Reflection - (Ahem) Reflection on the 7th Week of 52

Here is the description for this week’s theme:

Is it just me who has sat in front of a fun house mirror and laughed maniacally for hours? Those surfaces that reflect back the world that we know – the “real” world – with a skinny or fat twist can really capture our imaginations when we are looking through the lens of our cameras, and can fuel our imaginations for a fantastic Windsor – Essex that we don’t normally see unless we take a minute to point our cameras at it.

Eyes are the windows to the soul, but there is still a part of that glassy surface that reflects a little as well. Sometimes we stick little contraptions – made of plastic, or metal and glass lenses - in front of them that reflect even more. Then there are the objects we put in our houses whose express purpose is to reflect back an accurate representation of ourselves, or even open our spaces with the impression that the walls contain a world that is the almost-perfect match to the one we inhabit. Then there are those buildings, sheathed in glass, that offer both a translucent peek into what lies within, while at the same time shadowing and distorting the bricks and mortar of its neighbours – not to mention the asphalt, trees, lights, and sky that flow around it.

Point of View by Laura Arce

 Beagle in the Mirror by Tim Fenn (A Beagle won best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show this week. A reflection of the training or the breeding? Certainly a combination of both. Ours is tenacious, energetic, sometimes stubborn, but mostly lovable.)

 

This week those surfaces and what they reflected back to our lenses was important to the #52weeksofWE challengers. Again, the challengers ran the full gamut of surfaces, from the reflection of a single eye beautifully captured to a shadow church caught in a building window. From a beagle indifferent to its mirrored twin a foot in front of it, to a city-scape contained in a sunglass lens, the subject of our reflections also went from singular to expansive.

Hugs! by Patrick Firth

As we are going through this challenge, I must admit I look forward to this variety of photographs that reflect our personalities, what captures our interest, and something as mundane as what we had time to do that week. While this was not the first week that has seen the increased allowance of submissions on the Flickr site, I am looking forward to seeing the submissions for week 8’s Hidden Gems theme. The increase, if we choose to, may allow challengers to capture and submit both the singular and expansive as we explore the lesser known beauty of Windsor – Essex.

 

 Church Tower Reflection on the Westcourt Bldg by Lupita Amaya G.

Reflection off a window 2 by Paul Thibodeau

Include stories if you want. Check out the Facebook page if you would like. Look at the rest of the submissions on Flickr as well. And here is a reminder that it is never too late, nor are you ever to “amateur,” to join in on #52weeksofWE.

#52weeksofWE - Hidden Gems, Week 8 of 52

Gems come in all shapes and sizes. In fact some gems are not even gems. They could be that little square foot of wonderfulness that only you and a select few of your most trusted advisors know about. From businesses to sculptures, to a place where snow collects in the most fetching of ways, these are the little points of beauty that make up Windsor – Essex and may only be known by the people who live with them. This is your opportunity to take us on a little walking tour that the tourists don’t necessarily get to see. Translation: I don’t expect to see any pictures of the Ambassador Bridge this week. Thank you for the participant who suggested this theme.
Submit your photos on Flickr or Facebook, and send the picture files to me if you want them to be featured on my weekly reflections: essex.masqueATgmailDOTcom

#52weeksofWE Guideline Update - Submission allowance increase

Thank you very much for all the submissions, and those who are letting me know that you are having fun with the challenge. I know personally I have been out taking a lot more photos ever since taking up #52weeksofWE, and it is even more inspiring being part of a group. 

I have encouraged everyone to let me know what is working, and what is not. Thank you for the feedback, and I am going to change the submission structure because of it. Given that we are a relatively small group I have no problem upping the amount of photos you can submit to the group. 

However, I would prefer that you stick with the theme for the submissions. This has not been an issue thus far, and so mentioning this preference may be unnecessary. I am going to mention it anyways. In all honesty I am excited that people want to submit more than one, and the last thing I want to do is discourage it. I am going to up the submission rate to 4 per week. Please let me know if this works, or if you are still running into issues.

