black and white

Indoor dandelion

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Common dandelions are loved for their bright yellow flowers and delicate clock seeds. Read more below

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I plucked a dandelion clock I found in a small wild patch of grass by my apartment block and carried it carefully indoors.

With stay at home orders still in force due to the coronavirus pandemic, this became another lockdown photography project.

For some days the dandelion clock was my model, from when it was plump and fluffy, to when seedlings were shedding everywhere.

This is a major feat of nature’s engineering and fascinating to study at close quarters. After the photoshoot I returned the seedlings to where they had grown and scattered them around.

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Retro mono

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It’s time for another sidestep into film photography. Some months ago my vintage Olympus-35 EC was loaded up with an Ilford HP5 400 black and white film. On various occasions it’s been slipped into my pocket and taken on walks around London and beyond.

Finally the roll came back from the developers, spiced with the old-fashioned magic of wondering what the results were – and not quite remembering taking some of them. At least this time there were no misfires or focusing disasters.

My first impression wasn’t as dazzling as the first colour film, which was rich and sparkling, defying all expectations for a 46-year-old camera. Unsurprisingly monochrome is far more subtle and creates an entirely different mood. The contrast is decent but benefited from a minimal, careful amount of post-processing. The grain appears strong and consistent, adding atmosphere and authenticity – far removed from the smoothness of digital.

Any impressions or thoughts will be much appreciated…

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A higher plane

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A higher planeYou cannot visit a cathedral without looking aloft to enjoy its impressive height and ornate ceilings. That’s where I end at Norwich Cathedral in eastern England, capturing the building’s beautiful roof space. It’s tempting to lie down in this pursuit, but that seems inappropriate – and mirrors are provided to easily glimpse the upward divinity. Unmissable.

Resplendent roof

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Architects’ artchitecture

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Stalinist facade

This daunting Art Deco pile stands in the heart of London close to another – BBC Broadcasting House.

66 Portland Place is the headquarters of the Royal Institute of British Architects (Riba). It’s an elegant yet stark building constructed in the 1930s, full of style but with the austere chill of the Soviet era. The organisation’s lion emblem is stamped in details throughout.

It seemed only fitting to present this small collection of shots entirely in monochrome.

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Moody rooftops

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Sullen skyline

 These are the first photographs since moving to our new home and bidding farewell to W6.

The move did not take us far, but it’s different. Gone is the conventional ground floor flat – it has been replaced with upper floor living and a space in the rooftops.

Our skies were laced with stormy, rain-bearing clouds which look even more pronounced in monotone. In the scene below, the tower block is part of the old BBC Television Centre where I used to work. The site is now being slowly transformed, which we can see from our new neighbourhood.

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Rooftops of W12

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