A fourth Monday means it’s time for Challenger’s Choice, open anyone taking photos with a non-traditional camera. If you do, please consider joining us. We’re a congenial group, full of good information and ideas. Come be part of the fun, either this week or next. You can find the themes for each week on Sally’s site (she’s our knowledgeable hostess and challenger) or you can just go there and find links to all the entries for the week.
Recently, while spending the weekend with our older daughter, I visited the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska. I grew up in Omaha, but haven’t been to the zoo for many decades. It’s an outstanding zoo, particularly for a city of under half a million. On this particular Sunday, it happened to be Appreciation Day, so entry to the zoo was free. We were additionally blessed in that we hit a balmy, sunny day just ahead of the Polar Vortex, a day so warm we could carry our jackets.
I really enjoyed seeing the penguins, so ungainly on land, so graceful in the water. This first guy (in the foreground) posed unmoving for the entire time we watched, while the penguin in the back reveled in the snow under where the ice and snow was dropping from the top of the exhibit.
I like the somewhat Impressionistic look of this photo.
By adding a little tweak, I got another effect I like, one that give the feeling of winter and the cold.
This, that and the other thing 
Great photos. I love the effects. 😍
The post processing gives the penguin’s sense of self a completely different slant. It goes from self assured to humble. Nicely done. What a joyful experience to witness these majestic creatures, especially in the ice and snow. Happy Photo Challenge.
Thanks, Sally. I’m happy you liked the photos. This is a fourth Monday, correct, so Challenger’s Choice? I just saw (and am headed back) that you did editing. I guess I did as well, but inadvertently. Oh well, doesn’t really matter, as it’s all fun. Have a marvelous week and Happy Thanksgiving.
janet
Yes, it’s editing and post processing week, and you did it. Enjoy the holiday, relax and savor your family and Mother Nature.
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Fun shots, Janet! I love the frosty entire series. Beautiful colors! ~Theadora (I especially love the cute guy out in front!)
Happy Monday to you, Theadora. That guy in the front stood in that pose the entire time we watched. Mugging for the cameras, I guess. 🙂 Even when the keepers came in with fish, he didn’t move.
janet
I love these photos, Janet. I can clearly see I need to find more apps for my Samsung.
Angeline, I only use Picasa 3 right now and you can get that free (my favorite price.) 🙂 I’m happy you liked them so much. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
janet
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Delightful penguin images, Janet. 🙂
Incredible, those photos really are very painterly and much more artistic than your average camera phone shot. I think you could print those out and turn them into some lovely wall art, or shrink them down for highly successful postcards. You could make a real business out of this!
I’ve been tossing that idea around a little, Hannah. Thanks for the encouragement. Might be something I’ll look into for next year.
janet
I love the penguins!
I’m glad. I think they’re pretty cool (so to speak) birds and these were going out of their way to be photogenic and cute!
janet
I always have fun watching the penguins too, Janet. Great choices for today!
Lisa, one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen was in a movie about penguins. They swam quickly and gracefully to the edge of the ice, then shot out of the water as if from a cannon before waddling away. It was hilarious!
janet
great work, Janet. I like what I see.
Randy
Thanks, Randy. Enjoy your day. I imagine it will be a bit warmer there with no snow. 🙂
janet
Janet, hard to believe those are photos they look like paintings, Love the first big guy but all are great! Care to share the apps used. Pleeeze 😉
Carol, I think in this case I just got lucky with the way the photos turned out. I reverse engineered them in Picasa 3, which is what I use for editing and here’s what I seem to have done. In the first, I just cropped, did a bit of saturation, adjusted the light slightly, and added a border. In the second, merely copping, a touch of saturation, and a vignette border. In the final one, I think I added “glow” to the second one and that’s it! Sometimes my iPhone gives this sort of feel on its own, which can be nice but also annoying, as I don’t know exactly why. But it worked really well in this case, I think.
janet
Gong to the App Store now…Frames can add a lot too. thanks for all the detail I also love playing around till it looks just right and you sure did this time.
Great photos Janet. Those penguins really look like they are enjoying life.
I think they are, Suzanne. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos. Penguins are nicest when you can see but not smell them. Sometimes they get a little rank!
janet
Great captures! 🙂
Glad you enjoyed them!
janet
[…] you missed the other zoo posts, I also have for your viewing pleasure giraffes, penguins, a tiger, fish, and a young […]