Sunrises and sunsets are of course my co-photog Larry Steagall’s FAVORITE subject matter.

In fact not 20 minutes ago before I wrote this post he was going on and on about how this summer has been “the BEST summer for sunset photos”.

Well, I can’t argue with the sunset/silhouette master of the Kitsap Sun, nor do I want to so challenge #92 is to show me YOUR best photo depicting a sunrise or sunset.

Now while I usually prefer photographs taken in the time frame of the challenge posting, I will of course willingly accept images taken earlier this year- BUT IMAGES MUST HAVE BEEN TAKEN IN 2015. <—-see how bold that statement is, that means I mean it!

Deadline for entries will be Tuesday, September 1, 2015 and please keep your entries to 5 photos total. Entries will be scrutinized and “stand-outs” chosen and published in the Kitsap Sun.

Entries may be emailed directly to mreid@kitsapsun.com of your may use that handy Upload Photo Challenge Pix link on the right side of this page.

Here are a few shots from our archives (all shot this year) to get you thinking:

Lovely work on the macro and close-up photo challenge everyone!

As usual I just love seeing the different subjects and shooting styles showcased with this theme.

Macro and close-up photography emphasizes texture, pattern and of course details of all kinds of subjects. From insects to humans, using macro or cloes-up photography techniques can really bring out the creativity in a photo shoot and make even the most mundane of subjects eye-catching.

Remember, there aren’t any winners or losers, I just pick a few photos and ramble on why they stand-out to me for various reasons. The following photos will be published in the Kitsap Sun on Sunday, August 9, 2015.

I post this challenge every year because it always yields a bunch of really good frames, but also because Larry and I are big fans of cool macro photos.

So your photo challenge, if you choose to accept it of course, is to  get out there and show me your best photo that is up close and personal of something (usually something small but not limited to just small things), be it a bug, mouse whiskers, an M&M,  the veins of a leaf etc.

If you don’t have a macro lens or a macro setting on your camera (usually denoted as a flower icon) never fear, just get as close as you can. Heck, even iPhones take really good closeups of tiny things.

I ENCOURAGE you to shoot these challenges in the time frame that they are given, since the whole point of these challenges is to get people out there building on their photo skills, but I will of course begrudgingly accept photos that fit the theme that were taken earlier in the year.

Entries may be uploaded via the “Upload Kitsap Frames Photo Challenges here.” link over on the right hand side of this page or you may email them to me if you prefer : mreid@kitsapsun.com

DEADLINE is Monday, August 3rd.

Here are a few of the “Stand-Outs” from years past, as well as a few shots from our Kitsap Sun archives. Again, while there are a lot of pics of bugs, you are not limited to that subject matter, it’s just a very popular subject when one thinks of breaking out the macro lens:

“Burton’s Fly” by Lea Bessler

“Caterpillar Pillar” by Eli Owens

“Taking A Nap” by Jack C. Harpel

“Fly in Disguise” by Eli Owens

“Summer Harvest” by Lea Bessler

“Little Green Bug From Mars” by Steve S.

Nice job on the City Life challenge!

Per usual I love the different subjects captured and shooting styles on display for this month’s challenge.

Remember, there aren’t any winners or losers, I just pick a few photos entered and ramble on about what makes them “stand-out” to me for various reasons. The following photos will be published int he July 12th. edition of the Kitsap Sun.

Full disclosure, I cropped this photo of Shawna’s into the extreme horizontal format that you see here because I loved everything about this shot but I really thought there needed to be more of a focus on that adorable dog sprawled out on the sidewalk at the end of his leash. By cropping it down the eye goes right for the dog which is is so perfectly framed by the city construction in the foreground.

Gasworks 4th by Deena Alley

My goodness that is one colorful sea of people! It’s not just the vibrant colors of this shot, that make it great but also the layering of colorful boats in the foreground with the colorful people and the houses up in the third tier of the frame.

There were quite a few entries featuring the Space Needle and the Seattle Waterfront which is to be expected with this theme. What made Cynthia’s standout was that star burst of light from the fishing boat. It is a very unique shot that ties in the iconic Space Needle with the areas fishing industry.

The candid moment of this is lovely and I like the composition and the layering of the market elements. But by far the best part of this photo is how the woman’s face in the foreground mimics that of the one of the portraits up in the top corner. I just love those subtle details in a photo that most times the photographer doesn’t even notice till editing their shots later.

Steve’s photo illustration depicting the woes of parking in the city is very well executed and I like how he thought a bit “outside of the box” when thinking about the theme of City Life.

Your photo challenge this month, IF you choose to accept it of course, is to show me your best photo that falls under the theme of City Life.

Almost everyone lives in or near some form of city or town (huge urban metropolis, or a smaller town, which you photograph is up to you). From cityscapes, detailed shots of manhole covers, motion blur shots of people scurrying along the sidewalk or even portraits of those riding public transit…it can all be portrayed as part of city life.

