This post was originally composed for a photo challenge hosted by Terri Webster Schrandt at Second Wind Leisure and has been updated for participation in a current challenge of the same subject matter at Travels and Trifles.
As an amateur photographer, this challenge speaks to me and my mind naturally goes to architecture and nature. I hope you will enjoy looking through my lens today.
I took this from the middle of the street near Brickell Avenue in Miami. These buildings did not exist five years ago, and I am enamored with how they seamlessly blend with the city’s old skyline.
This photo is from Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas. This National Park is off the coast of Key West and can be accessed only by boat or sea plane. I love the way the walls funnel your attention to the exit at the rear. There was just enough sunlight streaming through to create highlights and shadows.
The weathered planks create multiple lines of contrasting color and texture with the posts which secure the dock. The solitary figure was a lovely bonus.
These historical buildings along a canal in Hamburg, Germany cast a linear reflection in the morning sun.
Not all lines are found in architecture. The ones we find in nature are pretty cool too. This one is from a sunrise on Jekyll Island, GA. Low tide, sea shells, sand, tidal pools, the ocean and even the rising sun contribute to this multi-layered composition.
And, how about these lines from a cave in Texas. These Stalactites have been back lit to show off their intricate development.
This line is flanked by two hundred year old Spanish Oak trees at the Evergreen plantation in Louisiana. Just beyond lies twenty two homes in a double row which housed slaves for the plantation in the 1800’s.
This line runs through the golden hills of the Santa Yanez valley in California. I love the mystery of the rising hill and what lies beyond.
Who could resist a ‘tiptoe through the tulips’ down this path which cuts through a tulip field in Holland? The farmer was exceedingly patient with my wanderings on this beautiful spring day.
These lines were carved into a sand dune by wind. Just wind. I took this at Dunes State Park on Jekyll Island in Georgia. It reminds me of the stalactite above, which was shaped by water. Isn’t the power of nature incredible?
Lines can be found everywhere. It’s perspective that makes the difference between ordinary and extraordinary.
Picture Retirement 
So many great images in this post, Suzanne! I love them all, but the photo on Brickell Avenue is my favorite. Also, the one at Fort Jefferson reminds me of the interior of Fort Morgan on the Alabama coast. Nice work!!
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Thank you Tracey. I love the Brickell photo also. That one was a pleasant surprise. We were walking to dinner and of course I had my camera in my handbag. My daughter looked out for traffic while I scrambled to get the shot. I have not been to Fort Morgan, but I have seen photos of other forts which were built similarly during the same time period. Those arches were fun to capture.
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You summed it up well in the last line … you’ve taken the ordinary and your photos have made it extraordinary. You have a great eye for composition! Each photo is compelling in its own way, but the one that keeps drawing my eye back is the simple photo of the road. To me it evokes feelings of care-free days and adventure.
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Thank you Joanne. Malcolm and I were in California for a wedding and had a few “care-free” hours to fill between events so we took a drive to nowhere. I had a ‘stop the car’ moment and that photo of the road was the result. Glad you like it.
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Great post 😊
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Beautiful photos and extraordinary perspective, Suzanne! I love all of them. The ones that draw my eyes back are the open road, the Spanish oak trees, and the bamboos. They speak adventure, freedom, strength, and nature to me.
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Natalie, thank you for putting into words what I hoped the photos convey. That is why I take pictures!!
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Hi, Suzanne – I’ve loved viewing the different perspectives on this photo challenge. Your images are absolutely stunning!
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Thank you Donna. Interpretations of a theme are what make photo challenges so much fun! Everyone delivers something unique.
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Wow, Suzanne, I’m so glad you added your glorious photos to Sunday Stills this week. All amazing but my fave is the dock with the bonus egret!
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Terri, this challenge intrigued me as I am fond of geometric figures, especially in nature. I’m glad you liked the dock and egret. Like me, you are a water gal through and through! Thanks for hosting the challenge.
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Beautiful images! Hard to pick a favorite, but I think I’ll go with the bamboo reaching for the sky.
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Janis, Malcolm and I have a disagreement over which of us took it, but we finally settled on a good compromise – I saw the potential of the shot and he crawled into the bamboo to shoot it. I’m afraid of spiders!!! Thanks for stopping by.
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Interesting how a challenge can really make you think outside the box. I love the creativity of your very own interpretation on this challenge. There are lines everywhere, but we often don’t see it or realise. I enjoyed all your photos, but my favourite is the weathered planks and the lonely bird. Inspiring post.
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Thank you Gilda. I don’t often contribute to photo challenges, but this one seemed made for me.I’m glad you enjoyed them. Those planks do stir the imagination.
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Love these Suzanne! The composition of each is awesome!
On our way to Florida soon…looking forward to beaches and sunshine after these beautiful fall NH colors.
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Thank you Nancy. We are having a bit of rain lately, but the promise of cooler temperatures is sooooooo welcome. Safe travels and let’s stay in touch this winter.
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I think the photos are stunning and thought provoking. I love the captions, too. There is such beauty all around us, and I love your eye’s interpretation of all the places you’ve been.
Not sure I could pick out a favorite photo here – I loved them all!
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Hi Susan. I’m glad my photos have a reflective quality that allow you to see even a bit of what I feel when I take them. I appreciate your kind comments.
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Hi Suzanne, I usually think about buildings as serving a purpose. I don’t often think about architecture as an art form. I immediately changed my mind when I saw your first photo. Beautiful! The play with light and shadows does enhance the already stunning photos. All of your photos are exceptional! I appreciate your description of the settings and what you are actually seeing and noticing through your eyes. For me, a beautiful picture now has a story behind it. You have enhanced my experience. You are right, Suzanne. Nature is incredible. Your last sentence truly resonates with me. Thank you!
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Erica, I don’t set out to capture a photo like that first one, and when it happens I can’t believe my luck. The elements come together and I am there to see it happen. Technically, I have a lot to learn, but good composition goes a long way and I am happy with how I see things. My husband affectionately refers to it as ‘my rose colored glasses.’ 😉 As always, thank you for your lovely, supportive and sincere words. That is your true artistry.
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You have a great eye and good photography skills, but I think you outdid yourself today. At least, I can’t even pick out a favorite. 🙂
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Thanks Judy. There is so much to learn. One day I’ll feel confident enough to brand them with a watermark!
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Suzanne, you have an artist’s eye. The photos are so diverse, yet each one has such interesting lines. The top photo on Brickell Avenue and the one of the bird on the boardwalk especially speak to me, the first for its lines and colours, and the other because of of its narrative qualities (solitude, independence).
Jude
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Thank you for your kind comment. It is nice to hear that my photos are received as I perceive them.
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Wow. EXCELLENT selections. Just outstanding. Kudos.
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Thank you John and thanks for visiting Picture Retirement. Come again!!
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Excellent choices, so well captured! Many favorites here, but I loved the weathered planks with the white egret. Surely he was listening to you!
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Very beautiful Suzanne, great that you got to use it twice! Loved the boardwalk w the egret especially
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