Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – History

This week, Patti has chosen History as the subject for the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge. Coming from a country so rich in history, I deeply regret not taking up photography while I was still living in England. From the majesty of London’s past with its towers, bridges and cathedrals to the Roman ruins of Verulamium in St. Albans and the mysteries of Stonehenge in Wiltshire, I saw all these historic places yet have nothing to show for it, at least no pictures for which I can take credit. A few years after arriving in Chicago my husband bought me my first SLR camera and ever since then I’ve tried to document all the places of interest that we’ve seen, if for no other reason than to look back at the images in the years to come, perhaps with the grandkids and hopefully their families, and say, “This is part of your country’s history.”

An important part of Chicago’s history was the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. It destroyed so much of what had gone before but led to one of the greatest revival stories in American history. The sculpture shown above is part of the southern bridgehouse of Du Sable Bridge or the Michigan Avenue Bridge as it is more commonly known. Entitled ‘Regeneration’ and created by Henry Hering, it shows workers rebuilding Chicago after the Great Fire. Below is the iconic Chicago Water Tower, the only public building to survive the fire.

 

On a recent trip to Texas we visited another of America’s famous historic sites, The Alamo in San Antonio. I don’t pretend to understand the rights, wrongs or reasons for many of the wars that have been fought, down through the ages but, as in all battles, men died at the Alamo fighting for a cause that they believed in.

South Dakota has its share of historic sites, even prehistoric ones, including the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs and the Indian Village archaeological site in Mitchell. Something a little more recent, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, designed by sculptor Gutzon Borglum, depicts four U.S. Presidents, Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln representing the birth, growth, development and preservation of the United States.

Speaking of Abraham Lincoln, one of the first places I photographed when I got my Minolta film camera was the Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield, Illinois. Later images captured with a Canon EOS Rebel show the old State Capitol Building and Lincoln’s law offices, both in Springfield.

 

 

Pull Up A Seat – For Art’s Sake!

In my experience, most statues of people seem to portray them in a standing position, as if showing a person worthy of a statue in a sitting posture would be to give the impression that they were somehow guilty of slacking. However, in my travels I have come across one or two inanimate posteriors that have been allowed to sink to a supporting chair or plinth. The first three images are of an art installation call ‘Borders’ in Grant Park in downtown Chicago back in 2013.

It would seem that Abraham Lincoln wasn’t above sitting down occasionally for a quiet think or to read a good book, as seen here in Chicago’s Grant Park, Freeport in Illinois and Louisville, Kentucky.

 

Children can sometimes be seen sitting down but mostly only in statues.  In real life you’re lucky if you can get them to keep still for more than two minutes!  These shots were taken at the Green Bay Botanical Garden, Wisconsin and Spring Valley Nature Center in Schaumburg, Illinois.

While some artist’s models are lucky enough to score a comfortable chair whilst sitting for a sculptor, others find themselves perched on a cold, hard slab or a nubby rock as shown here at the Frederik Meijer Sculpture Garden in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

And the more classical element only rate a less-than-comfy tree stump to prop up their rear ends, as these pictures, taken at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, show.

If anyone asks me to sit for a statue, I’ll be sure to specify that I want, at the very least, to be parked on a bench, seat or preferably a well-cushioned armchair.  Images captured in Elk Grove, Illinois, Sioux Falls in South Dakota and Green Bay Botanic Garden, Wisconsin.

For more on the Pull Up A Seat Photo Challenge go to Photo Challenge of places we sit…or might sit…or art about sitting.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge – Monuments and Memorials

This week, Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge requires a word with two m’s and here I have two for the price of one; monuments and memorials.  Go to just about any place and you will see a memorial of some kind, whether it’s in a big city or small town. You only have to go to the local cemetery to see some remarkable examples of ornate memorials such as this one in Bluff City Cemetery in Elgin, Illinois.

And you don’t necessarily have to visit a cemetery to see an impressive memorial or monument. There are some that demand a place with much more prominence such as the 284ft-tall Indiana State Soldiers and Sailors Monument built on Monument Circle in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, Indiana.

