Black & White photo #7: People watching

On a windy May afternoon on Holkham beach I spent some time people watching*

It's the best thing ever, as you never know quite what you're going to see...

He was showing her how to fly a kite. 

She was patiently watching, listening and learning.  

He just wanted to show her one more time.  

She ran off, her attention distracted elsewhere. 

And all the time we knew he was enjoying himself so much...   

...that he was never quite going to let her have a go!

I'm linking up with Charly as part of her Black and White photography project over on

PODCast

, so pop over there to see more black and white shots. 

* I don't know these people but spent ages watching them having fun with the kite, so if it's you thank you, you made me smile that day!

Black & White photo #6: A peek into Ickworth House

My photos this week follow my current Ickworth theme.  I've already shared photos from our visit to the gardens - see The park and gardens at Ickworth House - and in a few days I'll share more from our trip around the house. But I couldn't resist sharing these two ahead of that. 

The first picture was one I planned for a black and white image and I'm pleased it's worked out so well.  So perhaps I'm starting to see shots in black and white as well as colour. 

I like the way the circular "window" frames the view of the landing above.

I did spend a fair bit of time faffing about to get the shot I wanted though which involved trying it from several different steps and angles, thankfully the staircase wasn't busy or I'd've been one of those annoying arty-farty people...

My second photo is the staircase that I spent some time faffing about on, which is beautiful in its own right. What I like here are the patterns the light casts onto the ceiling. 

I'd like to claim I planned this in black and white too, but I can't! It just turned out that way when I was editing my photos, but it's still one I'm happy with. 

I've linked this post to Charly's Black and White photo project over on PODCast, so pop over there then for more black and white shots. 

Black & White photo #5: A French market

This photo is from a weekend brocante market in the centre of Dijon which we visited back in June 2012. It's a photo that never fails to make me smile!

It definitely shows a French style, but not necessarily the one that immediately springs to mind. 

And the deer chap (sorry) in the sunglasses certainly knows how to work the camera with the sunglasses set at a jaunty angle...

I linking this post to Charly's Black and White photo project over on PODCast so pop over there to see more black and white shots.  And because it makes me smile I'm also linking up to Elizabeth's The Good Things over at Margot and Barbara.