Side of Shed

Our neighbors have a shed with these old fashioned metal objects hanging on it. I couldn't resist taking this pic a couple of months ago and then converting it to sepia to give it an even more old fashioned look.



I'm submitting it for Unique Exposure's "Sepia" photo challenge.

F is for ...

... frost on a window.


No, it's not cold enough here yet for frost on the windows. I took this picture last winter. The frost patterns were so pretty!

After taking the picture, I darkened the picture and bumped up the contrast so the patterns stood out even more.

Head on over to Unique Exposure to find other things that start with F.

Red Tulips in a Row

Yes, fall has just begun, but Unique Exposure's photo challenge for the week is "Red," and this picture fits perfectly.



I took this shot this past spring when my tulips were blooming. I loved how these three blooms were lined up stairstep in a row.

Chugga Chugga Whoo Whoo!

When we went to Glacier this summer, we stayed at the Izaak Walton Inn, a hotel which also has a working train yard on site. The locomotives at this station help get the trains over the mountain pass. I took this picture from the walking bridge spanning the tracks on our first evening there.



This photo is my submission for Thematic Photographic's "Transportation" theme, Unique Exposure's "Travel" photo challenge, and the Thursday Challenge's "Technology" theme. Be sure to check out each site to see more interpretations of these themes!

The "Arches" in "Architecture"

Both Simplicity and Unique Exposure have black and white photo challenges this week. The second picture in this post is my submission for both challenges.

Last summer Hubby treated me to a night out to dinner downtown in the big city for our anniversary. I took my camera along and had to take a picture of a classy building with arches that we passed. Although the structure was beautiful, I was never really happy with the way the photo turned out. It just seemed blah, like it lacked something.




When I saw Unique Exposure's challenge for the week focused on architecture in black and white, I thought of this picture, thinking that it might just turn out nicely with the white arches contrasting against the dark windows.

After converting the image to black and white and bumping up the contrast a little, I love how it turned out! I think this tweaking was just what the photo needed. I think it gives the picture a vintage look and lets the pretty architecture stand out. When I look at it, I can visualize people from the 20's and 30's walking along the street in front of it and visiting in it's rooms. Why those decades? I don't know, but it's what comes to mind for me.




What do you think of this photo in black and white vs. the one in color?

D is for ...

... dolls.
My doll of a niece with her own doll


Be sure to visit Unique Exposure to discover what else D is for.

Racehorse

Hubby's parents and grandparents live in a town where there is a horse track. A couple of years ago we happened to be there during racing season. One morning Hubby, his dad, the kids, and I went down to the track to watch the horses train. I snapped this pic as one of the horses galloped by.

I know it's not the best pic, and I can't crop it any more or it will be even grainier (I took it with a digital point & shoot.), but I think it's pretty neat how I captured the horse with all 4 hooves in the air.



"Horses" is the theme over at Unique Exposure. Head on over there to see more of these beautiful animals.

Blue

This picture I took last year of our flax flowers fit in perfectly with Unique Exposure's "Blue" theme for the week. (Click the link to see more images highlighting blue.)

Mountain Valley

Unique Exposure's theme this week is "Vertical Landscape."

And, guess what?! I just happen to have a pic I took in Glacier that fits the bill! :)



I really like the bowl shape formed by the glaciers with the stream running through the center.

Be sure to go to Unique Exposure to view more vertical landscapes.

C is for ...

... cascading water.

I took these pictures while on one of our hikes near our hotel. Both of them are of the same waterfall. The first was taken with a faster shutter speed, the second with a slower shutter speed. Which do you like better?





I'm partial to the second one where the water has a silky look to it.

Go to Unique Exposure to find out what else C can be for.

Budding Lilac Branch

Check out Unique Exposure to see more images submitted for this week's "Branch" photo challenge.

Unique Exposure: B is for ...

... bubble!


Visit Unique Exposure to find out what else "B is for ..."

Unique Exposure: Stopped Motion

It's summer ... time for fun in the sun with water!



Got to Unique Exposure for more awesome "Stopped Motion" shots.

A is for ...

... architecture.


A Catholic cathedral on the university campus in the big city

My submission for Unique Exposure's Photo Challenge "A is for ..."