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Friday 28 June 2013

Picture This #206 ~ City, Town, or Countryside

Hi, this is Benni and I will be your host this week. I just returned from a visit to my brother in Chicago and was inspired while there. But I am mostly a country mouse, not a city mouse, and tend to enjoy smaller towns and the countryside as well.

So the theme for this week is a mix-or-match theme: 3 shots in any combination of a city, town or the countryside. All 3 can be of the city, or 2 of one and one of another and so forth.

I hope you have fun taking or finding pictures. Congratulations to Pat on her lovely green Honesty plants which serve as this week's banner.

O'Hare

Chicago's busy O'Hare airport.


The Bean

Formally named "Cloud Gate", this stainless steel structure is universally known in Chicago as "The Bean".


Summer houses

North of Chicago, on Lake Michigan, sit these summer houses in the village of Holland.

25 comments:

  1. What a neat theme.
    Pat I love your photo as the header.

    I love the effects in the airport.
    That is some stainless steel ball..
    Wouldn't it fun to stay or live in one of those houses?
    Great shots Benni...

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    1. Thanks so much Susan!! Yes, I'd love to stay in one of those houses. Glad you like the theme.

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  2. lovely theme thanks
    love all but the Egg is my favorite love the shape etc.

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    1. Thanks, Heidi! I'm happy that you like the theme and I can't wait to see your pictures.

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  3. Wow that is a cool lighting arrangement

    Looks like a alien spaceship

    Just the place to live - away from the bustle and noice of the big city.

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    1. Hi, Anders! Thank you and I look forward to your pictures.

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  4. Hi Benni !! Many thanks for hosting this week!! Love your theme idea. Three fabulous shots you've posted for it, too!! The blur of the moving people in the airport shot adds to the overall effect of it being a busy place, always on the move. Love the shot of 'The Bean', I've always wanted to visit it myself, looks like there's so much opportunity for experimenting with photos of it. The summer houses of Holland look a great place for peace and quiet.

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    1. Hi Mitch! I am so glad you like the theme and I would love to see your pictures of the Bean if you ever get out to the midwest.

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  5. Love those pictures. The first is a very good photo with those lights. The bean is a very good idea and a super photographic subject. The summer houses are a real contrast to the bustle of Chicago I think.

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    1. Thanks, Pat! The Bean has received criticism from some, but obviously I like it. I see you are in process of posting your pictures and I can't wait to see them.

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  6. This is a fun choice Benni. I will have to make a trip this weekend and play with it. Very fun.

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    1. Looking forward to them, Randall! Glad you like the theme.

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  7. Excellent theme, Benni! Love your three photos. The first because airports always fascinate me and you captured Chicago airport in a great way, though I've not very good memories of it. The queue at passport control was extremely long... Ah the famous Bean, an icon of Chicago... super shot! Pretty houses in the third... The Bean is my favourite...

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    1. Thank you, Belita. I had to smile ruefully at your "not very good memories" of O'Hare. I have also not very good memories of O'Hare. Actually, it has been compared to the 7th level of hell. Noisy, smelly, crowded and extremely long lines everywhere. OOops, I have maybe said too much. I am glad you liked the Bean.

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  9. A great theme, I like the diversity.
    I love the blur/movement in the top one, the reflection in the middle and the repetition in the last one. All three are beautiful compositions!

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    1. Thank you, Danette. The blurry movement in the top one was a happy accident; I didn't have my tripod and was shooting hand-held at 1/5.

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  10. Cool shot of the airport, Benni! I love the gaussian type blur. "A happy accident"... I like that!

    Your "Cloud Gate" is wonderful! Like a big gazing ball in a garden of people!

    "Summer houses" has such a lovely ring to it. Which reminds me of a book/movie I want to add to my must see/read list..." A Summer Place" (1959)

    Nice shot!

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    1. Thanks, Debby. Yes, you really must see "A Summer Place"; a teenage angst movie which I adored.

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  11. Fantastic capture of that airport, I've heard of "the bean", now I really see it, and it's a huge bean.

    Thanks for hosting, Benni :)

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    1. It is a huge bean, and I wish I could have posted other shots, but without seeing the whole thing, it's hard to understand what you are looking at. Thank you, I am glad you like the shots.

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  12. Hi Benni, great theme. I love the image in O'Hare Airport. I haven't traveled to Chicago in years. It's a great city. Great capture of the crowd around the "Bean". Nice row of houses in Holland.

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  13. Thank you, Robert, I am glad you liked the theme. Chicago is a wonderful city, always changing.

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  14. Great theme and lovely examples from you Benni. The first is so interesting , for some reason, I love airports, but you never seem to have enough time when changing flights to get a photograph. You captured the hustle and bustle so well. Have never heard of The Bean, but a real interesting shot, far prefer the village of Holland. Will try to be back with an entry before new theme starts. *rolls eyes*

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    1. Thank you, Marianne. I made sure my brother got me to the airport with plenty of time to take pictures. Changing flights, though, is a nightmare. All in all I would rather drive to Holland. Your pictures showed the contrasts of your country. (())

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