Patricia Sands

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WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE: REFLECTIONS

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‘Tis the season to feel stressfully slightly overloaded! Humming joyful holiday songs only works for so long  … Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel or Jingle Bells … whatever helps.  Normally I love the busy bustle of the holiday season.

However,  *cue doleful organ music*, I am lagging far behind with everything at the moment, and in my little world that can only mean one thing … edits. I am hard into them again in the hopes of getting The Promise Of Provence out into the world by February.

That’s my excuse for being over a week late with this photo challenge (from November 30) which I dearly wanted to enter. The one photo I had in mind appears to have vanished from my iPhoto library. *pausing for a slight head bang* How does that happen?

I offer these for some reflection on your part.

Bruge - Classic Reflection ~ PSandsPhotos

Bruge – Classic Reflection ~ PSandsPhotos
Venice Masks - Aspects of Reflection ~ PSandsPhotos
Venice Masks – Aspects of Reflection ~ PSandsPhotos

I photographed  a bizillion a lot of shop windows in Venice and played around quite a bit before I figured out how to eliminate the reflection. There were a few shots where I liked the way reflection added to the effect and this is one. Fascinated by the history and artistry of the masks in this magnificent town, the idea of an unknown face reflected here added to my musings. What sort of mask do many of us wear from time to time?

At the moment, I am wearing my *mask of shame* and apologize to anyone who is wondering if I have fallen off the planet. Nope … just hunkered down in the editing trenches.

I did manage to surface long enough last week to do what was needed for a promotion I arranged months ago for The Bridge Club on BookBub.com. Let me simply say right now an ENORMOUS thank you to everyone who downloaded the book. An equally huge thank you goes to all of my writing and blogging friends who supported through social media. You all ROCK!

TBC hit #33 in the Amazon Kindle Store (that’s out of one million – woohoo!) and was #1, #1 and #5 in our Amazon categories for several days. It was exciting and oh so satisfying to know that so many new readers had decided to get to know the ladies of The Bridge Club!

How does “Reflection” look to you?  Click here to check out the other entries in the weekly photo challenge.  

Happy Hanukkah 187884615675981982_0KwiTpIJ_bto everyone celebrating this special holiday.

And now back to work …

Weekly Photo Challenge: GEOMETRY

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This week’s photo challenge is guest hosted by Quintin Lake of Quintin Lake Architectural Photography. Click on the link  for more about this week’s theme and his photography tips!

Geometry: This challenge is about the shapes and rhythms that make up the geometry of our world.

Here’s my shot looking through the porches of the change huts at a beach in the beautiful town Forte Dei Marmi on the Italian Riviera. End of season! Nobody does geometric on beaches better than the Italians.

Forte Dei Marmi-PSandsPhotos

Consider this quote from Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908 – 2004), a French photographer, painter and draughtsman, generally considered to be the father of modern photojournalism.

“For me photography is to place one’s head, heart and eye along the same line of sight. It is a way of life. This attitude requires concentration, sensitivity, a discipline of mind and a sense of geometry.”

Head on over to The Daily Post at WordPress to check out more fabulous photos!

Here are a couple of my favourites this week:

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2012/11/02/weekly-photo-challenge-geometry/

http://thepetalpusher.wordpress.com/2012/11/02/weekly-photo-challenge-geometry/

http://wordsandpeace.com/2012/11/02/i-love-france-33-weekly-photo-challenge-geometry/#comment-4472  – How could I possibly not have found a blog entitled “I Love France” before this?

How do you see geometry in the world around you? Got a photo? I would love to see it!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Happy

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“A good snapshot keeps a moment from running away.”
― Eudora Welty

Eudora Welty was a well-known author of short stories and novels about the American south. She was also an avid photographer, like many writers. Often the seed of a story begins with a thought captured in a photo.

So, photo lovers, here we go again! I hope you enjoy this week’s challenge as posed on The Daily Post at WordPress.com.

“Happy. I can’t believe we haven’t done this theme before! That alone makes me happy. But there are so many things which could make you happy, so why not group them together to multiply the happiness?”

With the absolutely essential guidance of my friend, fellow author and Indisputable Goddess of Computer Techie Stuff, Carrie Spencer, I learned how to apply the new WordPress photo gallery options and make a photo mosaic. Just click on a photo if you want to enlarge it. Trust me, these are just a few … well, okay, nine … things that make me happy, in no particular order. I could have filled several pages!

After you check out mine, leave a comment and let us know a few things that you would put in your photo mosaic. If you are feeling in the mood for sharing even more bliss, click on this link to see some great photos of what makes other people happy.

Weekly Photo Challenge: MINE

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I wondered how long I could resist this! I’ve been enjoying everyone else’s contributions in this photo challenge group so much, my resolve has slipped. I’m in! Click on this link if you want to join the Weekly Photo Challenge or to see how other entrants express themselves with the click of the shutter. You never know what you’ll find!

This week’s challenge:

Mine. Is there a place, object, or view that’s entirely yours, or you’re a bit selfish or possessive about? Is it a feeling you feel when you look at the photo, or perhaps an unwillingness to share? 

When I walk along Lake Ontario in the morning, I have special places where I stop and feel like that view is just mine … at least for the moment.