Tag: Still Life

Lens-Artists Challenge #257 Simplicity

Philosophy through photography provided this week’s challenge of simplicity.  “The modern world is so stressful and chaotic that we are losing the fundamental clarity and simplicity that allows us to concentrate on what is really important.” So true!

Subject

The subject IS color
Monochromatic Dandelion

Tell a story

Gull finds treasure on Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco
Quiet Pomponio State Beach near Half Moon Bay
Lone pedestrian crossing the Embarcadero in San Francisco
Walking along the Mendocino coast

Sense of Scale

Sailboat sails under the Golden Gate Bridge at Sunset
Kayaking along the American River

I had to look through my archive to find this one because usually, I will fill the frame with the people. But this time I was in awe of the surroundings.

Mirror Lake in Yosemite.
Walking a long way down near a waterfall in Hilo Hawaii

As we got closer to the waterfall we witnessed its power.

Waterfall in Hilo Hawaii
So small on this Southern California beach
My granddaughter @ age 10 at Stinson Beach

The vastness and power of water bring perspective to our view of self. Watching how fast it can transform places. There is little a person can do to hold back the water. The world’s people are learning this the hard way.

Negative Space

Fishing in Monterey Bay

Still Life

Tea Setting
Side Lighting of Chinese Tea Service
Coffee Time

Textures

Bumpy and Orange
Soft focused leaf

Splash of Color

Lady Bug Beetle all alone
Boulder Ridge Park, Rocklin Ca

Patterns

Swim meet pool lanes

I hope that you enjoy the simple life. Which photograph spoke to you? I appreciate all comments.

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.

Kitchen Essentials
Happy Face
My parents’ last true kitchen in Sun City West, Arizona
Granddaughter cooking
Getting some help
Kitchen Remodel
A new countertop was installed. Almost done.
Kitchen at work
New kitchen and Thanksgiving
My current kitchen

Kitchens from a time gone by

Bodie Kitchen
Lawsen Kitchen in Apple Hill
Kitchen in Fiddletown, Ca
Found when visiting with my photo friends

Found at home and away

What’s a kitchen without some food? Essential!

Unhappy guest for dinner!
BBQ
Tea
Making Plum Jam
Food preparation and meal ready
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 Photo Challenge #210 Picking Favorites

This week Sarah (Travel with me) asks me to share three of what I consider to be among my best shots. This exercise really tests my ability to be self-critical. Pick out three (just three!) that stand out as particular favorites. I need to choose three from different genres: macro, wildlife, street, landscape, architecture, or portraiture.

Genre: Still Life

My inspiration for this photograph started in my photography class. I needed to create a photo with the theme of kitchen. Items from my mother-in-law were recently sent to us. I placed these tarnished serving pieces on a piece of glass and watched for shadows. Pleased with the result. I entered this photo in an online contest and was selected as the week’s photo.

Kitchen Utensils

Genre: Landscape

I met with a group of local photographers in downtown Sacramento. At first, a scavenger hunt was the goal, but after looking around Old Sac, I went to the Tower Bridge. After watching the dry lightning strikes I listened and began to anticipate the next bolt of lightning. Got it!

Lightning Striking

Genre: Telling a Story/Street

This carousel or Merry-Go-Round was taken at a local shopping mall. I wanted to capture movement. In doing so, I created the story of the boy and his horse actually escaping from the ride.

Merry-Go-Round Escape

Genre: Nature

The feature banner image of the Peeking Flamingo was taken at the Sacramento Zoo. When I showed this image to my college professor she like it so much that she asked if she could use it as a class example. Made me feel good.

Selecting just three is a tough call. I ended up picking some images that I have hanging in my home. I hope that you enjoyed this post. Let me know which one is your favorite.