Tag: holidays

A Photo a Week Challenge: Lights

With Christmas this week, it’s time for my traditional lights challenge. I love Christmas lights. I love the warmth and magic they bring to the season. To say that I am addicted to light would be very accurate. Of course, we need light to live, so that’s rather fitting. I hope your holiday season is filled with light and love and the joy of hope.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO FEATURING LIGHTS.

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

Here’s how it works:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
  4. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.
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A Photo a Week Challenge: Shiny

The end of this week kicks off the Christmas season here. With the LDS Salt Lake Temple currently under major renovations for seismic upgrades, it will be interesting to see how Temple Square is decorated and lit for Christmas. Last year, it was a little sparse. This photo is from two years ago, the Christmas before the renovations began. To me, Christmas is always shiny, from the lights and decorations to the light in the faces of children as they enjoy the joy and magic of the season.

If you’re interested in seeing what’s been happening to the temple, here’s a video of the latest updates:

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO OF SHINY THINGS

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

Here’s how it works:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo a Week Challenge: Food

Around the world, fall is a time for celebrating the harvest. Next week, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving here in America. It’s a time for family and a lot of food. Photographing food can be tricky at times. This photo is from a family baby shower last weekend. My niece put this beautiful charcuterie board together (including molding the intricate salami rose in the middle). The only time I’ve photographed food “professionally” has been at events like weddings, so I don’t consider myself an expert, but I do like taking pictures of food. I guess that’s the best place to start when you want to get better at something: just do it.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO THAT FEATURES FOOD.

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

Here’s how it works:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo a Week Challenge: Mothers

with Mother’s Day this coming Sunday, I wanted to dedicate this challenge to the mothers in our lives. This wonderful mother is my niece and her daughter. My niece is hard-working, loves her kids (she has three boys and this one uber-adorable girl), and adores her husband (who adores her back). I also have two amazing mothers: my mom and my husband’s mom. I hope all mothers have a wonderful Mother’s Day with pampering and love and joy.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO (OR THREE…) FEATURING MOTHERS.

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
  4. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo a Week Challenge: Backlit

I seem to be visiting photos from vacations past. It’s probably because we haven’t taken many trips in the last twelves month. Ah, well. While I remember very well where and when I took the photo from last week (Switzerland in 2016), the only things I remember about this circumstances for this photo is that it was during our 2014 trip to Scotland and England and that we stopped because we saw a very pretty church and wanted to go inside. However, I do love this photo and feel that it’s perfect for a challenge this time of year because the stained glass is a beautiful depiction of Christ’s Crucifixion, very timely as much of the Christian world just celebrated Easter and the Eastern Orthodox churches will be celebrating in early May.

I do love stained glass. I love how from the outside of the building you can’t really tell what it is going to show you until you come inside and let the sun do its work. I have visited Notre Dame in Paris, and I was so happy to hear that, even with the tragedy of the fire, the great Rose Window was preserved.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO THAT USES BACKLIGHTING.

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

Here’s how it works:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo A Week Challenge: Abandoned

I couldn’t think of anything more fitting for the end of this crazy year that an abandoned building. I think there are many of us who would love to abandoned so many things about 2020: pandemic fear and isolation, raging political division,

There are some things about this year that I am grateful for. My husband and I have learned that we are very compatible. We work well together as well as live well together. And this year has been about immediate, household togetherness. I have learned that it is possible to live a semi-normal life during a pandemic. We have been fortunate to live were we do. Our business is small enough that we can have the office open and still observe social distancing (when you work with engineers, there’s actually no other kind of social anything except with distancing). I’ve learned how to accessorize with different types and colors of masks. Mostly, I have grown closer to my family and a few close friends. Even when we can’t be together in person, we can still uplift and support each other and feel the love that we share.

I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year and that 2021 is brighter and better than 2020.

(P.S. I have learned that since I took this picture earlier this fall, this building has been demolished.)

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO (OR MORE) OF SOMETHING ABANDONED.

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

Here’s how it works:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
  4. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo a Week Challenge: Christmas

Sorry this post is late. With Christmas Eve next Thursday, this challenge is for this week and next. I hope that everyone is enjoying the holidays, especially with all of the craziness that 2020 has given us. This little star sits on my Christmas tree, reflecting the beauty of the lights near it and bringing my heart peace and joy whenever I see it.

The video below is my friend singing Bethlehem Down (words and music by Peter Warlock, arranged by my sister PS Osterstock). The video will be available starting at noon on Sunday, December 20.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO (OR MORE) OF SOMETHING THAT REPRESENTS THE WHATEVER HOLIDAY (OR HOLIDAYS) YOU ARE CELEBRATING THIS MONTH.

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

Here’s how it works:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
  4. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo a Week Challenge: #GiveThanks

In the United States, today is Thanksgiving. Even though there is a lot of controversy about our history and what and who we should celebrate, I’m still grateful to live in a country that values freedom. While we may not be perfect at honoring that value, I do believe most of us try. Last Friday, the leader of my church asked everyone, worldwide, to flood social media with posts about gratitude using the hashtag #GiveThanks. It has been amazing to see the tone and feeling of my Facebook newsfeed shift from anger, fear, and division to hope, gratitude, and love for others. I hope that this continues not just through the holiday season, but becomes a permanent part of our lives and thoughts as we give thanks for what we have and who we have in our lives.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone, American or not. I hope that your days are filled with love, joy, and happiness.

(P.S. The second photo is to show off a little. I’m loving the flakiness of my pie crust turkey but please ignore the slightly too-dark edge. 🙂 )

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO (OR MORE) THAT EXPRESSES GRATITUDE.

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

Here’s how it works:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
  4. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

Bushboy’s Last Photo of October challenge

Bushboy has challenged everyone to post the last photo on their SD card. I took this one of our Halloween pumpkins last night. We didn’t get a lot of Trick-or-Treaters, but the pumpkins looked great.

For more from this challenge, visit Bushboys World: Last Photo for October 2020.

A Photo a Week Challenge: Masks

This theme seemed to be appropriate on many levels. With Halloween just a couple of weeks away, it will be interesting to see how people morph their covid-19 masks into their costumes. When doing senior photos, I ask people to bring things that they enjoy and have interests in. This is my nephew, who had a lot of fun posing for me with his plague doctor mask. Also, considering what is happening in the world right now, this mask may be a little too close to necessary than we all would like to admit.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO FEATURING MASKS.

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

Here’s how it works:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.