Last week Cee at Cee’s Photography challenged us to go out and take some new black & white photos. This happened to coincide with my notion of doing a series of ‘to and from the allotment’ posts, since at some point in the day you will see me trailing through the field on the back route path to my vegetable plot. And then the Daily Post’s ‘on the way’ prompt seemed to fit as well.
Given that everywhere is now bursting with sap-filled greenness, and we’ve waited a long time to see it, it is perhaps perverse to snap it in black & white. On the other hand, doesn’t it make you see things with a fresh eye? These photos were all taken in the early evening, when the sky over Wenlock Edge is always interesting, and the allotment gardens take on an abandoned and mysterious air. Even the plant life looks other-worldly. See what you think.
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The bean field…
My old shed under the greengage tree with sunbeams and artichoke…
Dandelion clock by the shed…
Wreath of barbed wire and Queen Anne’s Lace…
Phoebe’s insect motel for overwintering bees and bugs…
Shed with a view…
Welsh onion flowers and globe artichokes…
Sheds and allotments go together…
The path home by a sea of Queen Anne’s Lace…
Tish Farrell 
I can hear the breeze in the grass in your first photo
You can too, Gilly. It’s not letting up this wind 🙂
Indeed. 🙂
Really like your composition in the barbed wire shot.
I’ve got a bit fixated on that reel of barbed wire, and keep returning to take another shot. Thanks for your comment, Thom.
fine B&W work, Tish! On the other hand: I just sang about colors:
https://flickrcomments.wordpress.com/2015/05/31/tribute-to-vincent-van-gogh/
Oh so nice to speak to you, Frizz. I shall hope over to your place for some brightening up. Cheers.
The “wreath of barbed wire” one, really love it… 😀
But the others are excellent work too… 🙂
Thanks, Drake 🙂
My favourite is the insect motel, with its circular shapes against the rectangular. It’s a real paradise you have there but of course you know that, it’s clear by the way you share it with us. Splendid!
The insect motel is something isn’t it. Phoebe, who is a whizz at the allotment, got the local builders’ yard to give her some wooden pallets for free, and more importantly to deliver them. Then she set about finding insect friendly roosting stuff. As time has gone by, it’s weathered into an installation. We’ve not checked the occupancy rate 🙂
Gorgeous photos, Tish. It’s so tempting to shoot in color when photographing a garden, but these images show how impressive back and white can be.
Thank you, Melissa. You echo my thoughts entirely.
There’s a lot to be said about seeing things in black & white. Lovely pictures, Tish.
Thank you, Sarah 😀
Awesome
Merci beaucoup, Sylvain.
I felt like I was taking a walk there, Tish. Beautiful! I like the last one especially.
That’s nice to think you were coming along too, Amy 🙂
The light in these photos is wonderful. Can you be seen on the path in the last photo? The vegetation looks so high.
It is about up to my ears 🙂
😀
These are smashers. The last two remind me of my old Gran’s place in Royston. It even looks as if the sun is shining in these photos. Are they photo- shopped?
😉
The sun is indeed shining, but the wind is pretty chilly – not spring as we knew it. The pix are edited re exposure. Also cropped.
I meant, did you photo shop the sun in. Lame attempt at humour as I know summer has begun up there, yes?
June the 1 is apparently the beginning of winter down here … officially.
Sometimes, Ark, I am thick as the proverbial short plank. It was in fact a very apt joke, since June has arrived with pouring rain and the imminent whoosh of 60 mph gales. We have not seen spring yet. Although the plants are carrying on regardless of icy winds that have been with us for weeks now. Very strange goings on weather-wise. Happy Monday, btw, in your wintery (?) Africa.
Fret not, dear Tish, it just demonstrates my lack of writing skill that I was unable to convey wot I ment … know wot I meen?
Yes, winter has arrived in all its African Highveld style.
In actual fact, yesterday on the weather there was a snow warning for down south Cape Town way, believe it or not?
Meanwhile … up here in Jo’burg. Slight breeze, wall to wall blue sky and temperatures dropping to the dangerously low mid to upper-teens.
But give it another month and I won’t be smiling so cheekily and you will be well into summer.
I really love black and white photographs and these are superb. My favourites are the two images with Queen Anne’s Lace….and yes you are right, there is an otherworldly feel to these images.
Keep them coming. Janet.
Glad these speak to you in b & w, you who are such a magician with colour.
Indeed:)
I love this series, but I think I want it in colour – although as soon as I wrote this I spun (span?) back through and loved the b&w clouds and dandelions and sheds and … So I obviously don’t know what I want! All I know is, I want more of this series.
I really like these photos. They capture the place in a way that colour would not. Beautiful and evocative.
Alison
It’s interesting that they do that, isn’t it 🙂
Oh Tish; looking at that first photo has transported me to a field outside Amersham, late afternoon, sometime in May (last century), on one of those hot days that ends with a thunderstorm. Such a sense of deja vu! The images are lovely and I think black & white works fantastically well to really make us feel the textures, smell the onion flowers, and of course hear the wind moving the foliage. Gorgeous!
