52Frames 52Picks Selection!

It was very exciting this morning to get an email notice from 52frames that my photo submission for this week was recognized. Out of 2,077 photos uploaded to the site this week, my “walls” image from Old Town Alexandria was selected. The photos are chosen “based on each committee member’s individual tastes regarding creative concept, technical execution, and overall story.” I’ve been participating in 52Frames for almost a year at the suggestion of a friend. It’s been a great way to get out of the house in search of a photo that meets the subject matter challenge. And to do it with just an iPhone 8Plus is even more amazing. I’m not a photographer, but I love to take photos for this blog, and now for the weekly challenges. When I was selected as a winner in the New Yorker Eustace Tilley contest ten years ago, I was thrilled because it validated my digital art skills - and reignited my interest in art using a new platform. Watercolors and pastels were exchanged for an iPad and a stylus. It’s really nice to be recognized! 

52Frames_walls Weekly Challenge

It was the best place to get photos for this week’s challenge. There is no better area than Old Town Alexandria to capture very interesting options. Aside from that, Halloween is a big deal there, so it was worth the drive to do two things at once for our morning walk. After checking out the cobblestone street filled with ghouls, goblins, skeletons, and the Wicked Witch I was on the look out for walls. Obviously there are historic buildings and very old scenes to pick from. There were walls that surrounded homes made out of brick and brick covered in ivy. There were beautiful gardens facing each other separated by small walkways; brick walls with archways and varying colored doors; more skeletons that covered too much making the photos too busy; homes that butted up against beautifully lined sidewalks; secret garden enclosures; walkways between row houses with gas lanterns lighting the way; ivy everywhere. Later in the week we took a ride to DC’s SE Waterfront near our old home on Capitol Hill. The glass sided DC water department building was glistening in the sunlight, and the graffiti covered support wall underneath the freeway was an interesting idea. In the end I used the gas lighted passageway in between the 1800 row houses. There was just something about the angle and the vibe.