Lens-Artists Challenge #256 Kitchen Inspiration

Ritva hosts this week’s Lens-Artists Challenge with a theme of Inspiration found in the kitchen. That is often a place I find something to photograph in an hour of need. It can be a view from the kitchen window or an interior shot of the kitchen.

I had an assignment to show Kitchen Essentials in my Color Photography class. My husband received a box of stuff haphazardly packed from my sister-in-law. It contained photographs, frames with broken glass, and some serving pieces from my mother-in-law. Strange stuff, but I knew it would do for my assignment. I got some plastic to create reflections and I got busy. I entered this image in an online contest and it was selected #1 for the week. What a boost to my confidence.

My parents’ last true kitchen in Sun City West, Arizona

Kitchens from a time gone by

Found at home and away

What’s a kitchen without some food? Essential!

Turkey Leg from a deep fryer. Just in time too!

Not much more to say. Except that on these hot, hot, hot days I try and stay out of my kitchen!

Lens-Artists Challenge #246 Still Life

Patti from Pilot Fish creates this week’s Lens-Artist Challenge. “In this challenge, we’re exploring different types of still life images, not only the traditional “created” arrangement, but also “found” still life scenes–which you might discover in store windows, in a garden or museum, or just about anywhere.”

Benches and their surroundings

Hats in still-life

I saw this display at Placer County Courthouse Museum.
The answer they gave is John F. Kennedy.

Antique kitchen settings

Food

I love to go to farmer’s markets. I admire store-front displays. Sometimes I will arrange the food for a photograph.

Stores

Parts of sculptures

These are some still-life settings that I created.

As you can tell, I love to use my camera to focus on things around me. Luckily, I use my left eye to focus. The left eye still just has dry macular degeneration. My right eye has wet macular degeneration and all is a swirly blur. Till next time, enjoy these still-life images and let me know which one catches your eye!

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 Photo Challenge #208

This week’s guest contributor Solander challenges me to see my interpretation of summer vibes. He wants me to make you envy and wish to be with me while I enjoy my summer and my favorite summer activities! I will share my summer vibes with my images. Click here to see Solander’s summer vibes.

I have stopped counting how many 100º days we have had here in Sacramento, Ca. I remember back a number of years when my two oldest grandchildren were on the Sunrise Sharks! That summer they lived with me and swimming was our life. Swim practice all week, and swim meets all Saturday!

My father used to say, “I scream, you scream we all scream for Ice Cream.”

Stopping by for some ice cream. Now I’m ready for a scoop!

I attended many festivals and fairs over the years. Covid and the increased heat have put a crimp in my attendance.

Chalk it up occurs every year. Maybe it will cool down, and I can enjoy all this creativity.

Wide open walls started in 2016. When it cools down I plan to go downtown and see the new additions.

Many years ago the Rennaisance Faire was held at Fair Oaks Park.

The California State Fair has been moved to July, and it is way too hot to attend this year. The fair used to end on Labor Day in September. Nights were cooling down, and I have to admit, I was younger. But I do love to photograph fair food!