John Sheldon's photos

'Fake' in that it was early morning when the DNG was exposed. The night time illusion was created using Affinity Photo software. (The presence of the moon is real, however.) Split toned, therefore not monochrome. (Trying to make something out of a lack-lustre DNG, really.)

Salisbury Cathedral, Wiltshire, England. Photographed from the top floor of Sarum College.

At Hilliers Arboretum in Hampshire, England. A Eucalyptus Dalrympleana strives to reach the light.

At Hilliers Arboretum in Hampshire, England - in the Gurkha Memorial garden.

At Hilliers Arboretum in Hampshire, England. I have tried to create the illusion that the angel is slightly detached from the scene, and to make her surroundings 'dreamy'. Affinity Photo software.

The DNG was exposed at The Reflection Pool, Hilliers Arboretum, Hampshire, England on World Photography Day 2022. The Pool is intended to be a place for thought, contemplation, reflection. Photography is possible because light is reflected from things. The light creates a latent image on which a photographer can work to make a picture. Here I have worked on the picture so as to set the bright light reflected from the hard metal frame alongside the delicate colours in the wings – reflecting the durability and hardness of nature but also its delicacy as perceived by humans. Perhaps the picture also ‘reflects’ the development of photography from a pastime for a few scientifically minded, wealthy individuals to something that can be enjoyed by many people – I used a mass-produced ‘prosumer’ DSLR with the basic kit zoom lens. DNG was processed using Affinity Photo software.

Sky roof and wall colours reflect the colours in the flag of Slovakia - although in the wrong order! The hardness of the strong directional sunlight has been enhanced by melding an extreme black and white conversion with a semi transparent colour version. Plus various tweaks here and there. DNG from June 2014, processed in 2022 using Affinity Photo software.

A 2100 year old Hellenistic Greek mosaic floor depicting the god Dionysos as a winged daimon riding on a tiger. In the House of Dionysos at Delos in the Cyclades Islands, Greece. It is believed that this is the floor of a 'pool' which, when filled with water, cooled and freshened the breeze blowing through the house. DNG from 2018 processed (fairly aggressively) in 2022 using Affinity Photo software.

... from 2100 years ago. A reconstructed Hellenistic Greek mosaic depicting the god Dionysos as a winged daimon riding on a tiger, from the House of Dionysos at Delos in the Cyclades Islands, Greece. The original is dated to the late 2nd century BCE. DNG from 2018 processed (gently) in 2022 using Affinity Photo software.