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Lens-Artists Challenge #404—Subjects Beginning with B

Balloons into the Blue

This week, it’s Beth’s turn to host. Her challenge focuses on the letter B. She writes, “It’s my turn to host the challenge this week. Let’s have a little fun and feature subjects that begin with the letter B. What subjects can you find that start with the letter B?” You can find her challenge post here. If I had a photo of Beth, you can bet that I’d include it in this post. >grin<

Instead, I’ll feature six images with “B” subjects that contain an additional “B” element. My opening photo was captured in 2015 at the Albuquerque Balloon Festival. The mass ascension is always a treat when the morning sky fills with balloons released on a schedule that lets them safely float up into the blue.

Fremont Experience-2
Bow-tie Guy with a Bicycle

In 2018, we visited Las Vegas and walked the Fremont Experience. Between the bright lights and big crowds, Fremont Street never runs short on celebrity impersonators doing their thing. In this image, a PeeWee Herman impersonator, bow-tied and bottle in hand, stands beside his bicycle with a basket.

Trestle Bridge
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Train Crossing the Bridge

In Valley City, North Dakota, the BNSF train rolls across the Hi‑Line Trestle, a local landmark dating back to 1908. On a visit in 2020, I launched my drone to capture the big Burlington Northern engines crossing the bridge.

Lilac breasted roller
Bird on a Branch

On our 2024 visit to Kruger National Park in South Africa, we saw birds of every shape and color. The most colorful were the lilac‑breasted rollers—small, bright, and always perched on a branch or peeking out from the bushes.

TRNP North Unit-18
Bison Beside the Byway

In Theodore Roosevelt National Park, there are plenty of bison to satisfy any photographer’s wildlife bent. I could’ve taken Beth’s suggestion and gone all‑in on bison for this challenge. On our first trip through the north unit in 2020, I captured this trio from the safety of our car on the edge of the byway.

Young baboon
Baby baboon on a branch

On our 2024 African journey, we came across a small troop of baboons working their way through the trees. This young one was busy climbing higher on the branch than his mother, just below him. He wasn’t exactly a baby, but he was by far one of the smallest in the group.

Big thanks to Beth for giving me a little latitude with these alliterations. After my brain‑bending composition challenge last week, Beth blessed us with a breezy break—a return to the fun of simply spotting “B”s wherever they appear. For the next two weeks, we’ll take our annual Break for the Birthday of the Nation. On Saturday, July 18, Ann-Christine returns to host challenge #405, going live at noon Eastern Time. Be sure to follow her here so you don’t miss it.

If you’re sharing a Lens‑Artists Challenge response for the first time, welcome—we’d love to visit your post. To participate, publish your take on this week’s theme, link back to this page, and add the Lens‑Artists tag so others can discover your work. You’ll find more details on how the challenge works here.

John Steiner

38 comments

  2. Great post! Nice idea about including Beth too!!!! My favourite is the shot of the balloons – you know, I’ve never seen one (except in movies and photos). Was that shot at the big Albuquerque festival? pp

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  3. A great selection of B words John 🙂 My top choices are definitely the two from Africa – the excellent shot of the lilac‑breasted roller, one of my favourite birds, and the cute baby baboon!

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  5. So many balloons! What a treat that must be to be there for the balloon festival. All your photos are wonderful but the bow-tie guy is the winner for me in this bunch. Looks like a perfect street photography shot. 👏

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    • Thanks, Pepper. I had a lot to choose from for celebrity interpreters from Captain Jack to Danny Devito. But… only one bow-tie guy with a bicycle. >grin<

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  7. Great selection, John. I especially like the image of a bird on a branch. Superb focus and such an interesting array of colours in the feathers.

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  10. The most original collection of B photos I’ve seen. The balloon festival looks like a lot of fun. Have you ever been up in one?

    Reply

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