Steel City Snapper photography
35mm, medium format and large format film photography (with the odd bit of digital every now and then…)
I’ve posted images from Sheffield’s Park Hill complex a number of times before (see Life among the ruins, Work continues, Colourful buildings, Scooter) and the location always tends to provide something worth photographing.
These two are from the test roll I shot through the Samsung Fino 60S – in fact the bulk of the roll features the complex.
The little camera and cheap film have, again, done quite a nice job on my pictures I think.
Samsung Fino 60S & Kodak Colorplus.
Taken on 1 March 2020
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the British government’s decision on Wednesday to close schools in England today for the foreseeable future, my youngest sons have effectively left school today. They would have been taking their GCSE exams in a few weeks and then leaving anyway, but those exams have now been cancelled with the results likely to be decided based on existing performance.
I made an effort this morning to take a few photos of them in their school uniforms for what is probably the last time, and it was quite moving. While neither of the boys seem overly concerned at the events – they now, effectively, have six-months off before they start sixth-form or college, which I think had it been granted to me when I was their age would have held similar appeal!) – for my wife and I it’s a sad day, and we feel that current events have robbed them of the final months of their comprehensive school time
The events are also likely to have an impact on any photography I carry out in the coming period. Although there are no rules preventing me from going out at present, I do wonder if things will change if the situation worsens.
At the end of the day, it’s the health and wellbeing of people that counts, and I have more than enough photographs to keep posting here on a daily basis, so I will deal with the situation as it develops, but I do wonder how things might have changed when we move out of it all.
Anyway, as the reversed sign in today’s photo says, “Do more of what makes you happy” – just as long as it doesn’t put you in jeopardy of course! Stay healthy and virus free! 🙂
Samsung Fino 60S & Kodak Colorplus.
Taken on 1 March 2020
My dad recently gave me a bag of cameras and film that someone he knows had given to him. Most of the cameras were unbranded digital cameras probably 15-20 years old with very low resolutions and built-in batteries that I had no way to charge, so they went in the bin. The only film camera in the bag was a Samsung Fino 60s. There were also three rolls of expired film dating from 2005.
The Samsung had a roll of film still in the camera, which I assumed to be of similar age as the rolls in the bag. After fitting a battery I used up the remaining shots on the roll and got them processed. Sadly, all the shots I took were unuseable due to the film’s deterioration, but the frames that had already been shot by the original owner had some recoverable photographs. They were still pretty poor quality, but featured images of a baby and (I assume) their grandmother and a picture of a dog, so I burned copies to a DVD and gave them to my dad to pass back to the person who’d given him the cameras.
While the specs of the camera are not great, I’m not one to waste things, so loaded it up with a fresh roll of Kodak Colorplus and took it out for a walk. The resulting images I got are a bit of a mixed bag – some are tack sharp and look great, but many more are somewhat soft. I’m unsure as to why this should be the case – the photos were all shot in similar lighting and, mostly, at the same focal length. A lot of the shots also had a distinctive defect on the images – a metallic looking arc in the same place on each shot – very noticeable on some shots, but feinter and smudgier on others. After asking around, I was informed that it was most likely the result of a light leak on the telephoto lens barrel assembly. Luckily, the placement of the defect was such that it could be cropped (or removed in Photoshop) in most of the photos.
As a result of this defect it’s unlikely I’ll use the camera again. It’s not worth putting on eBay, I don’t think, and I don’t want to donate it to a charity shop given the fault, but I dislike the idea of throwing away something that mostly still works. Oh well, I’m sure I’ll figure something out.
Todays photo is one of the sharp results, and I really like the vivid colours that the Colorplus has delivered. Give this cheap consumer-grade film the right conditions and it shines!
Samsung Fino 60S & Kodak Colorplus.
Taken on 1 March 2020
Three more photographs taken at Magpie Mine from the same thirty-one years expired roll of Kodacolor Gold 200.
A friend commented that they looked like faded 1970s postcards.
Zeiss Mess-Ikonta 524/16 & Kodacolor Gold 200 (expired in Feb 1989).
Taken on 16 March 2020
The weekend just gone was Expired Film Day 2020 – actually three days, as shooting was allowed on the 13-15 March – four days for me as I didn’t shoot most of my roll until the 16th, possibly voiding my ability to be nominated for a prize. Oh well, I wasn’t expecting to win, and didn’t take part for that reason anyway. 🙂
I shortlisted three rolls as potential candidates this year:
After a bit of research, I decided against using the TriFCA35 – it’s apparently a C22 process film, but it’s likely my local lab would have only processed it as B&W. The feedback by others on the film wasn’t particularly encouraging either, with some saying that, even when fresh, it wasn’t especially great, so I decided to not chance it – as cool as it would be to get images back from a 45 year old roll, I wanted to make sure I did get some images given the limited opportunities I had to take photographs during the timeframe, so decided on the Kodacolor Gold 200 instead.
Given its age, I decided that overexposing the Kodacolor by a stop for each decade of expiry would be a good plan, meaning that I’d be metering for 25asa. Not a problem if I used a tripod and shutter release though.
My original intention was to go out on the 13th and get some shots during a day’s leave I’d taken, but I had an appointment in the morning (when, as you might have guessed, the light was great). By the time I was able to go out, the sky was developing a layer of cloud cover that probably wouldn’t be condusive for good results from expired colour film (or even fresh colour film, for that matter). Nonetheless, I didn’t want to waste the opportunity, so went out anyway, rushing to try and catch the last of the light.
