Come away with the raggle taggle gypsy-o
I posted a photo of the library of Celsus yesterday in black and white, and my inquisitive friend Jude wanted to know what colour it actually was.
Perhaps 2000 year ago, it might have been brighter, a warm rosey shade, we’ll never know. But here is what my camera saw.
Mystery solved Jude? By the way, the lady is Arete, goddess of virtue!
I’m joining Paula again this week, for her black and white day Sunday challenge. It has the theme of ‘Ceiling’, and I was tempted to post somewhere local, but then came across this photo taken at the library of Celsus, Ephesus, Turkey.
As it’s more than 2000 years old, perhaps it’s Paula’s oldest ceiling this week, we’ll see!
This time last year I was about to go on holiday to Barcelona. My Canon dslr and accoutrements had been weighing heavily for some time and I found I was leaving it at home more and more. Should I take it, or make do with my phone and a tiny compact?
Of course I started browsing for possibilities online and then went to town. The camera shop had a very good offer on an Olympus with two lenses, a camera that I knew took good photos, because a certain blogging friend has one. It was love at first sight and I wasn’t going home without it. With no time to get used to it, I left it on auto settings, with a bit of fun playing with the special effects on offer and the press of a button.
Since then life has been chaotic one way or the other, I still haven’t learnt how to use it and I’m going away soon. Never mind!
Today I was inspired by Sue, who creates stunning still life images and loves a bit of decay. So I gathered a few bits together and just tried a few of the automatic creative settings the camera has.
The first photo is just the normal auto setting, a bit dull?
Next a slideshow of various scene settings, a couple of which I like. If I hadn’t used the camera to get these effects, I might have tried some post processing, but that would be more time comsuming. What do you think, are both methods cheating? Is there an image that you like best?
A row of former merchants houses and grade 1 listed buildings, the Butterwalk in Dartmouth has been standing since the early 17th century.
The structure features 11 eleven granite piers, originally 13. I’d guess the granite came from Dartmoor. There was some serious bomb damage in 1943, thankfully renovated a few years later.
It’s been ages since I’ve posted for the Weekly Photo Challenge!
Paula continues her Black and White Sunday this week with the theme of ‘Structure’. I took this photo a few weeks ago, when I was showing my friend some of the historic sites in Exeter. This building dating from the early 15th century, was once the Merchant’s House, but is now commonly known as the House that Moved.
There’s an excellent article here, written by the very knowledgeable local historian, David Cornforth, that explains the name. On the right hand side of the page is another link, to a short film from the BBC archives, a great piece of history that would throw today’s health and safety officers into a real panic.
It’s Paula’s After Before week, she asks that we post the same image, in black and white and in colour. It’s a good way to see what works in monochrome, especially if like me, you don’t think of trying it.
Here’s my after, it’s not quite the usual reflection, the window had a stick on mirror so that the people inside could see out, but you can’t see in.
And before,
Any preference? Paula has a beautiful Corsican sea scene, take a look here.
Over to the west of Dartmoor a thatched cottage is growing out of the earth, or perhaps it’s sliding into the earth. Built in the 17th century this curved house has a passage through the middle, which might have been a division between house and livestock originally. It was the old post office for a period, and although it looks abandoned, there are also signs of work being done and the thatch seems to be in good condition. I hope it’s restored to it’s former glory, that would cost an awful lot of money.
Paula’s Thursday Special this week is traces of the past.
When I was a little girl, we didn’t have an upstairs, so any chance I could, I’d scramble around on stairs and climb over balustrades. I always wanted to climb right to the top and slide down the stairs. Of course I’d get told off, and off course I told my children not to do it as well!
Did you ever climb over balustrades?
These three are all in Tavira, have a lovely time Jo!
I was over the moon, when I saw Paula’s Thursday Special.
Lucid Gypsy 