Going back almost two months to New York where I took this photo in The Occulus, which is a very fine place to take photographs if you get the opportunity.
Canon Sure Shot Z135 & Kodak Portra 400.
Taken on 26 May 2019
Raleigh Wisp
This small moped was amongst the other motorcycles and scooters at the steam rally the other week and I thought it would make for a nice photo. The Raleigh Wisp was introduced in 1967 and was apparently a standard bicycle adapted to fit an engine. You can find out more information here.
The composition I’ve gone for is probably not one that I’d have chosen in different circumstances as the bike has little room to move into within the frame, but the alternative was to have a clutter of other bikes in the left of the shot and that didn’t really work. I do like how the carousel has crept into this version though and it was a deliberate choice to include as much of it as I could while pushing the moped to the left at the 28mm maximum wide-angle of the lens I was using.
Nikon F80, Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 D & Ilford HP5+.
Taken on 30 June 2019
Urban poppies
At this time of year it’s commonplace to see lots of photographs featuring fields full of poppies. The scarlet blossoms are in full bloom and make for an arresting sight, often contrasting beautifully with green fields of barley and wheat.
I don’t have one of those shots.
So, instead, here are some hardy poppies making a life for themselves in a somewhat less photogenic location. But who cares about the placement? The poppies have nontheless made themselves the star of the show in this incongruous patch of concrete and metal fencing.
Bronica ETRSi, Zenzanon 75mm f/2.8 PE & Fujifilm Pro 400H.
Taken on 7 July 2019
Hazy days of summer
The photo in today’s post looks a little hazy. However, rather than some sort of photography mishap, this is actually because the air was full of smoke from dozens of steam engines that were building up power.
I’m still not sure about the quality of my Ektachrome scans. Some are really nice (today’s shot isn’t bad), but some are disappointing in how they’ve turned out, either as a result of my photography, or how I’ve been able to scan and process them (Plustek 8100, Silverfast, and Lightroom). The odd thing is that some look lovely and some look really odd, with somewhat garish (but not correct) colours and overly muddy shadows.
It’ll be interesting to see how the roll of Velvia 50 looks when I get around to shooting that.
Anyone else tried the new Ektachrome yet and, if so, how have you found it?
Nikon F80, Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 D & Kodak Ektachrome.
Taken on 30 June 2019
Kelham Island
I’ve been out to the cinema this evening (to see Spiderman: Far From Home) and so don’t have much time to write a post unfortunately.
This is a shot I took last weekend of the Kelham Island museum in Sheffield. I posted a similar shot from a slightly different vantage point about eighteen months ago.
Bronica ETRSi, Zenzanon 75mm f/2.8 PE & Fujifilm Pro 400H.
Taken on 7 July 2019
Restaurant Bar Bar Restaurant
This is not the first photo I’ve taken of this restaurant in the (increasingly gentrified) Kelham Island area of the city, but it’s the only one I’ve taken with the Bronica ETRSi.
Bronica ETRSi, Zenzanon 75mm f/2.8 PE & Fujifilm Pro 400H.
Taken on 7 July 2019
Come with me if you want to live
The two tractors on the right look pretty happy, but the one on the left is looking more ominous. Tractor 800, or T-800 for short, has probably been sent back in time to kill John Connor.
Nikon F80, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 D & Ilford HP5+.
Taken on 30 June 2019
A man and two motors
I’ve been out much of this evening taking photos of two actors in Victorian dress in the old General Cemetery in Sheffield (organised by the photographic society of which I’m a member). I will hopefully post some of the results at some point. Anyway, I’m now quite tired and so this is going to be a short post. In fact I feel a little bit like the chap in today’s photo looks.
Nikon F80, Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 D & Ilford HP5+.
Taken on 30 June 2019
Forks and spoons
More bric-a-brac from the steam rally.
Nikon F80, Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 D & Ilford HP5+.
Taken on 30 June 2019
Pool balls
At the steam rally last weekend, apart from the various steam engines and classic vehicles on display, there were a number of flea-market type stalls dotted around the arena (as well as some stalls selling new goods). These are always interesting to browse, both as a potential source of a bargain*, or to provide interesting material for a photograph or two. The stalls at the rally were no exception, and today’s photo is one of several that I took of the wares on display. It could perhaps be argued that these pool balls (and chalk cubes) would have been better shot using a colour film but I’d already finished the roll of Ektachrome by the time I spotted these and, anyway, I really like the contrasty look the HP5+ has rendered.
*One stall had a box of camera gear. This was mostly flashes and the like, but for the price of a few pounds I managed to pick up some close-up lenses for my Yashica Mat, a Pentax Espio 140M compact 35mm camera, and an 80-200mm Tamron zoom lens with a Canon FD Adaptall adapter. I don’t have any Canon SLRs, but the lens is in very clean condition so I’ll either hang on to it in case I do find a suitable body at some stage, or pass it on to someone else. The close-up lenses were a particular bargain for just £1!
Nikon F80, Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 D & Ilford HP5+.
Taken on 30 June 2019
