Shutterbugs and photography-lovin’ friends, welcome to The World Through My Lens, 09.2020 & Final SPSH. I am sharing my photos for this month’s prompts for the Sunday Stills photography challenge. In my posts for both June, July and August, I also featured my first photographs for Patio Postcards’s 2020 Summer Photo Scavenger Hunt (#SPSH). This month, I am sharing my final finds for the scavenger hunt list. Thankful to my friend Deb at Deb’s World for inviting me to join the scavenger hunt fun.
THE WORLD THROUGH MY LENS WEEK 36
SUNDAY STILLS, 09.06.2020: Orange
La Equis (The X) is a bright orangey-red sculpture, the vision of Mexican sculptor Enrique Carbajal González, in Juarez, Mexico. “The giant “X” symbolizes the blood spilled from the brutal Juarez drug wars.” [source] Standing nearly 200 feet tall, it is an easily visible reminder to people in both countries of the bloodshed over drug trafficking and drug territory. But La Equis also represents another era of Mexican history, “the merging of two cultures in Mexico: the indigenous Aztecs and the Spanish.” [source]
I snapped these photos last weekend from the park where PC’s baseball game was played. Border Highway runs along the El Paso-Juarez, Mexico border, the park is on the north side of the highway and Juarez is on the south side of the highway. It is so close that it almost seems one could reach out and touch the monument from the outfield.
The photo below was taken on a recent desert run out to my favorite new destination, an old water tank on Bowen Ranch. The tank is no longer in use for its intended purpose but now serves as a big metal target for target practice. The color and the texture of the bullet holes peppering the rusted metal remind me of the universe, of planets and moons and stars. Looking into the water tank through one of the bullet holes, I felt like I was glimpsing at a far-off galaxy.
THE WORLD THROUGH MY LENS WEEK 37
SUNDAY STILLS, 09.13.2020: Inside
I used the water tank for pictures for this prompt as well. Capturing shots from the inside.
This photo could almost have been shot of a space craft with the smaller circle being a window looking out into space. Do you see it, too? Or maybe I’ve been watching too much “Away” on Netflix?
I think the blurriness of this next photo adds to its interest. It’s another view into the water tank with the little orbs of light on the far side streaming through the bullet holes.
THE WORLD THROUGH MY LENS WEEK 38
SUNDAY STILLS, 09.20.2020: Towering
This majestic pine was towering over a section of the ball park where PC played baseball last weekend.
This water reservoir towers above everything around it. I like the way the chain link in the fence framed it.
THE WORLD THROUGH MY LENS WEEK 39
SUNDAY STILLS, 09.27.2020: Water Droplets
Going to be honest here, friends. I scrambled to snap this prompt. Condensation and water droplets on our new smoothie blender. We have a smoothie every morning then I rinse the blender canister and set it to dry.
2020 SUMMER PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT (#SPSH)
I’ve also been participating in the virus edition of the 2020 Summer Photo Scavenger Hunt (#SPSH) – hosted by Patio Postcards. She describes the scavenger hunt like this: “There’s some searches for at home, close to home or away from home. I hope some encourage you to think outside of the box & some that may require an open eye to find. One rule … use photos you have taken between June 1st & September 30th of 2020, other than that, it’s meant for fun. Find some or find all, I hope everyone has fun with it.”
Sure was fun for me.
ITEMS TO FIND
The bold-faced items are the ones I was lacking going into September.
- A favorite piece of jewelry
- Something with or in a knot ✔️
- Something with the colors of your country’s flag ✔️
- A toy you play with ✔️
- Something you have more than one of ✔️
- An object in the shape of a triangle
- Something that displays a rule(s) ✔️
- A leaf longer than your hand ✔️
- Something that starts with the initial of your name (first or last) ✔️
- An object smaller than a paper clip ✔️
- Something you need to throw away – subbing in Alt C. for this one
- Something that holds your favorite beverage
- A rubber band/elastic in use ✔️
- An object with wheels ✔️
- Something inherited
- Rough texture ✔️
- Something naturally round ✔️
- An object that can go in the water ✔️
- A stone/rock/pebble with some color in it ✔️
- Something with the number 7 in it ✔️
Alt A. An animal statue
Alt B. An item heavier than your shoe
Alt C. Something with four sides ✔️
My Finds 09.2020
- #1, a favorite piece of jewelry: my engagement and wedding rings, and a tiger eye ring, all gifts from my Prince
- #2, something with or in a knot: on a recent $hopping trip to Target, Lauren and I discovered these knotted fabric headbands in a number of autumn shades. This blush color keeps popping up everywhere – in cardigans, bags, pants, scarves.
- #6, an object in the shape of a triangle: our sun sail is triangular in shape.
- #11, something you need to throw away: subbed in Alt C. for this one
- #12, something that holds your favorite beverage: don’t really have a favorite beverage. Maybe water? In which case, the pool holds about 13,000 gallons. But notice the product placement in this photo. Those little lime-a-ritas are pretty tasty.
- #15, something inherited: not sure these are actually ‘inherited’ pieces but they were given to me by my mother. Probably more hand-me-down than inherited. The bronze booties on the bookend were worn by my mom as a baby.
The tiny black boots were used in displays at the shoe store where my grandfather worked for years.
YOUR TURN
Hope you will run by to see the exciting photography of my friend Terri at Second Wind Leisure Perspectives. And the photos of Terri’s September host, Hugh Roberts.
But before you go, girls, grab your calendars, agendas and pencil in this date…11.30.2020. Know why? Because my friends Deb at Deb’s World and Jennifer at Trading Ashes for Beauty and I are hosting an autumn photo challenge, 25 Days of Gratitude.