Some memorials are smaller but no less poignant, such as this one in Port Huron, Michigan. The anchor was recovered from the “John S Martin,” a 225ft schooner loaded with iron ore, that sank on August 4, 1900 while trying to avoid the wreckage of the “Fontana” that had sunk several weeks before.  The “Martin” collided with another ship, the “Yuma” and four crewmen from the “Martin” died as a result.

Many memorials are dedicated to those who have given their lives in the service of others, such as this one in Lexington, Kentucky.

And some are dedicated to those who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time but are no less worthy of recognition, such as the tornado memorial in downtown Marion, Illinois.

The 630ft Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, is the tallest man-made arch in the USA. It was built as a monument to westward expansion, cost $13 million to construct and was completed in 1965. Let me tell you, the view from the top is astounding!

Easily recognizable is Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota.  These iconic sculptures of four US Presidents, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln are as much a testament to all those who were involved in its creation as it is to the people that it depicts.  

Also in South Dakota, The Crazy Horse Memorial is a giant sculpture of the Oglala Lakota warrior Crazy Horse. Begun in 1948 this monument is under construction on private land and is still far from completion.  If it is ever finished, it could possibly be the world’s largest sculpture.

From man-made memorials to a natural phenomenon, Devil’s Tower in Wyoming became the first declared United States National Monument, on September 24, 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt.

For more on Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge go to Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Letter M – Needs to have 2 M’s anywhere in the word

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge – Looking Up At Things

Things are looking up! At least they are for Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge this week.  Once I got started on this one, I couldn’t stop, so I’ve tried to limit myself to just a few of the images that I found in the photo files. We’ll be traveling around quite a bit for this challenge, starting with downtown Chicago.

Looking up at ‘the beehive’ atop the Metropolitan Tower on Michigan Avenue and ‘The Spearman’, one of two bronze statues standing as gatekeeper on Congress Plaza.

Looking up at a chandelier in the State Capitol Building in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Looking up at a rather fierce-looking statue of an eagle, looking down at us at the Lee Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, Wisconsin.

Looking up at the trumpeter atop the Mormon Temple in Temple Square, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Looking up at George Washington on Mount Rushmore, South Dakota.

Looking up at a giant lantern at the Chinese Lantern Festival in the Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Missouri.

And lastly, looking up at the trees on the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.

For more on Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge go to https://ceenphotography.com/2017/02/28/cees-fun-foto-challenge-looking-up-at-things/

Thursday Doors – Peace

I had planned on using a different set of pictures for Thursday Doors this week, but after reading Norm’s thoughtful and moving post this morning they seemed much too frivolous. Instead I found a few images that I hope will convey my feelings.  Wherever and however you choose to worship, may you find peace.

The BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Bartlett, Illinois.

The Assembly Hall on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah.

St. Peters Church at Old World Wisconsin.

St. Joseph Cathedral in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, Missouri.

St Matthias Church in New Fane, Wisconsin.

The Baha’i House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois.

For more on Norm’s Thursday Doors go to https://miscellaneousmusingsofamiddleagedmind.wordpress.com/2017/02/02/thursday-doors-february-2-2017/comment-page-1/#comment-13736

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge – Light Greens

Not just any old green, but light green. That’s what Cee is asking for in her Fun Foto Challenge this week, so here goes!

One of the many hotels on Mackinac Island, this one distinctive by reason of its color, light green, which really made a splash against the blue sky.

A light green classic car at Mount Prospect’s Bluesmobile Cruise Night.

Just a small part of my extensive frog collection.  There must be a light green one in there somewhere!

A beautiful view from Foothills Parkway in Tennessee.

The town clock in Mitchell, South Dakota.

For more on Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge go to https://ceenphotography.com/2016/09/27/cees-fun-foto-challenge-light-greens/

 

Large Subjects

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge this week calls for Large Subjects, whether it be literally or as perceived by the camera.

This small-scale replica of the Crazy Horse Memorial in South Dakota looks huge compared to the original carving shown in the background.

