35mm · Film photography · Photography

Dragons

Various pictures of Chinese dragons from the Chinese New Year celebrations in Sheffield city centre.

It’s a shame about the scratched roll of film, and the X-300 wasn’t the easiest to use on fast moving mythological beasts, but it was still good to be there and get a few photographs.

Waiting for the dragon show to begin
Dragon show-2
Dragon show
Dragon show-3
Dragon show-4
Dragon show-5

Minolta X-300 & Minolta 50mm f/1.7 MD on Fomapan 400 (@320asa). Ilfotec DD-X 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 21 February 2026

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Not every ship leads to freedom

This was taken very quickly as I was in a bit of a hurry, so I didn’t take the time to read what each of these balls was about (although I would assume the slave trade in this case). I don’t think the woman in the background was a nun, but she very much looks like one given the shallow depth of field and the nature of her dress.

I like the photo a lot, but it’s marred (as was much of the roll) by bad scratches. I suspect these are my own fault as I think I might have used the bulk-loader incorrectly and forgotten to open the gate when winding it into the canister, dragging the emulsion across the light trap in the process. Hey, you live and learn, I guess…

Not every ship leads to freedom

Minolta X-300 & Minolta 50mm f/1.7 MD on Fomapan 400 (@320asa). Ilfotec DD-X 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 21 February 2026

35mm · Film photography · Photography

One route into the park

There are several entrances to Rother Valley Country Park, most of them for pedestrians only – this one included. Car owners are not left out however, although they do have to pay to enter if they visit in their vehicle, and during the warmer months hundreds of them will fill up the car parks and line the far side of the lake.

This entry is just off the Trans Pennine Trail and is a reminder of the parks prior industrial heritiage, passing under a disused railway bridge that used to carry part of the rail network which transported coal from the colliery that used to cover much of the area.

Gateway to the park

Nikon F80 and Nikkor 70-200mm f/4 ED VR on Fomapan 400 (@320asa). Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 for 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 24 February 2026

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Sometimes a test is best

This shot was one from a short roll of Fomapan 400 that I bulk-rolled to test that my camera wasn’t faulty – the previous roll had revealed a piece of fluff on every frame which I needed to painstakingly clone out of every shot! Thankfully the offending fiber must have been dislodged when I took the roll out of the camera, and this test roll showed no sign of it.

But, despite just going for a quick walk to fire off a few test shots, I managed to get several I really like, including this lovely picture of an elderly couple walking down the Trans Pennine Trail.

I think it pays to shoot with a sense of purpose, even when running a test.

Heading south

Nikon F80 and Nikkor 70-200mm f/4 ED VR on Fomapan 400 (@320asa). Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 for 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 24 February 2026