LDS temples – nancy merrill photography

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:

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

A Photo a Week Challenge: Light the Night

A few years ago, we had the opportunity to travel to the Mesa/Gilbert, Arizona area for a family wedding. While there, we experimented with long exposure night photography. The LDS Gilbert Arizona Temple proved to be the perfect subject for our venture, and the weather cooperated better than we could have hoped, and we are very pleased with the results. When working with longer shutter speeds, it’s vital to have a tripod and really nice to use a shutter remote instead of having to touch the camera. It’s also important to be patient and experiment with different settings on your camera. We got better results with f-stops of 5 or higher to avoid too much light hitting the sensor.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE YOUR FAVORITE NIGHT SHOTS (WITH LONGER EXPOSURE TIMES 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″ 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.

Christmas Lights Day #23

Salt Lake Temple with Christmas lights

Christmas Lights Day #12

Salt Lake Temple with Christmas lights

Thankful November 24th: My Faith

You are getting two post today because yesterday was too full to do a post (gone from 8 in the morning until 11 in the evening). And the first one today was for fun (see Thankful November 24th: Chocolate for reference.) This post will be much more serious. I’m sure that many people who follow this blog and read my posts are aware that I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes known as the Mormon Church). I haven’t tried to make it a secret. I have also tried to not be overbearing about it. I was born and raised in Utah in a family that is very actively involved in this religion. When I was 22 years old, I served as a volunteer missionary to Wisconsin. I married my husband in the beautiful Mount Timpanogos Temple in American Fork, Utah. I have been living my religion as best as I can for almost 53-1/2 years. Having faith has grounded me, given me hope as I see things happening in the world around me, and provided me with a community wherever I have moved. I am a firm believer in Jesus Christ. I have faith in a Heavenly Father, who loves and knows me. I’m grateful for scriptures I can turn to for comfort and guidance during difficult times in my life.

Whatever your religious (or non-religious) life may be, I hope that you find love, happiness, and joy in the Christmas season this year. I love celebrating the birth of my Savior with the entire world.

Thankful November 19th: Light

I know it may seem obvious and a bit silly to say, but I am so thankful for light, and not just as a photographer. The other evening, we had the most glorious sunset. I was driving and couldn’t stop and grab a picture of it. Sometimes it’s nice to just enjoy the beauty and not worry about angles and f-stops and aperture. C.S. Lewis once wrote “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

Tuesday Photo Challenge: Worship

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With the devastation in Paris, this seems a very fitting topic for Frank Jansen’s Tuesday Photo Challenge today. The Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral is very iconic for Paris, and the LDS Salt Lake Temple is very iconic for both Salt Lake City, Utah and for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

For more from this challenge, visit Tuesday Photo Challenge – Worship.

Daily Post’s Weekly Photo Challenge: Lines

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I love the lines in the LDS Laie Hawaii Temple. So clean and simple yet elegant.

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

Daily Post’s Weekly Photo Challenge: Rise/Set

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I grabbed this sunrise a couple of week’s ago as we were heading into the gym one morning.

Here are some from past posts:

Utah sunrise

Gilbert Arizona Temple

Wildfire sunset

Big Sur sunset

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

A Photo a Week Challenge: Reflection

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For many people, Christmas is a time to reflect on the events of the past year and the hopes for the coming one. It’s the season when many people throughout the world reflect on the impact of the birth of a small baby, born in Bethlehem, and how He changed the world. Whether you view Christmas as a religious observance or a time to celebrate with family and friends, I hope this season brings you joy and happiness and hope.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO (OR MORE) OF CHRISTMAS AND SEASONAL REFLECTIONS.

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.