, in use and abandoned, to keep me busy. Yes, that’s a faded pink barn you see in the middle photo.
I just love the texture and color of rust. As I photograph objects and tools, I wonder how they were used, why were they just thrown out in a pile or neglected and how long they’ve been sitting in that junk heap.
I also love trees. They have a story and beauty of their own. Some have amazing bark, some show the way the wind caused them to lean, some show off colors as they let their leaves fall to the ground, and others have burls and greenery growing out of their trunks. What caused two trees to grow together. Oh what stories they can tell!
Last is the Sacramento Historical City Cemetery. There is a great history of the City’s famous, the generations past and the new arrivals. I like the headstones that are from the 1800s. They are beautiful and show how the deceased was loved. The following is one monument for a child. One side, facing you, is giving the date of his birth; the other side, the date of his death. Each side having loving words. How can you not feel the sadness and sense of loss experienced 142 years ago.
So these are the objects I’m drawn to. It’s sad that I’m not drawn to still life photography. But that’s what makes this community so great. I can enjoy your still life images. Thanks Ritva for challenging us this week. When you do respond, please link back to Ritva’s wonderful post and tag Lens-Artists in WordPress.
Last week, I enjoyed seeing all your shorelines. How beautiful and different they were. Next week Egidio will be challenging us. I wonder what it will be. Check for his post to find out! In the meantime, stay safe and have fun.
For more information on how to participate in our fun challenges, please click here.
You know when you stop and put your mind to it, nothing is impossible. When I first saw Ann-Christine’s challenge this morning, I thought, “I don’t have any delicate images!” So I did my usual of choosing a year, 2019, and began to go through the pictures. Here’s what I found.
A beautiful glass ball in a garden.
Museums are great for finding delicate items and the Haggin Museum in Stockton is no exception. Look at the intricate, delicate work on this clock and the tedious, delicate weaving of this woman in this picture.
We photographers like our insects for their delicate wings and beauty. Yes, even bees!
I can’t forget trees. Their trunks may be sturdy and large, but their branches are delicate, beautiful and graceful.
Looking very much like tree branches, spider webs are delicate strands of silk created to catch a spider’s prey.
So that’s it for delicate, but here comes the twist. You know there’s typically a twist when I do a challenge. When I was looking through 2019, I found three images that truly impressed me as sweet and then maybe delicate in interpretation.
Love, no matter what species is undeniable. Cuteness popping out of blades of grass is sweet. And a small child walking among giant redwoods–well she has to be delicate!
I hope you didn’t mind my detour. When you post your response, please remember to link to Ann-Christine’s post and use the Lens-Artists tag. I was amazed at all the hope that came last week responding to Patti’s challenge on Hopeful. I think we made our LAPC world a little smaller and kind. Next week Sofia will be challenging us with Floral. You’ll notice I didn’t use any flowers in this post. I’m saving them! Look for her post.
All Laura had to do was ask if I wanted to go to the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum and I jumped at the chance. I haven’t been anywhere since my August 2023 auto accident for more than 2 – 3 hours. Since Laura was driving, the 3 hours both ways, I knew if I needed rest, I could sleep. It was a wonderful day out. I had never been to the arboretum, and anything floral has me feeling great. Laura wanted to photograph the humming birds and I just wanted to leave.
The humming birds were confined to one bush that was blossoming. I got my one hummer picture and walked around. Laura has patience, where I don’t, and a longer lens. She stood by the bush for about 1/2 an hour, taking pictures. Of course, she was more successful in the number of hummers.
Here’s my one picture! Of course, the colorful hummers sort of blended into the bush.
We walked around through the various zones. It was relaxing and fun. Here’s a sample:
Our day didn’t end at the arboretum. We took the long way home through Half Moon Bay, stopping at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse. Those pictures will be in my next regular post.
Crazy title, right! But it’s true. Dry Creek in Roseville has an abundance of water because of all the rain we’ve had this winter. This lovely creek is next to a community park, and sees lots of kids enjoying a summer swim.
However, when Ray and I went there yesterday, there were downed trees and broken limbs all over the shoreline. I’m thinking they will have to do some cleanup before the summer heat hits so the kids will be safe.
Here are some pictures of our short outing.
I enjoyed the short time at the creek and the sunshine. We’re supposed to get more rain tonight and tomorrow. I read in the newspaper that our snow level is way above normal which is a good sign for a long ski season and the summer. Take care everyone!
I like that we always learn through LAPC challenges. This week, Patti has taught me the difference between negative and empty space. She challenges us to post images where the empty space draws the viewer’s eyes to the subject, conveys a mood, or creates a more dramatic scene. I’m not sure my images are moody or dramatic, but they bring me joy and serenity.
First, let’s look at how plain blue sky creates an empty space that accentuates the birds I captured. I do tend to crop in, almost too much, but the idea is still there.
The same goes for water. Sandhill Cranes are usually mid-way in fields and difficult to photograph with my maxed out 300 mm reach. But these were in nice blue water. Did I get lucky? The blue empty space helped create enough of a contrast, helping to sharpen the cranes.
I like landscapes. As a compositional tool, I try to find something that will lead the viewer through the image. The grass area, pulls you into the trees, creating a pathway through the image.
Man can copy nature by building roads or pathways that take you across rivers on bridges. Cement provides the empty space that draws us in.
Back to nature, this family is enjoying some empty space at the river’s edge provided by this sandy beach.
A field and blue-sky accent these wind turbines. It also helps that the field has crop lines that lead your eyes into the picture.
My last picture is a sunset that is dominated by a sky leading us down to the setting sun. We then follow through to the reflection in the water.
Thank you, Patti, for teaching us a very useful compositional technique. When you respond to this challenge, please remember to link to Patti’s original post and use the Len’s-Artists tag in the reader. I enjoyed seeing all your ups and downs as you responded to guest host James’ post. He taught us another great tool. Next week, it’s Amy will be leading the challenge with “Unique.”
If you would like to participate weekly in our Lens-Artists Challenge, click here for more info.
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.
Slow Shutter Speed 