Just as a heads up, if you post all four of your photos on the same day (eg. Thursday), you will still be unable to post your next four until the same day next week. 

Again, go to Flickr and Facebook for other updates and to see the photos. 

The Blues - Reflection on the 6th week of 52

Here is the description for The Blues theme:

It is amazing what you can learn from Wikipedia. Blue, apparently, is evoked by light with a predominant wavelength of approximately 440 to 490 nanometres. If any of you know what that means, all the power to you. However, for those of you who are not nanometer aficionados please just find something fetchingly blue and take a picture of it. I’m sure you won’t be at a loss of finding blue things in Windsor – Essex. However, if you choose to take a different direction, can you somehow capture The Blues in Windsor – Essex. This perhaps may have been easier during Bluesfest, but chances are something is happening here this week.

Okay,  it may not be Bluesfest, but the challengers for the #52weeksofWE photography challenge had their own little blues fest through the lenses of their cameras this week. What were those things in Windsor - Essex that were evoked by light with a predominant wavelength of approximately 440 to 490 nanometres, or those things that experienced that wavelength in the digital darkroom?

I was happy to see that The Blues, in the more musical sense of the word, appeared in Tim Fenn’s photo of guitars, amp, and Union Jack, all presented with a fetching blue. I am glad there was at least one fan amongst the challengers.

 The Blues by Timm Fenn (The blues, especially the British based variety were always a favorite of mine. With a generous influence from Robert Johnson, B.B. King and Muddy Waters, bands like Cream, Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones breathed new life into the genre and re-introduced the blues to North American audiences during the 60's and 70's.)

One large blue thing that dominates the Windsor skyline was usurped by another, at least partially blue thing, which also dominates the Windsor skyline. This week Caesars Windsor played a much bigger role than the Ambassador Bridge. Special mention goes to Caesars Windsor – The Blues by Christian, mostly because of the angle with which he captured it. For such a large building complex it was a great, comprehensive capture.

 Augustus Tower by Zee 1977

Caesars Windsor - The Blues by Christian Khuong

Though I tend to prefer shots that were taken during the week of the theme – hence the “challenge” – the capture of the 2014 Detroit / Windsor fireworks by sjc3414 was a truly majestic display of blue, and is most welcome in this post. 

 2014 Windsor / Detroit Fireworks by sjc3414

Also, we were treated to our first panoramic of the south border of our lovely County. This is an incredible shot and I am quite excited to share it. Click on the image to see it in its full glory.

 Lake Erie by Keith Hawkins (this is a 180 deg Panoramic shot. The Break Wall on both sides are one and the same!)

 The Wee House of Blues by Paul Thibodeau

Just like week 4, Black and White, The Blues was a great theme where I had no idea what would come in: signs, books, trees, birds, houses, and hearts all made their way into the Flickr group photostream. Again, it was a great week with lots of submissions.

 Feeling Blue by Frank J. Shepley

Blue Heart by Lupita Amaya G.

My shot was a bit accidental. Though the skate park in Amherstburg caught my eye – due to its ‘blueness’ – the shot I ended up selecting to put on the group page was not intended. My original intention was to capture the structures in their snowy nest, applying my newfound knowledge of isolating colours on my Canon SX30 IS. I selected the blue of the ramps and pipes, faced the setting sun, and snapped away. The sky effect – the grey of the cloudy haze around the sun, and the clear of the rest of the sky – turned the composition into one part black and white, one part vibrant blue; it was a serendipitous composition that I was ultimately happy with.

Winter Skate Park - Isolated Blue by Patrick Firth

I look forward to the submissions for week 7, Reflection, where challengers will capture Windsor – Essex through a different, somewhat distorted, perspective.

Feel free to send me your stories, keep an eye on the Facebook updates, and sign on to Flickr (if you haven’t done so already). Also, if you know any other people who may be interested in joining, please pass the challenge along. It’s never too late, and the more the merrier.