Kissing gate

July 21, 2021 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

While walking through Pleasley Country Park, my route took me through this metal kissing gate. While not a quaint as some of the older wooden gates I’ve seen, it still made for a nice photos I thought.

The name “kissing gate” derives from the gate itself swinging freely, “kissing” the inside of the frame rather than needing to be latched to prevent livestock from passing through. When I was young however, I was told that it was traditional to kiss the person passing the gate with you. While a nicely romantic idea, I have sometimes had to pass through such gates at the same time as complete strangers, so probably not a practical suggestion! 🙂

Kiss from a stranger?
Perhaps not a good idea
In a pandemic

Olympus OM-2n, Zuiko Auto-S 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 12 June 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Pleasley pit

July 20, 2021 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

I bit of a bumper set of pictues today, by my normal standards at least. All of them made during a walk around Pleasley Pit country park.

The park stands on the site of Pleasly colliery, which operated from the 1870s until 1983. The buildings were saved from demolition and in 1996 designated as an ancient monument. The surrounding land was reclaimed and regenerated into a park and wildlife habitat.

The remaining buildings now operate as a mining museum.

On the day I made these photos my intent wasn’t to visit the museum, but to browse the nearby car-boot sale that operates on Saturday mornings in the hope that there might have been some cameras to be had. Sadly, no cameras were to be seen (apart from some early-noughties digital point-and-shoots in a box on one of the stalls. As I had a my OM-2n with me, I decided to have a walk around the country park and take some pictures of the pit buildings. I only had a 50mm, so some foot-based zooming was required, but it worked out well. The museum wasn’t open this early in the day so I didn’t get to see inside. Perhaps another day.

Down there at Pleasley
A monument to mining
A reminder still

Olympus OM-2n, Zuiko Auto-S 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 12 June 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Low tide

July 19, 2021 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

Fishing boats rest upon the muddy harbour bed waiting for the tide to raise them once more.

Fishing boats waiting
While gulls forage the harbour
Soon the tide will turn

Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 27 May 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Nettle by a wall

July 18, 2021 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

The warm weather continues here in the UK. I intended staying indoors all day, but had to go out with my wife to fetch some paint, which was enough to feel the heat. Yesterday evening we went out for a meal and the heat in the restaurant was intense – the place had a communal setup with a number of kitchens serving different cuisines to a central eating area. All the food and drinks had to be ordered via an app and would be delivered by each individual outfit, meaning that meals would arrive at different times for different people. As we ordered food from five different places in total, this took a while to sort out. The place was pleasant enough – in an old industrial building beside the river that has been converted – but there was no air conditioning and very little breeze to be felt through the open windows.

I enjoyed my food – a triple-patty buger on a charcoal bun – despite the heat, but my wife wasn’t particularly impressed – probably because she was practically melting!

Anyway, two people from our party had some fried chicken that they were unabe to finish, so we got the remainder to go and I ate it today. As some of it had a spicy coating, this hasn’t helped keep me cool…

A picture of a nettle today, bane of the bare legged walker.

Walk through the nettles
And then you will see, red lumps
Grow on shins and knees

Olympus OM-2n, Zuiko Auto-S 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 12 June 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Through the pasture

July 17, 2021 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

Although it probably doesn’t look it from the photograph, the grass in these pasture fields was quite deep – probably a good 8-inches at least. As the footpath was quite loosely defined it meant there was no especially well-trodden route through the fields and so I had to walk through swathes of the tall shoots, which was pretty tiring (especially given the adventure in Monk’s Dale not long before!).

Tired legs in long grass
Thighs powering through and up
On towards Tideswell

Olympus OM-2n, Zuiko Auto-S 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 24 May 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Various Tideswell scenes

July 16, 2021July 16, 2021 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

Friday has rolled around again. It’s quite warm here in the UK at present (although probably pleasantly chilly in comparison with the temperatures the western US and Canada have been experiencing lately) and it’s almost time to jump in the shower to cool off and relax over the weekend.

