An occasional Photo Blog
I was strolling around the garden at just after 7 o’clock this morning. The first rays of sunshine were beginning to fall on the many spiders webs which currently adorn the hedge, and by half past the apple tree was bathed in a golden autumnal glow.
Quite some time ago I read on the “365 project” a remark that got me thinking about the phenomena Black and White.
Rob Wells took a really interesting photograph of a tree that had obviously seen better days. (http://365project.org/robewells/365/2011-08-13)
It’s clearly a monochrome image and it seems that he was somewhat uneasy about taking a Black&White shot in the summer. I Quote: “…..although I’m not very happy doing b&w in the summer.”
To be honest I usually take colour photos, I actually like colour: The youthful greens of spring, the warm summer hues and the beautiful autumn golds, to say nothing of the somewhat reserved colours of winter. But once in a blue moon I load a B&W film in an old camera to produce something a bit different, just for the fun of it.
Thumbing through various photo magazines I’m often quite surprised at how many photographers still use Black and White to achieve something a bit special.
Could this be akin to the desire to travel in an old railway carriage being pulled by a steam engine, or the primeval urge to light a wood fire in winter instead of just turning on the central heating?
An inexplicable yearning for all things old perhaps? Is there really a truly ‘superior’ artistic quality to B&W pictures that my somewhat limited artistic talent hasn’t quite grasped (yet)?
Anyway, let me return to the start of all this. The “…not very happy doing b&w in the summer” line certainly caught my attention and seemed to challenge me to do just that; take monochrome pictures in the summer.
I had to show myself that B&W pics can be taken without appearing errr, colourless. It’s very doubtful whether I achieved anything other than a few greyish looking photos, but it was great fun experimenting and I don’t think I’ve finished with B&W just yet.
Incidentally, It was very interesting to note that although the fruits of my labours may tell a different story, I was very motivated during the summer months and I actually had my camera with me quite often, thus proving how important it is to photograph with some sort of purpose, however trivial!
Feel free to take a look at all my ‘summery’ monochrome pics at:
http://www.harding.ch/Gallery21/main.php?g2_itemId=873
For the technically interested, the photos in the gallery were almost all original B&W pics, but a few were desaturated with Gimp. A mixture of Panasonic DMC-LX2, Sony-Ericsson W995 mobile phone and Samsung ES30 was used.
The summer solstice has been and gone and I can now recline, and look forward to all those lazy days and balmy evenings once again.
Apart from a few minor details, the new kitchen is now finished, and the letter box is bulging with bills from all those who worked on it; thus, no holiday for us this year!
Not to worry though, one of my daughters brought me a couple of sticks of Scarborough rock back from a recent holiday there with her boyfriend – thanks again you two 🙂
Seaside Rock: one of those great British traditions which I assume to be yet another legacy of the Victorians (but don’t quote me on that). In my opinion, together with warm, sandy tomato sandwiches, rock epitomises the atmosphere and character of summer days at the seaside.
Not being one to renew things just for fun, or because there’s a new model available, (there always is), I think it’s fair to say that our kitchen was well and truly past it’s best. Well past!
The fridge was old when we moved in, and the freezer compartment’s door has been held shut with a makeshift wooden wedge for the last 10 years.
Other electrical goods were approaching their ‘use by’ date too, fixtures and fittings were so tired you could almost hear them snoring and so, with much ado, we decided to have a new kitchen.
I never realised that there are so many variations on a theme. Decisions had to be taken on every conceivable thing. Not just the colour or the surface finish, oh no, even the cupboard handle design, colour, material etc. etc. had to be painstakingly agreed upon.
Electrical appliances in the kitchen are all basically the same, either they cool or they heat…. wrong of course: they cool in a very environmentally friendly fashion and are completely unable to heat without the help of displays and advanced programmes never even dreamt of when our old kitchen was nailed together.
With the help of a very large hammer and some helping hands (once again thanks to those concerned!) the old kitchen was removed on a Saturday.
Thanks to some very competent tilers, plumbers, electricians and painters and of course the kitchen men who installed everything a couple of days ago, the project is almost complete. I’m particularly looking forward to the first goodies to arrive on my plate 🙂
It seems unthinkable that I should venture out this morning without a camera. Summer temperatures, blossom everywhere, yellow meadows, my eyes resting continually upon the perfect picture and the camera sat at home. Upon returning home I even considered getting my bike out and retracing my steps to capture all these indescribable scenes… but alas the smell of coffee got the better of me, and anyway, by the time I’d pumped up the tyres and oiled all the squeaky bits, night would surely have fallen.
To cut a long story short, next time I will perhaps think before setting out. Luckily I had my camera with me yesterday whilst strolling about the garden. I’ve no idea what the bush is called, but I thought it looked ‘seasonal’ somehow.
Yesterday I implied to the world that there probably wouldn’t be a posting today because of the fine weather forecast. Indeed considerable time was spent outside and I couldn’t resist snapping a couple of Springy things.
This post’s title may sound a bit like an English pub name, but it isn’t… let me explain: Running up and down those cellar stairs all weekend, past the coat pegs, in search of coffee and nourishment, I couldn’t help but notice the somewhat sad state of my favourite outdoor wear. Close inspection reveals one delapidated sleeve of my well worn, traditional wax jacket hanging shamefully among the more respectable garments.
What am I saying? The more ‘respectable’ garments may be whole, but they lack character, they are not at all interesting, I can’t identify with them.
My old wax jacket (which to be honest isn’t all that old) has many holes, it has tears too, and even leaks! but it’s still a great jacket!
There’s no doubt, despite the flood of super waterproof, breathable, high end technology materials that keep you warm and dry, I’m going to have to buy another traditional wax jacket one day! A glutton for punishment perhaps?
The two photos were taken last weekend in an inspirational moment caused, I’m sure, by the hive of activity in the 365Project.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe in days of yore maids, butlers and other serving folk used to live below stairs. Now I’m not implying that I actually live in the cellar (nor indeed am I a servant) but the cellar is where my office, study, creative area, call it what you will, is located. This is the scene which greets me many times a day when I surface for coffee.
