In early June the world of leaf and blade and flowers explodes, and every sunset is different
John Steinbeck
Well, it took its time, but towards the end of June summer finally arrived in London. Overnight it seemed we went from cool and dull early spring days to a heatwave, with temperatures briefly touching thirty degrees Celsius. But throughout the month, whatever the weather, our gardens sprang into life and there were flowers everywhere!
But I started the month elsewhere, at the annual Virtual Tourist meeting in Kotor (Montenegro), where ironically we had rain while the UK enjoyed a brief sunnier spell! A few photos taken there feature in the gallery below. I’ve also squeezed in a few from Split (Croatia) where I spent the last few days of May with friends, as those days missed the cut-off for my prematurely posted May round-up. Consequently there are rather more photos than usual to browse here!
For the rest there are highlights from several London outings, including to the Saatchi Gallery for an exhibition on fashion photography (‘Beyond Fashion’, on until September and highly recommended). We also visited the repurposed Battersea Power Station for their Lift 109 experience, a Christmas present experience from Chris.
One evening I went out around Ealing with a friend from my photography group, Sean. We’d all been challenged to pair up (names drawn from a hat) and take photos of each other. With neither of us being keen on formal portraiture, and both having an interest in street photography, we decided to try to pose each other in mock street photo scenes. I’ve included my two favourite shots of Sean from the shoot. My feature photo is of a wildflower area in a small park we walked through that day, Dean Gardens.
Technical notes
I used all three of the options available to me this month. The photos from Croatia and Montenegro were taken with my compact Panasonic Lumix, as were the ones at Battersea. I used my rather better Lumix bridge camera for the photoshoot with Sean, and the rest were taken on my phone.
Most have been at least a little edited with Photoshop Elements and some also with Nik Color Efex, or Silver Efex for the black and white shots.
As always I am linking my selection to Ju-Lyn’s and Brian’s Changing Seasons challenge. Use the arrows to navigate the slideshow if you want to see all the images.
33 Comments
Ju-Lyn
I speak to my London aunt every weekend, so I have watched summer creep slowly in.
I love your Croatian lizard – such a beauty!
Toonsarah
Your aunt is right about it creeping slowly, and it’s been rather a case of two steps forwards, one step back! But it’s lovely today and we’re promised fine weather and warmth for what remains of July 🙂 I loved that lizard – I took lots of photos of him!
Pingback:
wetanddustyroads
You definitely chose a lovely photo to be your feature photo of this post – in my mind, when I think about spring, that’s what comes to mind! And I like the sunset photo in Split too (there’s something mysterious about the light, bird and the beautiful sunset). So it’s official then … “Hello Summer”!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you again 🙂 But I’m not sure about ‘hello summer’ – that week of heatwave didn’t last and July has so far been chilly and damp!
grandmisadventures
It looks like June has taken you to some great places. I’m excited to follow along with you to Kotor 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
It did indeed 🙂 There will be more on Split and Kotor over the coming months as I get my photos properly organised and catch up with the back-log from Sardinia!
Heyjude
No favourite. They are all lovely photos. You have an excellent eye for composition.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Jude, I really appreciate that 😊
Pingback:
carabeinsplash
Wow! Fabulous photos! I have to say I was shocked by the road in the photo of the clouds. It looks almost completely vertical! I bet it’s quite a view from the top.
Sarah Wilkie
We were on a coach tour that day and our driver did incredibly well but he had to stop at the bend you can just see on the left side of the photo and we walked the last bit to that point 😀
Alli Templeton
Firstly, I love the feature photo, Sarah. I’m growing wildflowers in the garden now, as many as possible, and it’s a joy to see the bees and butterflies, and all the other insects coming to them. I’ve come to really love the variety, colour and fragile beauty of wildflowers over the past few years, and it’s always good to see them being embraced in other places too. After all, you can’t beat natures own marvellous technicolour show. 🙂
I’ve very much enjoyed the slideshow of your collection this month. You’ve got an amazing eye for detail and composition, and somehow you can make anything – even the simplest window in a wall – look fantastic. The lizard is a stunner, and great shots with Sean as well; he’s a natural model isn’t he?
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Alli 😊 It’s a lovely idea to grow wildflowers in your garden. Friends of ours have taken up all their lawn and replaced it with wildflowers and cottage garden planting, and thy get so many bees and butterflies!
Alli Templeton
,…and I bet it’s a wonderful space to spend time in… Your friend sounds like my kind of person! 🌳🌿
Anne Sandler
Great images Sarah! I loved the “Inside the power station” and the picture of Sean at the bus stop.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Anne ☺️ I’m enjoying how everyone has different favourites this month!
Monkey's Tale
Quite the variety of scenes. I love the Ferry Port in Split photo. And I’d like to see the Beyond Fashion gallery. Maggie.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Maggie ☺️ The Beyond Fashion photo exhibition was excellent!
thehungrytravellers.blog
We haven’t yet been to the revitalised Battersea, looks interesting. We remember driving over the top of Mount Lovcen, wildfires raging in the valley below, on our way back from Zabljak to Kotor. It’s been another varied month for you!
Sarah Wilkie
The lift at Battersea was well worth doing but for the rest it’s really just a shiny upmarket shopping mall! July should bring plenty of variety too, starting with a visit to Broadstairs and a blogging meet-up 😁
Teresa
It is winter here and we haven’t had a negative temperature for years, but now we are having it here in Melbourne. Climate change is really getting to all of us.
By the way lovely shots, Sarah. The flowers and the photography with your friend.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Teresa. Having had that mini heatwave at the end of June, July has started with temperatures well below the norm!
bushboy
What a wow Sarah, right from the start. The Sean with you in reflection is fab. Love all of the geometry and how you see photos. Do you ever look up from taking a photo and see people looking wonderingly at what you’re taking a photo of?
Thanks for joining in The Changing Seasons 😀
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Brian 😊 Yes, I do sometimes get looks like that! Always a pleasure to share my Changing Seasons 😀
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
I like your selfie with Sean! I also love that young woman’s hair. Such a happy portrait.
Sarah Wilkie
I loved her hair too Anabel!
margaret21
What a great gallery from a busy month. Apart from that shutter set into a red wall in Montenegro, which I love, it’s the portraits that take my eye. And that idea from your photo club is one I’ll suggest to mine. A good idea that sets the mind working.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Margaret 😊 I was pleased to get that shutter shot as a) photography wasn’t allowed inside the palace, and b) it was pouring with rain, so any photo taking was a challenge!
Sue
Great set of images, Sarah! I too liked the simplicity of that shutter set into the red wall, and your portraits. The happy young girl’s hair!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Sue, I’m pleased to hear you enjoyed these too 😀
satyam rastogi
Beautiful post 🌹🌹
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 😀