Ricoh GRIII
Taken on 11 August 2024
Austin A30
Month: August 2024
St. Winifred’s Church, Holbeck
The third of the large-format church photographs I shot a week ago. This is probably the worst of the three for two reasons.
Firstly, it’s not in proper focus for some reason. It probably looks fine at lower resolutions but once you zoom in, it becomes a bit soft – especially around the doorway with the two watering cans.
Secondly. because I’m out of practice at large format photography, I spent so much time getting things in focus (Ha! Right!) that I forgot to pay attention to the verticals. If I were shooting a smaller format then there would be little I could do about this, but with the camera movements available on my Chamonix, these can be corrected quite easily. But I forgot, so this one looks a bit wonky.
I might try and make another large format outing this weekend if the weather is good. Let’s see if I’ve learnt any lessons…
Amusingly, when I arrived at the church there were a couple of men already there who turned out to be a vicar and an organist. When I said I was there to take photographs they asked if I was the wedding photographer! It turned out that a wedding was due to take place that afternoon. While a few more guests turned up while I was there, I left before the happy couple arrived. 🙂
Chamonix 045n-1, Scneider-Kreuznach Super-Angulon 5.6/90 & Ilford Delta 100. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 10mins @ 20°
Taken on 10 August 2024
St. Martin’s Church, Firbeck
Another of my recent large format church photos. The figure in the distance is not some sot of spooky monk’s ghost, but a scarecrow – one of many that were placed around this village on the day I visited as part of a scarecrow-trail.
Chamonix 045n-1, Scneider-Kreuznach Super-Angulon 5.6/90 & Ilford Delta 100. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 10mins @ 20°
Taken on 10 August 2024
St. Peter’s Church, Letwell
Churches seem to be my most photographed subject when it comes to 4×5 large format. They don’t make up a majority, but no other subject type has featured as much (although bridges are not too far behind). As there are a lot of churches here in the UK, and as you don’t have to travel very far to find an interesting example, they make quite an obvious choice of subject matter.
This is my second photograph of this church, St. Peter’s in the small village of Letwell. The other shot was taken with the Fujica GW690 a couple of weeks earlier, but I haven’t uploaded that one yet. It will likely appear on the blog at some point though.
Chamonix 045n-1, Scneider-Kreuznach Super-Angulon 5.6/90 & Ilford Delta 100. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 10mins @ 20°
Taken on 10 August 2024
Taking the big camera down a country lane
It’s been some time since I shot any large format photographs. This is mostly down to a lack of time rather than desire – each shot takes so much time to set up, that an outing with the Chamonix rarely returns more than four images. On the date I took the picture below, the number was one!
I had intended to take more but, due to the aforementioned complexity of setting up a shot, by the time I’d taken this one a large cloud had passed in front of the sun, blocking the light. It also brought a drifting veil of rain that I hoped might pass by without affecting the location I was at, but my luck was out and I was soon hurriedly packing everything away as the shower arrived.
The shot below is certainly not the best I’ve taken, and it’s not the first time I’ve photographed this particular scene (see here for a less leafy variant). That said, at least everything is in focus!
It is great to see the sheer level of detail that large format film can capture, though. Click through to the full-size version on Flickr.
Chamonix 045n-1, Fujinon NW 135mm f/5.6 & Ilford Delta 100. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 10mins @ 20°
Taken on 7 July 2024
On the way into work
I was blessed with some nice light this morning and took a few photos on the way into the office, including this one.
Ricoh GR III
Taken on 16 August 2024
A further set of steam rally pictures
I’m really happy with the colours I got from this roll of Ektar. Coupled with the GW690 and the fact that the 6×9 negatives allow for a noticeable shallow depth of field even at f/5.6, these were a great set of pictures to behold when they came off the scanner.
I have more pictures from this year’s rally shot with my Olympus OM-10, but I’ve not uploaded any of them to Flickr yet, so they will wait for a later day.
Fujica GW690 & Kodak Ektar. Lab developed. Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.
Taken on 30 June 2024
Plastic pig
The Honda C-90 is a variant of the Super Cub range which has, remarkably, been in continuous production since 1958!
I never had a particular interest in motorbikes, but two of my friends from my teenage years were, and they used to refer to these bikes as “plastic pigs”.
Fujica GW690 & Kodak Ektar. Lab developed. Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.
Taken on 30 June 2024
Sentinel steam wagon
Another handsome steam vehicle spotted at Sheffield Steam Rally. I tend to find that the same vehicles turn up each year I attend but, if this one has been there before, I don’t have any photographs of it (on Flickr, at least).
Fujica GW690 & Kodak Ektar. Lab developed. Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.
Taken on 30 June 2024
Fordson tractor
I’m not sure which model of Fordson tractor this is, but it made for a nice picture.
Fujica GW690 & Kodak Ektar. Lab developed. Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.
Taken on 30 June 2024
Steel City Snapper photography 