“The cell phone camera is just wonderful. It’s all good. ..We are all just trying to figure it out.”
Annie Leibovitz
As I put together this week’s challenge it occurred to me how rarely I shoot with anything other than my iPhone these days,. As such, I thought it might be fun to post specifically about phone photography, which has come such a long way these past few years. I currently use an iPhone 16 Pro Max, which is really a wonderful tool for capturing anything at all. But for today’s post I’ve given myself an extra challenge – to use images captured in the past with an iPhone 8+ (except for the final triptych). Oiginally released in 2017, nearly TEN years ago, back then it seemed an amazing device!
My opening image was captured as we flew over NYC, while the one that follows is from Southern California. Back then I used my camera for “real” photography, especially while traveling, but there were times when that was impossible. The development of camera phones truly changed our world back then. As a golfer for example one would typically leave the camera at home and an image like the one that follows suddenly became possible thanks to the iPhone.
California Dreaming
“Today we all take photos with our phones.”
Ferdinando Scianna
The cellphone made photographing many other active pursuits possible as the image below illustrates. One would not want to risk losing a camera in the water while fishing active streams in Colorado.Not to make light of losing a cellphone of course, but replacing a phone would be much less expensive vs a good camera and lens and assuming we practice good backup methods none of our important images would be lost either.
Fishing the Wilds of Colorado
Today , with everyone being able to easily make technically perfect photographs with a cell phone, you need to be an “author”.
David Alan Harvey
The Culinary Institute in upstate New York, where so many of our best chefs have trained, also has beautiful grounds. I captured the moving water of their fountain with my handy cellphone before heading inside for a delicious meal.
Culinary Institute of America
“Everybody now has a camera, often as part of our phone, and most of these cameras require little to no technical training.”
Michael Kenna
While the quote above was undated, I suspect it’s from some time ago, as today’s cellphones can be used much more effectively with a bit of training. These days there are also many wonderful apps available as well as on-line training for those who wish to go beyond point-and-shoot. On the other hand, the only capability I needed for the image that follows was speed! I spotted the two people walking up the steps after I’d already passed by and needed to quickly turn around and rush to capture the shot before they moved any further. Had I been using my camera chances are I’d have needed to adjust settings for the bright light and motion – not so with my iPhone. I’ll admit it was a lucky “get” and resulted in one of my favorite images.
Surrounded by White
“…anybody can take a picture. Now, you don’t even have to be a person, you can be a telephone.”
Nan Goldin
You may have noticed that all of my images thus far (as well as the one that follows), were made while traveling. In fact, I always take my camera with me when I travel, but my phone gives me much more flexibility when I’m avoiding carrying gear. For example, the next image was made while visiting upstate New York. I was out shopping with friends when I came upon this little building. To me it cried out to be captured, despite the fact that I hadn’t brought my camera along. Cellphone to the rescue!
Little Red Window
“There are a billion people on the planet carrying around a phone every day and they’re making all kinds of pictures.”
Joel Meyerowitz
Finally, I’ll close with a few images here on Kiawah. The first was captured as I was doing my morning walk. There were workers tending one of the golf courses and I chose to use editing software to make the image a bit more interesting (IMHO 😉). I loved the feel of the movement in the marsh grasses that resulted.
Working the Grasses, Kiawah
“Photography’s central role is to be the absolute medium of the day. It is fantastic that there is no longer any technical intimidation.”
Martin Parr
The next image features some striking Kiawah skies. Typically I do not travel with my camera in the car. One afternoon for just a moment before a storm the light was incredible and simply demanded attention. So yes, of course I pulled over to capture the scene!
Magical Light
“God lights things better than most photographers I know.”
Irving Penn
Finally, I captured this set of images earlier this week with my current 16 Pro Max. Each year here on Kiawah we are host to an amazing species of bird, Calidris canutus tufa, aka Red Knots. These small birds, a critically endangered species, use Kiawah as a stopover on their journey from the southern tip of South America to the High Arctic. Their annual migration is roughly 20,000 miles (32,000 km) each way. I’ve watched for them since we moved to Kiawah over 20 years ago and this was the first time I’ve actually encountered them. This one time I truly regretted not having my camera. But as always, the best camera is the one you have with you – just ask Chris Jarvis 😉
Endangered Red Knots on Kiawah
“The best camera is the one you have with you.”
