Colour – Green

Green is everywhere but its good to find something other than just the green of grass or leaves, the “green” of the golf course apart.

I visited the Jardin des Plantes botanical gardens in Paris in November, the leaves turning to a luminous yellow set against the dark green pines and vivid green moss on the tree trunk all caught my eye but what centres the image the pensive young man, his feet flexed in concentration. And the green plastic hose running along the edge of the lawn.Jardin des Plantes, Paris

Green-painted window on Holy IslandThe golf course at Alnmouth in DecemberMoss on a very old wall in Ffestiniog, Wales

The train to Bristol

Today I went by train to Bristol and couldn’t resist covertly photographing this beautiful Japanese woman as she slept, seen through the reflection of passing smoke, trees and fields seemingly to be gently enveloping her.

Sleeping on a Train

A dark shape appears to be rolling her head and making her gasp – seen through a fine white gauze-like stream.

Sleeping on a Train 2

Geo tagging with my phone tells me exactly where I took this photo – on the traintrack just after it crosses the A338 north of Wantage – simultaneously both fascinating and useless information.

Below is a photo of Reading station – repeating patterns in such close proximity. The cut out shapes are the same but seen in silhouette, then blue and above, apparently reversed – the same shapes made from corrugated roofing – confused by reflections in the train window.

patterns in victorian stations

I tried photographing the concrete-paved platform as the train was slowly pulling out of the station, the yellow warning strip of the edge of the platform makes a pleasing border.

concrete platform

Decorative plasterwork on the ceiling of a public house dating back to 1746, the Llandoger Trow in Bristol centre.

plasterwork ceiling

Greenwich Park

Magonlia buds have opened further in the warm sunny weather over the last few days.

Magnolia buds almost open in Greenwich Park

Magnolia buds just beginning to burst open

I am lucky to live within walking distance of this great old park, wide views over London, historic bulidings, some of the oldest trees for miles around and plenty of green space. We are all distressed to know that our access will be restricted for so long this summer to make way for the Equestrian Olympics.

Each week we see changes, the building of new banks for jumps, trimming of some trees, removal of others, widening of gateways, re-laying of lawns and paths – the list goes on and on. Progress and development are good but the chain-saw sounds of tree-felling are worrying. Even the heath is being transformed with temporary buildings – provision of stabling for all the horses.

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Colour – Red

A week in North Wales – grey and misty weather but red seems to appear in almost all of my photographs.

Melin Pant-yr-Ynn, Blaenau Ffestiniog

Red window at Melin Pant-yr-Ynn, Blaenau Ffestiniog

The water wheel in motion

Waterwheel turning at Melin Pant-yr-Ynn, Blaenau Ffestiniog

Sunrise over Manod Mawr near Ffestiniog, Gwynedd

Sunrise at Ffestiniog

The Japanese Pagoda in Portmerion

Red painted Japanese Pagoda at Portmerion

Slate gate posts and red-painted iron gate in Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Red iron gate at Blaenau Ffestiniog

Reminded me of a similarly grey day in December in Northumberland on the quayside at Amble Harbour

Red buoys at Amble Harbour

And this lovely old door – maybe it was really red long ago

Red painted door in Warkworth

Stairs

The staircase in the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art – Ellis Williams Architects, is statisfyingly industrial with its embossed and perforated sheet steel. The only colour – a single wall on each landing painted in an identifying colour.

The entrance has unpainted rusting cladding.

Dull December weather in Canvey Island, Essex but this rust patterned concrete flood defence and steps is a pleasing arrangement of stripes and angles.

Canvey Island – the beach in winter

Canvey Island Tea Shop