~ Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #291: Cityscapes ~

Posted on March 22, 2024 by Lindy Le Coq

For this week’s LAPC, Patti invites us to showcase cities; “large and small, near and far.” The last time this kind of challenge was offered I presented photos of the tiny historic town of Oysterville, Washington on the Long Beach Peninsula. For a change of pace, I’m featuring photos I took on my first visit to St. Louis, MO last October. There are only a few photos that I can tell you what the site is, so instead of a history lesson, I present my photographic impressions.

On your walk with life, please honor our earth, encourage dignity and share kindness. 🐾

Thank you Patti, for pushing me out of my comfort zone to explore beauty in the city!

LAPC #291: Cityscapes
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~ Wordless Wednesday ~ Martha Jordan Birding Trail ~ Leadbetter Point State Park ~

Posted on March 20, 2024 by Lindy Le Coq

On your walk with life, please honor our earth, encourage dignity and share kindness. 🐾

Posted in Birding, nature, nature photography, outdoors, pacific northwest, pacific ocean, photography, travel, Wordless Wednesday | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

~ Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #290: Circular Wonders ~

Posted on March 14, 2024 by Lindy Le Coq

This week Leya shows us sights from her recent trip to Nice, France, with delightful images featuring circles of many varieties. She encourages us to interpret this challenge in ways that we “find most interesting.” Mushrooms, toadstools and other fungi have always fascinated me. Here are a few favorites.

Of course there are many other circular marvels to find when looking down upon our earth. Below, a milkweed seed-head, a sun-shaped jellyfish, an Alloniscus trail (woodlouse going in circles), and a small nest, perhaps Junco.

There are many man-made circular wonders to admire as well. Below, a Model A Ford, with many circles and curlicues ~1920.

Left above: from the National Blues Museum in St. Louis, three records including “Shake Rattle and Roll”, Jo Turner, 1954, “Tutti Fruiti”, Little Richard 1955,, and “Choo Choo Ch’Boogie”, Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five, 1946. Above right Chihulli Glass Balls.

The Albany Carousel Museum, in addition to having a working carousel, has a nice display of antique carousel animals. Above is an antique child’s toy carousel.

“And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We’re captive on the carousel of time
We can’t return we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game” Joni Mitchell ~ Circle Game

On your walk with life, please honor our earth, encourage dignity and share kindness. 🐾

A big thank you to Leya for another wide-open (at least in the middle!) subject this week.

Lens-Artists Challenge #290 – Circular Wonders
Posted in antiques, Art, Automobiles, Lens-Artists, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, mycology/mushrooms/fungi, nature, nature photography, outdoors, pacific northwest, photography, travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

~ Wordless Wednesday ~ Beach Pleasures ~

Posted on March 13, 2024 by Lindy Le Coq

On your walk with life, please honor our earth, encourage dignity and share kindness. 🐾

Posted in Beagles, nature, nature photography, outdoors, pacific northwest, pacific ocean, photography, Report from the Edge of a Continent, travel, Wordless Wednesday | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

~ Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #289: Shape, Form, Texture and Light ~

Posted on March 8, 2024 by Lindy Le Coq

This week John (Journeys with Johnbo) invites us to focus on some photography basics: Shape, Form, Texture, and Light. Below is a favorite shot of shapes. Although the Astoria-Megler Bridge is a three dimensional structure, the pattern of the steel grid-work is all about geometrical forms. It is the longest continuous truss bridge in North America.

Below, are three examples of life forms in their element: Western Swallowtail Butterfly, Camelia blossom, and Mature Bald Eagle in flight.

There are times I take a picture and wonder if I will be the only person who finds it interesting! Generally these are photos of bits of nature that call out to me visually with their texture and the mood that it creates. Below a piece of drifted wood on the beach, some gauzy mossy growth in a dry forest, and a pattern the receding ocean left in beach sand.

The final compositional tool John invites us to feature is light and shadow. Below, the sun is drifting into the west, as Cirrus clouds filter the light, and the Pacific Ocean waves reflect its glow. Distance fog shrouds North Head, and radiates white along the southern horizon

Above left, the morning mist is still suspended the the evergreen trees, as the sun touches the dew covered Rye grass. Right, a lovely Dune Rune photographed in early morning, casts a strong shadow of the grass and highlights the ethereal pattern the grass, blown by strong wind, has etched into the sand.

On your walk with life, please honor our earth, encourage dignity and share kindness. 🐾

A big thank you to John for taking us back to the basics!

Lens-Artists Challenge #289 – Tools of Photo Composition

Posted in Lens-Artists, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, nature, nature photography, outdoors, pacific northwest, pacific ocean, photography, travel, weekly photo challenge | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

~ Wordless Wednesday ~ Many Moods of our Marsh ~

Posted on March 6, 2024 by Lindy Le Coq

On your walk with life, please honor our earth, encourage dignity and share kindness. 🐾

Posted in nature, nature photography, outdoors, pacific northwest, pacific ocean, photography, Wordless Wednesday | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

~ Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #288: Window Shopping ~

Posted on February 28, 2024 by Lindy Le Coq

Welcome Ritva Sillanmäki, who enters the Lens-Artists Team with her first challenge – Window Shopping. Since most of my photography is outside, or inside looking out, I had to dig a bit deeper into my archives for this one! Fortunately for me, she gave us alternative ideas, so here goes.

In last week’s post I included a photo of the beautifully carved carousel animals at the Carousel Museum in Albany, OR. Above is the door that welcomes guests. If you look closely through the glass, you will see horses, a zebra, a giraffe and a lion waiting to be your favorite ride!