Chase Jarvis
While there is MUCH to be said for having good equipment, it is equally important to be ready for anything! Some of my favorite images resulted from an unexpected moment when all I had with me was my phone. These days my 16 pro max has come a VERY long way from the days of the 8+. The images in the triptych above for example, would have been nearly impossible with older technology.
Thanks to all who have hung in there with me for my longer-than-usual post. We hope you’ll join us to share your own thoughts and results with your phone of choice. Be sure to link to my post and to use the Lens-Artists Tag to help us find you. Thanks also to Egidio for showing us the power of B&W and the affect our brains have in conjuring up the colors with our imagination. Finally, we hope you’ll join us next week when Patti leads us on her Pilotfish post. Until then as always please stay safe, be kind and enjoy the adventure.
To learn more about the Lens-Artists Challenge, click here.
“You can use your experiences, your knowledge, and your fantasy, to put colors into black and white.”
Anders Petersen
I must admit I wrote my response to Egidio’s challenge with much trepidation. I love B&W but use it sparingly and for me I typically know that an image is meant for B&W as I capture it. As a result, I struggled quite a bit with this one. The comment that struck me in his challenge, and therefore led me to my choices, was that our brains still “see the familiar hues we expect”. To me that made perfect sense and helped me to make this week’s selection. So for example, did you think about a bright yellow or orange beak as you looked at my opening image above? Do you not envision the brilliant blues and greens of the proud peacock that follows?
Proud Peacock
“Colour is everything, black and white is more.” Dominic Rouse
One of my favorite images from our visit to the Middle East was a lovely church in Jerusalem. The light through the colorful stained glass was glorious. Can you visualize it in the B&W image below?
Glorious Glass
“Black and white are the colours of photography.”
Robert Frank
Egidio shared an interesting image that included an American flag, for which our brains definitely imagine the red, white and blue. I too had a flag image that I thought also fit the theme.In this case not only the flags but also the stoplights can be visualized in full color.
Flags Galore, NYC
“To see in color is a delight for the eye but to see in black and white is a delight for the soul.”
Andri Cauldwell
I captured the image that follows because I was drawn to the wonderful colors of the various threads. I think the image loses something in the translation to B&W but I can still see the colors in my mind’s eye when I look at it. Can you?
Spindle
“I like shadow, that’s why I became a black and white photographer.”
Hiroshi Sugimoto
I’ll close with an image that I suspect will be immediately identifiable, in a wealth of color options, to most everyone out there. Do you see red? Green? Silver? It doesn’t matter a bit, we can most all see it in any of those colors, can’t we?!
Off-Season
“I believe that the essence of photography is black and white. Color is but a deviance.”
Sarah Moon
That will do it for me this week. My thanks to Egidio for pushing me to step outside of my comfort zone. Be sure to visit his beautiful post here, and to use the Lens-Artists Tag in your response to help us find you. Thanks also to Anne who led us last week with her invitation to relax. After viewing all of the responses I found myself with feet up enjoying a lovely few moments of relaxation. Next week it’s my turn to lead the challenge so I hope to see you right here on Travels and Trifles. Until then as always please stay safe, be kind and enjoy the adventure.
To learn more about the Lens-Artists Challenge, click here.
“Instead of concentrate and focus, relax and notice.”
Don Gian
This week Anne takes us all the way back to July of 2018 – so far back in fact that we hadn’t yet started numbering our challenges🙃. These days relaxation seems a bit more challenging but I suppose that’s just the way the passage of time works. I’ve chosen to open my post with some of my favorite examples of animal relaxation. Somehow our 4-legged friends seem to have mastered the art a bit more effectively than their human counterparts.We, on the other hand, may not be quite as skilled at the art, but do tend to find our own ways to escape the stresses of everyday challenges. I’ve illustrated a few of them throughout today’s post.
Focused on Fishing
“Once you stop worrying that is when the magic really happens.”
Jack Freestone
One of my own favorite ways to relax is with a good book. I rarely read during the day but find it a perfect way to wind down before turning out the lights for the night’s sleep. The image below features a man reading the day’s news – which these days may not be quite as relaxing as it once was.
Relaxing With The Day’s News
“No need to hurry; we are here to feel the wonders of life.”
