Steel City Snapper photography
35mm, medium format and large format film photography (with the odd bit of digital every now and then…)
This is another frame from the roll of Provia 100F that was badly affected by light-leaks. I’ve had to crop this one quite a lot to avoid the effect. It’s now in a 6×4.5 ratio and probably less than half the size of the original image. It’s a shame that I’ve had to crop out some of the long line of red tractors, but better than losing the entire image, I suppose.
Zeiss Mess-Ikonta 524/16 & Fuji Provia 100F.
Taken on 17 August 2019
Yesterday I made a comment about providing an explanation for cropping my 6×6 photo to a 6×7 ratio. The reason for this was a series of highly noticeable light leaks across the whole set of images, and I think I know the reason why this occurred…
After shooting the roll of Provia, I wound the fill all the way onto the take-up spool as I normally do. Then, however, rather than removing the film and sealing it ready for processing, I instead left it inside the camera. My reason for this was that it was a bright, sunny day and, as I wasn’t planning on shooting any more medium format during the day, I’d leave it in the camera rather than risk it in the daylight. Oh, the irony.
What I think then happened is, as I enjoyed the rest of my day out, the film in the camera – no longer held under tension – was able to loosen itself slightly on the spool. Then, when I got home and removed it, I immediately noticed that the rolled film was protuding over the flanges on the spool slightly. I quickly wrapped it in some tinfoil but, alas, the damage was already done – as evidenced by the light leaks on the top and bottom of most of the frames.
Thankfully, with a little bit of cropping (turning most of the roll into 6×7 or 6×4.5 ratio images, or reducing the area of the 1×1 frame) I’ve been able to rescue most of the photos, including today’s shot of an old Octopus fairground ride.
I’ve not seen one of these rides in a long time (although, to be fair, I don’t tend to visit travelling funfairs all that often anymore now that my kids are older). My last real memory of this particular ride (literally this same model) was back in the early 80s when myself and a friend went on it. It made me feel a little dizzy and I was glad when it was time to get off. Unfortunately, the operator miscounted the riders when letting people off and new people on, and we ended up getting a free ride. Sometimes free stuff really isn’t worth it!
And here’s an example of the light leak (admittedly this is the worst one of the roll):
Zeiss Mess-Ikonta 524/16 & Fuji Provia 100F.
Taken on 17 August 2019
I’m in a bit of a rush today, so can’t say a lot, but the eagle-eyed readers of this post might notice that this is a 6×7 format image and the Zeiss Mess-Ikonta 524/16 is a 6×6 camera. Hopefully I’ll have time to explain the reason for my “creative” croppage tomorrow.
Zeiss Mess-Ikonta 524/16 & Fuji Provia 100F.
Taken on 17 August 2019
A couple of photos today from a roll of expired 200asa film that I shot to test my OM-1 which seems to have developed a fault. The film is branded as Dixons, but a bit of research has led me to believe that it’s Agfa film hiding under the label. Whatever the case, I’ve shot a roll or two of this before and not been unhappy with the results. This time however, there was a much stonger purple cast on the images and I ended up converting most of them to B&W in Lightroom.
A few are ok with just minor tweaks however, including these two, where the reds are quite striking.
Olympus OM-1, Zuiko 28mm f/3.5 & Dixons 200asa film (expired 2007).
Taken on 12 August 2019
Just to the east of the village of Eyam lie the Riley Graves. This is a small cluster of graves (six in all) surrounded by a drystone wall. Depsite the name, the graves are of the Hancocke family, who all lost their lives to the plague in between the 3rd and the 17th August 1666. The name of the graves comes from Riley’s field, which is where they are situated.
Minolta Hi-Matic G2 & Ilford HP5+.
Taken on 8 August 2019
This sundial is on the side of the church in Eyam. As the sign states, it is almost 250 years old. I wonder if it still keeps good time? 🙂
Minolta Hi-Matic G2 & Ilford HP5+.
Taken on 8 August 2019
The postman makes his rounds in the village of Eyam.
Someone commented that this picture has quite a vignette, and I guess it does – I tend to add a vignette to most of my pictures in post processing, although I don’t go overboard with it. This doesn’t have any more vignetting than the others I post but it does look more noticeable (although I don’t mind). I think it’s partly down to the two areas of blue sky at the upper corners of the photo that serve to emphasise the vignette more than if it were just white cloud.
Minolta Hi-Matic G2 & Ilford HP5+.
Taken on 8 August 2019
Perhaps not concrete, more stone and cement, but this encroaching ivy is making a good job of claiming this cottage. The side door has already been blocked and the window will not be far behind.
Minolta Hi-Matic G2 & Ilford HP5+.
Taken on 8 August 2019
Another picture from the lane near Eyam. I was on my way back to the start point when I took this one and the track made a short twist here. I’m not sure why – I couldn’t see anything that would physically require the bend, but who knows what might have been there in the past – either trees, or maybe different ownership of plots of land or something?
Minolta Hi-Matic G2 & Ilford HP5+.
Taken on 8 August 2019
On pretty much every occasion that I attempt to take a photograph of an animal, whether wild or domesticated, they never do as I want. A perfectly composed creature will become spooked and turn away as soon as my camera appears. Even the cats we’ve had in our famly – current member included – will look straight at me until the second I raise the camera to my face. Even waist level viewfinders fail to trick them into holding a pose!
So, on the occasion of today’s featured shot, I was very happy when the white faced cow maintained its curious gaze while I made the picture. 🙂
Minolta Hi-Matic G2 & Ilford HP5+.
Taken on 8 August 2019
Steel City Snapper photography 