Category: Photography

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Impressions: Cutting Garden At Arley Hall And Gardens

Cleome with annuals

If I was using a macro lens rather than an iPhone, I’d be able to isolate the spidery flowers of cleome against a nicely diffused, neutral background. As it is, I’ve learned to appreciate the impressionistic quality the iPhone can give. It’s nice that our eyes can drift along the flower border and make out some of the annuals: pink and red cosmos and blue cornflowers (Centaura cyanus). And I’m often impressed how well the iPhone captures colours, especially the blues, which my old camera struggled with.  Continue reading “Impressions: Cutting Garden At Arley Hall And Gardens”

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Cheerleading For Frilly Flowers: Double Peonies

Pink peony

If ever a flower looked like it was wearing a petticoat, this is it. It’s hard to believe this bloom is only partially open. The yellow petals in the centre will gradually become more prominent, but I like the flower at this stage while the outer petals are still a pure pink, and are forming a protective cup around the inner petals.

White peony

The second peony has it all for me: I love the pearly character of the creamy white petals and the way those yellowy petals create an inner glow.  Continue reading “Cheerleading For Frilly Flowers: Double Peonies”

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In The Shadows

I like the way the colours harmonise these contrasting images, while the shadows add complexity and atmosphere. The first image needs a little explanation: it shows a ballgown displayed on a headless mannequin, as part of a store display. We’re peering in through the window.

The object in the foreground is a small tree, complete with rootball, sprayed white, hung from the roof and decorated with a galaxy of trailing stars. I hope the tree was already dead as there’s no way back from this!  The decorative floor pattern seems to work perfectly with the mix of spotlights, dark shadows and an ethereal mesh of lowlights created by the tree installation. The red lampshades draw our attention to the dress. Continue reading “In The Shadows”

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Anticipation: Commander’s Palace, New Orleans

Commander's Palace Restaurant Sign

Why anticipation? Because while I’ve been close enough to take these pictures, I’ve never eaten there. And I’d like to.

The queue outside suggested that dining at Commander’s Palace would be memorable. Looking at their online menu, I quite fancy Cypress Smoked Louisiana Cochon de Lait:

Falling off the bone tender pork spiced with dark chilies and Creole seasoning over cayenne-pumpkin purée, fire roasted root vegetables & satsuma lacquer.

Menus sometimes trigger word itch. You know, that feeling you get when you’ve been bitten by a minute flying creature, except, in this case, it’s a word.  Continue reading “Anticipation: Commander’s Palace, New Orleans”

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Pink Rose Gallery

Rosa 'Anne Boleyn'

Everyone was so reassuring about my unseasonal blue poppy / TARDIS post that I’m sharing a few more pictures from earlier this summer – this time of roses. Portraits of roses are still one of my favourite subjects for photography, so I’m a little spoilt for choice (I’m not sure how widely that idiom is known outside the UK – basically it means I had quite a few pictures to choose from). I couldn’t say why I’ve decided on pink(ish) ones: perhaps because if you’re being unseasonal, you might as well be really unseasonable. Red would be much more Christmassy.

Long-time readers may remember I have a theory that some varieties of roses are more photogenic than others. I like the way that each bloom has a different pattern or arrangement of petals. Fresh roses have a purity that I love and a particular type of luminosity. I even find the slightly more battered ones appealing these days, like this little cluster.  Continue reading “Pink Rose Gallery”