Rushing. That’s rarely a good idea with photography is it? And this case was no exception. I had planned to go to Lady Canning’s Plantation at the edge of the Peak District and take some woodland and rock formation photos but, given the thickening cloud, instead went to Ford, a small hamlet much closer to home. This was a wise decision as, upon setting up for my first shot, I discovered that I’d grabbed the wrong quick-release plate in my haste to leave the house, and the one I had was too big to fit the Arca-Swiss head on the tripod I’d brought. I managed to take a couple of shots anyway, with the too-large plate fitted precariously, but then decided that the day wouldn’t be improved by my camera falling onto the floor, so gave it up and went back home (in a somewhat less than positive mood).
The following day was a pre-planned trip to Wakefield, where I took plenty of photos, but none on the expired film – which would have been far too slow to be of any use in the place I visited. Then Sunday was a washout due to the weather. Monday, despite being outside the stated shooting days for Expired Film Day, was also a day I had taken as leave, and was blessed with good weather to boot, so I (carefully this time!) packed my stuff, and headed out into the Peak District to Magpie Mine. I’ve seen pictures of this location before, but this was my first visit, and it’s a very nice place to visit – especially on a nice day without too many other visitors to get in the way of your photographs.
The location is one of the best surviving examples of a 19th century lead mine in the UK, and features the remains of various chimneys, engine houses, winding gear, and mine shafts (all covered by grilles, so you can’t fall down – although phones, wallets, light meters and the like might be easy prey!). It’s apparently possible to stand on the grille atop the main shaft and see water over 500 feet below (the shaft is flooded a further 150 feet below the surface of the water).
Given the lovely light, there were all manner of compositions to be found and I shot all ten remaining frames on the roll of expired Kodacolor, as well as ten frames of Fomapan 400 that I had in my YashicaMat 124G. I even shot a few frames of 35mm using the Sureshot that Ihad in my coat pocket.
The following images are the ones I’ve chosen to submit to this year’s Expired Film Day, and are, I think, the most pleasing images from the roll – although there were a few close runners up too.
For a thirty-one year expired roll of consumer-grade colour film, I’m pretty happy with the results. There are obvious signs of degradation, and the colours are a bit off-whack, but it’s given me some pleasing images nonetheless I think.
Zeiss Mess-Ikonta 524/16 & Kodacolor Gold 200 (expired in Feb 1989).
Taken on 16 March 2020
Today’s photograph is of the signalbox that sits beside the railway crossing in Beighton village. The box still holds the title of Beighton Station, although the station was closed back in 1954 and the Great Central Railway signalbox and crossing are now all that remain. The station opened back in 1893 and originall formed part of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway. The line is still in regular use.
Being not too far from home, I’ve photographed this scene on a number of occasions, and it featured in the blog before back in 2017 in the post “Twelve frames an hour“.
Someone commented that the signalbox really “pops” in the frame in this shot, and that it reminded them of an old box camera, meniscus lens image. This is fitting, given the Holga also sports a simple meniscus lens. The vignetting and soft edge-focus of the Holga gives an effect not totally dissimilar to the shallow depth of field that might be generated bys a wide aperture on a larger format camera.
Holga 120N & Ilford FP4+.
Taken on 10 March 2020
I have three entries for this year’s FP4Party. All taken with my Holga 120N.
I didn’t hold a lot of hope for the roll I shot – I felt I was shooting stuff for the sake of it, so was very pleased to find I was very happy with some of the photographs. All three here were taken around the house while trying to finish off the roll – ostensibly the previous week should have been “shoot” week, and I did make some pictures on this same roll then, but work and the weather prevailed so I had the defer some of the shots – happily, I got some nice light on the day in question, even if I didn’t step foot out of the house.
I like the low key look I got, and the Holga, with it’s single-speed shutter and very limited aperture control, has once again delivered in spades.
Of the three, I like the first best. The second is nice, but I’m not sure about the composition – I think I should have moved the vase to the left or right to avoid it blocking the lamp standard. The third is nice too.
Holga 120N & Ilford FP4+.
Taken on 10 March 2020
Just a street corner, I guess, but that never stopped Stephen Shore!
It’s yet another shot that is blessed by beautiful oblique sunlight. I’m not sure the image would have worked without the side-light – the brickwork has acquired wonderful texture due to the relief cast upon it. I like the little details in the photograph too: the hydrant; the wall-mounted sign and it’s perfect shadow, the creamy tones of the whites.
Sometimes I see things that shout to me “this is a photograph”. I’m not sure everyone (or anyone) else would agree, but I’m very happy with this one.
Minolta SRT 101b, Rokkor 50mm f/1.7 & Ilford HP5+.
Taken on 27 February 2020
It’s selfie time! I seem to have lost that hourglass figure somewhere along the line. 😀
Minolta SRT 101b, Rokkor 50mm f/1.7 & Ilford HP5+.
Taken on 27 February 2020
Chesterfield town hall is quite an impressive looking building. It sits atop a hill overlooking a small piece of parkland that has been landscaped to provide a good view of the structure’s front facade.
It’s built in a classical style, and was erected in the1930s. It’s very different in style to the town hall building of nearby Sheffield, and a number of other towns and cities through the neigbouring county of South Yorkshire.
The central section of the stucture is formed from a series of columns suporting a triangular roof. I’m not especially knowlegeable about classical architecture, so can’t say exactly what style it’s in, but it’s impressive nonetheless. Caught in good light, the structure casts wonderful, contrasty shadows around the arched entranceways.
Minolta SRT 101b, Rokkor 50mm f/1.7 & Ilford HP5+.
Taken on 27 February 2020
Steel City Snapper photography 