David Omari
Here on Kiawah, golf is a very common opportunity for relaxation. Personally I’ll admit the concept of taking it easy while golfing still eludes me. Somehow the golfer in the image that follows seems not to care that there is a gator a few feet away (not at all uncommon here). Clearly he is a local resident who knows that if we don’t bother them, they don’t bother us. That said, we definitely give them the right-of-way when they choose to move!
Golfer and Gator
“Fools chase. The wise relax.”
Maxime Legace
One of the funniest things we’ve seen in our travels was in China. There, hundreds of people (most I’m assuming were tourists – just sayin’) floated along the river on rafts shaded by colorful umbrellas. Although we chose not to indulge, I did find it interesting, probably quite relaxing, and definitely photo-worthy!
River Rafting in China
“Breathe in relaxation. Breathe out stress.”
Gary Mack
I’ll close today’s post with one of my own favorite ways to relax – a leisurely bike ride around Kiawah. Because relaxation is not one of my strengths, more typically I’m biking for exercise and include a stop or two at a nearby observation tower to climb the 30+ steps to the top. Hey – we have to recognize our own strengths and weaknesses, right?!?!
Biking at the Beach with the Birds
“Nature gives me absolutely a lot of energy on a daily basis but also for special occasions it gives you calmness.”
Noel Brick
My thanks to Anne for the opportunity to at least THINK about relaxation even if I’m not very good at it LOL. Watch for and respond to her post and remember to use the Lens-Artists Tag in your response. Thanks also to Ann-Christine and all of last week’s respondents to her “Your Journey” challenge. It was fun seeing the wide variety of responses covering so many amazing places. Finally, we hope you’ll join us next week when Egidio leads us once again. Until then as always please be kind, stay safe and enjoy the adventure.
To learn more about the Lens-Artists Challenge, click here.
“The continued existence of wildlife and wilderness is important to the quality of life of humans.”
Jim Fowler
This week, sharing her beautiful images of her recent visit to Africa, Ann-Christine has invited us to share one of our own favorite journeys. I considered several favorites but I could not allow myself to share any other favorites before our own adventure in Africa. I’ve included images from our visit in previous posts, so this week I’ve decided to focus only on juvenile animals. I‘ve opened with the giraffe image above because it brings me a smile every time I look at it!
The images that follow are just two of dozens of elephant images I captured during our visits to Botswana and South Africa. On the left, very early in our adventure our guide took us at twilight to a large family of elephants crossing a river – a truly magical sight. On the right I’ve included an example of one of the many young elephants still in the care of a parent.
Elephants Young and Old
“If you can reach out and touch and love and be with wildlife, you will forever be changed.”
Terri Irwin
I loved the Terri Irwin quote above and agree wholeheartedly with her. I could speak or write about it all day but honestly, there is nothing that compares with being among these amazing creatures in the natural habitat. There were some of which I’d never heard, including the mother and nursing eland below.
Eland Mother and Calf
“I want my children and my grandchildren to live in a world with clean air, pure drinking water, and an abundance of wildlife.”
Bindi Irwin
There are varying degrees of what we humans might think of as beautiful, but no doubt the cape buffalos that follow and the hippos below them might disagree with our evaluations 😉. That said I would not want to be in an argument with either species!
Cape Buffalo Herd with Calves
“To those who have always wondered how they might best serve the wider world, wildlife conservation is, at its core, one of the purest forms of giving.”
Thomas Kaplan
Hippo Pod
“The wildlife and its habitat cannot speak, so we must and we will.”
Theodore Roosevelt
One of my frustrations with visiting Africa is that there are simply not enough hours in the day to observe the abundance of majestic creatures. Those who have been know that the wildlife “drives” begin before dawn – and those who know ME know that I do not get up for a pre-dawn departure EVER,. To be asked to do so every day for several weeks I would have thought beyond my ability to function. But there I was, happy to do so for the sheer joy of seeing these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat. Some were more plentiful and easily observed, such as the amazing elephants included earlier, and the beautiful zebras that follow.
Zebra and Foal
“Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.”
Albert Einstein
I’m including the image that follows although I’m honestly not sure specifically what it is. I’ve shown it because it was such a common sight in Africa to have birds hitching a ride with the larger animals. Apparently they serve a purpose going after the small insects that bother the animals. We saw them on nearly every species at one point or another.
Hitchin’ A Ride
“Some people talk to animals. Not many listen though. That’s the problem. “
A.A. Milne
I’ll close with two of my favorite sightings, those of young lion cub and of two leopard kits. It was rare to capture the lion cub alone, as they seemed to travel in groups but this one was sitting a bit further from his pack. We were also fortunate to see several beautiful cheetahs but sadly no youngstersso I’ve not included them.
