animals – nancy merrill photography

A Photo a Week Challenge: Nature at Work

Our roses have been going like gangbusters this year, and we love it. This morning, when I went out to take some photos of them, I found this little fellow hard a work collecting nectar. Even the stiff wind couldn’t deter him from his appointed task. Bees are a bit like mail carriers that way.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO OF NATURE WORKING.

Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.

Here’s how it works:

Each week, I’ll come up with a theme and post a photo that I think fits. You take photographs based on your interpretation of the theme, and post them on your blog (a new post!) anytime before the following Thursday, when the next photo theme will be announced.
To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “A Photo a Week Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ tag.
Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo a Week Challenge: Animals

Final challenge of 2021! What a year. As we look back on this year, I hope we can all find things to be grateful and joyful about. We welcomed a new grandson in November and had a wonderful Holiday Season with friends and family. I am grateful to all of you who participate in these challenges. I love seeing your creativity and a little bit of your lives in the photos you share.

I took this photo of a friend’s horse in June 2020. They have two horses, and this one was very friendly came up to the fence to greet me. I have always loved horses, even though I have never owned one myself. I grew up near several horse pastures where some of my friends’ parents pastured their animals. It was always fun to ride them up and down our short street.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO OF ANIMALS.

Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.

Here’s how it works:

Each week, I’ll come up with a theme and post a photo that I think fits. You take photographs based on your interpretation of the theme, and post them on your blog (a new post!) anytime before the following Thursday, when the next photo theme will be announced.
To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “A Photo a Week Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ tag.
Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo a Week Challenge: Working with Animals

I enjoy theater. I enjoy being on stage and acting in a play or musical. It’s a lot of fun. As an actor, you are always warned to not work with children or animals, because no matter how good you are, how compelling your character is, how well you sing, all anyone will focus on is the child or critter. Of course, they are also a blast to work with and photograph. This young man loves his dogs, and asked if we could include them in his senior photo shoot. With such a ham (the white dog, in case you couldn’t tell), how could I say no?

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO (OR MORE) OF SOMETHING THAT INCLUDES ANIMALS AND HUMANS.

Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.

Here’s how it works:

Each week, I’ll come up with a theme and post a photo that I think fits. You take photographs based on your interpretation of the theme, and post them on your blog (a new post!) anytime before the following Thursday, when the next photo theme will be announced.
To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “A Photo a Week Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ tag.
Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo a Week Challenge: Insects

Our ecosystem is highly dependent on everything working together to keep the balance needed to make the earth a livable place. While we sometimes might find bugs (or more specifically for me, spiders) annoying and frustrating, without them our world collapses. The United States had a scare in May of murder hornet sitings. I’m very happy to report that this little guy really is a little guy (less than an inch long) just being a busy bee pollinating my roses (and hopefully moving on to my tomato plants).

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO (OR MORE) FEATURING INSECTS.

Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.

Here’s how it works:

Each week, I’ll come up with a theme and post a photo that I think fits. You take photographs based on your interpretation of the theme, and post them on your blog (a new post!) anytime before the following Thursday, when the next photo theme will be announced.
To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “A Photo a Week Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ tag.
Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo a Week Challenge: Squirrel!

With the mountains so close, Salt Lake City has a lot of wildlife. Once, while waiting for a lightrail train to pass, a beautiful, four-point buck came bounding down the tracks ahead of the train. My sister is constantly battling to keep her plants and trees alive from all of the deer that make their way down to her yard during winter and early spring. Usually, chipmucks and potguts stay in the mountains, but we do get frequent squirrel sitings. This guy made his presence known during a wedding shoot at a popular photography site near downtown Salt Lake. He was so obliging to pose that I couldn’t resist taking his photo.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO (OR TWO OR THREE) OF ANIMALS, WILD OR NOT.

Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.

Here’s how it works:

Each week, I’ll come up with a theme and post a photo that I think fits. You take photographs based on your interpretation of the theme, and post them on your blog (a new post!) anytime before the following Thursday, when the next photo theme will be announced.
To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “A Photo a Week Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ tag.
Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

Thankful November 15th: Murphy

We have a dog. His name is Murphy. He is a mutt, with some shar pei in there (his forehead wrinkles when he is nervous or interested and his tongue is black). My husband adopted him from the local shelter when he was a puppy. He was one when we started dating and two when we got married. He is now nearing thirteen, and while he still sometimes thinks he is still a puppy, his energy lasts only about ten minutes. He is loving, loyal, and very forgiving. He gets excited whenever we come home, even after two-week-long trips. I love you, Murph. Thanks for letting me into the family.

A Photo a Week Challenge: Unexpected

I was taking photos at a man-made waterskiing lake (an interesting site visit for work) when I captured a fish giving me a little wave. Apparently the lake is also stocked with some descent-sized trout. It was a fun moment. I love it when I notice something unexpected in photos.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO (OR THREE…) WITH SOMETHING UNEXPECTED IN THEM.

Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography. Here’s how it works:

Each week, I’ll come up with a theme and post a photo that I think fits. You take photographs based on your interpretation of the theme, and post them on your blog (a new post!) anytime before the following Thursday, when the next photo theme will be announced.
To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “A Photo a Week Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ and “Photo a Week” tags.
Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo a Week Challenge: Livestock

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I only seem to photograph animals while on vacation. Hawaii is a bit overrun with hei heis (aka chickens). I’m not sure why they call them hei hei, but they were EVERYWHERE! The lovely rooster was at a plantation where we enjoyed a delicious and festive luau. He was moving so quickly, he’s not quite in focus, but the colors of his feathers are still beautiful.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO OF LIVESTOCK.

Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.

Here’s how it works:

Each week, I’ll come up with a theme and post a photo that I think fits. You take photographs based on your interpretation of the theme, and post them on your blog (a new post!) anytime before the following Thursday, when the next photo theme will be announced.
To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “A Photo a Week Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ and “Photo a Week” tags.
Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo a Week Challenge: Jewel Colors

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As many of you know, my husband and I had the chance to visit the Hawaii Islands last May. If there is anywhere in the world that is alive with jewel colors, it’s Hawaii. The brilliant, bright greens, the stunning hues of the native flowers, and the deep blues of the Pacific Ocean surround you everywhere. We came across this proud fellow at the Smith’s Family Farm Luau. He seemed more than happy to strut his stuff and show off his plumage to us as we rode by.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO (OR MORE) FEATURING THE BRILLIANT JEWEL COLORS.

Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.

Here’s how it works:

Each week, I’ll come up with a theme and post a photo that I think fits. You take photographs based on your interpretation of the theme, and post them on your blog (a new post!) anytime before the following Thursday, when the next photo theme will be announced.
To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “A Photo a Week Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ tag.
Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

Daily Post’s Weekly Photo Challenge: Structure

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Last week, I shared a black & white version of this little guy. Here he is in his full-color glory. The detailed lines on his shell is fascinating.

For more from this challenge, visit the Daily Post’s Weekly Photo Challenge: Structure.