Category: Film photography

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Cobwebs and light leaks

fishyfisharcade7 Comments

I’ve shot several rolls of film through my Olympus OM-2n now and, overall, I’ve been very happy with the results. I have noticed though, on a number of frames, what appears to be a light leak. It normally appears as a slightly brighter column of light at the right side of the frame, although it only appears on an occasional basis. I’ve also only noticed it when shooting black and white film. It’s possible, I suppose, that the leak is minor and it’s the greater sensitivity of the 400asa film that is allowing it to manifest – it hasn’t, as far as I can see, appeared at all on the rolls of 100asa and 200asa colour film that I’ve shot with the camera.

I’ve looked at the camera and it has seals fitted in the slots where the back closes into the body, but there was a mssing seal where the hinge is, so I’ve replaced that (and also added a little extra bit of seal into the slots in a place where it looked a little thin). I’ve yet to shoot another roll since doing this but hopefully it will resolve the problem.

Today’s photo is possibly affected by the same issue, albeit to a much larger degree than the others. There’s noticeable flaring at the top of the frame, perhaps enhanced by the leak – although much of it is probably down to the bright sunshine that was burning through the morning mist – I had to shoot towards the light to get the illumination on the cobweb. Whatever the fact, in this case I think it makes for a better photograph.

Web

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

Taken on 18 September 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

East and West: Two more views of the flyover

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Two more photographs of the flyover that spans the Rother Valley not far from where I live. I posted a couple of medium format shots of the same location about a week ago here.

The first shows a very similar viewpoint as the previously shot image in the linked post, albeit made on a different day and with misty conditions.

Route to the centre

The second is taken from the western end of the field where it reaches the river and looking back to the east. I think this one works much better compositionally as the eye is led along the shaft of sunlight from bottom left, up the bridge support, along the curve of the road deck, and then – thanks to a lucky shadow – down into the field and to the electricity pylon. I’m really happy with this one.

A road to power

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

Taken on 18 September 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

A skeletal tree before lockdown #2

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As I type this the country is awaiting a briefing from the Prime Minister where he is expected (based on a leak earlier in the day) to announce a new national lockdown to combat the escalating rates of Covid-19 infections. It’s expected to last a month at least.

While I don’t know the details yet, it’s possible that any photography may one again be limited to photos I can make while out taking exercise. Not ideal for the point of view of my passtime, but fully acceptable if it helps slow the spread of the disease (although I’d prefer we hadn’t gotten back into this state in the first place).

The location of today’s photo is within excercise distance, so maybe I’ll make more photos of this individual subject if wider travel is prohibited.

Skeletal

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

Taken on 18 September 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

The bridge on the River Wye

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My apologies. Today’s choice of photograph was almost 100% selected so I could use such a cheesy pun as a title. 🙂

No sign of Alec Guinness here though, just people enjoying the riverbank footpath alongside the River Wye as it flows through Bakewell.

It’s one of those photos where it looks like the people in the shot are looking at you as you take the picture but which, upon closer inspection, they’re looking elsewhere. The guy appears to be testing the capacity of his pocket to breaking point!

The bank of the Wye

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

Taken on 18 September 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Church Alley

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This interesting little street caught my eye while I wandered around Bakewell a few weeks ago. I think it would make an interesting photograph under most conditions, but the contrast caused by the emerging sunlight definitely brought it to life. I think stepping back a little might have benefited the scene but IIRC I think I was backed up against a wall. As a result the end of the Church Alley sign has been truncated by two letters.

The Controlled Zone sign kinda contemporises the scene somewhat, but I’m not one for trying to create faux oldy-worldy scenes with my photographs, and having this sort of street furniture in the shot will date it and make it old-fashioned at some point anyway I guess. Similarly the television aerials – in this ever more online world, I wonder how long it will be before television transmitted over the airwaves disappears, leaving these antenae as relics of a bygone age?