Lion Cub
“”Brave cubs become fierce lions.”
Matshona Dhliwayo
Adorable Leopard Cubs
“An animal’s eyes have the power to speak a great language.”
Martin Buber
I will admit to having spent an inordinate amount of time going through my Africa images to put together today’s post. To be honest I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting the wonders we saw there. Once one has see these beautiful creatures in the wild one is changed forever – at least it is that way for me. I was happy to see Ann-Christine’s topic for the week and of course loved her post, also about an African adventure. Be sure to visit it here and when ready, to link your responding post to hers. We offer our thanks to John and to all those who responded to last week’s shadowed challenge. Finally we invite you to join us next week when Anne will lead us once again on her Slow Shutter Speed site. Until then as always please stay safe, be kind and enjoy the adventure.
To learn more about the Lens-Artists Challenge, click here.
“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science.”
Albert Einstein
This week John takes the Lens-Artists helm and invites us to illustrate the Mysterious. I’ve opened with an image many of you will have seen in my previous posts. I’m repeating it because it is one of my all-time favorites, and I believe it fits his challenge perfectly. The man was walking under the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. I have no idea why I was looking there but sometimes the photography gods offer us an irresistible opportunity and for me this was one of them!
Yet another opportunity appeared with a subject that is obvious despite the inability to see any of its detail. The complete shadowing of the structure against the blue sky created a mystery that I hope the image conveys.
Pillars
“Hope is the pillar that holds up the world.”
Pliny the Elder
The beautiful and somewhat spooky (IMHO) cat in the image below was one of several hanging around the Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires. Famous for containing the grave of Eva Peron and several other notables, Recoleta has been featured on both BBC and CNN. During our visit we noticed several cats but this one was themost striking of all.Do you suppose the theory that black cats represent bad luck has any truth to it at all?!
Obviously!
“A philosopher is a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn’t there.”
H.L. Mencken
Without the bars on the window and the palm tree shadows in the image below, there would be no story one might conjecture. As it is, the scene takes on a bit of a personality – perhaps a jail, or an asylum lies behind the wall. In fact the image is a portion of the city walls of Acra which date to the Ottoman Empire of the 18th Century. Prior to its being rebuilt, the city dates back to the early Bronze Age. According to Wikipedia, it is among the oldest continually inhabited settlements on earth.
Faraway Palms
“In photography there are no shadows that cannot be illuminated.”
August Sander
Seen below, although they lose something in a translation from color to B&W, one can still sense the power and majesty of the rock walls of Petra, Jordan. Rather than focus on color, the image focuses on perspective by including a single visitor within the walls. Its starkness helps to explain the incredible impact of arriving at the end of the path and being faced with the amazing Treasury building, built into the rock by the Nabataeans in the 1st Century. The city itself was built in the 4th Century BC.For a look at the amazing sight that awaits one at the end of the tunnel, visit my color image here.
Moving Toward the Light
“Where light and shadow fall on your subject – that is the essence of expression and art through photography.”
Scott Bourne
Yet another ancient wonder can be found among the amazing sites of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. A UNESCO World Heritage site, it is often called the 8th wonder of the world. Below I’ve featured one of many statues leading into the complex. Interestingly, the temple itself is featured on the Cambodian flag.
Angkor Wat
“…compose the image as I do with paintings…the shadows and light say what I want them to say.”
Florence Henri
I’ll end my post with a sad image of a window that speaks directly to life in the shadows. It comes from a visit many years ago to the Traverse City State Hospital os Michigan. According to Google it was widely considered one of the state’s most haunted locations. Built in 1881 and closed in 1989, the site has since been redesigned and reopened as part of the Village at Grand Traverse Commons. My visit preceded the redevelopment project. It is worth noting that the hospital was regarded as an early adopter of kindness and the beauty of nature as an approach to patient treatment.
Asylum Window
“I like shadows, that’s why I became a black and white photographer.”
Hiroshi Sugimoto
My thanks to John for this week’s opportunity to explore the shadows that surround us. Be sure to visit his original post here and to use the Lens-Artists Tag to help us find you. Thanks also to Patti and to all of those who responded to last week’s Juxtaposition post. It was a week filled with new and interesting approaches to the subject. Finally, we hope you’ll join us next week when Ann-Christine leads us once again on her Leya post. Until then as always please stay safe, be kind and enjoy the adventure.
