Well who would have thought that I could actually find a picture that was vaguely relevant to today’s word, which was “apple-john”, which is: ‘A kind of apple said to keep for two years and having after this time a shrivelled, withered appearance’, (OED)? Now this might not look like an apple-john, but trust me, it’s there. Two years ago, I spotted an apple core in the hollow of the post and added it to my collection of receptacles-for-litter-not-designed-for-litter pix (cups on railings, fag ends in plant-pots etc); I photographed the deterioration of the core over a period of some months, fascinated by its general withering and colour change. I was also somewhat surprised that the pigeons hadn’t taken it away (although as this is Chelsea, there are probably better pickings, judging by the fatness of the local birds). So on seeing today’s word, I felt compelled to revisit that street sign, and indeed, there is a manky old mess festering at the bottom of the hollow. I couldn’t actually photograph the apple’s remains as I couldn’t get high enough above the subject. Also attached is a selection from the process of demise.
Apple cores make fascinating photographic subjects. And the best apple core image IMHO is to be found in the marvellous book by one of my favourite photographers – Jessica Backhaus – What Still Remains.
Day #114 of the second 365 project, where the daily pic is informed by the OED word of the day.