Five monochrome photographs in five days on Facebook. This was the gauntlet laid down to me by photographer Steven Kelly. This gave me the chance to delve into the archives and revisit favourite old shots and explore why they are etched in my memory. Click the images to enlarge
Day one: Towards West Pier from March 2012, one of the first shots published on mikeosbornphoto. Brighton’s skeletal structure is often photographed, while the figures on the stone jetty make it look distant. It’s timeless in monochrome and reminds me of a coastal visit on an unusually warm day.
Day Two: Towards the Mountain. Taken on the Spanish island of Fuerteventura in May 2013. It’s not just a holiday playground but endowed with dramatic landscapes. The lone figure trudging across the sand makes this memorable for me.
Day Three: Wapping Portico. A shot from 2012 of a covered walkway in the affluent riverside area of London. The shadows and sense mystery made it clear that architecture is a favourite area of mine.
Day Four: Elegant descent. A swirling, beautiful design at London’s Tate Britain gallery which naturally lends itself to monochrome treatment. This is a piece of work that needs to be photographed.
Day Five: Contemplation. I picked a recent photo to complete my five shots, from the Tower of London on Armistice Day when the moat was filled with ceramic poppies. The scarlet has gone to add emphasis on the young woman’s expression and the capture of a moment.
And then the challenge is passed onto someone else, like a pleasantly creative chain letter. I asked Richard Cooper-Knight to choose his monochrome five, which he has published on his blog.
If anyone fancies a nomination, I will happily provide one!