To learn more about the Lens-Artists Challenge, click here.
“The presence of a single bird can change everything for one who appreciates them.”
Julie Zickefoose
This week Patti leads us with an exploration of juxtapositioning. As shown in her beautiful post, there are many ways to illustrate the concept. I’ve opened with two different species of birds at a nearby pond here on Kiawah, juxtaposing the tall vs small. In the image below I’ve illustrated the same concept juxtaposing a father and son as they walk toward the ocean.
Thoughtful
“From his own father, he said, he first learned that Fatherhood must be at the core of the universe. “
C.S. Lewis
I was drawn to the example that follows by the stark difference between the two sides of the image.To be honest, I remember making the capture during our visit to China but do not remember much about it. I only remember I was drawn to the lack of color and thought it merited a photograph. Sometimes an image just demands to be made.
Black and White
“The most colorful thing in the world is black and white.”
Vikrmn
One of my favorite things about Kiawah (as those who follow me know) is the incredible wildlife, especially the birds. Often times they come by the hundreds to an area at the far eastern end of the island. There, between the famous Ocean Course and the most recent area of development, is a vast grassy marsh which is a particular favorite of our avian friends. The pair that follows drew me to their obvious disregard of the difference in their colors.
Ebony and Ivory
“Ebony and ivory live together in perfect harmony.”
Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
Speaking of birds, I captured this image just yesterday as I joined friends for a round of golf. It was a pretty miserable and chilly day but despite some fairly terrible golf (mine!), the clouds seemed to bring Kiawah’s natural inhabitants out of hiding. Let me just say my score reflects how much attention I paid to nature vs golf😉.
On Alert
I’m including an image from a beach walk some time ago which I think fits Patti’s subject so well I couldn’t NOT include it! It may not be my finest work but it does tell a story 😉.
Confrontation
“Confrontation can serve as a catalyst for necessary change.”
Dr. Lucas A. Shullua
I’ll close today with two images from our visits to NYC. First, I’ve always loved the thin red Corbin Building which was the tallest of buildings built just before the evolution to today’s skyscrapers. To me it is one of the few remaining examples of bygone days in the heart of lower Manhattan.
Old vs New in NYC
“There is magic in the old and magic in the new; the trick is to successfully combine the two.”
A.D. Posey
Second, also in lower Manhattan, an interesting and misleading juxtaposition which completely misrepresents the size and prominence of two important buildings. On the left, the 1,776 foot tall World Trade Center is the tallest building in the U.S. On the right, the US Post Office building at 90 Church Street is a mere 225 feet tall. I suspect most everyone understands the importance of the WTC, built following the destruction of the two original buildings. On the other hand, this US Post Office building is famous in its own right. It is one of the largest federal buildings built during the Great Depression and is listed on the US National Register of Historic Places. Directly across the street from the World Trade Center, it was badly damaged during the 9-11 attack .It has since been fully-restored and is once again an active USPS facility.
WTC and USPS, NYC
“It is a narrow mind which cannot look at a subject from various points of view.”
George Eliot
That will do it for me this week. It’s been an interesting exercise, pushing me to think further outside the box than is my norm. We thank Patti for leading us this week and look forward to seeing what you come up with. Be sure to visit her beautiful post here, and to link to it with your response. Thanks also to Ritva for last week’s Unusual Crop challenge and to all those who responded with such wonderful creativity. Finally, we hope you’ll join us next week when John leads us one again on his Journeys with Johnbo site. Until then as always please be kind, stay safe and enjoy the adventure.
Looking to learn more about the Lens-Artists Challenge? Click here.
“What photographers leave out is just as important as what they leave in.”
John Rosenthal
I will admit that Ritva’s challenge this week has thrown me for a bit of a loop. I am not one to focus on cropping for effect, which having seen her post can be a very effective technique! That said I’ve given it a shot. I’ve opened with an edited image of a magnolia that had seen better days. I cropped the image to eliminate all of the surrounding greenery and then blacked out any that remained. I think the result gives the flower a bit of a sad look, standing alone as it loses its beautiful luster. On the other hand, the image that follows is an abstract that features some wonderful colors. I created it in photoshop as I was working on a different post. It did not work for the original post but I think fits Ritva’s challenge this week.I rather like that it was created by playing with Photoshop tools.
