By singling out just one tall, willowy stem of 'Purple Majesty' - an ornamental millet that grows up to 1.5 metres tall and that today is often grown in clumps for its dramatic colour - the Venezuelan-born photographer Ron Van Dongen captures the moment at which the young stalk matures and its stem begins to change from green to black. As it matures in turn, the spike will stand upright - some grow 30 cm tall - and turn chocolate-brown., becoming a magnet for pollinating birds.