As usual, the theme is open to interpretation and all “out of the box” thinking is encouraged.

So grab that camera and hit the streets – er hit the sidewalks because safety first people-and capture a moment that portrays City Life in your city/town of choice.

DEADLINE for entries will be Monday July 6th. and chosen “stand-outs” will be published in an upcoming edition of the Kitsap Sun. Entries can be emailed directly to meegan.reid@kitsapsun.com or uploaded using the handy “Upload Kitsap Frames Photo Challenges here.” link on the right side of this page.

***Please include the name of the town/city as part of your title or description etc.****

Here are a few frames from our archives that could fit the City Life theme:

Nice job on the Festivals photo challenge!

While I didn’t get a whole lot of entries, the entries that I did get were nice images all around so a big thanks to those who shared their photos!

Remember there aren’t any winners or losers, I just pick a few photos and ramble on about why they “stood-out” to me for various reasons.

The following photos will be published in the Sunday, June 14th. edition of the Kitsap Sun and the next challenge will be posted in the next day or two.

Okay so I post this challenge theme every year at this time, and every year it fails (fails as in I don’t get enough entries for publication).

And gosh darn it I don’t understand why because I see plenty of people out there at these festivals snapping away with their cameras and iphones and filling the KitsapSun instagram feed with #kitsapfestivals.

I have faith that this year is the year that the Festival Fun challenge really happens!!!

So, since the month of May kick starts the summer of festivals,  your challenge, if you choose to accept it of course, is to show me your best photo taken from any of the festivals, events etc. happening in the next 5 weeks. Your photo MUST be taken at an upcoming “festival” OR one that just happened earlier this month. Don’t show me a blurry photo of a viking from last year (well for that matter don’t show me a blurry photo of anything…ever) I want current photos from THIS YEAR.

There are plenty of things going on in our area and heck you don’t even have to attend any of these listed below  because I am sure there is multitude of other events going on across the water in the big city as well:

May 9th.  Gig Harbor Beer Festival

May 12th-17th. Port Townsend Rhododendron Festival

May 15th-17th Poulsbo Viking Festival

May 16th. Bremerton Armed Forces Day Parade

May 23rd.-24th. Kitsap Harbor Festival

May 23rd. Gig Harbor Street Scramble

June 6th.-7th. Port Gamble June Faire

(anything shot at an festival that already happened this month, ie. Cinco de Mayo, Star Wars Day etc. is also fair game)

So grab that camera or phone as you are heading out to watch a parade, trying on various styles of viking horns or taking the kids to ride the carnival rides.

I am using the term “festival” pretty loosely here, any type of event that has a festive feel with a lot of people attending counts as a festival to me.

DEADLINE IS MONDAY JUNE 8th!

Entries may be uploaded via the “Upload Kitsap Frames Photo Challenges here.” link over on the right hand side of this page or you may email them to me if you prefer : mreid@kitsapsun.com.

Stand-outs will be chosen and published in an upcoming print edition of the Kitsap Sun.

Here are a few from our archives from a few of the festivals listed to get you in the spirit of festival photography:

Nice work on the Springtime theme!

I love the variety of subjects and moments that bring to mind the Spring season, as well as those who thought a little further “out of the box” than just pretty flowers.

Speaking of flowers, now I think I might have scared away a few shutterbugs from taking part in this challenge when I mentioned first that I hate photos of flowers, and then backtracked and said that I don’t REALLY hate photos of flowers but that if it’s a picture of a flower being entered than it better be a really interesting shot.

I get it, flowers are pretty, heck I snap photos of flowers occasionally. But here is the thing, every photo challenge I post regardless of the theme or technique that I am looking for I always get more than a few flower entries.

Why? Because flowers are easy to photograph. There they stand, all pretty and colorful without blinking or feeling self-conscious that someone is taking their photo.

Remember, the point of these photo challenges is to give Kitsap photo-enthusiasts a chance to have their work showcased as well as a chance to build on to their existing photography knowledge by trying different techniques etc.

To put it simply, I want to help everyone with a camera become a better photographer. And part of becoming a better photographer is getting forced out of your comfort zone to capture different subjects as well as showing the intended audience different views of even the most mundane of subjects. A quick “point and shoot” of a flower in the center of the frame is just not going to cut it.

Now throw some motion blur on the field of tulips, capture a dragonfly on a poppy or capture an extreme macro shot of the inside of a lily and that flower photo might just win me over.

Now if you only like flora photography, then please disregard this entire spiel and snap away at those blooms. Because really I get it, flowers can be very photogenic.

Okay, flower rant over, onto the “stand-outs”. Remember, there aren’t any winners or losers, I just pick a few photos that were entered and ramble on about why they stood out to me for various reasons.

The following photos will be published in the Sunday, May 10th. edition of the Kitsap Sun.