Playing with Colors
“At times, it’s almost as if the color itself is the subject.”
Alex Webb
Next up, an image from our visit to Wadi Rum in Jordan. In my thoughts, Wadi Rum stands alone in its otherworldlyness with its beautiful soft red sand, its dunes and yes, with the colorful keffiyeh worn by its guides. Oh, and lest we forget, my first-ever experience with camels! Strange animals, they are not particularly friendly, are known to spit on what or whomever annoys them and I suspect respond to their handlers only because it’s the easiest way to food! The good news is they are very slow moving if not standing still making them a relatively easy animal to photograph. Here then, a camel presented in an unusual crop.
Otherworldly Camel
“A camel makes an elephant feel like a jet plane.”
Jackie Kennedy
I’ll close today’s post with a favorite image – a reflection of overhead leaves atop a local pond here on Kiawah. I like to think that unless one is told what it is, it could be most anything. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it 😉.
Reflection
“The way we experience the world around us is a direct reflection of the world within us.”
Gabrielle Bernstein
That will do it for me this week. I’ll admit this one was a difficult climb for me, partly because I’m not really drawn to this particular approach, but to see what a powerful concept it is, be sure to visit Ritva’s original here. Our thanks to Beth for last week’s “What Astonishes You”. It was great fun seeing the wide variety of responses, all astonishing indeed. Finally, we hope you’ll join us next week when Patti will lead us once again on her Pilotfish post. Until then as always please stay safe, be kind and enjoy the adventure.
Looking to learn more about the Lens-Artists Challenge? Click here.
“The photographer is like the cod, which lays a million eggs in order that one may be hatched.”
George Bernard Shaw
It seems to me that the incredible advances in technology these past 15 years have given us more photographic capability than ever before. Cameras are far better, (and don’t get me started on phones!) as is editing software – and more and more on-line training videos and classes are readily available. With that in mind, I’m responding to Beth’s Lens-Artists challenge this week by considering some astonishing improvements these past 15 years in creating images. I’ve opened with a gorgeous young lion in Botswana. We visited Botswana and South Africa in 2006. I traveled with a Nikon D50 (with a whopping 6.5 megapixels) along with a Nikon 70-200 lens which became an iconic classic. I also had a Nikon 18-200mm zoom, a 1.4x teleconverter and several memory cards. I edited my images after arriving back home using Picasa – Lightroom was not available until 2007 and in those days Photoshop was fairly rudimentary and not at all user friendly.
In September of 2007 we visited Prague, Vienna, Budapest and Dubrovnik, as well much of the surrounding countryside. By then I’d upgraded to a Nikon D/80. The image that follows, made with the 18-200 lens, emphasizes the differences between the two trips 😊.While I’ve loved all of my Nikon gear over the years, I was never a fan of the D/80 and upgraded it fairly quickly.
European Glamour, Prague
“Photography apparently figures time itself as a progressive linear movement from past to future.”
Geoffrey Batchen
Our next adventure was an exploration of Alaska. From a photography perspective, I was using both the D/50 and the D/80 with the same two lenses. To me the 70-200 lens was the biggest influence on image quality. That said, one evening my husband and I went out with a small group on an inflatable raft because a huge whale had been spotted near our ship. Thinking I’d need reach, I took only the long lens. Sadly all of my images were terrible because the whale literally was so close it nearly capsized our raft.
Alaska, Land of the Midnight Sun
““Photographs help us to fortify our memory and reconstruct the narrative of our personal adventures.”
John Rosenthal
In 2010 we visited Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. For me the highlight of the trip was a visit to the temples of Angkor. I still laugh at myself for how hard I worked to get a reasonable image of an orange-robed monk! My Nikon equipment was holding up nicely so I’d made no changes although I did use my tripod more often since many of our opportunities were stationery.
Pretty in White, Angkor Wat
“Never forget that all the great photographs in history were made with more primitive camera equipment than you currently own.”
Brooks Jensen
Our next adventure took us to South America – so very different from anywhere we’d been previously. We visited both Argentina and Chile and enjoyed the incredibly diverse areas of both countries. By now I’d graduated to my final Nikon, the D300S. I absolutely loved that camera! It performed beautifully no matter the environment, including freezing temps shooting sunrisein Patagonia. Once again the tripod was imperative.
