Stills

...I do what I can! Thanks for the comment Colin, made my day. If in some way a photograph of mine makes someone think then I have achieved my goal.
 

An incredible illusion of space -- the square box is completely gone at first view. If I force its return, I still see a geometric design. Fascinating.

The cover of your "potted plant" book? Or not, since adding type would flatten it.
 

I'm intrigued by Colin's comment. Perhaps we can get him to elaborate on it.

There's part of me that reacts to this in a very photo geeky way: you can see this as a far more interesting variation on the brick wall lens test. In fact, you can see some distortion evident in the curve of the pipe. If only all lens test were done on such real world subjects.

On another level, the geometry of this is fascinating. The big expanse of repeating bricks is almost hypnotic.
 

Perhaps we can get him to elaborate on it.

And there I was hoping to save time by leaving a short and enigmatic comment...

I've seen the urban environment in the past as a place full of the ephemeral. Moments and juxtapositions that, unless recorded, would pass unnoticed. Some of Guy's rangefinder stuff is very much in that vein.

The square stuff, though, is heavy with detail and is (generalising) picturing things which are, if not permanent, then at least slow moving. These scenes might be observed by hundreds or thousands of people before changing dramatically (or might be ignored, overlooked or otherwise neglected - but they are there for the seeing day after day). I've not wanted to capture this amount of detail in an urban shot (again, generalising), because....I've no idea why because. Probably because my photographic heros didn't.

Don't be surprised if tomorrow's photostream post says much the same :-)
 

It's that amazing effect across the top that makes this - it is an optical illusion of a sort.

Cities are different, even if they have common elements. Clearly, Japanese towns/cities are different to British ones - American too, but then the latter are different to British ones too! So here we are getting small component parts that spell out that this is Japanese - they would never be found in a British city; apart from the drainpipe.

Such analytical dissection of structural detail is rare - and that is a pity.
 

So here we are getting small component parts that spell out that this is Japanese - they would never be found in a British city; apart from the drainpipe.

I agree that it would not be found like this in the UK but the cultural difference is that we would never be satisfied with one pot or one plant. The folks that go to the trouble of decorating the environment with plants don't know where to stop. It would either be wind blown rubbish or three to four pots filling the corner.

I don't think this should be in "potted plant" book but in a Snippets of Tokyo book.
 

Rex - the "component parts" you quote refer to the building materials and techniques rather than the potted plant. But I agree that the Japanese minimalist ethos is rarely found here: wind-blown rubbish being more common.
 

Just brilliant! Among the most creative I have seen lately. This wall pattern is amazing in the way is gives us that feeling of space.
 

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I liked this one too! This is a little lighter than reality and recently a bicycle has joined the plant and the shot has been temporarily lost. I have spent much more time this winter closer to home and getting 'deeper' if not necessarily wider in my choice of photographic material. The Rolleicord has slowed me down and as Colin alludes to in his own website post my methodology for shooting is very much based upon items that hang around in the shot much longer than if I was shooting 35mm rangefinder. That said, I usually see these types of shots as quick as I did with the rangefinder prior to composing in camera. However, I may spend slightly more time on choosing where to position myself before releasing the shutter. As I am working much closer to home I can scout some shots whilst walking the dogs in the mornings or out and about running errands. I still have a few shots to bag (waiting for some cars to move) and it surprises me how many new shots I see even though I may have passed the area many times previously. Having said all that... I still get a lot of enjoyment going through new areas of town.
 

The patterns and spacial realtionshops are wonderful, grounded by the plant, which almost appears to be situation on a steel dollie. Very nice.