Back before Christmas

February 23, 2025 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

Early November in Sheffield, and the Christmas stalls were already present but not yet quite ready for the public, so they were still locked away by fences (in a festive shade of red, at least).

I like how the girl in the first picture is, at first glance, dressed in what looks like a Santa coat.

Something good that happened today…

I watched the second episode of the new period drama, A Thousand Blows, which started airing on Disney+ this afternoon. I watched the first episode last night and it quickly caught my attention and drew me in. It’s a fictional period drama that is based on actual characters in the underworld of Victorian London, following two new migrants, Hezekiah and Alec from Jamaica and how they become embroiled up in the escapades of The Forty Elephants, a real-life female criminal gang, and also bare-fist boxing (with a muscular Stephen Graham portraying boxer “Sugar” Goodson. It’s from Steven Knight, the man behind Peaky Blinders, and is similarly violent, but the characters are interesting, they are portrayed well by the cast, and the story has its hooks in me. Hopefully it will keep it up through the full six episodes.

Nikon F80, Tamron 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD & Kodak Ultramax. Lab developed, home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 10 November 2024

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Remembrance

February 22, 2025 fishyfisharcade3 Comments

In a perfect demonstration of the finger-on-the-pulse, timely nature of my blog, today’s pictures are of last year’s Remembrance event at Barker’s Pool in Sheffield which I photographed while I was in town on the 10th November. It was very busy and not really possible to get a good viewpoint amongst the crowds, but I particularly like the picture of the poppy seller, and the Kodak Ultramax has produced some nicely vibrant colours.

Something good that happened today…

I had planned to drive to Lincoln today but a poor night’s sleep meant I didn’t get up in time. Instead I drove into Sheffield city centre and then took a long hike up towards the Woodseats area before dropping down to Abbeydale Road and back into town again, where I wandered around further.

My plan was to try and finish off the remaining frames from the roll of Ilford HP5+ that I started shooting last weekend, but also (if possible) to finish the Kodak Gold that was loaded in the Kodak H35N half-frame camera that I received at Christmas from my generous Secret Santa. In the end, I achieved both goals and now have the HP5+ to develop, while the Gold has been posted off (along with a previously exposed roll of Lomo CN400) for processing at a lab. I’m not sure if there are any prize winners from the H35N as it was the first roll I’ve shot with it, so it was a bit of a test, but fingers crossed.

The walk was a good one and I recorded over 13,000 steps, so I treated myself to a latte and a (rather large) cinnamon bun in a cafe. I felt I’d earned the treat so it was very pleasant to take the weight off my feet for a while and enjoy the coffee and bun.

Nikon F80, Tamron 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD & Kodak Ultramax. Lab developed, home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 10 November 2024

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Tacos

February 21, 2025February 21, 2025 fishyfisharcade4 Comments

Something good that happened today…

I’m feeling pretty down today and was going to post this with no words at all, but that felt petty and childish. So the fact I’m making myself do so is a good thing, I guess, and better than being completely deflated.

Nikon F80, Tamron 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD & Kodak Ultramax. Lab developed, home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 10 November 2024

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Court House

February 20, 2025 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

This Court House building stands at Renishaw, Derbyshire. The building to the right and out of frame is the attached Constabulary. The property was up for sale a few years ago and the Sheffield Star website ahd an article showing what it looked like inside, with the former courtroom and even the jail cells converted to living accommodation. I presume it sold, and I read somewhere that there are plans to convert the building to apartments, but I saw no sign of that being the case when I made this picture.

Something good that happened today…

Have I already posted about having made a stew with dumplings for one of these? I think I might have. Anyway, we made another stew (with dumplings) today, and it was good also, and my belly is full.

Yashica Mat 124G & Kodak Portra 400. Lab developed, home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 26 october 2024

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Tree like a torch

February 19, 2025 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

I’m still months behind with posting pictures, so it’s still got a somewhat autumnal feel here on the blog, including today’s post of this strikingly coloured tree on the gradually-reverting-to-nature Renishaw Golf Course.

Something good that happened today…

A piece of work that I’ve been procrastinating over for the last few days suddenly took shape today. It’s not finished yet, but it’s in good shape now, so that’s good.

Yashica Mat 124G & Kodak Portra 400. Lab developed, home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 26 october 2024

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Ploughed and littered

February 18, 2025 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

The field in today’s picture had been freshly ploughed (although this corner at the edge is more churned, I think). The rich brown of the turned soil contrasted nicely with the scattered orange fallen leaves that littered the surface. I don’t think the shot would have worked without the pylons.