Glorious Patagonia
“The mountain is magnificent and has power . . .”
Ralph Steiner
The next year’s adventure took us once again on a cosmopolitan journey. We spent a week in Mallorca for a family wedding and then continued on to explore Provence, France. My husband especially enjoyed our time in the wonderful vineyards, while I took the opportunity to brush the rust off of my French and to enjoy the laid back beauty of the lovely countryside.I made no changes to my equipment for this one.
Sunset – Gordes, France
“France is beautiful.”
Leisa Rayven
The summer after our visit to France we explored the incredible national parks of the U.S. West. We very much enjoyed treasures like the spectacular giant redwoods of California, Crater Lake in Oregon, Glacier National Park in Montana, and both Zion and Bryce in Utah. As for my photography journey, I experienced one of my most serious complaints in photography. I was happy user of Apple’s Aperture image processing software. Then one day, BAM, they completely discontinued the product. The good news is it forced me to move to Adobe’s Lightroom and to once again embrace Photoshop – thereby making lemonade out of lemons.
California’s Giant Redwoods with My 6’2″ Husband
“The redwoods are like no other trees….giants of beauty, beautiful spirits themselves reaching for the sky.”
Bodhi Smith
Our next adventure was a month-long exploration of China. It was the last time I used my Nikon equipment – it had simply become too heavy for me to hand-hold. After returning home I moved to a much lighter Fuji X-T2, for which I added two lenses – an F/2.8 18-55 mm and an F/3.5-4.8 55-200 mm.Below I’ve featured a favorite impromptu moment. One evening we happened upon a lovely pagoda with an orchestra in red robes playing beautiful music. I expect that one day the scenes I’ve photographed are the ones I’ll best remember.
Chinese Pagoda with Musicians
“You can’t make a great musician or a great photographer if the magic isn’t there.”
Eve Arnold
Last but never least, our most recent international journey was to Israel and Jordan. For that adventure my Fuji gear was perfect. Since then however, I’ve been seriously enjoying the much-improved iPhone product line. My 16 Pro Max has come a VERY long way from my long-ago first iPhone, a 3G. I’m convinced that the majority of images I capture here on Kiawah are just fine with the phone but when I go out specifically for a photo outing I still take my Fuji due to the reach of my longer lenses.
The Treasury, Petra, Jordan
“It seems positively unnatural to travel without taking a camera along.”
Susan Sontag
For those still with me after my unusually long post, thanks so much! Please be sure to visit Beth’s original post here, and to use the Lens-Artists Tag to help us find you. Sincere thanks to all who responded to my Shapes and Designs challenge. It’s amazing what we find when we stop to look at the beauty that surrounds us. Finally, we hope you’ll join us next week when Ritva leads us once again. Until then as always please stay safe, be kind and enjoy the adventure.
To learn more about the Lens-Artists Challenge, click here.
“I believe in the photographer’s magic — the ability to stir the soul with light and shape and colour. “
Amyn Nasser
This week we look back to 2021 when our Lens-Artists Challenge #174 focused on Shapes and Designs. The subject opens up a world of possibilities, such that building a response is more about eliminating possibilities than finding them. I thought it only appropriate to open with two of Mother Nature’s most distinctive shapes, both also showing off their lovely colors. The flower that follows, while not created by Mother Nature, shares her respect for both shape and design.
Dale Chihuly Floral Art
“Painting pictures in my mind. Shades of light. Shapes and textures.”
Steve Coleman
One of my favorite examples of distinctive shapes is often seen here on Kiawah. It would be difficult NOT to recognize the lovely sea stars that often wash up on our shores. Here they most often have 5 legs and are rarely larger than those I’ve featured in my image below.These had been washed ashore after a storm and were clustered exactly as I’ve shown them, albeit with a bit of an artistic effect.
Sea Stars As Art
“Design is more than just a few tricks to the eye. It’s a few tricks to the brain.”
Neville Brody
I find it interesting that design can be either delightful or totally unappealing, depending less on the subject than the observer. One of my favorite examples is the Denver International Airport. Designed by lead architect Curtis Fentress it is said to have been inspired by the surrounding Rocky Mountains, and has garnered the firm international recognition. I find it a wonderful ode to the majesty of the mountains that surround it.This image was captured as we approached the airport from our flight above.
Denver International Airport
“There are three responses to a piece of design — yes, no and WOW! Wow is the one to aim for.”