Here are the deets:
- try to find photos for as many of the prompts as you can
- photos must be taken during October and November to be included in the challenge
- our posts will go live on November 30, Monday
- all participants are invited to link-up with us
Feel free to grab our graphic and here are the prompts.
25 days of Gratitude Prompts
P.S.
One last thing, here are the prompts for October’s Sunday Stills:
10.04 Dry
10.11 Fall Color Challenge: Ochre
10.18 Your Happy Place
10.25 Backyard Birding
Whew, have just finished watched the Presidential debate. I know the word President isn’t capitalized but I don’t understand why not! Anyway, the debate left me need a lime-a-rita!! How ’bout you?
Hugs and kisses,
I am loving those outer worldly looking shots taken of the old shot out water tank! (We too watched Away this past week).
Away on the brain!!
Your photos always amaze me! You are such a creative thinker – I have a hard time with any kind of challenge!
xo,
Kellyann
Thank you. Hope we get a great turn out for our #25daysofgratitude photo challenge in November.
Very interesting photos!
Thank you!!
You really do have a great eye for a photo, can’t wait to see what you find for the 25 Days of Gratitude challenge!
I’ve only seen ‘highlights’ from the US debate last night, oh my goodness, as an outsider, it’s quite fascinating to see how things are done over there!
Oh, my, the debate. I hate for anyone to think that is the way things are done over here because it certainly was not a complimentary look at our political system. The vice presidential debate was less volatile, thank goodness. I couldn’t have watched another boxing match.
These are all frameable shots, Leslie. You have incredible creativity, skill as well as eye for colour and detail!
Donna, thank you so much. What sweet compliments. I think a lot of my photos are just happy accidents. Need to get
better/more comfortable with my good camera but it is so bulky to drag around!!
Thanks for joining in with SPSH. You had some interesting finds. I like your knot photo.
Thank you. I truly enjoyed it, Mary-Lou. Hope you will join us for our November 25 days of gratitude photo challenge.
Really great shots of the September Sunday Stills challenges, Leslie! You showed some unique perspectives! Always glad to have you and your talented eye along for the ride!
Thank you so much. I am thankful to you and Sunday Stills for encouraging me to explore and play with photography.
Wow!!!! I love your photos! It’s difficult to choose a favorite but I am curious how did you get the one of the water tank all black? I would love to do a challenge like this at some point with my camera but lately I’ve been really having to say no to the things I want to do/try. I just want to do it all but not enough time!!!! LOL! Thanks for sharing the story of the X statue. What a good reminder to all.
bosbodaciousblog.blogspot.ca
You have such a full plate with family and work. Life will slow down in a few years and you will have lots of time to play with photography. I know you will have a great eye when you do. The photo with all the black was taken without the flash. So I put the camera lens against one of the bullet holes in the water tank and the lens picked up the light through a hole on the other side of the tank. Worked out to be kind of cool.
You always have the best blogging or photo prompts!! I loved reading through and looking at the pics. I am never good with the follow through, especially with the photo ones! Nicely done! xoxo
Thank you so much. Wish you would play along for our #25daysofgratitude photo challenge when you can. No pressure. Just when a prompt speaks to you.
You’re quite the photographer, Leslie. I especially liked the water tank photos. Thanks for sharing those with us. I hope you are enjoying your day!
Thank you, Christie. Doing these challenges helps me discover the beauty around me.
You got some great shots. Love the photos of the baby shoes and boots.
You got some of the COOLEST shots! You really have an eye and talent for photography! Have you taken classes or just taught yourself?
Thank you!! I have tried to take classes but they are always canceled or not what I expect…the last one was through a senior citizens program at our university. Many of the participants were in wheel chairs or walkers, and the teacher just showed us pretty photos using a projector and computer. Not what I was looking for.
Ok, that photo where you can see inside that bullet hole is so fascinating!! I miss taking photos just for fun! I need to do that again.
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Yes, grab your phone and just have it ready in case you see something to photograph. I remember you bought the fish eye lens for your phone and I bought one after seeing your photos. Now I need to use it!!
Those tiny black boots are precious! I love your ‘towering’ photo too! It’s beautiful! You did a wonderful job of capturing so many angles of that water tank!
I have always loved the little black boots. Wanted to believe they were my mom’s and would often think I remembered that until she would remind me they were just for display.
Wow! You have become quite the photographer! You have so many interesting perspectives.
Thank you. I think it such fun to snap pics and having my camera/phone with me makes me more aware of the beauty around me.
These are such beautiful photos – you capture the details in close ups so well. Such a shame the water tank has so many bullet holes in it though! 🙁
Hope that you are having a great weekend 🙂
Isn’t it a shame the water tank has been so abused? Thank you for the sweet compliments.
Leslie, Well done with the Sunday Stills photo challenge. I really like your pine tree shot. Look forward to seeing your Autumn photos. Have fun!
Thank you!! I am really enjoying these photo challenges. You take some spectacular photos yourself. Hope you will join our challenge for November.
I’m always fascinated by people who take photos – I’m just a happy snapper who takes an occasional family pic (or one of our cats). Loved all yours, but the ones at the end made me smile the most – little snapshots of your life – and I want to come for a swim in your pool!
Grab your bathing suit and come on…by the time you get here, I will have the pool heated nice and warm. We can lounge on the air mattresses and soak on the hot tub and chat!!
I love the images you’ve chosen this month. There’s great light and some fabulously abstract forms. I found it hard to pick a favourite, but if pressed would choose the pine trees.
Thank you, friend. When I see the prompts, I panic but then slowly ideas and images come to me!!