Being a bit of a “bird nerd”, I couldn’t help but be drawn to this beautiful shot by Jack. I love the composition with the “V” of geese almost centered in the frame against the blank canvas of the sky. It is just a simply beautiful image.

Nothing quite says the start of Springtime like patio furniture coming out of hibernation. I love this shot of Steve’s because it is clever and the fish-eye angle gives you the full scope of those chairs. I am also now thinking I need to purchase  that greenish chair because it would look so much better on my deck than the blue ones I bought last year…or the red one purchased the year before.

This frame has wonderful and crisp detail as well as a lovely composition with the dandelions puffs in the foreground and the background. I also really like how Mojo the cat’s eyes compliment the green of the grass.

Springtime wouldn’t be the season that it is without butterflies and blooms. While I like the detail of butterfly, I do wish you could see the full profile of it. From personal photojournalist experience, I am aware that asking a butterfly to turn more toward the camera never works that well so this slight profile shot makes a fine frame.

Maori by Madison Cordero

The composition of this shot is great with the stairs leading to the bench. It’s also subtle, and maybe not even planned, but the dress of the subject almost matches the color of the bricks which is a really nice detail.

So yes this one is actually challenge #88, sorry I had numbered the previous challenge incorrectly.

Anywho, since the last challenge was one dealing with photo technique, I’m making this one theme oriented. And by looking out my office window… oh who am I kidding everyone knows there isn’t a window in the Photo Cave, hence the addition of “Cave” in the name…okay so by sliding my chair across the Cave and out the doorway, I can see that it is a gorgeous sunny spring day out there right now. ***I started typing this on Thursday, yes it is now Friday and the weather has turned to grey and gross…but that is still part of springtime gosh darn it!! ****

So yep your theme is “Springtime.”

This challenge is of course open to interpretation and as usual all “out of the box” thinking is encouraged. I also REALLY ENCOURAGE you to shoot the challenge in the week(s) that it is assigned since the whole point of these challenges is to get shutterbugs out there shooting new and stronger photographs but Spring has been apparent for awhile so I totally will accept photos taken earlier this year.

A quick word of advice, yes flowers are a part of springtime and yes that is probably the first thing anyone thinks of when the word springtime is uttered, but here’s the thing… I hate pictures of flowers.

Okay that was harsh, I don’t REALLY hate pictures of flowers, I’m even going to post a few in the examples below, but you better make it an interesting picture of a flower because entering a standard “point-and-shoot” shot of a flower without any interesting composition, extra subject matter, really good light etc etc is just going to cause me to sigh in exasperation and click right past it.

DEADLINE for entries will be MONDAY, May 4th.

Entries may be emailed to me meegan.reid@kitsapsun.com or by using the handy “Upload Kitsap Frames Photo Challenges here.” link at the right hand side of the page. Please limit yourself to five entries. Chosen “Stand-Outs” will be published in an upcoming edition of the Kitsap Sun.

Here are a few photos from our archives that fit into the springtime theme:

Fabulous work on the frames challenge this week! I just love the various subject matter that was captured in the corner of each frame.

If you have ever read these challenges, you know that the composition of a photograph (defined as the artistic arrangement of the parts depicted within the frame ) is of the utmost importance and a strong composition can make even the most visually uninteresting subject matter really jump out of the frame and make the viewer pause and scrutinize the image.

Using different compositional arrangements (ie. not putting the main subject in the dead center of the frame) is an excellent way to improve one’s photography. I am of course not saying that center composition is bad, heck I am a big fan of it on certain occasions, but it’s just nice to mix it up now and then and try different compositional techniques.

Here are this week’s “stand-outs”, remember there aren’t any winners or losers, I just pick a few photos and ramble on about why they “stand-out” to me.

The following photos will be published in the Sunday, April 12th. edition of the Kitsap Sun.

Icelandic Rainbow by Dori Lee Dunkle

Who needs a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow when you can find a photographer there instead?!?!? This shot of Dori’s is just beautiful because not only is the corner composition utilized but the light and the subject matter are all top notch. Everything came together perfectly in this frame and when that happens you have an immediate stand-out.

Otter Food by Alesha Ellis

The detail of the critter in this shot is great and I have to admit that I am a little jealous of Alesha’s shot because I have never had the opportunity to photograph an otter snacking.

Foggy Morning Photo by Deena Alley

I love how the layers of silhouettes in this image, combined with the fog and clouds give it the perfect Pacific Northwest moody feel.

Trailing Away by Bryan Flynn

While almost all the other entries utilized only one corner of the frame (and not one entry used all four) Bryan went beyond that and used two and filled them with the only subjects depicted in the shot. I really like is whimsical feel of this photo and how the beams of the sun are reaching toward the tail of the kite.

Inbound by Jack C. Harpel

I like the action of this bird in mid flight and its contrast against the vibrant green plant buds of the backdrop.