Intricate Patterns

Having walked around the Double Walled Garden at the Botanic Garden of Wales (NBGW), as we left this area we discovered some new planting in between the double walls. Brassicas were on display next to the bee garden and again i was unable to resist the urge to photograph some of the intricate fractal patterns that are formed by their leaves.

Click the images to view them larger.

brassica patterns

brassica patterns

brassica patterns

Walking and a True Sense of Scale

Having completed the circular walk from Rhosilli with Swansea Walking Forum and enjoyed the food at the Bay Bistro courtesy of the Gower Landscapes Partnership “Tastes of Gower “project, I walked down the steep footpath to Rhosilli beach. On the way down I could see in the distance a couple walking out along the beach. By the time I was down on the beach and had taken some sandy photos (to be posted on Saturday), they were heading back towards me.

There is nothing like people in a scene like this to give a true sense of scale!

Rhosilli Bay footpath

Rhosilli Bay

Rhosilli beach

 

Rhosilli cliffs

Rocks and Ripples

Viewing the rocks and sand ripples from above on my cliff walk at Rhosilli on the Gower peninsula revealed some fascinating patterns. I loved the complex textures of jagged rocks dotted with white gulls and the smoother flat patterns of wave platform structures seen on our way round to Fall Bay from the Worms Head.

The sand ripples may be a common pattern but I liked the subtle sunlight and shade. I thought it might be worth looking at it in black and white and in converting the image I also heightened the contrast quite a lot. The monochrome shot can be seen tomorrow on Leanne Cole’s Photography blog post Monochrome Madness 2-30. I can’t make up my mind which I prefer – subtle colour or contrasty monochrome.

rock patterns

wave platform rock patterns

sand ripples

monochrome sand ripples

Colourful Conversing Cardiff Cranes

Walking back along the barrage towards Cardiff, the views of these colourful Cardiff dock cranes were well worth photographing in my opinion. The blue structures with yellow tips become creature-like as they appear to converse with each other in pairs.

Cardiff Cranes

Cardiff Cranes

Woodland Exposure

The dawn walk I have been posting about this week took me through woods I have often posted about on this blog. Unlike yesterday’s underexposed images this first photo is much more like the reality of the place. The second, however, is again underexposed – the effect of the morning sunlight and shade of the trees on the footpath highlighted the forms and patterns of the leaves and the warmth of colour from the just risen sun produced a real sense of the place at that time.

woodland

woodland sunrise

 

Proportional Representation – Two Views

I don’t know what proportion (if any) of the people of Mumbles would go for proportional representation if it were available in the forthcoming May election in the UK. Disregarding politics, below is another take (or two) on the term that is more akin to  cropping in photography.

It was a dreary day when I took these photos but, for me, that is no reason not to take them. The range of textures in the scene is what interests me most, from the finer grain of the concrete in the sea wall to the lumpy rocks and stones on the foreshore, to the fuzzy grey textures of the trees on the hill. All of this interspersed with the softer green moss on the wall and the sand separating the stones on the beach. And then there are the patterns and colours of buildings and people stretched across the centre of the frame.

At least it wasn’t raining!

Mumbles Promenade

Mumbles Sea Wall

Night Lights and Reviewing the Week 9

Recently we had a clear but dark night amongst a lot of wet weather and  I was tempted to stop on my way home and catch a shot of the lights of the Carmarthenshire side of the Loughor Estuary.

lights at night

Patterns and Textures, Control and Freedom

Can you see the eye in the strange mixture of pattern, colour and texture in the underside of this bridge? Even without the structural repairs, I find this common bridge structure has an interesting and attractive mixture of these things. The plant may not be a part of the original design, but it brings an added element of freedom to the control needed in the architecture of such a structure.

wall patterns

bridge and plant