If you want to see what the field might look like as springtime arrives, I have a shot from the same location here.

Something good that happened today…

I went to the cinema to see Captain America: Brave New World after work today. I’ve been steering clear of any reviews and opinions as much as possible (although I had seen a few people mention that these weren’t favourable) because I wanted to form my own opinions without being swayed by others. I sometime wish for the simpler times where the entire world didn’t feel the need to be seemingly harshly critical of almost everything.

I enjoyed the film. It’s not the best MCU movie, but it’s far from the worst, and I had a solid couple of hours of solid entertainment, which is all I really want from this sort of film.

Yashica Mat 124G & Kodak Portra 400. Lab developed, home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 26 october 2024

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Autumnal bridge crossing

February 17, 2025February 17, 2025 fishyfisharcade4 Comments

Another picture from my Trans Pennine Way walk back in October, albeit this is a bridge that crosses the trail, rather than carries it.

Something good that happened today…

Our eldest son and our daughter-in-law came over for tea* today, which was nice.

*Not the drink. Tea is what we call dinner around these parts. And to confuse matters more, dinner is what we call lunch.

Yashica Mat 124G & Kodak Portra 400. Lab developed, home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 26 october 2024

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Fences (sections of)

February 16, 2025February 17, 2025 fishyfisharcade3 Comments

Three pictures of bits of fence on the Trans-Pennine Trail that I shot during a walk at the end of October. The weather wasn’t the best and I don’t tend to shoot (expensive!) colour film on days such as this, but it had been loaded in the camera a while before so I decided to make use of it anyway.

Something good that happened today…

After a run of pretty dismal, dull, grey weather – including yesterday where it also rained as well as being murky – today was a little brighter. Not exactly sunny, but there was a little structure in the clouds and occasional splashes of brightness where the sun found a way through the cloud. This provided an opportunity to go out and make some photographs. I didn’t have any great project in mind, and if I’m honest, my mind wasn’t really in the right place for it, but I got myself dressed an headed out anyway. In the end I shot 20 frames of the roll of Ilford HP5+. I’ll be interested to see how they turn out after I’ve finished the roll and developed it, but I had promising feelings about a lot of them. We shall see.

Yashica Mat 124G & Kodak Portra 400. Lab developed, home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 26 october 2024

35mm · Film photography · Photography

No more golf

February 15, 2025February 15, 2025 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

The photo today is of the clubhouse at Renishaw Golf Course. Or should I say the former Renishaw Golf Course, because it closed last year. The course is bordered by the River Rother at its eastern boundary and as such is subject to flooding. I would often drive past following periods of heavy rain and see some of the fairways submerged, perhaps due to the rainfall alone, but perhaps also when flood defences have been engaged on the river, causing it to flood in certain areas to protect others.

I don’t believe the club house ever flooded as it’s at a higher elevations, but it’s now up for sale.

I have more photos from the golf course that I’ve taken in recent months. It’s amazing how quick nature begins to reclaim such places when they are no longer actively maintained.

Something good that happened today…

Our house (just to be clear, not the Renishaw Golf Course clubhouse!) is currently up for sale as we’re hoping to move to a bungalow (albeit a large bungalow suitable for the four of us). Someone who came to look at our house last week has offered the asking price, which is good. We now have the challenge of finding somewhere that we would like to move into which, given the dearth of such properties on the market at present, may take some time..

Olympus OM-10 & G.Zuiko 35mm f/2.8 on Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 @ 20° 9mins.

Taken on 26 October 2024

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Phone box and town hall

February 14, 2025 fishyfisharcade2 Comments

There are still a number of the old K6 telephone boxes in Sheffield city centre, a lot of them clustered around the town hall area. This one stands on Leopold Street and has seen better days. I’ve photographed it on quite a few occasions, and it’s featured in the blog on at least one previous occasion.

There are still numerous K6 phone boxes around the country, but the ones out of town centres rarely contain telephones anymore, now tending to be used to house mini-libraries, or sometimes defibrillators.

Something good that happened today…

I had a call with a customer that I had been a little nervous about (this is not unusual, I often feel nerves before such calls, despite never having had one go badly), but it went well, which is always a relief. People I’ve been on customer calls with have always fed back on how confident and composed I am, but my own inner imposter-syndrome tends to try and tell me otherwise.