Am touched that this pic evokes such vivid memories and sensations. 🙂
Thanks Tish; it’s weird (and very cool) how immediate and intense the feeling was. 🙂
Splendid!
Nice captures, Tish! I love the “laced” barbed wire shots.
My favourites too. Thank you, Tiny.
Great images.
nice pairing of challenges – what timing- and the B & W was powerful. seriously, that is the only word that comes to mind. Of course I like the barbed wire and lace – and I noticed it was featured in the browser – so maybe this was your fav – but I also loved the artichokes – I have never seen them grow wild – and oh man now I need to buy some to set in the slow cooker. Maybe some year I can grow them – but right now I ams ticking to tomatoes, peppers, and greens like basil and whatnot. But someday – (and yes, made one more wish with the clock – so that is three for moi -)
Can recommend growing artichokes. I’ve only grown them from cuttings, but they’re very tolerant of dry weather. Might need to protect the crowns in winter during their first year or so. They can grow into huge plants though. And then if you leave some of them to flower, they are magnificent. Glad to keep your wishing quota up.
:0) – thanks – I will keep you posted – ha (on wishes and artichokes)
I’m very often disappointed by what I see in black and white when it’s digital. I think you got some really fine results here. Maybe because you shot them as black and white. The conversion can be complicated. In any case, I enjoyed this photography. Beautiful.
That’s so pleasing to hear, Shimon. I appreciate your observations. And it does make a difference shooting in B & W, as you say. You are looking at the subject in a different way.
I like the look of your barbed wire in B&W. Great photos!
Thank you, Paula.
Beautiful. B and W gives a timelessneess
Yes, the sense of stepping out-of-time is something that also appeals to me.
It looks beautiful there Tish. A whole lot of texture comes through in your black and white photographs. Have a great week dear. 🙂
Yes, it’s the texture that fascinates me, Nomzi. You have a great week too 🙂
Thank you Tish. 🙂
Wish you have such a marvelous black and white gallery this week. I sure appreciate you participating. I always enjoy it when you get a chance.
Photo of barbed wire like Christ
That image had crossed my mind. Thanks for commenting.
Tish I see a lot of black and white photos but I think what sets this gallery apart is the amazing use of light. The photos feel alive to me. As if I can feel the warm sun and breeze as I look at them. A gorgeous collection.
That’s such a lovely compliment, Sue. I’m glad those sensations came across.
Inspirational and beautiful pictures – so much perfection in the everyday things that pass us by that you have captured through your lens and splendid photographers eye. The barb wire image will stay in my mind it’s simply stunning.
Regards
Dan
That’s so nice of you, Dan. I welcome your input. Cheers again!
That’s so nice of you, Dan. I welcome your input. Cheers again!
The textures and layers suit B&W photography. The rest is up to our imagination. Kind of like the days of B&W tv.
Thank you for your comments, Draco. Mm. B & W TV – that feels like another lifetime ago.
Bravo Tish. Phenomenal work. It is not”perverse” to photograph life in black-and-white. Going against the photographic grain helps viewers appreciate the world around them. B&W photos are dramatic, exciting, surrealistic and mentally challenging the viewer to momentarily suspend their long held beliefs about the world about them. Thinking in B&W is another creative way to explore the world around us. Thank you for sharing your art work. Enjoy the day.
The B & W does give your allotment another worldly feeling, surreal, I think Queen Anne’s Lace is such an ephemeral and beautiful plant I loved the swathes of it along the pathway. It is also so obliging seeding every where. I had it in NZ, but it doesn’t seem to like it over here. I noticed the dandelion clocks are still managing to sneak in. That lovely old leaning shed of Wenlock. You’d better not weed around it I think the plants are holding it up…
You are right about the shed. Graham has done several ‘fixings’ over the years, but it just keeps leaning. Snails roost in there.
Congratulations! I have chosen this post to be featured on Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge.
http://ceenphotography.com/2015/06/04/cees-black-white-photo-challenge-animals/
I sure hope your week has been spectacular so far.
Oh that’s so lovely, Cee. Many thanks. And a great week to you too, 🙂
I am having a great week! 🙂
That’s so good to hear too.
Fantastic monochrome images, you’ve done a marvellous job pulling out some great contrast and tones
You’ve made my day, Mark. Cheers.
I especially love that wreath of barbed wire. That is an exceptional image.
I keep going back to look at it, now the cow parsley has died down, and trying a few more shots. Thanks for your comments 🙂
beautiful…:-)
Many thanks 🙂
Awesome….
I love this pictures.
Rosie from Germany
Thank you, Rosie. I appreciate your visit 🙂
I LOVE the monochrome, Tish. I am finding that I’m converting more and more of my shots to B&W. It gives them an entirely different feel. Thanks for putting these photos up!!
I have a monochrome setting on my digital point and shoot and I love it. As you say, B & W changes everything. Glad you liked the photos.