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Delightful Daisies by Susan K Cleveland 

Choose your own difficulty. Click the 9-patch grid to change number of pieces. Click the circle arrow to make the puzzle pieces rotating instead of stable orientation. Also, there are tips under the "?" on the upper right of the puzzle. If you'd like a full screen version, click the button below. Have fun!

Photos of the Week - Week 7

Critique Group Challenge: 

Week 7, Shadow Play

Photo by Ruth Ellen

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Ruth says:

I googled Shadows in Photography and saw a lot of images of forks and shadows. I went with a single fork for this image. I used the flashlight on my phone for the light. I removed some spots using the Spot Healing tool in PS and added 2 borders.

52-Week Photo Challenge Class
Week 7 - Black & White

Week 52 Photo Challenge:

Week 7, Black & White 

Photo by Larry Stiles

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Larry Stiles says:

Wooden ships on the water, very free and easy. Easy,you know the way it's supposed to be “Of Wind, Fog and Sail” by Diane Beestan is a book of black and white photos of sailing boats racing on San Francisco Bay, where I grew up. I have always said, and it may still be true, that if the house catches on fire the last thing I’ll grab on my way out the door would be that book. This image connected me back to that book. It sets on our coffee table in a place of honor. In my view, B&W photography relieved painting of the responsibility of conveying a graphic reality. Color photography took over that job leaving B&W to become the bridge between the two with standing in both camps. Black and White photography for me is a license to enter an image freely and leave behind the restrictions of the literal color world. Sometimes a color image will grab and hold me by the ears where a B&W will take me by the hand and lead me forward. Advancing storm clouds illuminated by the last direct sun light to be seen for a while. The Trumpeter Swans are oblivious. They’re big tough birds. Doing B&W in LRC is so much easier that with film, paper and chemicals. Different for sure.

Smart Phone Photo Challenges
Week 7 - Reflection

Smart Phone Challenge:

Week 7, Reflection

Photo by  Ellen Lindow

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Ellen says:

I went to the State Fair today and took a bunch of photos. I was hoping for a shot of the big Ferris Wheel with a reflection in the pond. I've taken shots like that before. But it was windy and cloudy (and hot and humid!). But I got some good looking shots and Linda Rowberry had just shared an app she had found called Reflect. I downloaded several photos I liked to my computer and replaced the sky in Photoshop. Then I uploaded them back to icloud and used the Reflect app, which has all sorts of wild and crazy things. I liked the lighting of this one the best, but the foreground had no water and no reflection. So I just went full-on Waterworld with this one. 

Photos of the Week - Week 6

Critique Group Challenge: 

Week 6, Rhymes With Hoot

Photo by Lois Bennett

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Lois says:

Rhymes with Hoot - How about a flute.? I learned to play the flute when I was 10 years old and have always loved flute music. I hadn't played in years, but I picked up this new flute a few years ago and all I need to do now is practice, practice, practice. :)

As I was photographing this, I held up some sheet music so that the music notes reflected in some of the flute keys. In editing, I did some standard LR edits and then added the Infrared Film filter from Nik Color Efex Pro, for this effect.

52-Week Photo Challenge Class
Week 6 - Long Depth

Week 52 Photo Challenge:

Week 6, Long Depth

Photo by Sandy Townsend

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Sandy says:

I headed for the nearby health complex for this shot, and I used my husband as a model. The complex has a lot of lines that add interest. I also thought it was cool that I could capture the circular lights on the ceiling inside. Settings were: 1/15 sec, f/22, ISO 100.

Smart Phone Photo Challenges
Week 6 - Zigzag 

Smart Phone Challenge:

Week 6, Zigzag 

Photo by Betsy Abney

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Betsy says:

 My husband's hands.

Smart Phone Challenge:

Week 6, Zigzag

Photo by Ricky Tims

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Ricky says:

The venetian blinds did the trick this week I enjoyed seeing the line the light and the shadows.

Critique Group Challenge:

Week 6, Rhymes With Hoot

Photo by Ricky Tims
from the 2021 Critique Group

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Ricky says:

I didn't have a lute, so my some of my of Native American flutes had to suffice. I tried various options - but it seemed this straight on allowed more individual exploration and none stood out more than the others.

Click on quilt for full view.

Sole Provider by Ricky Tims  

Choose your own difficulty. Click the 9-patch grid to change number of pieces. Click the circle arrow to make the puzzle pieces rotating instead of stable orientation. Also, there are tips under the "?" on the upper right of the puzzle. If you'd like a full screen version, click the button below. Have fun!

Photos of the Week - Week 5

Critique Group Challenge: 

Week 5, Wonky

Photo by Elaine Ross

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Elaine says:

I photograph this little Japanese Maple tree a lot. We recently had another good size snowstorm, so the snow is about up to the bottom branches. One thing about winter - you really can see just how wonky those branches are with their twisting and curling around. Basic LR edits and then made it B&W. 1/2500@f8; 98mm, ISO500

52-Week Photo Challenge Class
Week 5 - Wheels

Week 52 Photo Challenge:

Week 5, Wheels

Photo by Brian Shields

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Brian says:

Quite the week, as I am recovering from COVID. I managed to get out and break a non-fever related sweat moving some firewood around. That gave me the idea for this photo. My hound dog was z bit confused as I was sitting there taking the shots that led to this submission. :)

Smart Phone Photo Challenges
Week 5 - Tiny

Smart Phone Challenge:

Week 5, Tiny

Photo by R.Sheines

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Smart Phone Challenge:

Week 5, Tiny

Photo by Ricky Tims

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Ricky says:

So believe it or not there’s no real magic trick here. The pencil I purchased in December and it’s called a Texas size pencil so simply by laying that huge pencil next to my small scissors the scissors got really tiny. I blended that image on top of a white counter with a multicolored fabric in an app called Image Blender. Then I took that over into Prisma and used the Wild filter but I reduced it to almost negligible just to give a little color. Edited in Prisma app with Wild

Critique Group Challenge:

Week 5, Wonky

Photo by Ricky Tims
from the 2021 Critique Group

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Ricky says:

I first heard the word “wonky” in England when I was teaching my caveman improvisational piecing technique For Quilters. Subsequently many years later, I did an exchange for one of my wonky quilts with a potter who did wonky teapots. He used my wonky design on this wonky teapot. It doesn’t get much more wonky than this. I used my iPhone. It’s been an intense week. I just competed a two-day online quilt class. Eliciting but exhausting. Zzzz