Lens-Artists Challenge #270 On Display

This week Ann-Christine from To see the world in a grain of sand… thought we would reuse an old theme – On Display. And it could almost be about anything… from a shoe shop to a garden party.

This time many of my displays relate to food. When I first started to refine my photography I enjoyed my trips to the local Farmer’s Markets in Sacramento. My banner photograph was taken at Zabar’s in New York City. I just want to remember all the yummy foods I found there.

Mushrooms to eat and for sale

On many a morning I walk out to my backyard, and I find mushrooms. I just hope I find them before my Moxie does. Fungi are not easy to identify.

So many kinds, but be careful which ones you consume.

Fruit & Vegetable Display

Bugs Bunny wouldn’t pass up these colored carrots!

Fish and other things from the sea for sale

Baked Goods for sale

Love this display in Carmel, Ca. for Mother’s Day

This cafe is a favorite of my photography group when we are in Folsom. I’m getting hungry.

Hats & Accessories on sale

Flower Arrangements

Old Fashion Displays

Entrepreneur with displays

I will stop now, and let you ponder which image appeals to you.

Len-Artists Photo Challenge #265 Black & White or Monochrome

I want to address a question I was recently asked. After I retired from teaching I enrolled in Photography classes at the local community colleges. Then, I found a fun group of retirees to put my learning into practice. Are these class assignments? No. Lens-Artist Photographers create these challenges weekly. This small group of talented photographers from around the world creates interesting assignments to share. These challenges allow me to revisit and share my images. If you would like to participate weekly in our Lens-Artists Challenge, click here for more info.

Back to this week’s challenge.

Anne asks the question, “Is monochrome black and white? Is black and white monochrome?”

Monochrome

Monochromatic photographs= photographs of one color variations

Most of my monochrome images are straight from the file with little processing, except for this first one. I added a sepia finish.

Found mortar and pestle in an antique shop in Nevada City.

Mushrooms found at a local farmer’s market

Alligator Lizard finds monochrome useful for camouflage

Fiddletown, CA at the Chinese Apothecary

Black & White

Sometimes I can find black & white naturally, but most of my photographs have been processed in either Adobe Photoshop or Topaz plug-ins.

When processing an image for b&w I look for contrast.

Found Black & White

The first image is the San Francisco skyline at night taken from Treasure Island.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #195 Colorful Expressions

Anne wants me to show how color affects my photography. After studying basic, and intermediate photography I took an eye-opening class in color photography with Patti Felkner at Cosumnes River Community College. After understanding light, composition, and focus points, I learned to focus on color as my subject.

RGB complementary color scheme is Red/Cyan, Green/Magenta, and Blue/Yellow

The farmer’s market is great for finding color

There is something calming in this monochrome image.

I’m still tempted to pick it and blow the seeds, are you?

Some more examples of monochrome photographs

Often I will look for just a splash of color in my photography.

A splash of color makes for interesting photographs. Don’t you agree?

Some more examples of how just a splash of color catches the eye.

Photographing my dog I learned that I needed both an understanding of light, dog behavior, and color.

I still miss my first dog, Liberty Love. Here is her splash of color!

So after looking over my many images, I look for either monochrome images or those with just a splash in the right place.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge # 171 Weird and Wonderful

This week Ann-Christine invites me to have the opportunity to share my weird and wonderful images in this challenge! By accepting this challenge I will showcase some of my images of natural weirdness, items I found strange to photograph, and images I created through photo techniques.

This mutant Sunflower captured my attention! Was it an overachiever?

Here in Sacramento we are starting to get a taste of autumn. On Sunday we experienced record setting rainfall. They called it a bomb cyclone. It was time to dust off those raincoats and galoshes. Since California has been in a drought many of us were caught off guard. My puppy Moxie has never experienced rain, and was not too impressed. She was glad to wear her raincoat for our many, but quick outings. After the rain I just discovered the weirdness of mushrooms popping up. One minute nothing, the next minute fully formed fungi. Don’t know the toxicity of these mushrooms, but I am taking no chances on Moxie discovering them.