Church Alley

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

Taken on 18 September 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

A door out of true

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Today’s photo is a relatively straightforward composition made harder by the fact that the door is not perfectly aligned with the frame and stonework. As I lined up my camera to take the shot I was befuddled somewhat by the fact that, if I lined up the lintel of the door, then the door panels would be skewed. Line up the door and the masonry is now out of true. In the end I went for the door panels, but even there something looks awry.

I’m glad it’s like this.

Door and ferns

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

Taken on 18 September 2020

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Flyover – A lipca Rollop update and first time with Adonal

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To the south-east of Sheffield, one of the main routes into and out of the city centre is the A57 road. For a long time, the route took it through a number of suburbs. As car ownership increased, so did conjestion, and eventually the route was altered to create a bypass. As the road gets closer to the edge of the city it needs to cross the Rother Valley. This requires it to span not only the River Rother itself, but also two railway lines and the marshy floodplain itself. To do this a viaduct was constructed.

Bypass viaduct

The viaduct stands around a mile from where I live and the floodplain to the east of the river is accessible to walkers (and also a herd of cows that graze there). Both these shots were taken early one morning as I tested the makeshift repair I’d to the Lipca Rollop II TLR (more about that here and here). Spoiler alert – the repair was a bust and I still ended up with the same light leak on some frames (it’s feintly visible in the middle of the shot above). I’ve now moved the camera on to someone else who may hopefully be able to either repair the problem properly, or just live with the fault – it still makes very nice photographs if you work around the issue.

These photos were made on one of my remaining rolls of bad-batch Fomapan 100. As I was testing the camera I wasn’t too concerened about the spotting issues on the film and there are way too many of them for me to bother to attempt to remove in Lightroom or Photoshop. They’re only apparent when the images are viewed large in any case. I think I’m down to a couple of rolls of this batch of film now, so I’ll likely save them for other camera tests or maybe the Holga – that one will eat up defective film for breakfast! 🙂

This also marked my first foray into a different developer. I’ve used Ilfotec DD-X since I started home-developing B&W film when the Covid-19 lockdown began in the spring. DD-X is very nice (if a little expensive) and I will continue to use it. I dod want a cackup though, so I bought a small 100ml bottle of Adox Adonal (Rodinal in all but name). This roll was my first time using it. I think the results are pretty nice. I think I prefer the DD-X, but the Adonal still looks great, is much cheaper, and will be usefull should I attempt stand developing at some point. It should also last forever without going bad.

Under the flyover

Lipca Rollop II & Fomapan 100. Adox Adonal 1+50 9mins @ 21°.

Taken on 26 September 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

A smattering of Ektachrome

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A bit of a mini image dump of Ektachrome images today, mostly because I’ll get onto something else from tomorrow.

There’s not really any theme to them other than they were all shot in Bakewell. I liked them enough to upload to Flickr, but I’m not sure any of them really elevate above average. Perhaps I should seek a job in the art promotion scene, eh? 🙂

In a garden
Roses
Memorial
Bakewell remembers
Two black and white doors

Olympus OM-2n, Zuiko Auto-S 50mm f/1.8 & Kodak Ektachrome 100 EPP (expired at some unknown date).

Taken on 17 September 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Cricket pavillion and lawn roller

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A couple of photographs today depicting things emblematic of the game of cricket: a pavillion, and a lawn roller for keeping the ground in good condition, particularly the pitch, where the bowling and batting takes place. Both pictures were made in Bakewell, a picturesque market town in the Peak District.

Bakewell cricket pavilion

I’d say more about cricket but it bores me to the back teeth (apologies to any cricket fans who might be reading!). I place the origin of this lack of interest at my dad’s feet – he loves cricket, and indeed pretty much any sport for that matter, and I was subjected to it endlessly on television as a young boy. Where this might had nurtured a lifelong love of sport in some, for me it did the complete opposite. That doesn’t mean I can occasionally appreciate it though. And make pictures.

Ride-on roller

Olympus OM-2n, Zuiko Auto-S 50mm f/1.8 & Kodak Ektachrome 100 EPP (expired at some unknown date).

Taken on 17 September 2020