Fuji xt4 – A Photo's Worth

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #234 Messages

Donna asked me to search for messages in photography this week. The options are endless. Does the message from your last fortune cookie resonate with you? Clouds? Does street art, neon signs, or storefronts grab your attention? What about the underlying messages from marketing logos, or the message you want to portray in your photography. Just have fun! This blog hits my photographic pursuit ideally.

Smilies

People leave signs along the way. A message, I was here!

Signs of Peace and Love

February 14 and hearts abound

Walking about I see hearts in nature

I’m always looking for hearts: leaves, stumps, puddles, and rocks

Hearts were created to show the loving spirit

I love this image. Someone took the time to create this public art piece

I collect stone hearts and they sit in my room in a candy dish. There are some things that you don’t really know about its history. You just know that it has been with you your entire life. It holds my love stones perfectly.

Here is my dish of love stones with my parent’s photograph

Graffiti

Leaving marks of love without regard for the environment.

Love Locks on a bridge in Fair Oaks

So ends my small contribution to messages I find all around me. I stayed with positive thoughts, and I finish with the many faces of my Moxie. Her face is so expressive.

Are you done working on the computer? I really am not interested in another photograph.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #233 One Lens Walk

Anne challenges me to take a lens for a walk. Yes, choose a lens and walk. You can also use your cell phone or point-and-shoot camera and see what you can do with it. Another trick when using a zoom lens is to pick an aperture and stay with it. I accept this challenge.

My photography friends and I headed out of town Sunday. Our destination – Vacaville. I brought along my Fuji xt4 with my 18-55mm lens and my iPhone 13 pro. In my first group of photographs, I kept my aperture set at f 8.

Aperture f 8

Most Used Focal Length

Two Cameras

Taken with iPhone 13 max

So ends my photographic look on my one lens walk. Looking forward to continued sunshine this coming week, at least. Gives the gardens and dog parks time to dry out. My Moxie wants to run and play outdoors.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #221 Flower Favorites – and Why?

This week Ann-Christine (Leya – To see a world in a grain of sand) hopes I will bring some colorful joy to us all. She would like a story to go with them. I have plenty of flowers in my photo library. I have a garden, but between lack of time, heat, and a puppy I don’t have many flowers. I love to visit and appreciate the efforts put in by others.

This is my unexpected flowering succulent. An ice plant relative.

Following the annual cycle of blooms, I visited Daffodil Hill in the spring. Over the years it’s popularity grew and overwhelmed this rural setting, and the privately owned ranch closed.

Daffodil Hill provided the backdrop for this photo with some visiting guide dogs in training.

Years ago I went with a friend on a cloudy, misty weekday. Few visitors that day.

So many varieties have been planted over the years. I miss this place.

Spring and tulips go together.
The Hermitage Gardens in Grass Valley never disappoints!

With friends we go out searching, and come across many beautiful flowers as a bonus!

Mustard flowers bloom among the grape vines in Napa Valley

Sunflowers, zinnias, lotus, irises thistle and cactus flowers found on many outings around Northern California

Finding pollinators among the flowers is always a fun photograph.

Going to the California coast I love the different flowers I find.

Botanical Garden and local nurseries display flowers of the area.

As you can see I love love being out finding flowers. My macro lens often brings a breeze, so not many macro shots. My gear now is Fuji xt4. I used my Nikon D7100 for my earlier shots. Now even my iPhone 13 pro gets some use.
i hope these flowers brought some beauty into your day, Any particular flower or image caught your attention?

Oh I forgot to say what flower is my favorite! I don’t have one. I am just not a real fan of cut flowers. I don’t like when they fade.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #211 What’s your photographic groove?

Anne’s challenge this week is, “What’s my photographic groove? What type of photography do I truly enjoy doing? I will show you wonderful images and tell you about them.

This challenge has me thinking. When I was enrolled and pursuing my Photography Certificate, I was exposed to many photographic experiences. My practical mother continued to ask me what I intended to do with my photography. One idea was to start a Pet Photography business. Another idea I had was to author a picture book. I had just retired from a Library/Teacher career of 25 years. I didn’t know way direction to take. Life happened. My parents and grandchildren needed my attention. By the time I finished 40+ credits I decided I was going to do photography on my own terms – for my own personal enjoyment. I didn’t need another job. So I guess you can say my photographic groove is “Focus”. I use my camera to help me see the world around me. I capture whatever I come across.

Often, my camera helps me connect to my surroundings. Sometimes nature, sometimes people, and sometimes taking a quirky look.

My camera connected me to a good group of friends. This group has taken me to many places and spaces in the area. Visits out of town to Niles, Ca. Trips to the Sacramento Zoo. Visiting a local urban micro Farm at End of the Road in Orangevale, Ca.

My photography helps me focus on the present, and preserve memories to reflect upon in the future.
I have been raising my second puppy in the past 2 1/2 years. Glad I have photos of my Charlie.

Puppies grow into dogs and seem to change overnight. Waiting for them to calm down may take just a bit longer. This is where my iPhone comes into play.

My 4 youngest grandchildren have moved back and forth from Sacramento, California to Knoxville, Tennessee (about 2500 miles). They returned last week for the third time in less than three years. Photos and FaceTime helped during these times of separation. I so enjoy my Nixplay digital frame.

But as of last Thursday, I can see my grandchildren in person. We celebrated the first day of TK and First Grade, and the last day of vacation for my 5th grader with some ice cream at Handels.