I’m hoping to get out and make some photos over the next couple of days, albeit without travelling too far. I’m slightly concerned that my foot, which started giving me pain after a run a couple of weeks ago, might have a stress fracture. I spent as much time as I could resting it (although helping my son move house last weekend probably doesn’t count) and it felt like it was getting better. However, since last night – for no particular reason I can discern – it seems to be letting me know about itself again. I shall take it steady and maybe slow down my usual brisk pace.

Today I’m sharing a few photos made in Tideswell nearly two months ago. Most of my photos that day were shot on the Yashica Mat, but by the time I reached Tideswell I’d finished the two rolls of 120 film I had with me so fell back on the OM-2n as backup.

My foot hurts again
I hope it’s not serious
I need my freedom

Olympus OM-2n, Zuiko Auto-S 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 24 May 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Botanical gardens

July 15, 2021July 15, 2021 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

After visiting a photo exhibition at Weston Park Museum a few weeks ago, I took a circuitous route back to my car, snapping pictures of this-and-that (including the shot of the cobbled alley I showed on the blog yesterday). The route took me through the botanical gardens and I made the three pictures published here today.

I’ve not visited the botanical gardens that many times despite the duration of my abode in the city – I recall my nan talking about taking me when I was a small child, but I can’t remember anything about the visit beyond the feintest gossamer thin memory of the event. It’s somewhere I tend to forget is there, but I might try and explore it a little more next time I visit – there’s the remains of an old bear-pit in a part of the park I’ve not explored, and the glasshouse (while being closed to the public during the Covid-19 lockdowns) is another place where a nice photo or two might be had.

Giant emerald fronds
Take abode in the glasshouse
Heady, tropic scent

Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 29 May 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Down cobbled alleys

July 14, 2021 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

Sheffield was heavily damaged by bombing during WWII which resulted in the loss of many of it’s historic buildings. As with many towns and cities that were affected similarly, the destroyed buildings were replaced by new structures during post-war re-building. Thoughts on the aesthetic qualities of these replacements – often angular concrete and glass edifices – varies, but in general tends towards the negative in comparison with the older buildings.

It’s quite easy to think that the entire city is full of structures built after the war while missing the multitude of older buildings still present. Similarly, it’s also easy to imagine that the streets of the city are paved in modern materials and that all the history has disappeared, but the truth is that you generally don’t have to walk very far to find evidence of the past. Sometimes this is peeking out from behind the curtain of modernity, but it can also be found largely untouched, such as this cobbled alleyway not far from one of the city’s hospitals. Yes, there are signs of change in the shape of the lamppost and the somewhat ugly patch of tarmac, but mostly this still remains as I imagine it would have looked a considerable time ago.

Beneath the modern
A strata of history
Still waits to be found

Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 29 May 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Car-park abstact

July 13, 2021 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

I’ve titled this post “Car-park abstract”, but is it really abstract, or just a photograph of a car-park. Moments after entering the title I decided to search online for abstract photography and, if I’m honest, judging by the results it’s perhaps on the very edge of what might be classed abstract.

A lot of the results were either close-ups of objects that are still easily recognisable, close-ups that require a little more thought in a “can you tell what it is?” type fashion, identifiable objects placed or lit in an unusual way, objects reduced to collections of primary colours, shades, or shapes by composition, or just images of random patterns.

I guess my car-park photo probably needs a bit more work to truly fit into the abstract realm but, hey, it got me a blog post when five minutes ago I had no idea what I was going to write.

I’m losing focus
Drifting into the abstract
I paraphrase NIN

Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 29 May 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Unintended stories

July 12, 2021 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

I took this photograph looking down onto the beach from the promenade at Bridlington. I wasn’t quite quick enough to keep the woman at the top of the picture within the frame. At first I was disappointed that I’d not taken the shot quicker but, on reflection, I think the way it’s framed with her partially exiting the top of the shot is more interesting. It’s added a small sense of mystery to the image I think.

On the beach they wait
A sandcastle mystery
Unfolds before us