It would be difficult to tell just how large The Leonardo Horse, sculpted by artist Nina Akamu, really is when it appears on its own in a picture so I asked my husband, who is well over 6ft tall, to stand next to it. This sculpture can be found at the Frederik Meijer Sculpture Garden in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Regular-sized people looking at some large faces, sculpted by artist Jaume Plensa, in Millennium Park, Chicago.

This man appears to have made a large catch. A statue outside the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.

For more on Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge go to http://ceenphotography.com/2015/07/09/cees-black-white-photo-challenge-large-subjects/

Weekly Photo Challenge: On The Way

The subject for this week’s Photo Challenge from Michelle at The Daily Post  is ‘On The Way.’  Anyone who is interested in photography will tell you that they’ll look for any opportunity to get some interesting shots wherever they happen to be.  Usually, whenever we go anywhere, I have a camera handy and the photo files are crammed with images that I’ve captured en route to one place or another.

Last year we stopped off at Egg Harbor on the way to the northern tip of Door County in Wisconsin. The boats were huddled together under threatening skies; the area had already received large amounts of rain which had flooded several roads and there was a chilly wind, not the ideal weather for strolling around, so I quickly took some shots of the harbor, rushed into the British import store to replenish my supplies of Marmite,Twiglets and Spotted Dick and headed back to the car.

On the way to the Badlands in South Dakota we stopped off at the city of Albert Lea in Minnesota to stretch our legs and discovered this delightful spot, Higbie Gardens, a park adopted and made beautiful by the Shades of Jade Regional Garden Club.

Recently we called in for a much-needed Starbucks coffee at the Belvidere Oasis on the way home from a trip to Wisconsin and found this 1942 Lincoln Zephyr from the personal collection of former Republican Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert, on display.

On the way back from our vacation in South Dakota we decided to take the scenic route and were rewarded with some spectacular views of Spearfish Canyon.

For more on The Weekly Photo Challenge go to https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/on-the-way/

Weekly Photo Challenge: Early Bird

I am definitely NOT a morning person.  Looking over my digital photo files it’s clear from the available data that almost none of the images were captured before 8am.  One of the few exceptions is this picture taken at 7:48am as we were driving through Custer State Park in South Dakota. It’s not that I don’t enjoy being up and about at the crack of dawn.  When I am, I usually think to myself,  “This is great!  I should do it more often!”  But doing and saying are two entirely different things.

Going back to the pre-digital photo files, I’m pretty sure this one was taken quite early in the morning at Virginia Beach.  We had arrived the day before on the heels of a tornado, literally.  The drive in had been long, hazardous and nerve-wracking and by the time we arrived at the hotel we were exhausted. But you know how it is. Sometimes you get over-tired and just can’t sleep. After a restless night I was happy to just  get up, go out on the balcony and get some fresh air. This was the sight that greeted me.

Not that I haven’t had to get up with the lark out of necessity. Many years ago when I worked for a flower wholesaler the hours were brutal! We needed to get the flowers processed and out the door while they were still a damned-sight perkier than I felt.  Anyone who tells you that working with flowers is fun hasn’t stood for hours on end stripping thorns from rose stems!  I much prefer the roses that grow in my garden, such as this one pictured at 7:41am.  Sorry folks! That’s as early as this bird gets!

For more on The Weekly Photo Challenge on The Daily Post go to https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/early-bird/

A Word A Week Photography Challenge : Hole

Once again, Sue Llewellyn has come up with a subject for her Word A Week Photography Challenge on A Word In Your Ear at http://suellewellyn2011.wordpress.com/a-word-a-week-photography-challenge/ that gives me the opportunity to use pictures that I might not otherwise have shared. Thanks Sue!

I think I could safely bet that you will never, in a million years, guess the title of this sculpture. We came across it while taking a walk through the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Created by British sculptor Dame Barbara Hepworth, this interesting piece of artwork is entitled “Summer Dance.”

“Hey, this might look like just a hole in the ground to you but it’s home to me!” A prairie dog on guard in The Badlands, South Dakota.

Yes, folks, I’ll take a picture of pretty much anything, even a hole in the ground. This one just happened to be one dug in our yard when the plumber came to clear the tree roots out of our sewer pipes.