Architecture – A Photo's Worth

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #220 One Subject Three Ways

For this week’s challenge, Patti (P.A. Moed-Exploration in Words and Pictures) asks us to explore what professional photographers call “working a shot.” What does that mean? Photographers pick a subject (a place, an object, a person, for instance) and take a variety of photos–by zooming in on the details or stepping back for a wider view. They also vary the angle of the shot–looking up or down or even sideways. They might walk around the subject to get a unique view.

Why? This method can help us discover the best way to capture the subject. And I agree that taking time and changing perspectives improves my photography.

An abandoned dock at the Berkeley Marina is the subject. First I create a frame for the dock. Then I move closer. I get closer still, creating a leading line with the dock. The seagull adds a bit of interest.

Color provides the subject matter for my images taken at a casino restaurant in Las Vegas. This ceiling really caught my attention, and I spent some time photographing it from many perspectives. I don’t know which one I favored.

I found this topiary display at Bellagio Las Vegas. With a fall-inspired nonmoving subject, I could take photographs from many angles. Which one is your favorite?

While visiting my parents in Sun City West, Arizona I wandered around with my Nikon d7100 camera. Plenty of downtimes when it is hot, and my retired parents are resting.

Images of rusty things, gears, and machinery are often subjects of mine. Using different f-stops and focusing on different parts make for interesting photos. My last photograph fits my idea of pareidolia.

Found this beetle on a cactus in Sedona, Arizona. When I stepped back the cactus reminded me of Mickey Mouse ears. Walking away, the landscape called for another look resulting in a wonderful landscape of the desert.

This last image of a California poppy compliments my banner image. Often I like the backlit look when I take photographs of flowers and foliage.

The one thing most of these images have in common when it comes to looking at life from different perspectives is that most objects did not move. My fast-moving Moxie would be another story. Stop, slow down, and look at life from different angles! You may be surprised!

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #216 Urban Environments

This week Sophia’s challenges me to see how I view any urban environments I come across, either by visiting as a tourist or the place I live in. What makes that city or town special and how do I capture it?

Sometimes you come back from a vacation and you don’t take the time to look at your images. This challenge gave me the opportunity to review a trip to New York City in February 2014. I can tell that it was cold and damp. Snow delayed our arrival by one day.

Most of the snow had hardened into ice mounds. Lots of people moving quickly.

Looking up

We planned to visit the Empire State Building but the Security Guard advised us to come back another day. The clouds would just obscure the view. So we headed to B&H. For this trip, I used my Olympus OMD. I have since moved to a Fuji setup.

Warming up and thinking about future purchases.

When the weather doesn’t cooperate, New York City does not disappoint. I had never been to the Guggenheim Museum and I always visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Empire State Building

Food is everywhere. Katz’s Deli, made famous with the saying, “Senda Salami to your boy in the Army”, The Seinfeld scene, “I’ll have what she’s having!”

So many famous sites

I grew up in Nassau County, but when I go back to visit I like to stay in Manhattan. My husband and I had planned a vacation back to NYC in March 2020. Our actual arrival date was March 10th. Well, on March 11th the whole city shut down. Subways and Broadway stopped by CoVid. The pandemic was gaining traction.

Subway and theatre tickets. This time we saw *Chicago*

Glad I decided to cancel our vacation. We still have the airline ticket credit.

This post is a bit delayed. The smoke from the Mosquito fire triggered an ongoing asthma attack. All the coughing has added to my dog Moxie’s unsettling behavior. No exercise, and listening to me all day. But I couldn’t let the challenge of showing you the urban city I love.

Lens-Artists Challenge #169 – The Ordinary

I.J. Khanewala challenges me to see the ordinary into the most extraordinary thing that you have seen. I am up for this challenge. When I come to a well traveled place I have a pre conceived idea of the typical image. I usually take a couple of these, but then I look around. I want to look deeper and find “my” image.

A simple squash displays color, texture, and design.

The colors of Autumn found on this grape vine.

Shadows form on the fluorescent green that floats on the pond

I freeze the motion for this water fountain.

Ordinary water creates wonderful images.

I love looking for images created by reflections.

Looking deeply at parts. All these images were taken without cropping. I once had a teacher who frowned upon the process of cropping to improve an image.

I remember a magazine that my son read as a boy that had a page of photographs. The idea was that you were supposed to figure out what the image was a part of. Always fascinated me. Do you have an idea of what these are parts of?

I hope you enjoy looking at how the ordinary can make an extraordinary image.

Lens Artists Challenge #168: Seen better days!

This week Tina invited me to share images of places and things that have, “seen better days”. Evidence of our past is easily found here in Northern California. When I go out with my camera in hand, I am on the lookout for these abandoned items, settings, and buildings.

I came across this abandoned bee hive in our local nature preserve, Effie Yeaw.

These passengers have seen better days! This Thunderbird set the stage for Halloween parked in Old Fair Oaks

Greeting travelers in Strawberry, California

What’s the story behind this Buick? Could this be a subject for a crime novel?

Some cars make it into an auto museum and some cars are just abandoned.

I wonder what was the price of gas when this gas station closed?

How many times have you misplaced an article of clothing? I’m surprised at where these lonely ones were found.

A scarecrow could still make use of this straw hat!

Flip flops flop after a grueling hike in Kauai

Gold and silver mining had much to do with the creation and downfall of many towns in Northern California. Bodie is one such example. In 1962 Bodie became Bodie State Historic Park, and an official gold rush ghost town. It is an example of “arrested decay”.