It’s been particularly wet the last few days. One of the few positives for me is that it’s a photographic opportunity to capture the landscape from a different perspective. A flooded section of Highgate West Hill conflates submerged signage and reflected nature and to me evokes a poetic and surreal street abstract. The word STOP, seen countless times before and in this case intended for buses, literally stops me in my tracks as I see a triangle of light framed by curtains of bushy, leafy green:
Another street abstract, this time Charing Cross Road, with double yellow lines, reflected London bus and architecture. I like the agitated foamy water which I feel lends an abstract expressionist feel:
The street abstract below also features double yellow lines – this one was taken a few weeks ago in Nottingham. The woman, who is also reflected in the glowing puddle, is wearing yellow leggings which mirror the street markings. Her outfit, though trimmed in green is a luminous yellow:
A flooded Rose Garden in Regent’s Park, from another rainy summer:
And in Windsor, the partially flooded Long Walk at dusk:
Next are some photographs featuring the detail of raindrops. A car with body work featuring an image of Che Guevara. The Cuban icon looks tearful in the rain:
Raindrops on a poster in a London park featuring two profiles from antiquity:
A solitary raindrop on a ginkgo leaf – a street abstract I took several years ago suggestive of a minimalist still-life:
Below, one from my project Persian Kentish Town:
Some years back I was taking a picture of the heart-shaped puddle by Kenwood House when a couple in coordinating walking gear and flat caps moved out of my way. On the contrary, I said, and invited them to be part of the photo. I love witnessing the display of affection in mature couples, and the heart puddle combined with their obvious companionship and his protective embrace seemed very appropriate:
Another couple having fun in the rain – Osaka, Japan 2015:
I started reflecting on songs that I like that share the theme of rain. Two immediately sprang to mind, one being Bob Dylan’s A Hard Rains A -Gonna Fall, possibly because I’m looking forward to watching the Scorsese documentary about him, and definitely because it’s been raining hard (rather than raining purple – I still love Prince’s Purple Rain). The other is Etta James’ It’s Raining*. I listen to WWOZ New Orleans Radio a lot of the time, and in the last few days the sounds of the late Dr.John have been a constant backdrop. Yet the Allen Toussaint produced It’s Raining by Etta James resonated when I was looking though my photos and came across an image taken in New Orleans back in 2014 of of woman sheltering from a downpour on a sultry day:
*The song is also featured in the great Jim Jarmusch film Down By Law (1986) in a dance scene with Roberto Benigni and Nicoletta Braschi.
