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The Monarch Islands are off the west coast of North Uist. Uninhabited by people but home to so many seals. There were dark patches on the beach which on closer inspection proved to be areas of shells that had only partly been broken down by the waves to make the glorious white sand that makes up the stunning beaches the Hebrides are known for. Why were they in these clearly defined patches? I don't know, but the shapes and colours of these fragments fascinate me.
The origins of the Shell petrol brand are somewhat surprising, but certainly explain how it came to be called that and how its logo evolved. In 1833, a chap called Marcus Samuel opens a shop in London selling oriental seashells, which became popular decor. Indeed, going back earlier in time, but discovered in 1835, was the Shell Grotto in Margate, Kent, which is a series of underground tunnels adorned with millions of seashells arranged in intricate patterns and symbols. Anyway, I digress.
In the 1970s, the sons of Marcus Samuel, apparently called Marcus Jr and Samuel (surely not!) expanded the business into Japan selling kerosene and other goods, and thus establishing the company's foundations in petrol. In 1897 the Shell Transport and Trading Co was founded in the UK. In 1907, and to be able to properly compete on the international market, the company merges with Royal Dutch Petroleum Company to form Royal Dutch Shell. By 1904 the instantly recognisable shell logo was introduced, based on a scallop shell, an earlier logo based on mussel design had been dropped.
By 1924 the company had its first refinery in Stanlow, Cheshire. In 1932, and to cope with the effects of the great depression, the Shell Mex-BP group was formed for UK operations and lasted up to its eventual break up in 1975-1976.
Bit by bit the company grew and grew into pretty much every part of the world and just over a century later there is hardly a place in the world where one doesn't see a Shell petrol station.
For many years of its operation, the word Shell did not need to appear on the signs as the logo was so iconic by then that pretty much everyone knew the brand.
For a much more comprehensive history of the company look here
www.shell.com/who-we-are/our-history/our-company-history....
I've collected quite a few Shell branded keyrings, featuring a few of their post war logo variations.
After discovering these interesting shrubs, we walked around them for awhile and suddenly found this unbelievable flower - almost like a miniature orchid bursting out of what we thought was the blossom!! Turns out the gorgeous pink structure is only the precursor to these small but magnificent flowers. In studying this image on the computer, the subtle pink shading in the outer leaves became apparent - so delicate and lovely. Also notice what appear to be small water droplets inside the next pink structure to the right of the blossom. But what really surprises me is the fact that the flower is yellow and red!! Not what I would have expected with all the soft pink. Truly one of Mother Nature's loveliest creations. :-)
A Christmas tree made of shells and left on Howe Street in Bay Head, NJ. The shells are left blank and then signed by visitors to the beach with their names and, or a message. Adorned with a starfish at the top, smaller red shells throughout the tree.
My wife’s crop from our two days on Sanibel Island. These shells will be incorporated in her artwork.
The story goes that in 1835 Mr James Newlove lowered his young son Joshua into a hole in the ground that had appeared during the digging of a duck pond. Joshua emerged describing tunnels covered with shells. He had discovered the Shell Grotto, its walls decorated with strange symbols mosaiced in millions of shells. Is it an ancient pagan temple? A meeting place for some secret cult? Nobody can explain who built this amazing place, or why, but since its accidental discovery visitors from all over the world have been intrigued by the beautiful mosaic and the unsolved mystery.
Various broken shells lie along the railbed at Mill Creek - dropped by hungry seagulls to get to the meat beneath.
This is the older Shell truck stop replaced by a new Flying J/Shell facility.
Here is the new building opened in October 2012:
www.flickr.com/photos/29818139@N03/8187241346/in/photostr...
An interesting plant that's native to eastern Asia and has culinary and medicinal uses. It grows well without any maintenance in Florida's hot and humid climate.
Paua has only one shell and sticks to the rocks with its big "foot". It is a favourite sea food - especially sought after by the indigenous race - the Maori. Used extensively in jewellery and exported for that and its meat. Usually harvested by scuba and snorkel divers.
Walking along the beach at Mellon Udrigle in the Scottish Highlands, the dawn light side lit the large number of shells of which this is a small section.
This is really best viewed large to see the color and detail - a very special shell.
These are some of my mom's favorite colors...
Shot on a piece of plate glass, with black seamless taped to the bottom. Shaped hole cut to allow light to pass through. Glass was set on a 20" long piece of 12" diameter concrete form tube (Home Depot). I lined the tube with silver lame fabric from Jo-Anns, set it on top of a silver reflector fabric and suspended a 580 EX (@ 1/8th power ) 10" up and aimed down.
A 2nd 580 EX at 1/128th power on a light stand with Honl 20 deg grid is positioned camera right to bring back some of the texture of the shell.
I was just testing out come shells and finally it developred into a complete picture. I just couldn't stop. Here it is in its first incarnation, black and white.