Top and bottom

February 11, 2020 fishyfisharcade2 Comments

Another couple of photographs from the Sure Shot Ace – the top and bottom of a block of flats close to the city centre.

I started scanning this roll yesterday and, after a couple of strips, I was a little disappointed – a lot of the images looked distinctly soft. While the camera is otherwise basic, the remote trigger and – especially – the waist-level finder are useful and unusual features for a camera of this type, so for it to have a poor lens would be a disappointment.

However, to my pleasure, after scanning another couple of strips the results from those frames are much sharper. I’m thinking that the earlier results were down to user error or my overloading the AF system by shooting into the light (the camera flares badly if this is done, at least from the few shots I took in this way).

I don’t think it’s quite as sharp as the other Sure Shot models I’ve used, but it’s not bad and I will certainly be using it again.

Canon Sure Shot Ace & Ilford Delta 400.

Taken on 8 February 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Coming around the corner

February 10, 2020 fishyfisharcade2 Comments

A street shot from the first roll I’ve put through the Canon Sure Shot Ace that I picked up recently. It’s a curious camera – a very basic point and shoot, but with the addition of a waist-level finder AND a detachable shutter remote. I may do a review at some point when I’ve figured it out a bit.

Canon Sure Shot Ace & Ilford Delta 400.

Taken on 8 February 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Empties

February 9, 2020 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

While I rarely witness it, a regular sight on Sunday mornings in the town centre is the detritus of the previous evening. Sometimes, if you’re in town early, this will sometimes include the people who didn’t manage to find their way home again, usually as a result of too much of a good time. While sometimes these people would make for great photos – such as the person I once saw slumped in a doorway fast asleep and wearing a suit, with a half-eaten (and long-cold kebab) still in his grasp – I don’t tend to take pictures of those scenes. I have a rule to try to not take “unkind” photos and I think images like this – as with photographing homeless people – would fall into that bracket. I’m not a photojournalist, and I don’t think I could really dress my pastime up as “social commentary”.

However, that doesn’t mean the things that late night revellers left behind can’t make for a shot or two, such as today’s collection of bottles.

Nikon F80, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 AF-D & Ilford HP5+.

Taken on 2 February 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

K.I.S.S.I.N.G.

February 8, 2020February 8, 2020 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

Painted on the wall of Fagan’s pub on Broad Lane in Sheffield, this lovely piece of art – named “The Snog” – hopefully cheers up commuters heading out of town at the end of the day.

Quite often there are cars parked in the space in front of the wall which block the view, but as there were none there on this day, I made a photo.

It was painted by local artist Pete McKee and if you click this link, you can find out more about it and even see a video of its creation.

Nikon F80, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 AF-D & Ilford HP5+.

Taken on 2 February 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Lone figure

February 7, 2020 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

I like the sense of scale in this photo. I’ve never really considered how tall these trees are before, but the figure in the distance gives some sense of their size. There is, to be fair, a little bit of perspective to take into play – the person in the shot is beyond the leftmost bit of the trees, but not by too far.

Nikon F80, Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 & Ilford HP5+.

Taken on 22 January 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Dogwalker

February 6, 2020 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

Continuing my series of photos from the misty morning walk I took a couple of weeks ago, here’s someone walking their dog. Without the mist this would have been rubbish, I think, but as it stands the conditions plus the grainyness in this photo (and the ice filled potholes) work pretty well.

One thing I’m unsure about is the stuff in the upper-left of the image. At first I thought it was a mark on the film, but then I realised that it’s actually part of the cable-waterski equipment at the lake. I find it a little distracting and did consider cloning it out, but then I would have felt deceitful – I have a particular attitude to cloning stuff out of my photos. I’ll happily remove small distractions or fix flaws, but there comes a point where, even where could make a success of it, it feels like I’ve gone too far and have altered the reality of the scene too much. And so I decided that the cables would stay in the shot, even if they perhaps spoil it a little.

But hey, it game me something to talk about in today’s post. 🙂

Nikon F80, Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 & Ilford HP5+.

Taken on 22 January 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Floating leaf

February 5, 2020 fishyfisharcade7 Comments

I obviously thought that this leaf floating on the still water at the edge of the lake was worth photographing, but I’m very pleased with the resulting picture. At the time I though about using a polariser to remove reflections and increase the visibility of the lake-bed, but I’m so glad I didn’t. The reflected clouds are what make the photograph for me.

Nikon F80, Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 & Ilford HP5+.

Taken on 22 January 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Still and misty waters

February 4, 2020 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

This is a photograph the lake at Rother Valley Country Park, not too far from where I live. It’s not generally a place I find condusive for taking photos because, while it’s good for walking, running, cycling etc., and there are a variety of watersports (as well as waterfowl) to enjoy, it’s location means that any sort of wide shot features the surrounding hills, most of which have either houses or industrial units upon them. While I’m sure there are plenty of great photos to be had, I’ve probably been spoilt by familiarity and don’t tend to find it very inspiring.

On misty days however, all that (literally!) fades away and the place takes on a wonderful serenity. The background distractions melt away into the haze leaving much more subtle sights.

Today’s photo is one of a pair I took at this spot. The first one shows just a ripple as the coot decided to dive beneath the surface just as I pressed the shutter. This one was taken shortry after it re-emerged.

Nikon F80, Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 & Ilford HP5+.

Taken on 22 January 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Suburban sunrise

February 3, 2020 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

A couple of weeks back I awoke to a beautiful misty morning. Alas I was at work that day – plus I had to get the kids sorted for school – so I thought it would be another one of those occasions where I feel robbed of the opportunity to take advantage of the conditions. Thankfully however, the mist persisted past the time the kids left the house and left me a short window of opportunity to get out and make some photographs.

I managed to get to the local country park, which is just a short distance from home (you’ll see some of those pictures in the coming days, hopefully), and today’s picture is of some houses sat beneath the rising sun which I passed on my way.