Linear shapes and designs: Lens-Artists Challenge #174

House of sticks and thatching, Mekong River, Cambodia

Patti Moed — author, photographer, and writer of Pilot Fish Blog — led the Lens-Artists Challenge this week as she shared favorite shapes and designs in interesting photographs.

One shape that pops up (sometimes unexpectedly) in our photos is that of the humble, yet effective line. Lines lead our eyes in different directions as these photos may reveal. And sometimes multiple lines speak for themselves as design elements as they do in the riverside home on the Mekong in Cambodia shown above. Here are a few others we like.

At Pawleys Island, South Carolina, lines lead us out to the beach on the South End for early morning sunrises.

Deck leading sunrise view on Pawleys Island

And then again at sundown, linear shadows, decking, and rails lead us home for the evening.

Afternoon view of deck at Pawleys Island, SC

In Easton, Maryland, birds select favorite resting places on old wooden posts, as vertical images and horizontal reflections form graphic designs in the waters of the Tred Avon River.

Row of birds on posts, Easton, Maryland

A giant pencil points the way into the Wytheville Office Supply store in lovely downtown Wytheville, Virginia. A linear pointer, if you will.

Pencil sign on Wytheville Office Supply store

And at the Parthenon in Nashville, Tennessee, our granddaughter joins others inside the classic lines of the massive building.

Parthenon in Nashville, TN

Unknown graves line up — not in a straight line, but a curved one — in Gettysburg National Cemetery, Gettysburg, Virginia.

Grave markers at Gettysburg cemetery

And finally, a tour of Woodford Reserve in Versailles, Kentucky, will inevitably take you to the gift shop where you can see bottles of amber-colored Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey lined up neatly on showcase walls.

Rows of bottles on display at Woodford Reserve, Lexington, KY

Every single line means something.

Jean-Michael Basqui

For more lines, shapes, and designs, head to Patti’s site to see all the creative entries submitted this week. And join the Lens-Artists Challenge on Saturday when a new topic is posted at noon.


Travel straight,

Rusha & Bert

28 thoughts on “Linear shapes and designs: Lens-Artists Challenge #174

  1. Amy

    Excellent selections, Rusha. These photos are remarkable. The lines lead to the early morning sunrises is breathtaking. The curve of the unknown graves is very moving.

    1. Oh, the Places We See

      Thanks so much, Amy. I don’t know how you have time to comment, but you do it so well, making all of us think our pictures are special. Take care. Merry Christmas. And here’s to a new year of new pictures!

  2. Yeah, Another Blogger

    Excellent photos. You’ve got a good eye. One thing that I admire about the pencil’s creator is that he/she gave it a sharp point. See ya.

  3. Tina Schell

    Oh so well done Rusha! I love that you focused on a single shape and showed its many occurrences so beautifully. Nicely done.

    1. Oh, the Places We See

      I love those little posts as well. Thanks for commenting. And best wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving.

  4. Toonsarah

    Clever thinking to look for lines rather than more complex shapes! I like the two Pawley Island shots in particular – a very inviting path 😀

    1. Oh, the Places We See

      And oh, the places those walkways go! We love the long boardwalks and the scenery of the marsh or the beach. Thanks for taking a look at lines I love.

  5. WanderingCanadians

    What a fantastic collection of photos for this challenge. Straight lines can be so satisfying sometimes. Love the shot of the wooden posts in the water.

    1. Oh, the Places We See

      We loved watching those birds as we waited for the ferry. The Eastern Shore is a great place to visit.

    1. Oh, the Places We See

      Glad you enjoyed the shots. I love going back through my pictures for a reason. Appreciate you taking the time to look.

    1. Oh, the Places We See

      So glad you like that one. It’s a favorite of mine as well. And we almost missed the ferry so I could get the shot!!

  6. pattimoed

    Wonderful post, Rusha. I love your collection of straight lines, but at the same time, my eyes searched for other shapes within your images–like the arches in the photo with your granddaughter. I keep returning to that image. Just wonderful–among many others! I was also moved by the curved line of graves at Gettysburg. So striking. Have a great weekend.

    1. Oh, the Places We See

      Thanks, Patti. Maybe I need to look for more lines and shapes myself. You’re right. There aren’t many pure plays — it’s all interconnected. Nice topic, Patti!

It makes our day to hear from you.