For this week’s challenge, Tina puts us to the test! Our task is to select up to ten photos which are all-time favorites, regardless of subject or year they were taken. In addition, we are to give a reasonable explanation of why these are favorites.

Taken in 2016, this shot looking back at North Head Lighthouse on the Long Beach, WA peninsula, continues to remind me how important it is to turn around and see the subject you just visited from a different angle. It is a typical overcast day, the trees clinging to the rocky crag, shaped by strong winds, provide a thrilling sensation as our eye is drawn down the trail to the light house.

In the years since the photo above was taken, the light house has been refurbished by volunteers and the Washington State Park Services. It is open for tours of the inside from May through September. This next photo I took looking out one of the windows on the winding staircase up to the top. The light was just right, the window was clean, and I was careful to get as much of the frame as I could in the shot. Framing, perspective, and light all contribute to its being one of my favorites.

We move now from looking through a frame to viewing a vast horizon. This landscape photo was taken at Fort Columbia State Park from the edge of an east facing cliff with flowering cherry trees in the foreground, the wide expanse of the Columbia River Bar stretching toward the Astoria-Megler Bridge, and in the background, the Coast Range mountains engulfed in a sky full of storm clouds.

Now for some favorite close-ups of birds. The Bald Eagle below was very involved with eating its lunch when I came in view. Clearly, it had no intention of sharing, which is one of the reasons I chose this one. Eagles are ferocious, predatory birds. This face-to-face photo captures that characteristic, and the churning surf in the background adds to the drama.

By contrast, the solo Sanderling resting on one leg in the quiet morning tide, is a favorite for its simplicity, composition and the reflection captured.

Brown Pelicans are an absolute pleasure to photograph. Of all the photos I’ve taken of them individually and in groups, this is my favorite. Why? All the movement and light! Waves sparkling as they push toward the shore, the various positions of four pelicans and one gull resting in the surf give us a sense of their character. Add to that the pelican just lifting up and about to fly away, its wing feathers flared out above the foaming rollers.

Two people strolling along the beach in Autumn with the foggy forest on North Head in the background, and flocks of shorebirds swooping through the air around them is another favorite. Perhaps a sentimental favorite, yet it has good leading lines and movement.

Speaking of leading lines, here is the winner in that category. It was an extremely low tide, and each step of the lowering tide left a muddy froth line in the sand. A bank of clouds on both the east and west horizons helps draw us to the disappearing point.

I’ll close with a Long Beach sunset taken from the deck of my condo. There are many beautiful sunsets in my archives, and I selected this one because the clouds create soft leading lines, the colors are magnificent, and there’s one little light from a fishing vessel out on the water.

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

A big thank you to Tina for calling upon us to scrutinize our work and make difficult decisions. I also want to thank my hubby, who went through all the photos I was considering and gave me helpful and welcome feedback!

Lens-Artists Challenge #268 – Tell Us Why