Viewfinders: A painterly view of Barcelona's marina

THE Traveler: Betty Kowalski of Anoka.

The scene: Moody clouds and towering masts ripple in the waters of the marina in Barcelona, Spain, lending this photograph a painterly quality. Kowalski made this image on her first night in the Catalonian capital. "This marked the beginning of a wonderful adventure filled with sangria, paella and the sights and sounds of Barcelona," she wrote in an e-mail.

The Trip: Kowalski, an elementary school teacher on summer break, took a trip to Europe with her daughter and her daughter's friend in June. In Barcelona, they enjoyed "the amazing beaches and the [Antoni] Gaudi architecture, such as La Sagrada Familia Basilica." From there, they flew to Florence, where they took a bike wine tour in the Tuscan countryside and climbed 463 steps up to the Duomo's dome for tremendous views. Their 12-day European vacation ended in Rome, "where the highlight was seeing the Pope and throwing coins in the Trevi fountain," Kowalski wrote.

The Equipment: Kowalski used a Canon Powershot camera, hoping to capture the reflection of the clouds in the calm waters. She returned home with many lovely images. "Europe gave me a thousand photo opportunities as souvenirs," she wrote. "I didn't bring my DSL camera because I didn't want to be bogged down by it — and still, the beauty came through on my point-and-shoot," she wrote.