Milton Glaser
One of the interesting developments since Edison developed the first lightbulb for home use is the application of shape and design in lighting. I’ve chosen a few favorite examples in that arena below.
Shapes and Design in Lighting
“Designers actually can change the world for the better by making the complicated simple and finding beauty in truth.”
Michael Beirut
I’ll close today’s post with a trio of designs, each of which was found on a house of worship. From left to right they include a segment of The Dome of the Rock in old city Jerusalem, one of several mosaics from a small church near Ghent, NY, and a creative window design from yet another Christian church, this one in Nazareth.
Houses of Worship
“Design is in everything we make…It’s a mix of craft, science, storytelling, propaganda, and philosophy.”
Erik Edigard
That will do it for me this week, we look forward to seeing your responses. Remember to link to my post and to use the Lens-Artists Tag to help us find you. Our sincere thanks to those who joined us last week in response to Egidio’s “Rejected” challenge. Kudos to those willing to share their beautiful rescues of images that may have delivered less than originally planned. Finally, we hope to see you next week when Beth will lead us once again on her Wandering Dawgs site. Until then as always please stay safe, be kind and enjoy the adventure.
To learn more about the Lens-Artists Challenge, click here.
“Every editor has their own approach…You find your own way there.”
Chris Boot
This week Egidio has asked us to share some of our faux pas vs our edited image versions to show the differences. I’ve known photographers who believe editing is “cheating”. Personally I think of it as important a skill as the actual act of photographing a subject or scene. My opening image is a good example of the impact of editing – which was imperative due to the everyday smog and cloud cover that typically affects China’s Great Wall. My original image follows.
Great Wall Before Edits
As shown in the original, no matter how skilled the photographer might be, the dense air created an impossible situation. Seeing the structures up close one could tell what the wall SHOULD look like, which I tried to portray in the opening edited version.A similar issue was addressed in the next set of images, again from China. This time it was the incredible rice fields of Longsheng.
Rice Fields of Longsheng, China
“In my view, editing is as important as the actual photographing”
Jonas Bendiksen
The original image below illustrates the thickness of the air. It was difficult to even see the person in the distance, much less capture an image that portrayed the depth of the forest in the distance.
Rice Fields of Longsheng Before Edits
There are times during our travels that a popular place is filled with other tourists which we may want to eliminate from an image. Such was the case while we visited Shanghai. Interestingly while there we met another WP blogger and her husband which was great fun. She sent me an image of the same scene the following week and the air was so thick you literally could not see the buildings. Timing, as always, is everything.
Shanghai, Seeing the Future
“Photography is a system of visual editing.”
John Szarkowski
Here’s the same scene before editing.I chose to keep the photographer for a sense of scale and because it leads me to wonder what his lens was focused on!
Shanghai Before Edits
Leaving China, the next image actually ended up being several different images but for today I’ll include only my favorite which captures a marvelous bit of wall art in Buenos Aires.
Colorful Wall Art, Buenos Aires
“Photography is editing, editing after the taking.”
Walker Evans
I also played with some images of the fellow to the right of the wall art, who was very much involved in “minding the store”but I’ll leave that for another day.
Wall Art with Guard
Finally, I’ve included an image from a few years back that was shared in a previous post. The little girl is my great-niece and I captured this while we were on a family vacation at the beach. I chose to make several versions of the image. The left includes a solid background, while the right resulted from using AI to create a window beside the subject.
My Great-niece After Editing
“A good eye can edit before the shutter opens.”
Craig Coverdale
Here’s the original image which IMHO definitely needed some workbut had the makings of a “keeper”. As you can see, she was not especially happy with the interruption of her game.😊
Great-niece Before Edits
This week I’d like to add my thanks to the WordPress team for featuring my Post #379 as a “Freshly Pressed” selection. You can see ithere. My thanks also to Egidio who pushed us to show some of the work that goes into creating an image we’re willing to share. Be sure to visit his original here, and to use the Lens-Artist Tag in your response to help us find you. Our thanks to those who responded to last week’s B&W / Minimalism challenge. It was an amazing display of the power of simplicity when done well. Finally, we hope you’ll join us next week when I’ll be leading the challenge here on Travels and Trifles. In the meanwhile as always please stay safe, be kind and enjoy the adventure.
To learn more about the Lens-Artists Challenge, click here.
Travels and Trifles 