Above left, the door into the St. Louis National Blues Museum, and right a display featuring “Papa” John Creach.

Above, a very curious Song Sparrow on the screen outside my window. Was it shopping for bugs? On the right a junk/antique store that was full of curiosities.

Bait, snacks, lures, pop and advise all available – one person at a time!

November, 2007 on the Ferry from Anacortes, WA to Orcas Island. There were almost no other people on this crossing which was very unusual. Window shopping here is looking out to see all the islands of the San Juan archipelago. Would I want to have a cabin on one of these little ones, only accessible by boat? How about a vacation stay on Lopez?

We drove off the Ferry at Orcas Village, and wended our way to the west side of the Island for a stay at Beach Haven Resort.

On your walk with life, please honor our earth, encourage dignity and share kindness. 🐾

A big thank you to Ritva, for joining the Lens Artists team. It is quite a compliment to be asked, and a big commitment to present challenges and then comment to all of us out here enjoying the weekly opportunity to show our stuff!

Lens-Artists Challenge #288 – Window Shopping

Posted in Lens-Artists, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, outdoors, pacific northwest, photography, travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

~ Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #287: Sounds ~

Posted on February 23, 2024 by Lindy Le Coq

Donna of Wind Kisses challenges us to show photos that resonate sounds this week. What a challenge it was for me to winnow down all the possibilities to a few! Finally I came up with three general groups: sounds generated by the natural world, mechanical noise, and sounds of people together.

Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
White-crowned sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis

As we approach the end of winter and see glimpses of early spring in the Northern Hemisphere, native and migratory birds begin their yearly call for mates.

Among my favorite nature sounds is water. Whether it’s the roar of ocean breakers pounding ashore, a rushing river or gentle stream, or the plink plink of raindrops on ponds, water sounds are both invigorating and soothing.

Mechanical sounds are often abrasive, yet also necessary to complete tasks or get you were you want to be! My favorite of these is the boat motor powering me over Odell Lake to go fishing.

Above Los Bambinos performing for the guests at Beach Haven, Orcas Island, WA.

Above left, a line of gardeners converse as we wait for the Heritage Farm plant sale to open. Center, Portland, OR Women’s March, January 20,2017. Right a group of friends celebrate at a wedding party. Bottom, folks admire detailed craftsmanship at the Carousel Museum in Albany, OR.

I’ll close with this shot from our dog park. Max is watching me after Daisy chased a squirrel across an open grassy area and climbed right up the tree after it. She’s a Beagle who likes to hunt, and her bay could be heard throughout the park!

On your walk with life, please honor our earth, encourage dignity and share kindness. 🐾

Thank you Donna, for your creative energy and all the thought you put into your posts and comments.

Lens-Artists Challenge #287 – Sound
Posted in Beagles, Birding, birds, Lens-Artists, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, Musical Instruments, nature, nature photography, ornithology, outdoors, pacific northwest, pacific ocean, photography, travel, weekly photo challenge | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

~ Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #286: Weather ~

Posted on February 15, 2024 by Lindy Le Coq

Our host this week, Anne of Slow Shutter Speed, challenges us to illustrate “the various types of weather conditions in which we photographers find ourselves pursuing our hobby or vocation.” Thank you Anne, for another wide-open invitation. In the Pacific Northwest (PNW) there are many variations on this theme. Just about any season of the year, you might see clouds riding on the wind.

Clouds don’t always bring rain, though the moist environment is one of the reasons we love living here. Below a dramatic image of a rain storm approaching from the Pacific Ocean, at Long Beach, WA USA.

Whether it rains or not, there is almost always wind here at the Pacific Ocean’s edge.

Blurry windblown dune grass, and crests of incoming waves lifted and scattered in a gale.

Fog is another characteristic weather in the PNW. I love the soft natural filter those tiny wisps of water create.

Snow and ice are common winter weather in the mountains, however rare at the coast.

Blue skies! Sunshine! Wildflowers! Birds! Sunsets! Who could ask for anything more?*

*George Gershwin; I Got Rhythm

On your walk with life, please honor our earth, encourage dignity and share kindness. 🐾

Lens Artist Challenge #286: Weather
Posted in birds, Lens-Artists, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, nature, nature photography, outdoors, pacific northwest, pacific ocean, photography, travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

~ Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #285: Warm Colors ~

Posted on February 8, 2024 by Lindy Le Coq

Color has a powerful influence upon the mood in many different kinds of circumstances. For this week’s challenge Egídio, invites us to explore warm colors. Nature abounds with color and blesses us with many opportunities to rejoice in their splendor.

What’s not to love about yellow? It is energetic and cheerful, often gracing the first blossoms of spring. Yellow feels like Joy to me.

Orange is such a vibrant hue, a perfect blend of yellow and red that stimulates and delights my senses.

Red is a powerful color that draws our attention immediately. To me it radiates energy, passion and love.

Pink is soft and friendly. To my eye, it glows with kindness, comfort and contentment.

A touch of blue added to red creates the color purple – a hue that uplifts and inspires me. On the cool end of the warm spectrum, purple’s intensity is rich and luxurious.

On your walk with life, please honor our earth, encourage dignity and share kindness. 🐾

A big thank you to Egídio, for bringing warmth to those of us in the northern hemisphere still living in the midst of winter’s dreariness!

Lens-Artists Challenge #285: Warm Colors
Posted in Art, flowers, Lens-Artists, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, nature, nature photography, outdoors, pacific northwest, photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments