Black and White Potpourri-A mixed bag of black and white photographs. Be sure to check out the history behind each image and be surprised at what you find.
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The Quiet Game
Although its origins are uncertain, the history of chess dates back nearly 1500 years. The earliest form of the game originated in India, spread to the Muslim world and eventually Europe. In Europe during the 15th century chess evolved into its current form. A study done in Venezuela with 4,000 second grade students saw a remarkable increase in IQ scores after only 4 1⁄2 months of systematic chess study.
Although the name Bobby Fisher is familiar to most Americans and chess players, Garry Kasparov is arguably the greatest chess player of all time. He held the world champion title from 1985 to 2000 and remained the number one player in the world until 2006.
June 30, 2021, a young boy from New Jersey became the youngest grandmaster in history. Abhimanyu Mishra, broke the record by two months, gaining the title at the age of 12 years 4 months 25 days.TheQuietGamePhotography by Gary RickettsCapturing History Through PhotographyBlack and WhiteBWChessFine Art PhotographyWall ArtUniqueSportinterior designGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comhttpsphotographybygaryricketts.com
Field of Hay
Once upon a time the baling machine produced rectangular bales of hay weighing 50 pounds and held together by wire. The time between cutting and baling is longer than that for the rolled hay bales because the hay must be dried longer to insure the hay is completely moisture free. The rectangular bale is loosely packed making it susceptible to moisture. Another disadvantage is that it takes a great deal of time and manpower to stack, transport and store.
The large round bales, known as ton bales because they can weigh up to 1,500 pounds each, require less time between cutting and baling. The ton bale is packed more densely and the shape makes them moisture resistant. A single person can easily transport and store bales using a tractor.FieldHayPhotography by Gary RickettsHouseButlerAlabamaFarmWinnerLandscapeFine Art PhotographyBlack and WhiteCapturing History Through PhotographyWall Artinterior designUniqueBWGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comhttpsphotographybygaryricketts.com
Open Curtain
A view of Český Krumlov—Czech Republic.
Český Krumlov is the second best-preserved historical town in Bohemia, after Prague, and designated as one of UNESCO's World Monuments.
Legend holds the name Krumlov is derived from the German "Krumme Aue", which may be translated as "crooked meadow". "Český" simply means Czech, or Bohemian, which is actually one and the same, as opposed to Moravian or Silesian. The town was first mentioned in documents from 1253, where Krumlov was called Chrumbonowe.OpenCurtainCesky KrumlovCityCzech RepublicGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comLocationPhotography by Gary RickettsFine Art PhotographyWindowBlack and WhiteEuropeCapturing History Through PhotographyMountainFine Arthttpsphotographybygaryricketts.comUniqueWall ArtBWinterior design
Under The Seat
John Deere, avoiding bankruptcy, moved to Grand Detour, Illinois in 1836 where he set up shop as repairman and maker of pitchforks and shovels. Deere observed the iron or wooden plows used by the farmers easily got stuck in the rich Midwestern soil, requiring the farmer to frequently stop and clean the soil from the plow. A process that made the plowing of a field slow and laborious.
In his workshop, Deere made a plow from a Scottish steel saw blade, creating a self-scouring steel plow. The invention of the smooth-sided steel plow by Deere, significantly aided farming migration to the American Great Plains during the 19th and early 20th century.
The company’s slogan, “Nothing Runs Like a Deere” and its logo of a leaping deer, with “John Deere” under it, has been used for over 155 years. Today the company manufactures a plethora of equipment used in all sorts of industries.UnderTheSeatHDRAlabamaButlerPhotography by Gary RickettsFarmTractorWinnerFine Art PhotographyBlack and WhiteCapturing History Through PhotographyWall Artinterior designUniqueBWGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comhttpsphotographybygaryricketts.com
Emptiness
The single beach chair sits deserted as it waits for the incoming tide to claim its prize.
EmptinessPhotography by Gary RickettsBeachOceanWaterChairFine Art PhotographyBlack and WhiteCapturing History Through PhotographyWall Artinterior designUniqueOrange BeachAlabamaBWGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comhttpsphotographybygaryricketts.com
Night Visitors
During the night of the first full moon of each new year, lost souls search the beach waters for redemption.
NightVisitorsPhotography by Gary Rickettsfine art photographyBlack and WhiteUniqueFogBeachMoonFantasyinterior designWall ArtBWCapturing History Through PhotographyGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comhttpsphotographybygaryricketts.com
Nature's Lamp
Traveling 186,000 miles per second, sunlight essential for human health and well-being, takes 8 ⅓ minutes to reach earth. The expression “sunny disposition” is true. Exposure to sunlight increases serotonin in the brain, boosting one’s mood and helping a person feel calm and focused. Exposure to sunlight lowers blood pressure when nitric oxide is released into the blood vessels.
Nature'sLampPhotography by Gary RickettsWindowMastic BeachNew YorkTableFine Art PhotographyBlack and WhiteCapturing History Through PhotographyWall Artinterior designUniqueBWGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comhttpsphotographybygaryricketts.com
Casting
As the sun sets, a lone fisherman casts his line hoping for fresh fish for dinner.
CastingFine Art PhotographyBlack and WhitePhotography by Gary RickettsCapturing History Through PhotographyWall Artinterior designUniqueWaterOceanFishingBoatShipBWGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comhttpsphotographybygaryricketts.com
Lost Soul
Skull symbolism is found throughout history in many forms and religions. Best known example of skull symbolism is found in Shakespeare’s Hamlet where the line, “Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him…” is spoken as Hamlet recognizes the skull of an old friend.
In Elizabethan times, the Death’s-Head Skull represented bawdy sexual adventures and prostitutes. A half-skull ring was worn to advertise one’s desire for professional or adventurous sexual encounters. The silver rings were designed to rotate around the finger and hide the Death’s-Head Skull in polite company, but exposed in the presence of possible conquests.LostSoulPhotography by Gary RickettsSkullFine Art PhotographyBlack and WhiteCapturing History Through PhotographyUniqueBWFantasyinterior designWall ArtGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comhttpsphotographybygaryricketts.com
White On Black
Orchids are Earth’s largest group of blooming flowers with more than 25,000 types of naturally existing plants. In the wild, orchids grow on trees where hundreds of different shapes and sizes are found on every continent except Antarctica.
Orchids produce blooms in every color except one: black. Although rare, true blue orchids exist in the wild. The blue orchids offered for sale are actually white orchids dyed blue by the plant breeder. The dye and process used to create the blue orchid is a patented secret.
Throughout history orchids were thought to have healing powers and other mystical properties. The Chinese used orchids to cure coughs and lung disease. The Ancient Greeks believed a woman who ate orchid flowers would bear a son. The Aztecs drank a mixture of vanilla orchid flowers and chocolate to gain strength.
That’s right, the pure vanilla extract for cooking comes from the orchid Vanilla planifolia; the only orchid that produces an eatable fruit—vanilla.PaphosNew HampshireLebanonPhotography by Gary RickettsWinterChristmasOrchidFlowerBlack and WhiteCapturing History Through PhotographyFine Art PhotographyWall Artinterior designUniqueBWGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comhttpsphotographybygaryricketts.com
Phantom of the Table
Why is the modern billiards table covered with green felt? In the 15th century, billiards started as an outdoor lawn game similar to croquet. At some point the game moved inside to be played on a wooden table, covered with green cloth to simulate grass. Although the green felt is most common on the table, there are some covered with blue or red—perhaps for variety.
PhantomtheTablePhotography by Gary RickettsHoover Senior CenterHooverAlabamaPoolBillardsFine Art PhotographyBlack and WhiteCapturing History Through PhotographyWall Artinterior designUniqueBWGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comhttpsphotographybygaryricketts.com
Ceiling
An ornate skylight set against the blackness of space.
CeilingBuildingCityManhattanNew YorkNew York CityPhotography by Gary RickettsWinnerFine Art PhotographyBlack and WhiteCapturing History Through PhotographyWall Artinterior designUniqueWindowBWGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comhttpsphotographybygaryricketts.com
Empty Spaces
Since the early 19th century, on the Gulf Shores of Alabama, stood a fort ready to defend an attack from the sea. First it defended the United States of America, then the Confederate States of America, and then again the United States of America.
The Army abandoned Fort Morgan in 1947.EmptySpacesHDROrange BeachBuildingDoorArchWindowPhotography by Gary RickettsFortGulf ShoresFort MorganAlabamaFine Art PhotographyBlack and WhiteCapturing History Through PhotographyWall Artinterior designUniqueBWGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comhttpsphotographybygaryricketts.com
One Out Front
A single high-rise building stands out from the heavy morning fog engulfing the city.
OneOutFrontBuildingCloudsFogManhattanNew YorkNew York CityPhotography by Gary RickettsFine Art PhotographyBlack and WhiteCapturing History Through PhotographyWall Artinterior designUniqueBWGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comhttpsphotographybygaryricketts.com
Your Move
Although its origins are uncertain, the history of chess dates back nearly 1500 years. The earliest form of the game originated in India, spread to the Muslim world and eventually Europe. In Europe during the 15th century chess evolved into its current form. A study done in Venezuela with 4,000 second grade students saw a remarkable increase in IQ scores after only 4 1⁄2 months of systematic chess study.
Although the name Bobby Fisher is familiar to most Americans and chess players, Garry Kasparov is arguably the greatest chess player of all time. He held the world champion title from 1985 to 2000 and remained the number one player in the world until 2006.
June 30, 2021, a young boy from New Jersey became the youngest grandmaster in history. Abhimanyu Mishra, broke the record by two months, gaining the title at the age of 12 years 4 months 25 days.YourMoveBWBlack and WhitePhotography by Gary RickettsFine Art PhotographyChessGameWall ArtUniqueinterior designCapturing History Through PhotographyGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comhttpsphotographybygaryricketts.com
