Tag Archives: Seed Head

Sep 8 2020
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ShareMondays2020 – A Feast Of Thistles

ShareMondays2020 – A Feast Of Thistles

Only a few photos this week! I had a very brief spell outside with the camera last Wednesday, but the goldfinches at Heather Farm put on a good show for me, feasting on the thistle seed heads. On Thursday evening I started coughing. It was a bit concerning! I followed the guidance and immediately started the process of booking Covid tests for both myself and Simon. It is a bit of a process, but you just have to stick with it and keep refreshing the booking site, until you are able to get a nearby drive-through appointment, or order a home testing kit.

Simon got straight in touch with his employers, to arrange working from home, and I contacted my care agency and the carers I had seen that week. Although they all wear PPE and observe good hand hygiene, they have the closest contact to me (after Simon!) so I needed to alert them to the possibility that I may have contracted the virus. After a while I was finally able to book us tests close to home for the following day. I’ve got to say the test centre was really well run, staff did everything possible to make us feel reassured, and we were all done in just ten minutes. Our results were emailed and texted to us on Saturday morning, just under twenty four hours later, and I am delighted to say that we’re both negative!

Goldfinch on thistle seed heads

I still have no idea how, or where, I have picked up this virus. I have been sticking to strict social distancing ever since shielding was paused. I’ve not been meeting up with lots of people, going to pubs or into shops. I’m still classed as extremely clinically vulnerable to complications if I catch Covid-19, so I’m not ready to take big risks. The fact that I am already taking so many precautions, yet have still managed to pick up a virus, just goes to show how easily they can be spread. None of us should start being complacent, especially as the Winter flu and cold season approaches and more sectors are being opened up to the public.

Even if you’re not in a high risk category yourself, there are plenty of clinically vulnerable people out there, around you, who need your help to stay safe. You can’t tell how vulnerable a person might be from looking at them. Some known risk factors like age, gender and ethnicity might be more obvious, but you can’t see chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, COPD, diabetes, severe asthma, organ transplants, certain blood disorders, to name but a few!

Bull Rushes ICM

The person standing behind you at the checkout for the supermarket could be vulnerable. Did you wash or sanitise your hands before you touched any of the surfaces they might then be touching? Maybe you thought it was okay because you’re wearing your mask? Hand washing is still the most important thing we can all do to protect one another! The next most important thing we can do is to get tested as soon as possible if we develop symptoms: a fever, a new, continuous cough, a loss or change in sense of smell or taste. Self-isolate as soon as symptoms appear and follow procedures for contact tracing if you receive a positive result.

For now I am clear, but I am still feeling pretty rotten with the virus I have! I hope my depleted immune system can deal with it soon, so I can get back outside with the nature and wildlife I cherish so much. Take care and stay safe everyone x

Aug 17 2020
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ShareMondays2020 – Chinoiserie

Laquered

ShareMondays2020 – Chinoiserie

The term Chinoiserie refers to western-made arts and crafts, particularly of the 18th century, that were characterised by motifs seen in oriental artwork on wood, porcelain, silk and metal. I’ve not included any of the fantastical beasts that appear in many of those pieces, as I have always been drawn to the art form for the beautiful shaping of the natural elements. Whenever I see seed-heads lit up by the late sun against a dark backdrop, I can’t help but be reminded of the shapes of cherry trees and bonsai on dark lacquered wood, or inlaid on metal.

Chinoiserie

The elegant structures of late summer seed-heads, pods and grasses, really appeal to me. Isolated, they can be amazing minimalist subjects. Layering up an image with multiple exposures, either in-camera or using digital software, can be used to emphasise the cluttered nature of wildflower meadows or areas of scrub land. These are really important habitats for many wildlife species. The primary layer of a vibrant ecosystem.

Vetch

Of course many of the metals and chemical compounds that were used in these old techniques are also used in various forms of photographic print making. We often refer to these techniques as Camera-less Photography. The most well known techniques are photograms and cyanotypes. Both involve using chemically treated paper, laying objects on, or above, the paper and exposing it to light. A process that I was very interested in at Art College was solarisation, first popularised by Lee Miller and Man Ray in the 1920’s and 30’s. It can be used when developing from negatives or when using objects for photograms. The exposed paper is treated with developing chemicals and then another exposure is made. This can either be pure light exposure or a double exposure using a negative, or more objects, in slightly different positions on the paper. It’s very experimental and hugely satisfying!

Echo

Not all of us can get access to darkrooms, space for cyanotypes or digital cameras that allow for multiple exposures! All these images in this post have actually been created in Photoshop using multiple layers and blending modes to recreate the styles and results that you would expect to get from analogue printmaking. Nik Software also has tools for recreating these effects, called Analog Efex Pro. I took the separate photos to create these images in a brief moment of sunshine at Heron Lake, where I have been going open-water swimming. The lake is surrounded by reed-banks, scrub and woodland.

Teasing Light

It’s a great habitat for wildlife, although much of it was still in hiding from the thunderstorms that hit us on Wednesday! Our swim sessions had to be delayed for an hour to ensure that the thunder and lightening had cleared. I did find a slightly bedraggled wren, hiding in an elder bush, while I was looking for suitable plants to photograph for this project. If only it had braved the light! Still, it was great to see it scampering around the branches and staying sheltered.

Young Wren

I hope everyone has a great week, and if the weather doesn’t allow for your usual photographic styles and subjects, try something experimental!

Aug 13 2018
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Transition

Transition

Transition

I’m fascinated by seed heads! I think these are the remains of verbena bonariensis (vervain), a tall purple-flowered plant that is loved by bees and butterflies. It was quite an ethereal sight seeing the twisting stems dancing in the breeze against the hazy clouded skies. I knew it would make a beautiful, minimalistic mono! The appearance of so many seedheads really heralds the coming transition of the seasons. Such a hot summer has sped up this transitional period! I think many of the insects will be greatly relying upon the late flowering plants, such as ivy, this year. If you’ve been growing verbena for butterflies this year, here’s a helpful link for how to harvest the seeds for next year. I’m sharing this image for today’s Fotospeed challenge.