Steel City Snapper photography
35mm, medium format and large format film photography (with the odd bit of digital every now and then…)
Yesterday I spoke a little about those photos which, upon later inspection, reveal a person in the scene who is looking right at you (or appears to be). Well here’s another…
Olympus OM-1, F.Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 & Fujifilm Acros (pushed to 400asa).
Taken on 22 October 2019
People waiting to cross cast their reflections on the wet road surface.
It’s one of those photos where I noticed after scanning the negative that someone appears to have spotted me when I took the photograph (three people in this case!). It’s a little difficult to tell for certain, and some of them might just have been glancing in my direction, but I always get an “I’ve been spotted!” feeling when I notice such things.
I was hardly being covert to be fair – stood on the oposite side of the road with a camera to my eye. 🙂
Olympus OM-1, F.Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+ (pushed to 800asa).
Taken on 26 October 2019
I managed to miss a picture out of my post yesterday, so here it is, last but not least. It’s captures the sidelight on the mossy tree-trunk quite nicely, I think, although the background is perhaps a little messy with all the undergrowth.
Bronica ETRSi, Zenzanon 75mm f/2.8 & Fujifilm Provia 100.
Taken on 3 November 2019
The weather has been typically November-ish of late which, for the UK, means grey, wet and somewhat miserable. I’ve got several rolls of slide film with “Autumn” written all over them, but I’m starting to think that it’s going to be a somwhat lacklustre year for the colour. We’re in a situation (or at least we are in the part of the country where I live) where many of the trees have already turned and lost their leaves, while others are still largely green.
Despite this, there was a short break in the grey weather on Sunday, so I took a trip out to Whitwell Woods to see if there was anything to be seen and photographed. It was my first trip out with the Bronica in a few months (I think only the third time I’ve shot it, for that matter), and the first time shooting it without the metered prism and speed-winder / grip. As I took a tripod and lightmeter with me I didn’t envisage this being an issue, and it wasn’t.
That being said, my slight unfamiliarity with the camera resulted in my wasting three shots at the start of the roll, and for a couple of shots where I decided to open the 75mm lens to it’s widest f/2.8 aperture, largely missed focus. I’m not sure why this was as, although the depth of focus is pretty narrow at this aperture – particularly when the subject is close to the lens – I was confident that it was in focus in the viewfinder (with a split-prism screen). I think I might set up a test shot in a controlled environment to see if it was user error, or something else.
The woods themselves were very pleasant to walk through, although the paths were a bit squishy, and here are a few pictures.
Bronica ETRSi, Zenzanon 75mm f/2.8 & Fujifilm Provia 100.
Taken on 3 November 2019
I didn’t spot this noticeable “X” formed by the reflection of the buildings and sky until I looked at the negatives.
The water feature is one of several, variously-sized, artworks near the Winter Gardens in Sheffield. They are, along with the “Cheesegrater” car park – which is a literal stone’s throw from this spot – probaby the most photographed objects in the city.
Olympus OM-1, F.Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+ (pushed to 800asa).
Taken on 26 October 2019
While wandering around Sheffield city centre last weekend I went into the cathedral to see if there were any photos to be had (and also, because there’s a cafe in there, to get a coffee).
Past experience of shooting film in the cathedral have proven that, given the use of tripods and flash are not normally permitted within the premises, that 400asa film is very limiting in terms of the photos that can be achieved. Even opening my 50mm f/1.8 lens to its widest aperture would still only allow shutter speeds of 1/30sec in the best cases and considerably slower in most others. As a result, while there are some great subjects within the building, without a faster film (or a digital camera on a higher ISO) most of them ar unachievable without significant risk of camera shake.
Today’s photo is one of a couple I made on the day, and even this one – from a relatively well illuminated area – was still shot at 1/30 wide open. It depicts a scale model of the cathedral itself and was located on ground level a little behind the brightly lit tower that can be see at the left side of the model.
Olympus OM-1, F.Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+ (pushed to 800asa).
Taken on 26 October 2019
A couple of days ago I posted a photo of the Spurn Lightship. Today’s image is a detail shot of that ship’s bow.
I really like the tones I’ve got in this picture, especially the milky quality of the water, but also the relief of the plates and rivets of the vessel’s hull too. Despite the film being pushed to 800asa the grain has remained relatively unobtrusive in the shot as well.
Olympus OM-1, F.Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+ (pushed to 800asa).
Taken on 25 October 2019
A week ago I visited Doncaster Racecourse with my dad. I’d bought him the trip for his birthday earlier in the year expecting that he’s go with one of his friends, but when that fell through, I decided to go with him myself. I’ll almost certainly be posting more photos from the day – my interest in horse races is negligible, but my interest in photographing such events is considerably higher and I shot about half a roll (despite the conditions) – but, for now, this post has just a single image.
I think it illustrates quite well the weather on the day of our visit – rain, rain and, yep!, more rain.
The stands are on three levels and I would expect them all to be at least partially polulated normally, but on the day in question only the uppermost tier had anyone present as all the rest were subject to the rain falling on the uncovered section (and blowing under the shelter onto the next level). As you can see, they were not busy. 🙂
Olympus OM-1, F.Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+ (pushed to 800asa).
Taken on 25 October 2019
Ah, the giant ice cream cone, a signature piece of street furniture at seaside resorts around the country. While I don’t got out of my way to find these giant plastic dairy treats, I almost always seem to photograph them if the opportunity arises. Maybe a post with all my gathered giant ice creams will surface one day!
This one is in Hull, next to the marina.
You can glimpse other massive ice creams here, here, here and here. 🙂
Olympus OM-1, Zuiko AUTO-Zoom 75-150mm f/4 & Ilford HP5+ (pushed to 800asa).
Taken on 19 October 2019
This is the Spurn Lightship, a floating lighthouse that served in a position off Spurn Point, a long coastal spit at the mouth of the Humber Estuary where it flows into the North Sea.
The vessel was built in 1927 and was in active service until it was decommissioned in 1975. It was restored and has served as a museum at it’s current location in Hull marina since 1987, although it is currently closed for conservation work and re-location elsewhere in the marina.
Olympus OM-1, F.Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+ (pushed to 800asa).
Taken on 19 October 2019
