The Photo Safari Challenge

Photo Safari is the title of our newest challenge.  In August, our group met one Saturday morning at Bush Park (Salem) with our cameras.  The goal was to photograph a wide variety of subjects, including architecture, flora & fauna, shadows & light, manmade and natural elements, etc.  Back at home, we had to choose a set of 12 of our best shots, and at our Aug. meeting, we drew names to determine whose photo set we'd receive.

The Crooked House in the children's play area, Bush Park.  (Photo by Caithlin)

Nancy looking for a subject to photograph.  (I photographed this from inside The Crooked House.)

 From there, the challenge guidelines were simple:  the finished dimensions had to be between 84" and 144" total inches.  From the set of 12 photos you received, you could choose to digitally enhance or manipulate a photo using software, print a photo onto fabric to use in a quilt, or work from a photo to design a representational or abstract composition.  Or your design could simply be "inspired by" one or more of the photos you received.

A basket of bougainvillea hangs inside the conservatory. 
They white-wash all the glass windows for the summer to filter the sunlight.

While discussing a due date for this challenge, most members agreed that trying to finish something before the holidays was asking too much, and that our Feb. 10, 2014 meeting would make for a good due date.  But me and my big mouth -- I had to speak out and say "that's too much time; it's six months!"  Consequently, they assigned a special due date for my challenge piece -- Nov. 11.

Identity unknown, but it's pretty!

Any long-term reader of this blog knows that I have a tendency to procrastinate until the last minute, and sometimes I may have to stretch a due date just a tiny bit to make a deadline.  But I'm truly getting better!   I know that the Nov. 11 deadline was assigned to me in jest, but I'm determined to prove to myself (and maybe to others) that I can meet a reasonable deadline.  And while I still believe that 3 months is adequate time for me to complete this challenge, I know that many members have more demands on their available "creative time" than I have.

I received Caithlin's set of 12 photos and have been musing over design ideas.  The choosing and indecision make up a large part of my procrastination.

Not to get off on a tangent, but does anyone know the identity of the green & silver plant above???

Comments, anyone?  Please!  It's getting lonely in here.