Lens-Artists Challenge #281 Favorites of 2023

The first week of 2024 is over. I look at this year with goals in mind, and wonder how to fit everything in everything. Starting with a positive attitude, I will continue to meet each week’s photo challenges. Capturing new images with my photo friends. When the computer screen gets too tiring for my eyes, I switch to my new endeavor – quilting. Back at the computer, my genealogy quest has surprised me. I connected with relatives living near Tel Aviv, Israel, London, England, and New Hampshire, U.S.A.

New York City

I have passed this Banksy many times, but just now I discovered the background history.

Yolo County

A short drive down I 80 brings my photo friends to Yolo County and plenty of picture-taking opportunities. We visited various farms on Yolo Arts & Ag Days. A real treasure we waited for was our visit to Glashoff Sculpture Ranch. Amazing! Certainly will try and revisit it!

Sacramento Zoo and Local Critters

Family Outings

Ogden Alpaca Farm in Orangevale with my four grandsons

Roseville Big Trucks with my youngest grandson

Out and about with my photo friends

Traveling east to Placerville

Store Front reminds me of my librarian days

Some portraits of shopkeepers in Placerville

Just having fun being out with friends in Old Sacramento, Bushnell Nursery, Crocker Art Museum, Folsom Farmer’s Market, and a nighttime

Me and my Moxie Love

Moxie is waiting to see what the new year holds for us.

Lens-Artists Challenge #251 Buildings and Other Structures

Anne challenges me, to find fascinating structures that capture my attention, tell a story, or are just beautiful.

This gives me the opportunity to look at photographs from my New York City trip. I am originally from New York. Born in Manhattan but lived in Queens, and after the age of ten, I lived a suburban life on Long Island. Plainview to be specific. There is a vast difference between those 2 views. In 1978 the family left Queens, New York, and moved to Southern California. This was fortuitous since my husband worked on the 82nd floor of the World Trade Tower 2. Two years later we relocated to Northern California and settled in Sacramento. Did I know that my apartment in Northridge would be flattened in an earthquake? I now live in Fair Oaks part of Sacramento County for over 5 years.

In March 2020 we had tickets to New York City. At the very last minute we canceled, and New York City closed down. I don’t know why I don’t buy lottery tickets!

Leaving Kennedy Airport in Queens for Manhattan.

The architecture of the old TWA building.

But I still feel like a New Yorker, and when we visit we stay in New York City at The Lucerne.

This is a landmark building on the upper west side

We made sure to visit different parts of the city each time.

Skyscrapers

The Empire State Building

On this very foggy day, we were told that there would be nothing to view from above. We came back another day for the view.

One World Trade Center

2014 was too soon to visit the site. There were still a lot of memories and a lot of construction.

2023

Bird’s eye look at Manhattan

Going up to the One World Trade Observatory. Look at the view.

Amazing architecture

The Metropolitan Museum of Art. “The Met”

This full facade was moved to The Met from Wall Street

Macy’s on 34th Street. Just think of the Thanksgiving Parade.

So much remains, and so much changes. A couple of weeks after we visited The American Museum of Natural History an addition opened up. I visited this museum often when I was growing up. My Aunt Li, Uncle Henry, and Cousin Ricky lived about 10 blocks away. And as it happened my mother selected an orthodontist around the corner. So trips to the city were frequent. Without the new addition, I was still in awe of the changes made to this museum and the Hayden Planetarium located there.

Transportation

Grand Central Terminal – outside and inside

The Oculus

So many memories, and so many new places to see.I hope you liked this whirlwind tour of New York City.

Lens-Artists Challenge #240 The road (most often) taken

John set up this week’s metaphoric theme “The Road taken” – and not about a physical road. For this week’s challenge, he wants me to think of my favorite type or style of photography as the road I’ve chosen to take most often.

I just returned from a CoVid delayed 8-day trip to New York City. Our last trip occurred in February 2014. We visited in the same season, but CoVid created many changes in the city. Last time I took most of my photographs using my Olympus OMD camera. I have since switched to the Fuji xt4, and I only brought my 18-55 lens. The cold weather dictated many indoor activities, and I found myself using my Apple iPhone 13 pro.

I visited The Met (Metropolitan Museum of Art) specifically to view Berenice Abbott’s New York Album 1929. Eugène Atget, a French photographer influenced her, and when I looked at all the photographs I saw my “road”. My catalog includes similar images to those taken by Etget and Abbott. Street scenes, people, and animals capture my interest.

When I go anywhere, I document. I focus on a different or unusual way to see what is there.